Sprint Hangs Up on Sponsoring NASCAR's Top Series Beyond 2016

Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images

At the start of the 2017 NASCAR season, the green flag for the Daytona 500 will drop inaugurating a new path for their biggest stakes tour. First and foremost, NASCAR's top series will no longer be known as the Sprint Cup Series. In a brief statement issued by NASCAR on Tuesday afternoon, it was announced cellular phone service provider Sprint would not renew their title sponsor role in the premier stock car racing series.

Citing the need to concentrate on their core business, Sprint has decided not to renew their title sponsorship commitment to NASCAR. Steve Gaffney, Sprint's vice president of marketing commented, “We are proud of our association with NASCAR’s top series but have made the decision not to extend our sponsorship beyond the next two years,”. Gaffney also stated, “We genuinely appreciate the fans, teams, drivers, tracks and media who have been so supportive and welcoming to us during these many race seasons,” adding how Sprint looks forward to fulfilling the final years of their current deal.

The series had been known as NASCAR Sprint Cup since 2008 but the original contract began in 2004 through the company Nextel. Called the Nextel Cup Series for a single season, Sprint and Nextel merged in 2005. The original ten-year naming right deal for the NASCAR series was extended at the end of the term to three additional seasons. The Nextel-Sprint arrangement replaced a long-running sponsorship deal with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company resulting in the existence of the Winston Cup Series for 33 seasons. Besides the series title sponsorship, Sprint has also been providing their brand name to the invitational event at Daytona International Speedway and the all-star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The Sprint Cup Series isn't going to be the first major touring division of NASCAR to undergo a rebranding. Starting next year, Comcast's Xfinity brand will be the new title sponsor in the NASCAR division previously known as the Nationwide Series.

Tony Stewart Hits Early Season Jackpot at Las Vegas

Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

 

Having already competed at the 2.5-mile Daytana International Speedway and the 1-mile Phoenix International Raceway, the third race in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup tour took the series regulars to a track in between the earlier two circuits. Hosting the Kobalt Tools 400, the 1.5-mile of Las Vegas Motor Speedway became the stage for another interesting round in a Sprint Cup where the front-runners are still inconclusive.

 

Winning qualifying for the first time with his Hendrick Motorsports on Friday, Kasey Kahne placed the Farmer's Insurance #5 Chevrolet on the coveted pole. Kahne's 190.456-mile per hour lap average speed would be a record at the 1.5-mile oval.

 

 After some chaotic practice sessions, several top drivers would start the Kobalt Tools 400 fighting an even tougher battle. Losing their primary race cars, Jimmie Johnson and 2nd place qualifier Kyle Busch were required to start near the back of the 43-car field in accordance with NASCAR rules. Kyle Busch would receive aid prior to the green flag as several rear field cars allowed the #18 Toyota to start ahead oh them (An action permitted by NASCAR rules). At the front, as Busch was forced from his 2nd place spot, the start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway morphed into an all-Hendrick Motorsport front row with Dale Earnhardt Jr's #88 Chevrolet starting alongside Kasey Kahne.

 

With the green flag falling for Sunday's Kobalt Tools 400, Kasey Kahne's time in the lead was over by the end of the second turn. Showing speed early, Dale Earnhardt Jr surged in the lead at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A sight so many JR Nation fans will want to see through this 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, the #88 National Guard Chevrolet maintained a healthy lead on what was several challenger early on in the 400-mile event.

 

With Kasey Kahne and Joey Logano holding the second place position early, Tony Stewart shot to second appearing to have enough speed to catch Earnhardt Jr. However, Stewart needed to back off from the fight as a piece of debris obstructed the grille of his #14 Chevrolet. Dale Earnhardt Jr remained at the front of the Kobalt Tools 400 for 70 of the race's first 73 laps even surviving a lap-46 caution coming out while pitting.

Photo Credit: Nigel Kinrade/Autostock

 

The #88 Chevrolet would be knocked from the lead on lap 74 when several cars took two tires compared to Earnhardt Jr's team stopping for four. Dale Earnhardt Jr would be out of winning contention for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway event as the race progressed leading to a 10th place day for the #88 Hendrick Motorsports-owned Chevrolet.

 

Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart would be some of the drivers leading the NASCAR Sprint Cup teams up to the halfway point of the Kobalt Tools 400. The Las Vegas Motor Speedway race was proving to be another hotly-contested round in the young 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup year until a true dominator emerged supreme at lap 180. Having already led for 41 laps in the event, Tony Stewart and his #14 Chevrolet developed a liking for the first place spot that saw another 50 laps commanded by the Mobil 1/Home Depot-sponsored car.

 

With all but 37 laps completed of the 267 scheduled lap distance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the race was slowed three times by the yellow flag. On 246, the #83 Toyota of Landon Cassill suffered an engine failure. With 10 laps to go, Kyle Busch would spin loose across the race track as he attempted to mount a strong top-10 finishing effort late. Spinning through the frontstretch, Busch was fortunate enough to guide the #18 Toyota safely through the infield grass. The second time this season Kyle Busch avoided a near certain wreck (the several saves during the Budweiser Shootout that later evolved to a win for the #18 Toyota), this time would not result in a best possible finish for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver. Kyle Busch would finish 23rd in what was a difficult Kobalt Tools 400 race.

