Latecomer Kenseth steals win at Dover

  Latecomer Kenseth steals win at Dover

Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(May 15, 2011)

DOVER, Del.—Matt Kenseth came late to the party and took home the prize—thanks to a spur-of-the-moment decision on pit road.

A two-tire call late in Sunday’s FedEx 400 at Dover International Speedway put Kenseth on the front row for a restart on Lap 367 of 400, and that was all Kenseth needed to secure his second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory of the season and the 20th of his career.

In short order, Kenseth dispatched Mark Martin, who had stayed out on old tires, and maintained a comfortable lead to the finish, as those who had taken four tires under caution on Lap 363 could make little headway against those with inferior rubber. Kenseth led the final 32 laps.

Martin ran second, followed by Marcos Ambrose, Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers, as the mixture of tire strategies squelched what had been a heated battle between Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards—and later, Clint Bowyer.

Bowyer came home sixth, Edwards seventh, Martin Truex Jr. eighth and Johnson ninth. Kevin Harvick completed the top 10.

The decision to put two tires on Kenseth’s car wasn’t made until the No. 17 Ford reached its pit box for the final stop on Lap 363, and it was a suggestion from Kenseth to crew chief Jimmy Fennig.

“Honestly, I was sitting on the track and thinking that we should stay out and get clean air and try it, because I knew we wouldn’t win if we took four,” Kenseth said. “Jimmy wanted four, but as I was driving down pit road, I thought maybe we could compromise.

“While I was on the jack, I asked if he was sure we didn’t want to try two, and he said to put on two. It was really Jimmy’s call and just a suggestion by me. It was tough to pass on top of that rubber out there (that continued to build up on the track).”

All told, Kenseth led 33 laps to 207 for Johnson and 117 for Edwards. But Kenseth led the lap that counted.

Edwards didn’t blame crew chief Bob Osborne for the four-tire call that left him ninth for the restart on Lap 367. The race didn’t play out the way Edwards or Osborne expected, and Edwards leaves Dover with a 24-point lead over second-place Johnson in the series standings.

“That’s too tough of a choice to make right there, and I don’t blame Bob Osborne one bit,” Edwards said. “I thought we would be able to march up through there, and I thought the race would be between Clint and I. I did see a couple cars go fast early on two tires, but I really felt we were going to have something. If we had had a caution, who knows what would have happened.

“You can’t look back, you have to look forward. We still have the points lead and the fastest car here today.”

Johnson dominated the early stages of the race, leading 135 of the first 142 laps before Edwards passed him for the top spot through Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 143. Johnson beat Edwards off pit road on Lap 165, under caution for a brief rain shower, and regained the lead a lap later, when front-row starter AJ Allmendinger, who had stayed out to lead a lap, took his car to the garage with a blown engine.

Johnson remained out front until Lap 189, when Edwards overtook him again, and he led all but one of the next 96 laps.

Edwards and Johnson swapped positions once more during a cycle of green-flag pit stops, with Johnson passing Juan Pablo Montoya for the lead on Lap 288. Montoya, who was off sequence on pit stops, had stayed on the track while the rest of the lead-lap cars came to pit road under green.

Johnson had a 1.5-second lead after the exchange of pit stops, but Edwards chopped that down to nothing by Lap 313, when he passed for the lead, albeit briefly.

Johnson regained the top spot on Lap 314 and held it under extreme pressure from Edwards and Bowyer until Kasey Kahne’s engine failure on Lap 332 caused the fifth caution of the race.

Excellent pit work got Bowyer out in front for a restart on Lap 338, and he held the lead—with Edwards gaining ground—until Montoya’s spin in Turn 3 brought out the sixth and final caution on Lap 362.

Notes: Busch picked up his sixth top five of the season despite having to start in the back of the field after an engine change during Friday’s practice sessions. … Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran 12th and remained fourth in the Cup standings, 52 points behind Edwards. … With his runner-up finish, Mark Martin moved up three spots to 11th in points, four behind 10th-place Tony Stewart, who finished 29th and dropped three positions in the standings.

