Road America Charts Different Course for 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series on Friday

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

For the second year in a row, the 4.048-mile Road America awakes with the sound of 700-plus horsepower stock cars of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Situated in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the scenic but renowned race track of Road America has been most recognized as a site for open wheel and sports car battles. The site of a fantastic road race last season, stock car regular Carl Edwards won the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series event by outperforming some of the best road racing ringers such as Jacques Villeneuve and Ron Fellows.

Due to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series holding a road course race in Sonoma, California, the high-profile stock car regulars (many of whom competed in the last event at Michigan International Speedway last Saturday) have elected not to pull the weekend double-duty. Due to the distance between the weekend's NASCAR races and top placement in NASCAR Sprint Cup points, even the reigning 2010 race winner Carl Edwards is foregoing the event (ending a continuous NASCAR Nationwide starting streak dating back to a June 2005 race at Kentucky). For Road America, Edwards' #60 Ford Mustang for Roush-Fenway Racing will be wheeled by development driver Billy Johnson.

Making the most of a four-time winning car in 2011, Billy Johnson posted a fastest time lapping the 4-mile race track in the NASCAR Nationwide Series' first practice session. Posting a time of 2 minutes, 14.871 seconds around the 14-turn road course, the 24-year old Johnson was immediately quicker than Jacques Villeneuve and Michael McDowell. Confident on the #60 Fastenal Ford's performance, Billy Johnson and the #60 team did not participate in the NASCAR Nationwide Series' final practice. Roush-Fenway Racing teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr also sat out the second prep session for Saturday's Bucyrus 200 race. Stenhouse Jr posted a 7th fastest time in his #6 Ford Mustang during the earlier practice at Road America.

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

A weekend without the typically strong Sprint Cup competitors, a less known but no less talented crowd of drivers are given a chance to claim the spotlight. For this event, Michael McDowell his been granted the ride that Kyle Busch often wheels in selected NASCAR Nationwide Series events. Driving the #18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, McDowell draws upon his Star Mazda and Grand Am road racing series experience to preside in the top-3 for both practice sessions at Road America. NASCAR Nationwide Series title contenders like Reed Sorenson, Elliott Sadler and Trevor Bayne showed competitive pace as they take a break from left-only turns. Sadler posted a top-10 time in both sessions driving the Kevin Harvick Incorporated #2 Chevrolet eager to gather important driver championship points in Saturday's Bucyrus 200 race. Elliott Sadler is only 2 points behind current championship leader Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Practice for the Bucyrus 200 at Road America also saw a set of notable but part-time competitors lapping the 4.048 mile track. Drivers often chosen by teams only for the three road courses on the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series calendar (so-called 'Road Ringers'), talents joining the stock car tour at Road America includes a number of successful stars of sports car, Indy-style car and even Formula 1. Second-fastest in the first practice and third highest on the second session's time sheet, 1997 Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve returns to NASCAR this season in the Penske Racing #22 Dodge Challenger. Last season in this event, Villeneuve fought hard for Braun Racing until a late-race mechanical problem concluded a chance at a top-5 finish.

While Jacques Villeneuve will be driving a car commonly competed by Brad Keselowski, the #33 Chevrolet owned by Kevin Harvick Incorporated is also calling on decorated road racer Max Papis. An expatriate of sports car and open wheel driving, Papis last time competing a NASCAR stock car on a road course almost ended with victory. Battling to win the Napa Auto Parts 200 at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Vileneuve in 2010, the Italian native Papis was narrowly beaten by Boris Said on the last lap. On Friday, Max Papis and the #33 Chevrolet topped the second practice chart. Other Road Ringer talents present at Road America includes Ron Fellows, Andrew Ranger and Alex Kennedy.

With qualifying and the race set for Saturday, the NASCAR Nationwide Series Bucyrus 200 Presented by Menards will take place as a 50-lap affair starting at 4:30 pm.