 

 

Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

 

Despite a fierce challenge from a charging Jimmie Johnson (who flew from the back of the field to compete at the end for the Kobalt Tools 400), Tony Stewart lead 75 of the final 77 laps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to win the event. Winning in the third race of the year, this season's first win for Tony Stewart was the earliest in his career. The Las Vegas victory was #14 car crew chief Steve Addington's first win since joining Stewart/Haas Racing. In the last NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Phoenix, Tony Stewart's former crew chief Darian Grubb found early success wrenching the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and driver Denny Hamlin to the winner's circle.

 

Jimmie Johnson finished second in a race where his race team and sponsor Lowes partnered in providing relief funding for the areas of the United States hard-hit by tornadoes two weeks ago. The finishes for Johnson at this early time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series is playing pivotal to capturing lost ground from the Daytona penalty. Later this upcoming week, an review of the tech-inspection penalty that cost the driver and team 25 point following the disastrous Daytona 500 finish who also determine if crew chief Chad Knaus will have to serve a six-race suspension.

 

In third in the finish in the Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was the #16 Ford of Greg Biffle. Biffle prevailed best of a late-race battle between his Roush Fenway Racing teammates. On the last restart, a three-way fight among Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle resulted in Kenseth losing out when he needed to slow to avoid contact. Kasey Kahne was also caught up in the calamity. Kahne would finish 19th and Matt Kenseth come across the start/finish line 23rd. Carl Edwards would finish in the top-5 with Greg Biffle who is currently the NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader in the 2012 driver standings.

 

Other strong finishers at the Las Vegas race included Ryan Newman who backed-up his teammate/owner's victory with a 4th place, Clint Bowyer's finished 6th for Michael Waltrip Racing, Paul Menard with 7th in his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet and a 9th place finish for Trevor Bayne driving the Wood Brothers Ford Fusion. For Bayne, this finish becomes his 2nd top-10 finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series (first being his 2011 Daytona 500 win).

 

Next Sunday, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season turns to the tight 0.533-mile short track oval of Bristol Motor Speedway.

 

 

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Kobalt Tools 400
Race Results

1. 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet
2. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet
3. 16 Greg Biffle 3M/Meguiars Ford
4. 39 Ryan Newman Quicken Loans Chevrolet
5. 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford
6. 15 Clint Bowyer 5-hour Energy Toyota
7. 27 Paul Menard Menards/Schrock Chevrolet
8. 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet
9. 21 Trevor Bayne Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford
10. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet
11. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
12. 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont 20 Years Chevrolet
13. 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford
14. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
15. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row/Farm American Chevrolet
16. 20 Joey Logano Dollar General Toyota
17. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
18. 55 Mark Martin Aaron's Toyota
19. 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
20. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota
21. 34 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford
22. 17 Matt Kenseth Zest Ford
23. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Brown Toyota
24. 43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Fantasy Racing Camp Ford
25. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Clorox Chevrolet
26. 47 Bobby Labonte Kingsford/Bush's Beans Toyota
27. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Ford
28. 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Toyota
29. 36 Dave Blaney Ollie's Bargain Outlet Chevrolet
30. 32 Ken Schrader Federated Auto Parts Ford
31. 10 David Reutimann Accell Construction Chevrolet
32. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
33. 38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford
34. 33 Brendan Gaughan South Point Casino Chevrolet
35. 51 Kurt Busch Tag Heuer Eyewear Chevrolet
36. 83 Landon Cassill Burger King Toyota
37. 22 AJ Allmendinger Pennzoil Dodge
38. 98 Michael McDowell Phil Parsons Racing Ford
39. 93 Travis Kvapil Burger King Toyota
40. 26 Josh Wise 1-800-Loan Mart Ford
41. 87 Joe Nemechek AM FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
42. 37 Timmy Hill Poynt.com Ford
43. 49 JJ Yeley America Israel Racing Toyota

 

Crazy 2012 Daytona 500 Claimed by Matt Kenseth

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

 

 

After 53 years of Sunday Daytona 500, NASCAR drivers, teams and fans could be forgiven for expecting the 500-mile event at the Daytona International Speedway would be resolved by the time many go back to work on Monday. Unfortunate for the 2012 running of the “Great American Race”, ended a long motorsport streak by postponing the classic stock car event on the 2.5-mile superspeedway oval for the first time ever.

 

Originally postponed to Monday afternoon, continuing rain showers gave the officials overseeing the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series reason to again reschedule the start of the Daytona 500 to 7pm Eastern time. To the delight of everyone, the precipitation left the track in time for engines of 43 cars to ignite. Already an unusual event based on the Monday evening start, the 54^th Daytona 500 reception of the green flag kicked-off one of the most bizarre, memorable races in the race’s history.

 

Carl Edwards took the green flag for the 2012 debut of the NASCAR Sprint Cup cars but the #99 Fastenal Ford was quickly unseated once the lead drivers came up to speed. Regan Smith in the #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet flew to the front by lap one just as the race’s first big wreck transpired. Just as most of the field completed the first lap of the Daytona 500, a multi-car tangle occurred when the #48 Lowes Chevrolet driven by Jimmie Johnson was tapped in the middle of the drafting pack. As Johnson was sent into the outer Daytona wall, David Ragan in the #38 car, the #51 Chevy of Kurt Busch and the #10 driven by high-profile Sprint Cup Series rookie Danica Patrick were damaged. Patrick and Busch were able to return to the event after extended stays behind the wall as crews repaired their racing machines but 2006 Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson and the #48 Hendrick Motorsports car was out of the event in just the second lap. The retirement of Johnson marked what would be a difficult Daytona 500 for Hendrick Motorsport that would be followed before halfway by a blown engine on Jeff Gordon’s #24 Chevrolet.

