Wizard of the Chase Johnson Wins Kansas Cup Race

Photo Credit: Tom Whitmore/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

Kansas Speedway is the second of four 1.5 mile tri-oval track locales in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. At the first so-called "cookie-cutter track", Tony Stewart become an early championship favourite when he won the Chicagoland Speedway event on fuel mileage. With 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup series drivers entered for the Hollywood Casino 400, the 12 Chase drivers continue to be under a microscope as some contenders are attempting to assert themselves in this fourth event in the 10-race championship fight.

 

Non-Chase driver Greg Biffle in the #16 Ford took the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole Friday outrunning his Roush Fenway Racing teammate and Chase points leader Carl Edwards. One of the 29 other cars and teams caught in the delicate spot of racing for wins without performing any costly moves against Chase contenders, Biffle was undaunted from racing to win. However, the #16 driver himself would realize having raced within the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship format in previous years.

 

Starting in 19th place, the Hendrick Motorsports #48 Lowes Chevrolet was led to the front quickly by the skillful Jimmie Johnson. Up to 9th place after only the first 15 laps, Johnson took the lead for the first time in the Hollywood Casino 400 at lap 24. Competitors and race fans would soon realize as the Kansas Speedway Sprint Cup event endured the force of the #48 team was in full force. After a rather dormant existence in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup, Jimmie Johnson resided at the front for 197 laps over the 267-lap race distance. At one point in the race, Johnson pulled out a 12-second lead on the second-place running vehicle.

 

Other than Jimmie Johnson, the Roush Fenway Ford Fusions of Matt Kenseth and Kansas race pole winner Greg Biffle recorded the only significant collection of laps at the end of the Hollywood Casino 400. With Biffle leading most of his 23 total laps early in the #16 Ford, Matt Kenseth led for 26 laps in the #17 Crown Royal Ford. Between lap 64 and lap 66, Kenseth and Biffle battled to stay at front prior to pit stops. Important for the 2011 NASCAR Chase standings, Kyle Busch in the #18 Toyota, Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon would lead laps during the Kansas Speedway event netting a single championship point a piece.

Photo Credit: Tyler Barrick Autostock USA

 

While Johnson enjoyed a glorious time at the front of the Kansas Speedway event, the rest of the Hendrick Motorsport team participated in a relatively quiet scheduled 400.5-mile event. Previous Kansas track winner Mark Martin came home 10th in the #5 Chevrolet while Dale Earnhardt Jr soldiered through a rather uneventful race in the #88 car. Concluding without a tire issue, the 14th place finish was improved over the previous two NASCAR Sprint Cup races.

 

The final Hendrick Motorsport car, the #24 Chevrolet of Jeff Gordon, had a dramatic end to his day. Chancing older tires against the force of new tires, Gordon and the #24 Dupont stayed on track improving his track position. Restarting on lap 211, Gordon and the #14 Chevy of Tony Stewart made slight contact causing the #24 car to lose pace, falling out of the top-10 quickly. As the end of the car neared, Jeff Gordon's day turned worse when mechanical problems caused the Hendrick Motorsports engine to break spectacularly with only on lap 265. Dropping to 34th place at the end, the timing of this caution inadvertently threatened what was an almost guaranteed sprint to victory by teammate Jimmie Johnson. 

Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images

 

In the late stage of the Hollywood Casino 400, the #4 Red Bull Toyota piloted by Kasey Kahne. Starting 5th and demonstrating strong race pace with the Toyota Camry stock car, Kahne lost considerable ground early at Kansas Speedway on a pit stop under the race's first caution on lap 21. Combined with a broken jack, Kahne's entrance out of pit road was blocked by the #48 car of Jimmie Johnson.

 

Bypassing the #2 Dodge of Brad Keselowski in late laps at Kansas, Kasey Kahne was the closest contender showing any ability of defeating the Lowes-sponsored Chevy. On a green-white-checker restart resulting from the blown engine of the #24 Chevrolet, Jimmie Johnson obtained a major jump that allowed a safe distance ahead of Kahne through the final 2 laps of the race. Winning his 55th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event, the Kansas victory was Johnson's first since the Talladega spring 2011 race.

 

Behind second place Kasey Kahne in the finishing order of the Hollywood Casino 400 was Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards. Besides non-Chase driver Kahne, four other drivers outside of the 12-driver end of season points fight for 2011 were in the Kansas race's top-10. From 7th to 10th were the cars of Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Marcos Ambrose and Mark Martin.

 

The Hollywood Casino 400 top-4 consisted of a Chevrolet ahead of a Toyota with a Dodge and a Ford resulting in some close manufacturer parity. However, Chevrolet clinches the Sprint Cup Series manufacturer's championship thanks to the #48 Impala's Kansas win.

 

Elevated in the points with the win, Jimmie Johnson is in 3rd place in the Chase points standing. Driver of the #99 Ford Carl Edwards obtains a one-point gap over Kevin Harvick who came home in 6th place. Edwards and Harvick entered the Kansas race tied with the difference of a single position breaking the draw.

 

A 500-mile night race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is next for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Jamie McMurray won the Charlotte event in 2010 over Kyle Busch.

  

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Hollywood Casino 400
Kansas Speedway
Race Results


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

1. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
2. 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
3. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
4. 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford
5. 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford
6. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
7. 33 Clint Bowyer Cheerios / Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
8. 16 Greg Biffle Sherwin-Williams Ford
9. 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford
10. 5 Mark Martin CARQUEST / GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
11. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota
12. 27 Paul Menard Schrock / Menards Chevrolet
13. 22 Kurt Busch Shell Pennzoil Dodge
14. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard / AMP Energy Chevrolet
15. 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot / Mobil 1 Chevrolet
16. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota
17. 51 Landon Cassill Security Benefits / Thank A Teacher Today Chevrolet
18. 39 Ryan Newman HAAS Automation Chevrolet
19. 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
20. 6 David Ragan UPS Ford
21. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
22. 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops / Arctic Cat Chevrolet
23. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
24. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing / Farm American Chevrolet
25. 43 A J Allmendinger Best Buy Ford
26. 98 Austin Dillon President Ronald Reagan Centennial Chevrolet
27. 38 Travis Kvapil Long John Silver's Ford
28. 32 Mike Bliss Street King Ford
29. 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota
30. 47 Bobby Labonte Bush's Beans / Kingsford Toyota
31. 36 Dave Blaney Big Red Chevrolet
32. 34 David Gilliland A&W All American Food Ford
33. 46 Scott Speed ordergreenstuff.com Ford
34. 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet
35. 0 David Reutimann Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
36. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
37. 71 Andy Lally # Interstate Moving Services Ford
38. 7 Reed Sorenson SPEED Energy / MAPEI / Menards Dodge
39. 66 Michael McDowell Victory Junction Toyota
40. 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Chevrolet
41. 87 Joe Nemechek AM FM Energy Toyota
42. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota
43. 55 J J Yeley Front Row Motorsports Ford

How to Win the 2011 NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup

Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR

In auto racing, the NASCAR Sprint Cup is one of the most elite trophies devoted to the victor of the largest stock car racing series in the world. For the 8th season, the coveted honour of NASCAR's top series will be rewarded following a 10-race shootout between selected drivers.