Ty Dillon Spins Frank Kimmel to Win Tense Menards 200

 

For Immediate Release: Sunday, May 15, 2011   Ty Dillon Wins Tense Menards 200 Presented by Federated Car Care at Toledo Speedway for Fourth ARCA Victory   (TOLEDO, Ohio) - Short track racing is known for close, exciting action and flaring tempers, and the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care gave Toledo Speedway fans some of both, as ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards rookie Ty Dillon spun nine-time series champion Frank Kimmel just over 10 laps from the checkered flag and drove to his second win of 2011.   With Kimmel (No. 44 Ansell/Menards Ford) leading on Lap 189 and appearing ready to win for the first time in 48 races - a stretch dating back to late 2008 - Dillon (No. 41 Hemelgarn Enterprises Chevrolet) moved Kimmel off of the white line around the bottom of the track and into a spin, assuming an advantage he would not relinquish.   Dillon fended off challenges by Grant Enfinger (No. 36 Acme Dismantling Dodge) and Matt Merrell (No. 32 Champion Brands Dodge) over the final two restarts to win by 0.291 seconds and drive to Victory Lane for the fourth time in seven career ARCA starts.   "It was an awesome day," Dillon said. "As soon as we unloaded, I felt like we had the fastest car for sure. We even cut short our practice, and I don't like to do that, but we knew we had the fastest car. Our pit crew did awesome. I went in fifth and came out second. We came in, tightened up, and she took off."   Dillon's celebration was not without controversy. Following an extended burnout, Dillon drove to Toledo Speedway's Sunny D Victory Lane with the checkered flag in hand - until parking the car and seeing a waiting Kimmel standing nearby. Kimmel took the flag from his hand and threw it to the ground, and opened Dillon's window net to speak to the driver who had taken away his chance at a win. After the race, Dillon understood Kimmel's anger.   "I was approaching behind him for a long time there, probably 40 or 50 laps," Dillon said. "I was being as patient as I can. We came up on some lapped cars, and he was starting to get loose; I was getting in deeper and deeper. My car was getting better and better.   "I hate that it happened that way. I wrecked him. It was my fault, but it's racing. Stuff like that happens. I really look up to Frank and he's helped me out a lot this year. Hopefully, we can get over this and everything will be alright."   Within a stone's throw of Victory Lane after the race, Kimmel was not pleased.   "I wasn't blocking or doing anything; I was just running my lap," Kimmel said. "He just hit me wherever he could and then he got me in the left rear corner and ran me around. It's just frustrating as heck. You race so hard, and you race clean, and we didn't have a scratch on the car all day.   "I just asked him, 'How can you celebrate a win like that?' It'll come back. It's a long season, and we have to race all year."   Kimmel finished ninth.   Tim George Jr. (No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Development Chevrolet) finished fourth after suffering early damage, matching his best result on a short track. Two-time Toledo Speedway winner Chris Buescher (No. 17 David Ragan Fan Club Ford) also battled back from early damage to finish fifth.   John Stancill, in his first ARCA Racing Series event, finished sixth. Chad McCumbee and Dakoda Armstrong followed in seventh and eighth, respectively. After Kimmel, Kenzie Ruston finished 10th in her ARCA debut. Venturini Motorsports fielded the cars for Stancill and Ruston in their first race.   Ohio native Chad Hackenbracht finished 11th and 17-year-old Josh Williams was 12th. Sixteen-year-old Jared Marks, a debut driver from nearby Napoleon, Ohio, finished 13th, one spot ahead of Tom Hessert. Milka Duno was 15th.   Matt Crafton, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points leader, led 13 laps and finished 18th.   The full recap from the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care will be released shortly.

CARPENTER, SARAH FISHER RACING TOP SOGGY OPENING DAY AT INDIANAPOLIS

CARPENTER, SARAH FISHER RACING TOP SOGGY OPENING DAY AT INDIANAPOLIS

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, May 14, 2011) - How appropriate for Opening Day of the 100th anniversary Indianapolis 500 that a veteran, a champion and a rookie topped the speed chart.