 

 

Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

After another yellow flag thrown on lap 14 for a spinning Ryan Newman (now major damage was sustained to his #39 Chevy), the race began to demonstrate advantages and perils of pack racing in the draft. After Lap 17, Denny Hamlin (who started 31^st position in the Daytona 500 following a disastrous finish in his Duel 150 event) led continuously for 24 laps. Unseating the #11 Toyota of Hamlin from the lead was the #31 Chevrolet belonging to Richard Childress Racing driver Jeff Burton. Green flag pit stops would cause the front position to be swapped with Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart until they pitted to return lead to Burton. A caution for debris would end 49 laps of green flag racing at Daytona International Speedway (a caution-free streak that would become the longest in the 2012 Daytona 500).

 

Martin Truex Jr in the #56 NAPA Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing led the NASCAR Sprint Cup pack across the line for the halfway-point in the 2012 Daytona 500 thereby making the race official. With concerns for rain around past the 100 lap-mark of the event, drivers were getting more aggressive than ever. After a short-lived fight, it was the #11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin that once again found the preferential lead position on lap 103. Holding up to first for another 28 laps, Greg Biffle took the lead of the Daytona 500 just ahead of a caution for the #15 Toyota of Clint Bowyer that ran out of fuel. Following the yellow flag, the Roush Fenway Racing group showing the near dominating pace identical to that displayed in the second Gatorade Duel 150 race. At lap 133, Biffle’s #17 Ford held the lead for 6 laps until the #17 Ford of Matt Kenseth would flourish to the led on lap 146 after a stint where two Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas were present at the found.

 

After the rain-out that delayed the race for over 30 hours, a caution initially called for a one-car spin involving the #30 Chevy of David Stremme after the vehicle blew an engine on-track. Crew members work to clean up the oil left by the #30 car incident (a safety crew that included a high-powered track jet dryer) under caution on lap 160 until a scary and surreal on-track moment.

 

The #42 Target Chevrolet piloted by Juan-Pablo Montoya, rushing to catch the back of the race, suddenly veered right on the backstretch hammering the jet dryer truck. A heavy hit, a fireball thrown up by the intense jet dryer heat. The front end of the #42 Chevy was briefly ignited but was extinguished quickly thanks partially to the damaged car spinning into the infield. However, as Juan-Pablo Montoya climbed out of his wrecked race vehicle, fuel from the jet dryer began running down the Daytona International Speedway’s 31-degree banking. A large fire burned as safety crew reinforcements with a fire truck raced to the scene. After several minutes of flames cooking overtop of the turn 3 asphalt, the fire was suppressed. Despite the inferno that erupted from the jet dryer fuel cascading down the track, neither Montoya nor the safety crew member Duane Barnes was seriously hurt in the accident (however both men were checked out by medical personnel for precaution).

 

 

Photo Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

 

Cleaning up the Daytona International Speedway after one of the harshest fires ever transpiring on the race surface, NASCAR threw a red flag stopping the Daytona 500. Attempting to steal to the race by staying on-track while other cars pitted, the #36 Tommy Baldwin Racing car driven by Dave Blaney was in the lead and looked poised to win the 2012 Daytona 500. The uncertainty of the jet dryer fire’s affect on the track’s surface and a chance of more rain showers threatened the continuation of the event. However, with no major rainfalls, the track crews just over two hours to extract the burnt jet dryer and truck, clean off the jet fuel residue as well as repair the track surface with a fast-drying compound.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

After an extended stay on the backstretch under red flag conditions, drivers were ordered back to their NASCAR Sprint Cup cars. Almost midnight, the field were again circulating around the 2.5-mile oval. Some questioned whether the resumption of the Daytona 500 was wise based on the considerable repairs conducted on the Daytona International Speedway. Concern for the track surface quickly dissipated when the field completed their first green flag laps over the restored turn 3 patch.

 

With 35 laps to go in the Daytona 500, the fight was on for the race’s Harley Earl Trophy. Matt Kenseth commanded the drafting pack waiting for the laps to count down. In three multi-car accidents in the final 21 laps consumed several frontrunners of the Daytona 500. Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Regan Smith and AJ Allmendinger were removed from contention either in the garage area or marching wounded on the race track. The #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of Kasey Kahne was also caught in a lap 189 crash. With three out of four Rick Hendrick cars out of front-running position, the #88 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr was the organization’s only chance at victory. On the final restart during a green-white-checkered period, Earnhardt Jr made a substantial fight to push the #16 Ford of Greg Biffle past the leading #17 car. Despite a hit pressing bump draft through the final two laps of the event, there was not enough pace to pass Matt Kenseth.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Imags

 

After 202 laps (a race distance extended 2 laps due to the final green-white-checkered finish), the #17 Best Buy Ford of Matt Kenseth stormed across the start/finish line winning the 2012 Daytona 500. The 22^nd win for Kenseth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and second Daytona 500 victory, the #17 car win is also Roush Fenway Racing’s 300^th win within the top-3 NASCAR series (Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series).