Called the Chase for the Sprint Cup (or rather simply called the Chase), this modified playoff formula has underwent several adjustments since introduction in 2004. The 2011 edition presents the top-10 point earning drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series along with two drivers granted wild card spots. Wild card spots for 2011 are granted to Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin who were outside of the top-10 in points but won races. Despite the minor alternations made through the years, the Chase is won simply through one fashion; a driver needs to collect as many points as possible in the 10-race stretch.

The past five years, Jimmie Johnson and his #48 Hendrick Motorsports team mastered the task of collecting Chase round points. Similar to the style of Formula 1 greats Jackie Stewart and Alain Prost, Johnson ran the NASCAR Sprint Cup seasons with a dedicated focus on the Chase. For 26 races, #48 team counted points and always preserved enough points to secure a point berth. Once in the 10-race Chase, Jimmie Johnson and the #48 Chevrolet race team has played a near perfect plan of scoring a high finishing average.

Similar to a scenario depicted in the new movie release Moneyball, many believe sports can be won by detecting patterns in the play of athletes. Entering the 2011 Chase, historical analysis of the past 7 champion runs presents a clue to what could be needed for this season's debut battle.

Average Finishes by NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase Winners (2004-2010) Through 10 Races:

2004- 8.9 (Winner: Kurt Busch)
2005- 8.7 (Winner: Tony Stewart)
2006- 10.8 (Winner: Jimmie Johnson)
2007- 5 (Winner: Jimmie Johnson)
2008- 5.7 (Winner: Jimmie Johnson)
2009- 6.8 (Winner: Jimmie Johnson)
2010- 6.2 (Winner: Jimmie Johnson)

Average overall Chase finish: 7.44

Contrary to the duty of every driver, the object of the Chase is not to compete for race wins. Jimmie Johnson won the most races of a Chase champion with 4 victories in 2007. In 4 of the 7 championship runs, a driver record no more than 1 win during the 10-race stretch. In 2005, Tony Stewart's title was earned despite being winless in the Chase run.

This year, a major curve is thrown into the Chase for the Sprint Cup with Chicagoland Speedway becoming the staging spot for the 10-race playoff. Replacing Auto Club Speedway inside the Chase, Chicagoland Speedway is holding NASCAR Sprint Cup races for its 10th season. 2011 Chase contender Kevin Harvick won the first two races at Chicagoland

Jimmie Johnson's average finish first in the 9 races he competed in at Chicagoland places the 5-time Sprint Cup champion for Hendrick Motorsports in 10th place effort. The following chart below represents the 12 Chase contending drivers record at Chicagoland Speedway races.

		Races Run	Average Finish
Kyle Busch		6	13.5
Kevin Harvick		10	11.2
Jeff Gordon		10	8.6
Matt Kenseth		10	11.4
Carl Edwards		6	18.3
Kurt Busch		10	18.1
Jimmie Johnson		9	10
Dale Earnhardt Jr		10	16
Ryan Newman		9	16.8
Tony Stewart		10	9.5
Brad Keselowski		2	25
Denny Hamlin		5	16.8

With auto racing consisting of so many variables relating to the athletes in the stock car and on the pit road, there is also mechanical factors that come strictly in play. The 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup will go to the driver that can hold low average finish. With the first race for the NASCAR Chase set to run at Chicagoland Speedway this weekend, the number crunching will surround the sport as either a precursor to the future or obstacles to be shattered.

Ryan Newman Commands Concrete of Bristol for Cup Pole

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

Known for its highly banked turns and concrete surface, Bristol Motor Speedway hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup teams for the IRWIN Tools Night Race Saturday. With the Chase for the Sprint Cup fast approaching, the Saturday night race at Bristol Motor Speedway's tight short track becomes a serious test for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers needing a strong points showing. 

Besides the potential Chase contenders, all 43 Sprint Cup drivers and team qualifying into the IRWIN Tool Night Race will prepare for 500 laps around a race track that tests physical as well as mental states. The 0.533-mile short-track supplies an exciting combination of speeds and tight quarters which has allowed the Bristol Motor Speedway to become a top attraction on the NASCAR circuit.

In qualifying for the 250-lap IRWIN Tools Night Race on Saturday night, the #39 Chevrolet of Ryan Newman scored the top spot ahead of the Roush-Fenway Racing Ford Fusions. Newman's 48th career pole in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, the Stewart/Haas Racing driver starts from the pole position for a 2nd time in 2011. Fortunately for Ryan Newman, his last pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway concluded with victory. Ryan Newman heads into the Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race with the motivation of a victory gained in a Whelen modified race on the Bristol Motor Speedway track Wednesday.

Second fastest in qualifying was the #99 Ford of Carl Edwards followed by Roush-Fenway teammate Matt Kenseth. Contending for the top spot entering the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Edwards enters Bristol after a costly 36th place finish following the past Michigan event. Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin (two Hendrick Motorsports vehicles) have qualified 4th and 5th for the Saturday night event.

While Ryan Newman took Stewart/Haas Racing to the highest of highs in the Friday time trial, the driver/owner behind the wheel of the #14 Chevy ended up far away from the pole-winning #39 race car. Tony Stewart will start 42nd after an off-pace qualifying effort. Winning once on the Bristol Motor Speedway in 2001, Stewart's last two Cup efforts on the 0.533 short track resulted in 19th and 27th place finishes.


The IRWIN Tools Night Race will start 7:30 PM Saturday for 500 laps around the Bristol Motor Speedway. Weather forecast indicate conditions should be hot but dry. 

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup
IRWIN Tools Night Race
Bristol Motor Speedway
Starting Lineup