On a day cut short 45 minutes because of showers, Ed Carpenter was quickest of the 32 entrants to get on the 2.5-mile oval with a lap of 224.786 mph (40.0380 seconds). Scott Dixon, the 2008 race winner and IZOD IndyCar Series champion, was second in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car and JR Hildebrand, who was quickest in breezing through the Rookie Orientation Program on May 12, was third (224.433 mph).

There were 669 laps recorded without incident. Second day track activity, with a more favorable weather forecast, commences at noon May 15.

Reigning Indy 500 champion Dario Franchitti (224.107) was fourth in the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car, and 2006 race runner-up Marco Andretti (223.927) was fifth in the No. 26 Team Venom car for Andretti Autosport.

Whether shaking down their primary or backup cars, working on running in traffic or seeing how quick they were off the truck, drivers enjoyed the work on the oval. For full-time competitors, their previous track time has been on four road and street courses.

Carpenter, competing in his first IZOD IndyCar Series event of the season - and first for Sarah Fisher Racing in the No. 67 Dollar General car - has a best start of eighth (2010) and finish of eighth (2009) in seven starts. Of course, Carpenter, stepson of Indy Racing League founder Tony George, covets a victory in the '500' more than any other.

"It's only day one, but it's really exciting to see hard work pay off and see progress," he said. "We're going to have to keep up the effort because it's a long week heading into qualifying, but I definitely like the start that we're off to."

Added Fisher, a nine-time Indy 500 starter who announced her retirement from the race car in November: "I was really proud of the boys for starting the month off with little to no error. It was a bonus for Ed to top the charts, but we know we still have a lot more work to accomplish. For this being our first race of the season, we know we have to hit the ground running, and to see the team gelling already is a great testament to our people."

Other notable Opening Day speeds were posted by 2009 race runner-up Vitor Meira (seventh at 223.192); Paul Tracy (11^th at 222.295), who didn't qualify for the 2010 race; Danica Patrick (12^th at 222.232) and 2004 race winner Buddy Rice (14^th at 221.461), who's returned to the track for the first time since 2008.

DAY 1 NOTEBOOK:
Firestone Firehawk race tire facts for the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500:

•Firestone Racing returns to Indianapolis in 2011 with the same tire specification as 2010.

•A full-month entry receives 33 sets (132 tires), and a partial-month entry receives 26 sets (108 tires) for all of practice, qualifying and the race. Rookie Orientation Program participants receive an additional four sets (16 tires) for that session only; veteran refreshers receive two additional sets (eight tires) that must be returned before practice Monday, May 16. More than 5,000 tires in all are available.

•Tire stagger: A single stagger of approximately .30 of an inch is available. Stagger, created by molding the right rear tire with a larger diameter than the left rear, helps race cars turn more naturally and smoothly on oval tracks.

AL SPEYER (Executive Director, Firestone Racing): "The Indianapolis 500 is the race we most eagerly await each season, but we are anticipating this year's even more with the centennial anniversary of this great event. We take immense pride in knowing that Firestone tires carried Ray Harroun to victory in the inaugural Indianapolis 500 a century ago, and that Firestone Racing still plays a pivotal role in the sport a hundred years later. Come May 29, we know that whoever takes the checkered flag first will do it on Firehawk tires and become Firestone's 62^nd Indy 500 champion. It's a win total more than all other tire makers combined and powerful proof of the legacy that the Firestone brand has maintained through the years. For 'The Most Important Race in History,' we are supplying the identical Firestone tire specification that was used in 2010 and received such wide praise from teams and drivers last May. With the entire racing world watching on this historic occasion, we want to provide a proven tire that will do its part to help make this landmark Indianapolis 500 even more memorable. Firestone wishes the best to all of this year's competitors and congratulates Indianapolis Motor Speedway on its centennial milestone."