 

Unable to push Greg Biffle to the lead, Dale Earnhardt Jr successfully passed the #16 car for second place. The 2012 race becomes Earnhardt Jr’s third runner-up finish in the Daytona 500 (His father finished second five times in the “Great American Race“). Biffle, Denny Hamlin and Jeff Burton rounded out the top-5 for the 2012 Daytona 500. Racing to a sixth place finish, Paul Menard scaled from a 37^th place starting position to insert himself between Richard Childress Racing teammates Burton and Kevin Harvick. Michael Waltrip Racing also earns honourable mention with Mark Martin placing tenth behind the wheel of the #55 Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Clint Bowyer finishing 11th after in-race troubles. Both veteran drivers were making first point-paying race drives for Michael Waltrip‘s race team.

 

In 2009, Matt Kenseth won the rain-shortened Daytona 500 event after completing 152 of the scheduled 200 laps. One of only four times a Daytona 500 race was cut due to weather, that instance had NASCAR declaring the event as over in a relatively short time span. Kenseth's 2012 Daytona win in what was a marathon NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season opener would definitely make-up for that premature Daytona 500 running in 2009.

 

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona 500
Race Results

 

1. 17 Matt Kenseth Best Buy Ford
2. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet
3. 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
4. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota
5. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
6. 27 Paul Menard Menards/Peak Chevrolet
7. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
8. 99 Carl Edwards Fastenal Ford
9. 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota
10. 55 Mark Martin Aaron's Toyota
11. 15 Clint Bowyer 5-hour Energy Toyota
12. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
13. 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford
14. 47 Bobby Labonte Kroger Toyota
15. 36 Dave Blaney Ollie's Bargain Outlet Chevrolet
16. 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet
17. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Brown Toyota
18. 32 Terry Labonte C&J Energy Ford
19. 26 Tony Raines Front Row Motorsports Ford
20. 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford EcoBoost Ford
21. 39 Ryan Newman U.S. ARMY/Quicken Loans Chevrolet
22. 83 Landon Cassill Burger King Toyota
23. 38 David Gilliland MHP/Power Pak Pudding Ford
24. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row/CSX Play It Safe Chevrolet
25. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Ford
26. 93 David Reutimann Burger King Toyota
27. 33 Elliott Sadler General Mills/Kroger Chevrolet
28. 87 Joe Nemechek AM FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
29. 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
30. 98 Michael McDowell No.98 KLOVE/Curb Records Ford Ford
31. 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet
32. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
33. 43 Aric Almirola Smithfield Helping Hungry Homes Ford
34. 22 AJ Allmendinger Shell Pennzoil Dodge
35. 21 Trevor Bayne Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford
36. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
37. 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Toyota
38. 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
39. 51 Kurt Busch Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet
40. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
41. 7 Robby Gordon MAPEI/Menards/SPEED Energy Dodge
42. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
43. 34 David Ragan Scorpion Truck Bedliners Ford

Truex Jr Drafts the Right Bottle for Bud Shootout Pole

Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

Unofficially the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race of the season, the 2012 Budweiser Shootout, the world's top stock car racing stars are unleashed on the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway a weekend ahead of the prestigious Daytona 500. Open to the drivers who clinched a top-25 finishing position in the overall Sprint Cup Series driver standings last season, past winners of Daytona Cup Series events who are still ineligible through points are also granted entrance into the 34th running of the Budweiser Shootout. Started as a 20-lap sprint event in 1979, the Budweiser Shootout's 2012 edition will consist of 75 laps divided by two segments (a 25-lap and 50-lap part) for the ultimate Saturday night spectacle under the lights of the Daytona oval.

Settled by 25 special bottles of Budweiser beer, the starting lineup was drawn by the participating drivers of the non-points race. Unlike the pressures of qualifying for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event (a sensation that will certainly affect drivers during Sunday's qualifying for the Daytona 500), the Budweiser Shootout draw was a more leisure occasion where fans were reacquainted with their favourite NASCAR drivers. From the massive cheers for Dale Earnhardt Jr to the more colourful choir of cheers and boos for Kyle Busch, the 2012 Budweiser Shootout field was slowly set with many top starting spots selected early. One of the early drivers, Kyle Busch, drew a front-row 2nd place spot for the Saturday night event.

When the draw concluded, Martin Truex Jr left the ceremony with the Budweiser Shootout 2012. A field being led by a pair of Toyota Camrys (Truex Jr's #56 NAPA car for Michael Waltrip Racing and Busch's #18 M&Ms machine owned by Joe Gibbs Racing), the Japanese-derived auto brand has yet to win the Budweiser Shootout. Behind the all-Toyota front row, Brad Keselowski's #2 Miller Lite Dodge will start from the 3rd place position with Jamie McMurray joining on the second row for this Daytona race. With David Ragan starting 5th in the 2012 Budweiser Shootout, the top-5 drivers for this event are all non-winners of the Daytona non-points race.

Parting with the Penske Racing team in a highly eventful departure in the off-season, the defending winner of the Budwieser Shootout Kurt Busch drew a 6th place spot. The older Busch will be driving a Chevrolet in Sprint Cup competition for the first time for Phoenix Racing. Kurt Busch's former car, the #22 Penske Racing Dodge, will be driven by AJ Allmendinger in his maiden race for Penske Racing.  