1. 39 Ryan Newman Bass Pro Shops/Realtree Chevrolet
2. 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Dental Ford
3. 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford
4. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
5. 5 Mark Martin Farmers Insurance/GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
6. 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops/Realtree Chevrolet
7. 27 Paul Menard Sylvania/Menards Chevrolet
8. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
9. 20 Joey Logano Home Depot Toyota
10. 22 Kurt Busch Shell/Pennzoil Dodge
11. 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford
12. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet
13. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet
14. 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
15. 29 Kevin Harvick Realtree/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet
16. 33 Clint Bowyer Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
17. 34 David Gilliland Thanks Bristol Fans Ford
18. 43 A J Allmendinger Best Buy Ford
19. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
20. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota
21. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
22. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. AMPEnergy/Bristol50thAnny/NtnlGrd Chev
23. 18 Kyle Busch Doublemint Toyota
24. 6 David Ragan UPS Ford
25. 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
26. 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
27. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
28. 87 Joe Nemechek AM/FM Energy Pellet Wood Stoves Toyota
29. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota
30. 47 Bobby Labonte Bush's Baked Beans Toyota
31. 30 David Stremme Echostar Technologies Chevrolet
32. 66 Michael McDowell HP Racing Toyota
33. 38 Travis Kvapil Long John Silver's Ford
34. 0 David Reutimann Aaron's Freedom Ride Dream Machine Toyota
35. 36 Dave Blaney Golden Corral Chevrolet
36. 46 Scott Speed Green Stuff Ford
37. 95 David Starr Advocare Ford
38. 71 Andy Lally Interstate Moving Services Ford
39. 7 Robby Gordon SPEED Energy Dodge
40. 51 Mike Bliss PhoenixCnstrctn/ThnkATchrToday Chev
41. 32 Terry Labonte C&J Energy Ford
42. 14 Tony Stewart Bass Pro Shops/Office Depot Chevrolet
43. 60 Mike Skinner Big Red Toyota

Ambrose Ambushes Field at the Glen for First Cup Win

Photo Credit: Tyler Barrick Autostock USA

The second of only two road course races on the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, the Heluva Good! Sour Cream at the Glen runs accommodates the heavy stock cars for a 25th consecutive year. Regular drivers routinely face-off with specialists of the twist and turns of Watkins Glen International. The 2011 event was no exception as Ron Fellows, Boris Said, as well as road racing proficient Cup regulars Marcos Ambrose and Juan Pablo Montoya will be presenting an opportunity to dominate. Strong opponents against the primarily oval-based drivers, the competitive gap between Sprint Cup regular and Road Race Ringers have long been narrowing making 90-laps at the Watkins Glen course an eagerly awaited affair.

Running one day late to due a significant downpour flooding the Watkins Glen race track on the scheduled Sunday date, the 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup stock cars raced early Monday morning at the former Formula 1 US Grand Prix circuit. The Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen started with Richard Petty Motorsports Ford getting the better of the pole-winning Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota piloted by Kyle Busch. Taking the lead by the first lap, the #43 of AJ Allmendinger advantage was gained through his front row starting position. Formerly an open wheel racing star, Allmendinger spent the early stages in the first place position until his teammate Marcos Ambrose snatched the lead away on lap 9 at Watkins Glen. Winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Watkins Glen three year in a row, Tasmanian native Ambrose time in the stock car racing series has seen the road racing specialist grow as an oval racer. However, driving the #9 Stanley Tools Ford Fusion, Marcos Ambrose's talent racing tracks like Watkins Glen makes him a real favourite for a first victory.

While Kyle Busch was bested by the Richard Petty Motorsports cars early in the run, the M&Ms Toyota roared back to the lead for lap 17 getting around the #9 of Ambrose who had pitted early.   Most competitors in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen race chose to make the 90-lap distance on just two pit stops. In essence running 30 laps per every full tank of fuel, the plan proved too  Sticking to a plan to run the race with a three-stop strategy, the #9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford Fusion could focus on setting fastest lap times on the Watkins Glen circuit.

As the Fords of Richard Petty Motorsports devoted themselves to a safer fuel strategy, the Roush/Fenway Racing Ford Fusions are along many who pushed for lap 30 to make their first fuel stop. For the team's #16 car of Greg Biffle, the fuel cell on his stock car ran dry after 28 laps. Slowing and eventually stopping on track, the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen first caution was deployed.

While the Roush/Fenway Racing car of Greg Biffle received a push back to the pits on a fellow Ford, the timing of the caution was a benefit to some drivers including Marcos Ambrose and Dale Earnhardt Jr who had made pit stops during the green flag. For a second time, Ambrose led at Watkins Glen before turning the position over to Juan Pablo Montoya's #42 Chevrolet. Taking the lead on lap 37, Montoya stayed out front for 3 laps. After Juan Pablo Montoya's time at the front, fellow Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon took over until the #18 Toyota of Kyle Busch swept back into the top spot on the 45th lap.

Slowed first by a stopped vehicle on track, the next series of cautions during the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen involved dramatic collisions. As Kyle Busch was putting a driving clinic at the front of the field on lap 48, the #22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge piloted by brother Kurt Busch plowed hard into the turn 5 tire barrier. Ending in a retirement for the Sprint Cup chase hopeful, Kurt Busch was not the only member of the NASCAR Sprint Cup's top-12 in points to meet the Watkins Glen retaining barriers. On lap 67, Denny Hamlin went for a frightening ride when his Joe Gibbs Racing #11 Toyota sailed straight in turn 1. A product of a stuck throttle, Hamlin was unable to slow down the stock car from over 100 mile per hour. Only the turn 1 tire barrier and wall could stop the speeding FedEx #11 Toyota. Enduring a hard hit, Denny Hamlin (like Kurt Busch in the previous crash) left the vehicle thankfully unhurt.

After the Hamlin crash, green flag was shown with 20 laps to go for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen NASCAR Sprint Cup event with Kyle Busch taking the race lead back from Jeff Gordon. Building up a sizable lead on second place Marcos Ambrose, Kyle Busch's advantage was erased on lap 87 by the backstretch crash of Paul Menard's #27 Chevrolet.

The Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen race came down to a final showdown between the two most superior race cars of the day. In the lead, Kyle Busch faced off with the #9 Ford of Marcos Ambrose for what would be the race's green-white-checker finish. Side-by-side, Busch and Ambrose launched with near identical restarts. Into the corner, the #2 Dodge of Brad Keselowski entered into the battle for the Watkins Glen lead. Kyle Busch bobbled slightly as Keselowski pointed his car perfectly into the first corner taking the top position. While Busch quickly settled his vehicle, the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing driver was effectively out of contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup victory. Marcos Ambrose remained close to the new leader Brad KeselowskiHeluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen. In second place, Marcos Ambrose found considerable speed through the back straight portion of the track in the #9 Ford to pass the #2 Dodge through the Watkins Glen's inner loop section.

As Marcos Ambrose crossed the start/finish line with a commanding lead at this vital time, the Tasmanian should only need to worry about the competition for about half of the final lap. Bringing out the race solidifying caution, a violent wreck involving three cars provided a dramatic conclusion. The major incident started in turn 1 as the #6 Ford of David Ragan was sent wide into a wall in turn one. Striking the wall hard with an uneven front impact, the Ragan's Ford bounced back into the race track and slammed the #00 Toyota of David Reutimann. Impact on Reutimann's car sent the Michael Watrip Racing Toyota for the wildest impacts first into the inner wall. Hitting the steel barrier, the force of the #00 car's impact sent the vehicle onto its side and later roof as it slid into the outside wall. The #36 Chevrolet of Ron Fellows was also clipped in the incident ending what was a difficult day for the Canadian road racer. Thankfully ending the race on a positive note, Fellows, Ragan and Reutimann walked out of their cars without serious injury.  