2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series
Bucyrus 200 Presented by Menards
Entry List

1. 01 Mike Wallace Cowboys & Aliens Chevrolet
2. 2 Elliott Sadler OneMain Financial Chevrolet
3. 03 TBA R3 Motorsports Dodge
4. 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. RickyvsTrevor.com Ford
5. 7 Ron Fellows AER Chevrolet
6. 09 Kenny Wallace Toyota Toyota
7. 11 Brian Scott Shore Lodge
8. 13 Jennifer Jo Cobb DriverBoutique.com Ford
9. 14 Eric McClure Hefty BlackOut/Reynolds Chevrolet
10. 15 Timmy Hill New Orleans Voodoo Ford
11. 16 Trevor Bayne RickyvsTrevor.com Ford
12. 18 Michael McDowell Pizza Ranch Toyota
13. 19 Mike Bliss SheboyganAuto.com Chevrolet
14. 22 Jacques Villeneuve Discount Tire Dodge
15. 23 Alex Kennedy St. Baldrick's Dodge
16. 28 Derrike Cope MAXelence.com Chevrolet
17. 30 Ricky Carmichael Monster Energy Chevrolet
18. 31 Justin Allgaier Florida Gulf Safe Chevrolet
19. 32 Reed Sorenson Dollar General Chevrolet
20. 33 Max Papis Rheem/Menards Chevrolet
21. 38 Jason Leffler Great Clips Chevrolet
22. 39 Josh Wise Cajun Industries Ford
23. 40 Charles Lewandoski # Key Motorsports Chevrolet
24. 41 Doug Harrington New Orleans Voodoo Ford
25. 42 Tim Andrews Key Motorsports Chevrolet
26. 44 Jeff Green TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet
27. 46 Chase Miller Key Motorsports Chevrolet
28. 51 Jeremy Clements racedaysponsor.com Chevrolet
29. 52 Tim Schendel TRX Software Development, Inc. Chevrolet
30. 53 Andrew Ranger WM Recycling Dodge
31. 55 Brett Rowe Imperial Bedding Chevrolet
32. 60 Billy Johnson Fastenal Ford
33. 62 Michael Annett Pilot/Flying J Toyota
34. 64 Jason Bowles Fuel Doctor Toyota
35. 66 Steve Wallace 5-Hour Energy Toyota
36. 67 J R Fitzpatrick Go Canada Racing Ford
37. 70 Dennis Setzer ML Motorsports Dodge
38. 75 Carl Long Lilly Trucking of VA Ford
39. 81 Blake Koch DAYSTAR.com Dodge
40. 87 Kevin Conway AM/FM Energy/Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
41. 88 Aric Almirola TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet
42. 89 Morgan Shepherd Victory in Jesus Chevrolet

JR Motorsports Unleash All-Canadian Driver Duo for Road America Nationwide Race

Photo Credit: James H. Heine/Editorial Solutions

While the Canadian Olympic hockey team gold metal performance demonstrated in Vancouver this past winter what we can do together as a country, the motorsport world has shown similar instances where a united front of Canada's best athletes. For this weekend's inaugural NASCAR Nationwide series round on the 4-mile Road America road course, the high-profile race team of JR Motorsports has entered two well-versed Canadian stock car drivers into their multi-car team. Taking part in the Bucyrus 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race Saturday is Cambridge's J.R. Fitzpatrick and Mississauga's Ron Fellows.

Though sharing their Canadian nationality, Ron Fellows and J.R. Fitzpatrick share little else other than JR Motorsports-prepped Chevrolets. At age 50, Ron Fellows comes from strong footing in sports car racing to effectively spoil the show against NASCAR regulars. Successfully scoring victory in 6 total races in major NASCAR competition (4 Nationwide Series and 2 Camping World Truck races) Fellows is a designated road ringer at almost every NASCAR road race held for more than a decade. Joining JR Motorsports for the 3rd consecutive season, Fellows will be driving the #88 Chevrolet Impala sponsored by AER Manufacturing, a long-time affiliate of Fellow's racing career. Confident on the recent working relationship Fellows has with JR Motorsports, the more veteran Canadian said "I’m very optimistic on our chances for a solid run at Road America. With the powerful Hendrick horsepower we have under the hood and solid preparation the No. 88 AER team offers, we have as good a shot as anyone in the field to go to victory lane."