 

Other former winners of the Budweiser Shootout will be starting the Saturday night with the additional challenge of a deep race position. Coming off his third championship season in 2011, two-time Shootout winner Tony Stewart will start his #14 Chevrolet from the 15th position. Starting 18th will be the 2005 Budweiser Shootout winner and five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. Johnson's #48 Chevrolet may easily have the support of new Hendrick Motosports teammate Kasey Kahne placed just one spot behind. Budweiser Shootout victor in 2009 and 2010, Kevin Harvick will start his #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in 22nd spot. The race's title sponsor is also worn on the body panels of Harvick's Chevrolet. Fortunately for Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick, the Daytona International Speedway is a renowned restrictor plate track providing the speed for drivers to realistically launch their charge to the front.

The 2012 Budweiser Shootout is set to start at 8:10 PM Eastern time and will be televised on Fox in the United States as well as TSN2 in Canada.



2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Daytona International Speedway
Budweiser Shootout
Starting Lineup

 

1. 56 Martin Truex Jr NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
2. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota
3. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
4. 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet
5. 34 David Ragan MHP / Power Pak Pudding Ford
6. 51 Kurt Busch Tag Heuer Avant / Garde Chevrolet
7. 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
8. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr National Guard / Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet
9. 22 AJ Allmendinger Shell Pennzoil Dodge
10. 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota
11. 99 Carl Edwards Fastenal Ford
12. 31 Jeff Burton CAT Chevrolet
13. 39 Ryan Newman WIX Filters Chevrolet
14. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
15. 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet
16. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota
17. 15 Clint Bowyer 5-hour Energy Toyota
18. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
19. 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
20. 55 Michael Waltrip Aaron's Toyota
21. 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford
22. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
23. 17 Matt Kenseth Best Buy Ford
24. 27 Paul Menard Menards / Peak Chevrolet
25. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet

Championship-Minded Edwards Wins Homestead Cup Pole

Photo Credit: Nigel Kinrade Autostock

The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season started at Florida's Daytona International Speedway where a surprise winner Trevor Bayne took a Wood Brothers Ford to Daytona 500 victory circle. Returning to the state where the top stock car racing tour kicked off what was an overall unpredictable year, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title will be won by the first driver other than Hendrick Motorsports' Jimmie Johnson for the first time since 2005.

The winner of that 2005 Cup championship, Tony Stewart, readies for the 2011 series finale at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway just 3 points behind the Chase points leader. Indiana state's Stewart target for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Ford 400 is the #99 car driven by a Columbus, Missouri native. A driver equally as skilled inside the car as he is charismatic outside of a race vehicle, Carl Edwards used plain consistency in 9 of the 10 NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup races to take the point lead going into the Ford 400 on Sunday. Despite not winning an event so far in this 2011 NASCAR Chase, Edwards and the #99 Ford Fusion fielded by Roush Fenway Racing are in position to gain owner Jack Roush his third Cup Series championship. 

With no track activity on Friday due to rain drenching the Homestead-Miami Speedway oval, practice and qualifying for the Ford 400 took place Saturday. Immediately, Carl Edwards and the #99 team rocketed to the top of the time sheets in the two practice sessions. Parlaying the speed in practice, Edward's #99 Ford took pole in qualifying Saturday afternoon lapping the 1.5-mile Florida oval in 30.775 seconds. Equating to a 175.467 mile per hour average speed, Carl Edwards commented following his pole run success content with the importance of Sunday's Ford 400 race. "It is great to be on the pole. It is just one lap and tomorrow we have 267 laps and we have some serious competition out there. We are just going to go put this Ford Fusion up there and get a good pit stall and race hard all day Sunday.” said Edwards ahead of the 400-mile event.

On a mission Sunday, Carl Edwards starts from the front row while Chase contender Tony Stewart will launch from a 15th position in the #14 Chevrolet. With the fight for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship the tightest during Ford Championship Weekend at the race track, Tony Stewart only needs to improve a few spots over Carl Edwards to steal his third driver's title. Historically at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Edwards and Stewart each hold a pair of victories in the 400-mile event.

Collecting a little over one-tenth of a second slower than Edwards to start on the front row of the Ford 400 is Martin Truex Jr in the #56 Toyota. Recent Pheonix race winner Kasey Kahne is positioned 3rd in what will by his final event in the #4 Toyota for Team Red Bull. Kurt Busch and Brad Keselowski claims the 4th and 5th spots in qualifying for Penske Racing. Part of the 12 drivers eligible in the 2011 Chase, both Kurt Busch and Keselowski enter with opportunities to gain positions to finish out the season. Drivers rounding out the top-10 for the start of the Ford 400 are in order of Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin.

Fastest in the first practice, the Hendrick Motorsports-backed #88 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr will start 11th after qualifying for Sunday's race. In 11 race starts, Earnhardt Jr has yet to record a top-10 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway track in Sprint Cup Series competition. Other notable starters for the Ford 400 includes Regan Smith in 16th place driving the #78 Furniture Row car, the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Kyle Busch in 19th position, one-time 2011 Chase contender Kevin Harvick in 21st and 2003 Homestead-Miami race winner Bobby Labonte will start 35th. Also, Mark Martin will be racing his final race for Hendrick Motorsports in the #5 Chevy starting from the 25th position. Martin had announced weeks ago going to Michael Watrip Racing in 2012.