Photo Credit: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR

Due to the last lap caution, the #9 Ford crossed the finish line under the yellow flag to win the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen. Rewarding the relatively sizable NASCAR race crowd returning to the rescheduled Monday morning event at the 2.45-mile road course, Marcos Ambrose lit up his tires in celebration of his first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory. The victory for Richard Petty Motorsports #9 car of Ambrose comes almost two years since their last win with Kasey Kahne at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Richard Petty Motorsports win at Watkins Glen is also the first with a Ford product in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition. The term 'first time winner' has become a refreshingly more common on the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Marcos Ambrose's name joining Trevor Bayne, Regan Smith, David Ragan and recent Brickyard 400 winner Paul Menard.

Brad Keselowski finished 2nd at the Watkins Glen road course still enduring pain suffered in a Road Atlanta crash weeks before. Bringing the #2 Miller Lite Dodge of Penske Racing home in the runner-up position served as come much-needed medicine as Keselowski attempts to gain a spot in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Though Kyle Busch missed out on the race victory, his third place finish locked the Joe Gibbs Racing driver into the top spot in the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup driver points. Toyotas of Martin Truex Jr and Joey Logano rounded out the top-five for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen.

The next stop for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is a second visit to the 2-mile Michigan International Speedway Sunday.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Watkins Glen International
Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen
Race Results

1. 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford
2. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
3. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota
4. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
5. 20 Joey Logano Home Depot Toyota
6. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
7. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
8. 43 A J Allmendinger Best Buy Ford
9. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
10. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
11. 33 Clint Bowyer Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
12. 99 Carl Edwards Ortho Home Defense Max Ford
13. 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet
14. 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford
15. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet
16. 39 Ryan Newman U.S. ARMY Chevrolet
17. 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet
18. 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
19. 47 Bobby Labonte CapitalDPO Toyota
20. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota
21. 71 Andy Lally Interstate Moving Services Ford
22. 51 Boris Said PhoenixConstruction/ThankATeacherToday Chevrolet
23. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet
24. 7 Robby Gordon SPEED Energy Dodge
25. 5 Mark Martin GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
26. 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
27. 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet
28. 6 David Ragan UPS Ford
29. 0 David Reutimann Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
30. 36 Ron Fellows Golden Corral Chevrolet
31. 16 Greg Biffle Valvoline Ford
32. 27 Paul Menard Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet
33. 34 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford
34. 38 Terry Labonte Long John Silver's Ford
35. 32 Andrew Ranger Bully Hill Vineyards Ford
36. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota
37. 50 T J Bell Green Smoke Chevrolet
38. 22 Kurt Busch Shell/Pennzoil Dodge
39. 37 Scott Speed Green Stuff Absorbent Ford
40. 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota
41. 66 Michael McDowell HP Racing, LLC Toyota
42. 55 JJ Yeley Front Row Motorsports Ford
43. 60 Mike Skinner Big Red Toyota

Logano to Launch from Pole at Pocono Cup Race

 

Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

 

Taking his second pole of the season, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Joey Logano will lead the 43-car NASCAR Sprint Cup field to green for Sunday's Good Sam RV Insurance 500 at Pocono Raceway. Rounding the 2.5-mile oval in 52.309 seconds, the #20 Toyota grabbed the pole position from the #56 Toyota driven by Martin Truex Jr. Logano's top time would hold up against the effort mounted by Kasey Kahne #4 Red Bull Toyota for the time trial triumph.

 

With Joey Logano's name mixed in the NASCAR Sprint cup Silly Season, the 21-year old driver of the #20 Home Depot Toyota is looking to renovate his season with a top finish. Prior to this week, the strongest rumours had current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point leader Carl Edwards signing to drive the #20 for 2012. As Edwards and Roush Fenway Racing announced a multi-year deal on Thursday, Logano's role in the Joe Gibbs Racing team has gained some security.

 

After a Toyota Camry sweep of the top-three for the Good Sam RV Insurance 500, the resigned Carl Edwards sailed his #99 Ford Fusion to a 4th place at Pocono Raceway. In the June Pocono event, the #99 Roush Fenway Racing team lost their considerable lead in the series points due to a mechanical problem costing the team several laps in the event. Kurt Busch's #22 Dodge and the #11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin will start from the third row at Pocono. The fourth row will be an all-Richard Childress Racing pairing with recent Indianapolis Motor Speedway Brickyard 400 winner Paul Menard having position over Jeff Burton. Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick completes the top-10 for Sunday's race.

 

 

 

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup

Pocono, Pennsylvania

Good Sam RV Insurance 500

Starting Line-up

 

1. 20 Joey Logano Home Depot Toyota
2. 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
3. 56 Martin Truex, Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
4. 99 Carl Edwards Ortho Home Defense Max Ford
5. 22 Kurt Busch Shell/Pennzoil Dodge
6. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Office Toyota
7. 27 Paul Menard CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet
8. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
9. 16 Greg Biffle 3M/811 Ford
10. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
11. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota
12. 39 Ryan Newman Tornados Chevrolet
13. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
14. 33 Clint Bowyer Good Sam Club Chevrolet
15. 6 David Ragan UPS Ford
16. 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet
17. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet
18. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
19. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet
20. 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford
21. 36 Dave Blaney Golden Corral Chevrolet
22. 47 Bobby Labonte Reese Towpower/Highland Toyota
23. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
24. 34 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford
25. 5 Mark Martin GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
26. 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
27. 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford
28. 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet
29. 43 AJ Allmendinger Best Buy Ford
30. 66 Todd Bodine HP Racing, LLC Toyota
31. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet
32. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota
33. 00 David Reutimann Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
34. 55 JJ Yeley Front Row Motorsports Ford
35. 46 Erik Darnell Red Line Ford
36. 51 Landon Cassill PhoenixConstruction/SecurityBenefit Chev
37. 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Chevrolet
38. 7 Robby Gordon SPEED Energy Dodge
39. 38 Travis Kvapil Long John Silver's Ford
40. 37 Scott Speed Max Q Motorsports Ford
41. 32 Jason White Gunbroker.com Ford
42. 71 Andy Lally Interstate Moving Services Ford
43. 87 Joe Nemechek AM FM Energy Toyota

NASCAR Schedule & Weather Forecast: July 15th to 17th 2011

Photo Credit: Jennifer Coleman/ Iowa Speedway

Loudon, New Hampshire
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
NASCAR Sprint Cup/ NASCAR Nationwide Series


Friday:

10:30 am- NASCAR Nationwide Series Practice
Temperature: 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sun with clouds
Chance of Precipitation: 0%


11:30 am- NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice
Temperature: 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sun with clouds
Chance of Precipitation: 0%


1:40 pm- NASCAR Nationwide Series Practice
Temperature: 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sun with clouds
Chance of Precipitation: 0%


3:10 pm- NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying
Temperature: 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sun with clouds
Chance of Precipitation: 0%