NASCAR Public Relations


J.R. Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, is a 22 year-old aspiring stock car great looking to break into the full-time ranks of one of NASCAR's top touring series. Thanks the Canada's wide variety of road courses on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule, Fitzpatrick has more than average experience turning left and right in stock car competition. Remarking first that he spent a week in a simulator and a long Thursday practice getting accustomed to the 4-mile Road America Circuit, Fitzpatrick continued “This is a great opportunity for me, and I’m excited to drive the No. 7 Schick Hydro Chevrolet. As a driver, surrounding yourself with good people and good equipment is all you can really ask for, and we’ve got that with JRM. Schick Hydro has been a wonderful sponsor of mine for some time, and I’m thankful to them for making this possible." Fitzpatrick will be taking the #7 Schick Hydro Chevrolet around Road America Saturday in hopes to once again add some luster to his NASCAR career south of the 49th parallel. His best finish so far is a 4th place finish in 2009 at the Camping World Truck Series in Daytona.



Photo Credit: Matthew Murnaghan/NASCAR

Perhaps the first time a major NASCAR series multi-car team has enlisted two Canadian drivers to run a race weekend, other avenues of auto racing have seen great triumphs result through the partnering of Canadian drivers. Among the most high-profile occurred during the days of the Players-sponsored Forsythe Racing days. First showing future Canadian talent Jacques Villeneuve accompanied by fellow French-Canadian Claude Bourbonnais. In 1998, when Forsythe Racing's CART World Series effort expanded to a second team, Patrick Carpentier was added alongside Greg Moore. With Carpentier remaining with Forsythe Racing for 7 seasons, he would also be paired with current IZOD IndyCar driver Alex Tagliani and 2003 Champ Car crown holder Paul Tracy. 22 CART/Champ Car victories were gained through the 7 seasons of Forsythe's year of two Canadian drivers. In one major triumph, the 2000 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP675 class victory was obtained by the Canadian-owned Multimatic Motorsport team contending with country-bred drivers John Graham, Scott Maxwell and Greg Wilkins.

Apart from Road America, JR Motorsports has also involved themselves with another young Canadian stock car driver Steve Arpin who has driven a handful of oval events so far in 2010. The ARCA regular Arpin will be present at the Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin track this weekend. Their will also be an additional Canadian in the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide event as former F1 drivers champion Jacques Villeneuve suits up for the #32 Dollar General Toyota of Braun Racing (the same team Villeneuve logged a 4th place finish at Montreal last season.

Road America to Host the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010

Richard Prince/GM Racing photo

Less than a week after the confirmation that NASCAR would not be sending the Nationwide series to the Milwaukee Mile oval an alternative plan took shape in the form of the series' 3rd road course race for 2010. NASCAR Nationwide Series cars and teams will be unleashed on the picturesque circuit of Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on June 19th.

A 4-mile road course, Road America was created in 1955 as Wisconsin state law forbid auto racing competition to be held on public roads. Well connected to professional sports car racing, the track has been the site of AMA Superbikes and particularly Champ Car racing.

With the NASCAR Nationwide Series completely unaccustomed to the long 14-turn road course, this is not the first time that a NASCAR stock car series has visited Road America. In 1956, NASCAR's Grand National division (which is today now as the Sprint Cup series) ran a 250-mile affair around the 4-mile Elkhart Lake road course. Future motorsport hall of fame driver Tim Flock took a Mercury to win the sole major NASCAR race.



Photo Credit: Road America Archives


With 3 road courses to be on the NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule for the first time since 2008, this race promises to be another exhibition for non-regular NASCAR competitors. Described as Road Course Ringers, drivers with sports car racing and open wheel pedigree like Ron Fellows and Boris Said are going to be sought after talents for the event. More than likely, road course ace and Cup regular Marcus Ambrose will seek in opportunity to sink his sharpened race teeth into the long, winding Road America. However, this event's timing of June 19th comes one day prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup road race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. While Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards made a trek to start every race in Cup and Nationwide in 2009, the logistics and driver's will are going to become challenges for this mid-year weekend.

Preserving major stock car touring series race for the state, the departure from a one-mile oval to a four-mile road course is certain to be an entirely different race for not only the drivers and teams but for the race fans. Like a number of closed road courses, spectators are free to view the race from a multitude of areas around the track.