Concluding the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, the Ford 400 starts Sunday at 3pm Eastern time.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup

Ford 400
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Starting Line-up

1. 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford
2. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
3. 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
4. 22 Kurt Busch Shell Pennzoil Dodge
5. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
6. 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford
7. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet
8. 16 Greg Biffle 3M/Novec Ford
9. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
10. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota
11. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet
12. 43 A J Allmendinger Best Buy Ford
13. 6 David Ragan UPS My Choice Ford
14. 39 Ryan Newman U.S. ARMY Chevrolet
15. 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet
16. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet
17. 33 Clint Bowyer Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
18. 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford
19. 18 Kyle Busch Interstate Batteries Toyota
20. 21 Trevor Bayne Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford
21. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
22. 51 Landon Cassill Security Benefit/ThnkATchr Today Chevrolet
23. 27 Paul Menard Duracell/Menards Chevrolet
24. 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
25. 5 Mark Martin GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
26. 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet
27. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
28. 0 David Reutimann Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
29. 84 Cole Whitt Kangaroo Express Toyota
30. 55 J J Yeley Ingersoll Rand Ford
31. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
32. 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota
33. 66 Michael McDowell HP Racing LLC Toyota
34. 35 Dave Blaney Golden Corral Chevrolet
35. 47 Bobby Labonte Reese Towpower Toyota
36. 30 David Stremme Inception Racing Chevrolet
37. 87 Joe Nemechek AM/FM Energy Pellet & Wood Stoves Toyota
38. 34 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford
39. 13 Casey Mears Hard Rock Vodka Toyota
40. 38 Travis Kvapil Long John Silver's Ford
41. 32 T J Bell GreenSmoke.com Ford
42. 36 Geoffrey Bodine Luke & Associates Chevrolet
43. 71 Mike Bliss School Media Ford

Fuel Again Plays into Tony Stewart's Favour for New Hampshire Win

Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

 

After kicking off the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup with a bizarre fuel economy run at Chicagoland Speedway, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was accounted on as a chance to solidify the contenders for the stock car racing championship. A 1.058-mile true oval, the New Hampshire Motor Speedway surface was indeed a different style track. With a race distance a little less than a 100 miles shorter than the Chicagoland event, it would seem unlikely NASCAR Sprint Cup racing fans would see a similar conclusion. Though the Sylvania 300 overall was its own, distinct race, some themes would repeat for the race that started with 43 cars on a Sunday afternoon.

 

Taking pole, Ryan Newman took dominion of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway early by leading the first 62 laps. With a lack of yellow flags through the early 1/3 distance of the race, Newman's #39 Chevrolet led heading into a green flag pit stop cycle for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series field. By the conclusion of pit stops, the #4 Red Bull Toyota of Kasey Kahne assumed the lead on lap 67.

 

Slowing the pace of the Sprint Cup stock cars for the first time, debris on the race track drew a yellow flag on lap 88. The first of only three race cautions, there were few opportunities to drastically improve a mishandling race car. Two Chase contending drivers were met with the most difficulty in the fast pace event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Attempting to claim a much better finish than the 31st place he and the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing team collected at Chicagoland, driver Denny Hamlin would not find the 300-lap race as a turning point for their championship hopes. Struggling through the afternoon, Hamlin's best effort with the #11 Toyota team was a 29th place result.

 

Another Chase favourite started practically started the race one step behind after his #22 Penske Racing Dodge barely made it to the starting line-up after passing NASCAR inspection.

 

Electing for two tires instead of four,  the #5 Hendrick Motorsports car piloted by Mark Martin was catapulted to the lead. A potentially risky move to gain track position, Martin took full advantage of the front row launch on the race's restart. Leading through the 1/3 mark of the Sylvania 300, Martin conceded the top position back to the #4 car of Kahne. As the race progressed, Jeff Gordon would emerge supreme at lap 163 taking the lead from Kasey Kahne on the restart following a caution period that involved the #51 Chevrolet of Landon Cassill. Leading for 78 laps total for the day, Gordon was the second of three Hendrick Motorsports cars to take a NASCAR Sprint Cup bonus point for pacing the field.

Photo Credit: Hendrick Motorsports

  

The third and final caution period for the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway resulted with a tangle between Roush-Fenway Racing teammates. The #17 car of Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards' #99 Ford made contact in turn two drawing the yellow flag on lap 174. Despite the run-in, both drivers quickly recovered to top-10 finishes in the race. Edwards and Kenseth met quickly after the event confirming no ill-will for the accidental altercation on track.

 

With 123 laps remaining as the green flag was once more displayed on track, some teams pressed forward to complete the event on a very tight fuel strategy. One of those cars was the #33 Chevrolet of Clint Bowyer who eventually progressed to the lead after the #4 car of Kasey Kahne pitted. After missing the Chase for 2011, Bowyer was looking forward to gathering a consulation prize with the first win of the season with the #33 Richard Childress Racing team. However, with two laps remaining, Bowyer's Chevrolet slowed when the V-8 engine was finally starved of fuel. Running in second, Tony Stewart was in the right place at the right time to inherit the lead. Leading only the last 2 laps during the Sylvania 300, Tony Stewart celebrated his second win of the 2011 season. With two victories coming in consecutive races, Stewart launches to a considerable advantage in the Chase. After barely cracking the top-10 at Richmond, the #14 car driver is now propelled into the lead in the 2011 points after New Hampshire.