Saturday:

9:30 am- NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice
Temperature: 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sunny
Chance of Precipitation: 0%


10:35 am- NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying
Temperature: 23 degrees Celsius (73 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sunny
Chance of Precipitation: 0%

11:45 am- NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice
Temperature: 23 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sunny
Chance of Precipitation: 0%


3:30 pm- NASCAR Nationwide Series Race (New England 200)
Temperature: 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sunny
Chance of Precipitation: 0%



Sunday:

9:00 am- NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race (LENOX Industrial Tools 301)
Temperature: 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Rain Showers
Chance of Precipitation: 0%



Newton, Iowa
Iowa Speedway
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series/ ARCA Racing Series


Friday:

3:00 pm- ARCA Racing Series Practice
Temperature: 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sun with clouds
Chance of Precipitation: 10%


4:30 pm- NASCAR Camping World Truck Practice
Temperature: 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sun with clouds
Chance of Precipitation: 10%


5:30 pm- ARCA Racing Series Practice
Temperature: 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sun with clouds
Chance of Precipitation: 10%


6:30 pm- NASCAR Camping World Truck Practice
Temperature: 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sun with clouds
Chance of Precipitation: 10%


Saturday:

12:10 pm- ARCA Racing Series Qualifying
Temperature: 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 30%


1:35 pm- NASCAR Camping World Truck Qualifying
Temperature: 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 30%


4:15 pm- ARCA Racing Series Race
Temperature: 32 degrees Celsius (89 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 30%


7:00 pm- NASCAR Camping World Truck Race (Coca-Cola 200 presented by
Hy-Vee)
Temperature: 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Chance of Precipitation: 30%

Kyle Busch's Practice Speed Wins Pole at Kentucky

Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

A predictable outcome for Friday's NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying at Kentucky Speedway resulted in the #18 M&M Toyota of Kyle Busch starting on the pole for the inaugural race on the 1.5 mile speedway. However, the predictability was not because the Joe Gibbs Racing driver (who came from back in the field to win Thursday's Camping World Truck Series race) fast outings on track throughout the weekend. Rather, the forecast fall of rain showers washed out the qualifying session for Saturday night's Quaker State 400. Under NASCAR's new-for-2011 using practice times instead of car owner points as the primary way to set race fields, Kyle Busch's 182.803 mile per hour time in the final practice session clinched the top spot when rain washed out the Kentucky Speedway. By virtue of their fast practice times, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson fills out the top-5 starting positions for the first Kentucky Speedway event with NASCAR Sprint Cup series.

As 48 cars would have vyed for the 43 starting spots through the time trial session, some cars were favoured entry into the Quaker State 400 as a result of qualifying attempts made by a car throughout the 2011 season. Solidifying Joe Nemechek's #87 Toyota, the #60 Toyota driven by Mike Skinner and Travis Kvapil's #38 Ford in the race field at Kentucky Speedway, the rain robbed an opportunity for other drivers. The most significant driver missing out on the Quaker State 400 is Michael Waltrip. The home state for theWaltrip brothers Michael as well as his three-time Cup champion driver Darrell, the first Kentucky Speedway Sprint Cup event will not have the famous racing family represented in the 43-car field.

NASCAR Sprint Cup regular Robby Gordon has also missed the chance to compete with his #77 car at the Quaker State 400 due to the wet track. Though Robby Gordon did not make it into the race, the #7 Dodge owned by the driver will start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Kentucky event in the hands of Scott Wimmer. TJ Bell, David Stremme and David Starr have into been forced to call their weekend's short without attempting a qualifying run.  



2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Quaker State 400
Sparta, Kentucky

1. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota
2. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
3. 22 Kurt Busch Shell/Pennzoil Dodge
4. 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
5. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
6. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
7. 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford
8. 6 David Ragan UPS Ford
9. 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet
10. 27 Paul Menard Sylvania/Menards Chevrolet
11. 9 Marcos Ambrose Porter-Cable Ford
12. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet
13. 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford
14. 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet
15. 20 Joey Logano Home Depot Toyota
16. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Good To Go Toyota
17. 0 David Reutimann TUMS Toyota
18. 39 Ryan Newman Tornados Chevrolet
19. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
20. 33 Clint Bowyer Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
21. 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
22. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
23. 43 A J Allmendinger Valvoline Ford
24. 47 Bobby Labonte Cottonelle Clean Care Toyota
25. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota
26. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota
27. 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
28. 5 Mark Martin Quaker State/GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
29. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet
30. 51 Landon Cassill Security Benefits/Thank A Teacher Today
31. 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota
32. 36 Dave Blaney Big Red Chevrolet
33. 60 Mike Skinner Big Red Toyota
34. 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet
35. 34 David Gilliland Taco Bell Ford
36. 46  J J Yeley Red Line Chevrolet
37. 38  Travis Kvapil Long John Silver's Ford
38. 66 Michael McDowell Standard Publishing/Relentless Hope Toyota
39. 71 Andy Lally # Cool Works Cup Ford
40. 81 Scott Riggs Whitney'sCollision.com Chevrolet
41. 37 Tony Raines Front Row Motorsports Ford
42. 32 Mike Bliss Big Red Ford
43. 7 Scott Wimmer SPEED Energy Dodge

 

Hamlin Breaks Through With Win At Michigan

Photo Credit: Gregg Forwerck/Getty Images for NASCAR

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(June 19, 2011)

BROOKLYN, Mich. — For the first time this season—at a track where he was expected to contend—Denny Hamlin finally dodged the pitfalls that have plagued him in previous races and closed the deal.

First out of the pits after a stop under caution on Lap 192 of 200, Hamlin held off Matt Kenseth after a restart with five laps left and claimed his first victory of the season in Sunday’s Heluva Good 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Hamlin, who won his 17th Sprint Cup race, crossed the finish line .281 seconds ahead of Kenseth. Unlike previous races at his best tracks, such as Martinsville, Richmond and Pocono—where Hamlin was strong early but succumbed to a variety late-race problems—Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota was at its best in the closing laps of Sunday’s race.

“We finished—that’s the thing,” Hamlin said in victory lane. “We got it done. Everyone knows that we’ve been strong. Today we didn’t look as strong as what we normally do here, but we got it working there at the end.

“We made a magic adjustment, and the car took off. This is the point of the season where we really need to start hitting our stride, and hopefully we’ve got another good 10 weeks before the Chase starts.”

Kyle Busch, Hamlin’s teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, finished third for the second week in a row. Paul Menard came home fourth for his best result of the season, and Carl Edwards finished fifth and expanded his lead in the series standings to 20 points over second-place Kevin Harvick (14th Sunday).

Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin and Brian Vickers completed the top 10.

Kenseth spun his tires on the final restart but got a push from Edwards, his Roush Fenway Racing teammate, and closed on Hamlin over the final five laps—but ran out of time.

“I got a bad restart, and Carl pushed me back to clean air, which was real nice of him, and I got back to Denny, but I couldn’t get around him,” Kenseth said. “We were kind of slow for about 10 laps on most runs, and then it seemed like we were the best car from 10 (laps) until we needed fuel.

“I just didn’t have enough time to get around him. I tried everything I could, and I just couldn’t figure out how to do it.”

The victory and third-place finish for the Gibbs cars were a welcome change from the start of the weekend. On Friday, NASCAR ordered all three JGR teams to replace oil pans that had not been submitted for approval. (JGR’s third driver, Joey Logano, finished 18th.) NASCAR is pondering sanctions for the unapproved parts, with an announcement expected early in the week.

Hamlin cracked the top 10 in the Cup standings for the first time since the third week of the season at Las Vegas. The runner-up to Jimmie Johnson in last year’s Chase, Hamlin is ninth, 77 points behind Edwards with 11 races left before the field for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is set.

Hamlin got the opportunity he needed when a caution on Lap 158—the result of an accident involving Juan Pablo Montoya and Andy Lally in Turn 4—interrupted a cycle of green-flag pit stops and scrambled the running order for a restart on Lap 164.

Edwards passed Kenseth and Busch for the lead on the restart lap, with Hamlin in pursuit. With the top-10 drivers in fuel-saving mode, Edwards continued to pace the field, pulling away from Hamlin by a second and a half, before contact from Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin sent Dale Earnhardt Jr. into the Turn 1 wall to bring out the final caution.

On Lap 192, when the lead-lap cars came to the pits—most for two tires and fuel—Hamlin’s crew executed its best stop when it counted most.

Johnson continued to have problems with Michigan, one of four active Cup tracks where the five-time defending champion hasn’t won a race. Johnson spun off Turn 2 just eight laps into the race, flattened three of his four tires and broke the sway bar on the No. 48 Chevrolet.

Ultimately, Johnson lost two laps as his crew repaired the car. He salvaged a 27th-place finish but lost most of the ground in the standings he had gained on Edwards last week at Pocono. Johnson fell from second, six points back, to fifth, 29 points in arrears.

Kurt Busch Bashes to Third-Straight Cup Pole at Michigan

Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images

 

The last of the 46 cars to attempt a qualifying run for the Heluva Good Sour Cream Dips 400, Kurt Busch piloted the #22 Pennzoil Dodge to his third-straight pole on the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup tour. Achieving the top spot in qualifying with a time of 38.156 second run, Busch's result stood the test of David Reutimann's effort in the Michael Waltrip Racing #00 Toyota. Extending his recent pole-streak, Kurt Busch also repeats as lead qualifier in the spring race at Michigan.

 

Outside of the top-10, 2008 race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr starts 15th with his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Earnhardt Jr actually led the whole Hendrick Motorsports team as Mark Martin will start 19th, Jimmie Johnson 21st and the #24 car of Jeff Gordon will be taking the green flag in 31st spot.

 

Another notable driver out of the top-10 in qualifying at Michigan International Speedway is the NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader. The Roush Fenway driver Carl Edwards starts 23rd at Michigan positioned differently to the beginning of last week's race at Pocono. Having a 40-point point deteriorate to just a 4-point interval over Jimmie Johnson, #99 Ford of Edwards suffered a rare drivetrain issue. Carl Edwards has two wins in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series at Michigan

 

Prior to Kurt Busch's pole lap, the biggest news in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage at Michigan International Speedway has been situated on Joe Gibbs Racing attracting the ire of the sanctioning body's scrutinizing. On Friday, oil pans from the team's three Toyotas (the #11, #18 and #20) were confiscated in pre-practice inspection. In qualifying, Denny Hamlin was the highest-qualifying member of Joe Gibbs Racing stable with his #11 Fed Ex Toyota. Kyle Busch starts 24th while Joy Logano in the #20 car will start on the tail end of the 43-car field due to an engine change made after the Toyota's race motor expired on Friday. 

 

The closest race to the Motor City of Detroit, qualifying gave a reason for Chevrolet and Ford to be somewhat worried. Four Toyota Camrys entered the top-10 with Chevrolet Impalas taking three spots and two positions belonging to Ford Fusion race cars. Kurt Busch was the only Dodge in the top-36 for the Heluva Good Sour Cream Dips 400. 

 

The NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the 2-mile Michigan International Speedway will start at 1:00pm Eastern time.

 

 

Starting Lineup

NASCAR Sprint Cup

Heluva Good Sour Cream Dips 400

Michigan International Speedway

1. 22 Kurt Busch Shell/Pennzoil Dodge
2. 00 David Reutimann Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
3. 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford
4. 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
5. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
6. 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet
7. 16 Greg Biffle Red Cross/3M Ford
8. 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
9. 27 Paul Menard Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet
10. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Office Toyota
11. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
12. 51 Landon Cassill Security Benefits/ThankATeacherToday Chevrolet
13. 39 Ryan Newman USArmy236Bday/BMooreNASCARHOF Chevrolet
14. 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet
15. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet
16. 47 Bobby Labonte RainEater/Advance Auto Parts Toyota
17. 21 Trevor Bayne Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford
18. 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford
19. 5 Mark Martin GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
20. 6 David Ragan UPS Ford
21. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet
22. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
23. 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Now Hiring Ford
24. 18 Kyle Busch Snickers Toyota
25. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Cars 2 Chevrolet
26. 43 A J Allmendinger Best Buy Ford
27. 33 Clint Bowyer Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
28. 38 Travis Kvapil Fellowship of Christian Athletes Ford
29. 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota
30. 20 Joey Logano Home Depot Toyota
31. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet
32. 30 David Stremme Inception Racing Chevrolet
33. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
34. 46 J J Yeley Red Line Chevrolet
35. 32 Mike Bliss bluCigs Ford
36. 71 Andy Lally TRG Motorsports Ford
37. 7 Robby Gordon SPEED Energy/Walgreens Dodge
38. 66 Michael McDowell HP Racing LLC Toyota
39. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota
40. 34 David Gilliland Taco Bell Ford
41. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
42. 36 Dave Blaney Golden Corral/GetAuctionAccess.com Chevrolet
43. 81 Scott Riggs Whitney's Collision.com Chevrolet

Race Weekend Schedule & Weather Forecast: June 17th to 19th 2011

Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR

West Allis, Wisconsin
Milwaukee Mile
IZOD INDYCAR Series/ Firestone Indy Lights Series

Friday:

3:00pm- IZOD INDYCAR Practice

Temperature: 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Chance of Precipitation: 0%

 
3:45pm- IZOD INDYCAR Practice (All Cars)
 
Temperature: 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Chance of Precipitation: 0%




Saturday:


8:45am- Firestone Indy Lights Practice

Temperature: 17 degrees Celsius (63 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 50%


9:45am- IZOD INDYCAR Practice

Temperature: 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 50%


11:55am- Firestone Indy Lights Practice

Temperature: 18 degrees Celsius (65 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 50%