 

In the finishing order of the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Tony Stewart was followed by top-5 results by Brad Keselowski, Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon and Brian Vickers. With the #83 Toyota of Vickers posting the best finish by a non-Chase contender, other drivers outside of the top-12 in NASCAR Sprint Cup points enjoying good runs on the 1.058-mile oval includes David Ragan in 7th, Juan Pablo Montoya in 9th and Regan Smith finishing 10th with the #78 Furniture Row Chevy.

 

With Tony Stewart leading the standings by 7 points over Kevin Harvick, the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Dover International Speedway for the third event in the Chase for the Cup on October 2nd.

  

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Sylvania 300
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Race Results

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

 

1. 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet
2. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
3. 16 Greg Biffle Ford40MPG.com Ford
4. 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet
5. 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
6. 17 Matt Kenseth Affliction Clothing Ford
7. 6 David Ragan UPS Ford
8. 99 Carl Edwards Scotts Winterguard Ford
9. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Degree Men Chevrolet
10. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet
11. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota
12. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
13. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
14. 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota
15. 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
16. 56 Martin Truex, Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
17. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet
18. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
19. 47 Bobby Labonte Bush's Baked Beans Toyota
20. 27 Paul Menard Sylvania/Menards Chevrolet
21. 43 AJ Allmendinger Best Buy Ford
22. 22 Kurt Busch Shell Pennzoil Dodge
23. 1 Jamie McMurray AXE Cool Metal Chevrolet
24. 5 Mark Martin GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
25. 39 Ryan Newman Haas Automation Chevrolet
26. 33 Clint Bowyer Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
27. 38 JJ Yeley Long John Silver's Ford
28. 0 David Reutimann Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
29. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota
30. 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford
31. 32 Mike Bliss Street King Ford
32. 34 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford
33. 51 Landon Cassill Phoenix Construction/Thank A Teacher Today Chev
34. 71 Andy Lally # Interstate Moving Services Ford
35. 36 Dave Blaney Golden Corral/HOF Richie Evans Chevrolet
36. 87 Joe Nemechek AM FM Energy Toyota
37. 66 Michael McDowell HP Racing Toyota
38. 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Chevrolet
39. 37 Josh Wise Front Row Motorsports Ford
40. 7 Robby Gordon SPEED Energy Dodge
41. 46 Scott Speed Red Line Oil Ford
42. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota
43. 55 Travis Kvapil Front Row Motorsports Ford

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

Canadians Come to NASCAR Watkins Glen Races

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

Converging on the 2.46-mile road course at Watkins Glen on its traditional August state of New York weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is assembling for the Sunday's Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen race. Held in conjunction with the preparations of the Sprint Cup Series is the NASCAR Nationwide Series as well as the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car tour.

With the many NASCAR regulars assembled within the unfamiliar confides of a road course, the services of road racing professionals are called in as participants in the two major NASCAR organizations. For three Canadian drivers, their proficiency in handling twists and turns have earned them a call for various stock car race teams. Watkins Glen, Ron Fellows, Andrew Ranger and JR Fitzpatrick will battle in one or both NASCAR events as "Road Race Ringers".


Ron Fellows

NASCAR Sprint Cup: #36 TBR Chevrolet Impala
NASCAR Nationwide: #7 Canadian Tire Chevrolet Impala

Possessing a winning record in competition at the Watkins Glen course, accomplished Canadian driver Ron Fellows has again been a sought-after wheelman. Winning 6 NASCAR-sanctioned road course races, 5 of Fellows' victories were earned on the Watkins Glen track in either the Nationwide or truck series. Reteaming with JR Motorsports for the 2011 Nationwide Series season road courses, the driver/ownership pairing 4th season together comes with sponsorship from Canadian retail giant Canadian Tire covering the Chevy Impala.   
Ron Fellows will be making what is expected to be his only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series appearance in Watkins Glen, New York. For the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen, Fellows will be driving the Tommy Baldwin Racing #36 Chevrolet Impala for the second year in a row. In last year's event, Ron Fellows and the #36 car team retired just past the halfway point suffering suspension breakage. Fellows has finished in the runner-up position twice (2000 and 2004) at Watkins Glen in the 90-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series contest.


Andrew Ranger

NASCAR Sprint Cup: #32 Bully Hills Vineyards Ford Fusion
NASCAR Nationwide Series: #53 Bollegraaf/Lobo USA Dodge Challenger

Competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event in the #53 Waste Management Dodge, the Watkins Glen weekend will also see the debut of French-Canadian driver Andrew Ranger in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. To drive the #32 Ford for Frank Stoddard Racing, Ranger will be wearing Bully Hill Vineyards sponsorship. As a race team backer, Bully Hill Vineyards is a motorsport mainstay that was ridden to Watkins Glen's victory lane in previous years by Canadian Ron Fellows.