12:55pm- IZOD INDYCAR Practice

Temperature: 19 degrees Celsius (67 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 50%


3:50pm- Firestone Indy Lights Qualifying
 
Temperature: 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 50%


4:45pm- IZOD INDYCAR Qualifying
Temperature: 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 50%


Sunday:

12:30pm Firestone Indy Lights David Hobbs 100



Temperature: 19 degrees Celsius (67 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 20%


3:30pm- IZOD INDYCAR The Milwaukee 225
Temperature: 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 20%



Brooklyn, Michigan
Michigan International Speedway
NASCAR Sprint Cup/NASCAR Nationwide Series/ ARCA Racing Series

Thursday:

2:30pm- ARCA Practice

Temperature: 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly cloudy
Chance of Precipitation: 30%




Friday:

10:00am- ARCA Qualifying

Temperature: 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly cloudy
Chance of Precipitation: 20%


11:30am- NASCAR Nationwide Practice

Temperature: 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly cloudy
Chance of Precipitation: 20%


12:30pm- NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice

Temperature: 23 degrees Celsius (73 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly cloudy
Chance of Precipitation: 20%


2:00pm- NASCAR Nationwide Practice

Temperature: 24 degrees Celsius (74 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Chance of Precipitation: 20%


3:30pm- NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice

Temperature: 24 degrees Celsius (74 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Chance of Precipitation: 20%


5:15pm- ARCA RainEater Wiper Blades 200

Temperature: 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Chance of Precipitation: 20%


Saturday:

11:10am- NASCAR Nationwide Qualifying

Temperature: 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 50%


1:10pm- NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying

Temperature: 22 degrees Celsius (71 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 50%


3:30pm- NASCAR Nationwide Alliance Truck Parts 250

Temperature: 23 degrees Celsius (73 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 50%



Sunday:

1:00pm- NASCAR Sprint Cup Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

Temperature: 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of thunderstorm
Chance of Precipitation: 30%

Gordon Ties Waltrip, Allison With 84th Win at Ponoco



Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR




By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(June 12, 2011)

LONG POND, Pa. — Jeff Gordon may be starting to feel his age, but he certainly didn’t show it in Sunday’s 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway.

“I’m just so excited to be a part of this sport,” Gordon said in victory lane, after taking the checkered flag 2.965 seconds ahead of runner-up Kurt Busch. “I’m going to be 40 this year (Aug. 4). I’m an old man now.”

Statistically, the old man already is an important part of NASCAR Sprint Cup history. His victory Sunday was his second of the year, his fifth at the tricky 2.5-mile triangular track and the 84th of his career, tying Gordon with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for third on the all-time list.

As NASCAR’s elder statesman and four-time champion later pointed out, the race was won on pit road. The No. 24 Chevrolet crew got Gordon out ahead of Busch on a stop under caution for debris on Lap 156 of 200, enabling Gordon to streak away from eventual seventh-place finisher Juan Pablo Montoya after a restart on Lap 160.

During a green-flag stop on Lap 177, the No. 24 crew again performed flawlessly, increasing the cushion Gordon held over Busch.

“If we can just get out front, I think we’ll be OK,” Gordon had told crew chief Alan Gustafson before the Lap 160 pit stop — and that’s exactly what happened.

“You guys won that one in the pits—way to go,” Gordon radioed to his crew after crossing the finish line.

Kyle Busch ran third, followed by Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Busch’s No. 18 Toyota, however, failed postrace inspection, with the left front being too low when measured by NASCAR’s height stick. If penalties are forthcoming, they will be announced later in the week.

Montoya, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr. completed the top 10. Series points leader Carl Edwards suffered an engine failure 58 laps into the race and finished 37th. Edwards’ lead in the standings shrank to six points over second-place Johnson and 10 over third-place Earnhardt.

Clean air proved decisive, as Kurt Busch, the polesitter, couldn’t close on Gordon significantly during the final 41-lap green-flag run.

“It was a great, hard-fought battle with Jeff Gordon at the end,” Busch said. “It started about 130 laps in, about 70 to go, where we were able to take the lead, stretch it out. Then there was a caution (the fourth debris caution of the race, on Lap 155). The 24 beat us out of the pits.

“I thought we could gain on him after 15 laps into the run. We were able to do that most of the day. We were able to do that again at the end, but we just couldn't close the gap far enough. The old ‘Golden Boy’ had it in him today.

“Neither one of us slipped those final few laps. It was just one of those, ‘I'm giving it all I got, and I can’t close the gap.’ ”

Denny Hamlin, a four-time winner at Pocono, led a race-high 76 laps, but a broken valve stem forced him back to the pits after a stop on Lap 160 and relegated him to 19th at the finish. Hamlin lost one position in the standings to 12th, as Gordon jumped past him into 11th, his highest position since winning at Phoenix in the second race of the season.

After a disappointing stretch that started with a crash in Las Vegas in week No. 3, Gordon feels his team is beginning to realize its potential.

“We were embarrassed by the way we were running,” Gordon said. “When I came on board with Alan (the result of a crew chief swap in the offseason), I knew that they were special and amazing. Phoenix came a little sooner than we thought, but I felt like we could do that this year.

“Then we went on a streak where we just weren’t competitive, but what it takes is a team that believes in you, and you believe in them, and you work together to get there. That’s what we did today.”

Underdog Unleashed: Regan Smith Claims Darlington Cup Win

Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR

Regan Smith arrived in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series in 2007 as a co-owner of the Ginn Racing #01 Chevrolet (driving alongside Mark Martin). A promising young talent, Smith's career hit a stumble in 2008. After one-full season in the Sprint Cup where achieved this 2008 season's Rookie of the Year title and almost won the race at Talladega, Smith received the short end of the stick due to multiple team mergers. First with the Ginn Racing team merging with Dale Earnhardt Incorporated in 2007, Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates Racing's organization would join after the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Limited to a four-car team, Smith's team was excluded in favour of Ganassi's #42 car driven by the more established Juan Pablo Montoya.

Undaunted by the setback and the highly-competitive nature of simply becoming a Sprint Cup series regular driver, Regan Smith signed with the #78 Furniture Row Racing team. A single car operation the Furniture Row Racing team was always regarded as an outsider compared to the NASCAR superteams which consisted of multi-car stables. Their base in Colorado rather than the traditional race shop in North Carolina went further to bring light to the inconformity of Furniture Row Racing. Despite being funded on a more modest basis, the Furniture Row Racing #78 Chevrolet was not enticed by the quick cash of a "Start and Park" effort. In every race the #78 Chevrolet competed, the team was seen performing at their full competitive ability. Teaming with Regan Smith in 2009, the partnership has pay dividends in 2011. After 95 races, Regan Smith secured his first top-10 finish at the 2011 Daytona 500. For the May 7th Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, the pairing scored a major coup for the underdog.