A former open wheel driver, Andrew Ranger has been fighting to earn respect as a stock car racing star. A resident of Roxton Pond, Quebec, Ranger's stock car presence is becoming best expressed on road courses. Winning multiple times on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series (including the 2011 Honda Indy Toronto stock car event), other series Andrew Ranger have added as a conquest to his career were the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West divisions as well as the ARCA Racing Series with a May win at New Jersey Motorsport Park. Ranger's best finish in the NASCAR Nationwide Series is a 3rd at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve event in 2009.


JR Fitzpatrick

NASCAR Nationwide Series: #67 Go Canada Racing Ford Mustang

A talented stock car racing star from Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, JR Fitzpatrick has demonstrated his skill on multiple occasions on ovals. Yet, Fitzpatrick is still regarded as a road race ringer on the basis of his Canadian stock car racing experience. On the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series tour, road and street course play a much heavier role in the championship with 5 of 12 races for the 2011 season.

For 2011, JR Fitzpatrick has been able to make more NASCAR Nationwide Series runs after teaming up with the newly-formed #67 Go Canada Racing organization. This season, Fitzpatrick's best effort with the freshman Go Canada Racing team was a 10th place result at Road America.

Racing for a third year at Watkins Glen, JR Fitzpatrick's previous two events in NASCAR Nationwide Series resulted in a 11th and a 18th place finish.

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 Wins Inaugural Cup Race At Kentucky

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

By Reid Spencer


Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(July 9, 2011)

SPARTA, Ky. — What was Kyle Busch’s dominant impression of his victory in the inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway?

It wasn’t that he’ll be written into the record book as the first Cup winner at the 1.5-mile track, the first speedway introduced into the series in 10 years.

No, Busch will remember Saturday’s Quaker State 400 at Kentucky as the last thing he won on the way to his next race—in this case Sunday’s marquee Super Late Model event at Slinger Speedway in Wisconsin.

That’s the way Busch thinks—win and move on.

In holding off fast-closing David Reutimann and Jimmie Johnson in a two-lap stretch run, Busch won for the third time this season, the 22nd time in his Cup career and the 99th time across NASCAR’s top three national series, third most all-time.

Even though he won two of the three events at Kentucky Speedway over the weekend—he won the Camping World Truck Series race Thursday—Busch wasn’t thinking about the numbers, not even that he had leap-frogged past Kevin Harvick (16th Saturday) and Carl Edwards (fifth) into the top spot in the series standings.

Asked what the most impressive part of the Kentucky win was to him, Busch replied, “That I won on the way to Slinger. I’ve got to go to Slinger (Sunday). I’m going to stay here tonight, chill out and get a good night’s sleep, get out of here in the morning and head up there and, hopefully, win a Late Model race.”

Saturday’s race wasn’t settled until Busch kept Johnson at bay on the last restart, clearing Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet off Turn 2. Reutimann restated in the fourth spot but charged forward, passing Johnson just short of the finish line on the final lap. Reutimann finished .179 seconds behind Busch.

Johnson said his inability to stay beside Busch on the next-to-last lap cost him a chance to win the race.

“I was able to hang with the 18 (Busch) inside of Turns 1 and 2, and he just cleared me going down the back,” Johnson said. “The outside lane had a little bit more momentum coming off of (Turn) 2 down the back. If I could have stayed inside of him, it would have been one heck of a finish at the end.

“But it didn’t happen that way, and then he cleared me and went on, and then I had my hands full with the 00 (Reutimann). David was probably the best car at the end, and if he had cleared me sooner, I think he would have been up there with the 18 racing for the win.”

Ryan Newman played pit strategy perfectly and came home fourth, followed by Edwards. Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, David Ragan, Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon completed the top 10.

Busch had regained the lead during a cycle of green-flag stops late in the race, but a caution for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s blown left front tire slowed the race for the fifth time and set up a restart on Lap 260 of 267.

Busch pulled away, with Johnson chasing, but Clint Bowyer’s wreck in Turn 2 bought out the sixth caution on Lap 262 to bunch the field for a restart with two laps left.

During a 105-lap green-flag run that began on Lap 36 after a competition caution and included two rounds of pit stops, Busch opened a lead of more than eight seconds, but his advantage disappeared when NASCAR called a caution on Lap 140 for debris on the backstretch.

Keselowski and Tony Stewart opted not to pit under the caution and restarted on the front row on Lap 147. Earnhardt, who had fallen off the lead lap during the long green-flag run, got his lap back on a wave-around, and a quick caution on Lap 151 gave him a chance to pit for fuel and tires.

Keselowski and Stewart ran 1-2 after a restart on Lap 158, but both drivers had to pit for fuel early in the next cycle, and Busch reclaimed the top spot when Keselowski brought the No. 2 Dodge to pit road on Lap 186.

When Jamie McMurray’s engine erupted like Vesuvius on Lap 200, bringing out the fourth caution of the race, the lead-lap cars were back on similar pit cycles.

Busch, who led a race-high 125 laps, opened a four-point margin in the series standings over second-place Edwards and a 10-point cushion over third-place Harvick.

Note: When the green flag waved to start the race, cars carrying fans to the track were backed up on I-71, trying to get to the parking lots. Midway through the event, Kentucky Speedway G.M. Mark Simendinger issued the following statement: “We’ve had an overwhelming response to our inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400. We know we had challenges related to traffic. We’re already planning improvements and looking forward to a much better situation for next year’s event.”

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.”