After a top qualifying run, the #4 Red Bull Toyota piloted by Kasey Kahne led the 43-car field to green starting the Showtime Southern 500. An initial run that lasted only 7 laps at Darlington Raceway, the #60 car of Mike Skinner spun to draw caution. As the field was regrouped, the Stewart/Haas Racing #39 Chevrolet driven by Ryan Newman snuck around the #4 car of Kahne to lead the race's early stages.

As the race progressed, another drivers taking stints at the front of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race included Jamie McMurray, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards. For much of the Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, a three-way battle between Edwards, Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne made up the complexion of the event combining to lead 259 of the scheduled 367 laps distance.

Struggling to please the temperament of the track known as the 'Lady in Black', the Hendrick Motorsport Chevrolets had a less than successful Saturday night race at Darlington. Collectively, the top-flight operation finished in modesty but were hardly a factor. In fact, the team did not lead a single lap at the 1.366-mile oval. The most dramatic display of the Hendrick Motorsport team's poor showing was Jimmie Johnson and his #48 Chevrolet spun twice during the event. Despite of this difficulty, the 5-time Sprint Cup champ would finish 15th in the final running order. Another on track incident for a Hendrick Motorsport Chevrolet resulted when Dale Earnhardt Jr's #88 car was nabbed by NASCAR as hitting a pit road commitment cone. Running in the top-10 at the time of the gaffe, Earnhardt Jr was assessed a drive-through pit road penalty costing him a lead lap placing which he would not be able to regain until very late in the Showtime Southern 500. In less eventful outcomes, Mark Martin finished 19th while Jeff Gordon led the Hendrick Motorsport group with a 12th place finish.

Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR

With just 9 laps remaining in the Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington, a yellow flag disturbed the race led at this point by Kasey Kahne who had just snatched the lead from the #99 Ford of Carl Edwards. Setting up a final run, many of the cars at the front of the field pitted for fresh tires including Edwards and Kahne. However, a gutsy call was made by the #78 Furniture Row Racing team opting instead for track position at Darlington. Historically an ill-advised move, the car driven by Ragen Smith was hoping to take advantage of a recent resurfacing of the Darlington Raceway where older tires are not a sign of complete doom. Needing only to held off competitors for 5 laps, Smith could pull off a major upset in NASCAR Sprint Cup.

As the race restarted on lap 262, Regan Smith launched while a clan of NASCAR Sprint Cup cars were actively fighting for every position through the late stages of the Showtime Southern 500. The most heated affair through the last laps on track occurred between Kyle Busch's #18 Toyota and Kevin Harvick driving the #29 Chevrolet. With three laps to go, Harvick and Busch along with the #33 of Clint Bowyer were exiting turn 4 when the two cars came together. The latest of a series of minor expresses of disrespect through the race, this time their contact contributed to incidental contact with the Richard Childress Racing #33 Chevrolet. Bowyer crashed hard into the inner frontstretch wall. Bowyer was unhurt but the focus immediately shifted off the wrecked #33 car. During the time span when Clint Bowyer crashed, Kyle Busch had turned down into the rear right corner of Kevin Harvick's Chevrolet sending the #29 spinning in front of the field. An angry Harvick was able to avoid any major damage as the yellow flag dropped for the 11th and final time at Darlington.

Photo Credit: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR

Setting up a green-white-checkered restart, Regan Smith continued to lead having his #78 Chevrolet slipping through every corner as he tried to stay out front of the Darlington event. Charging the Furniture Row Racing car was the #99 Ford of Carl Edwards using four newer tires to challenge the leading opponent on older tires. Maintaining control and the 1st place spot, Regan Smith crossed the start-finish line winning the Showtime Southern 500. A first win for Smith NASCAR Sprint Cup, the victory lane celebration was also the first time the Furniture Row Racing team collected a win. As Regan Smith celebrated in victory lane, almost every competitor in the race voiced their deepest congratulations and praise for the 2011 Darlington Sprint Cup winner including 2nd place Carl Edwards.

However, while a magical upset victory occurred at Darlington Raceway, the tone of post-race was monopolized by the borderline dangerous hi jinks of Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick. On the cool down lap after the Showtime Southern 500, Harvick's #29 Chevrolet was running close behind the #18 Toyota of Busch. Two drivers known for their volatile on-track personas, the two expressed mutual disgust with each other through their cars. Eventually ending up on pit lane, Kyle Busch was blocked by Kevin Harvick's car as the Richard Childress Racing driver exited his vehicle while a crew member of the #29 ran towards the pair. As Harvick stepped out of his car and approached Busch's driver side window, the #18 Toyota violently accelerated ramming the #29 Chevrolet sending it coasting into a pit road wall. With both drivers angry following event, NASCAR called both drivers to the officials' hauler and later assessed them each a mild $25,000 fine.

The win in the Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington by Regan Smith is the second time in 2011 a young, underdog driver won his first win on a historically significant NASCAR track. The first being Trevor Bayne's win at the Daytona 500 in February.

Race Weekend Weather Forecast: May 6th to May 7th, 2011

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

Time are local unless otherwise stated

Turkish Grand Prix
Istanbul, Turkey
Formula 1

Eastern time is in brackets ()

Friday:

10 am (3 am)- Formula 1 Practice 1

Temperature: 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy with chance of Rain
Chance of Precipatation: 60%


2 pm (7 am)- Formula 1 Practice 2

Temperature: 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudy
Chance of Precipatation: 10%


Saturday:

11 am (4 am)- Formula 1 Practice 3
Temperature: 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Sunny
Chance of Precipatation: 0%


2 pm (7 am)- Formula 1 Qualifying

Temperature: 16 degrees Celsius (61 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly cloudy with sun
Chance of Precipatation: 0%




Sunday:

3 pm (8 am)-Formula 1 Race

Temperature: 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly cloudy with sun
Chance of Precipatation: 0%



Darlington, South Carolina
Darlington Raceway
NASCAR Sprint Cup/Nationwide Series

Friday:


9:30 am- NASCAR Nationwide Series Practice
Temperature: 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudly with chance of rain
Chance of Precipatation: 10%


11 am- NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice

Temperature: 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudly with chance of rain and thunderstorms
Chance of Precipatation: 80%


2:15 pm- NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice

Temperature: 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudly with chance of rain and thunderstorms
Chance of Precipatation: 80%


3:35 pm- NASCAR Nationwide Qualifying

Temperature: 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudly with chance of rain and thunderstorms
Chance of Precipatation: 80%


5:10 pm- NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying

Temperature: 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudly with chance of rain and thunderstorms
Chance of Precipatation: 80%



7:30 pm- NASCAR Nationwide Royal Purple 200

Temperature: 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Cloudly/night
Chance of Precipatation: 80%


Saturday:

7:30 pm- NASCAR Sprint Cup Showtime Southern 500

Temperature: 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sky Conditions: Partly cloudly/night
Chance of Precipatation: 0%