***

Six rookies assigned to cars for the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 passed all four phases of the Rookie Orientation Program on Thursday, May 12: JR Hildebrand, James Hinchcliffe, Charlie Kimball, Pippa Mann, Scott Speed and Ho-Pin Tung.

James Jakes completed three of the four phases and can finish the test during practice this week.

Jay Howard only needs to complete a refresher test - the final two phases of Rookie Orientation - because passed the Rookie Orientation Program in 2008 and participated in 2010 Indianapolis 500 qualifying.

The Rookie Orientation Program consists of turning consistent laps at four speed phases on the 2.5-mile asphalt oval. Drivers must turn five consistent laps at 200-205 mph, and 10 consistent laps at each of these three speed phases: 205-210, 210-215 and 215 or faster.

***

Window World, sponsor of the No. 43 Andretti Autosport car driven by John Andretti, today unveiled "The Stinger," a 2011 concept show car that pays tribute to the 1911 Marmon Wasp, winner of the inaugural Indianapolis 500, and the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500. The No. 100 "Stinger" features a yellow-and-black color scheme taken directly from the Marmon Wasp. It will be on display all month in the MotoGP garage area near Gasoline Alley.

The Window World Cares charitable foundation has invited each of the race's former starters to autograph the car. For each signature, Window World Cares will make a donation of support. Since its creation, Window World Cares has raised more than $1.6 million for St. Jude Research Hospital.

JOHN ANDRETTI: "The whole project came about in conversations about the 100th anniversary, how we could pay tribute to the drivers who have participated. Actually, it became an idea when I got a letter from Mari Hulman George about the past drivers that are still living and coming back for the Indy 500 for this anniversary. I think it's just great Window World has wrapped their arms around it, the centennial year, as much as they have. With the retro paint scheme on the 43 as well as the 'Stinger' program and raising money through a great cause through Window World Cares, I think it's awesome. Already they've raised quite a bit of money because of all the drivers' signatures at Andretti Autosport, including my cousin (team owner Michael Andretti)."

***

Pruett Vineyard, in collaboration with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is proud to announce a Limited Edition Napa Cabernet Sauvignon celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.

The centennial Indy 500 logo is prominently placed on the front label, making this a cherished collector's item of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

Pruett Vineyard produces small lot, handcrafted wine, with great attention to detail and quality. 1989 Indianapolis 500 co-Rookie of the Year Scott Pruett is involved in every aspect as owner and vintner.

Scott and Judy Pruett will present a Magnum bottle of this Pruett Indy 500 wine, showcased in a beautiful lacquered etched wooden box, to each of the 33 team owners qualifying for the 100th running.

Race Recap: Busch wins Dover trucks race, becomes first repeat winner

 NCWTS Race Recap: Busch wins Dover trucks race, becomes first repeat winner

 Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

May 13, 2011

By Reid Spencer

Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

DOVER, Del.—Victory in Friday's Lucas Oil 200 wasn't the only thing Kyle Busch gained at Dover International Speedway.

He also gained a healthy dose of respect for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie and second-place finisher Cole Whitt.

Pulling away from Whitt's No. 60 Red Bull Chevrolet after a restart on Lap 198 of 200, Busch won the race under caution when Nelson Piquet Jr. and Timothy Peters wrecked on the final lap.

Busch picked up his third truck series victory in five starts this season. Busch won for the second time at Dover—becoming the first repeat winner here—and for the 27th time in the series.

Matt Crafton came home third and claimed the series points lead. Austin Dillon and Kevin Harvick ran fourth and fifth, respectively.

"Cole Whitt did a really nice job," Busch said in victory lane. "I think he's got something going on over there. The guys do a really nice job, and he's fast. He's quick week in and week out, and this is the first one he's really contended for—that I've been in, anyway."

After a long cycle of green-flag pit stops, Busch held a lead of nearly 12 seconds over Ron Hornaday Jr. when NASCAR called the fifth caution of the race for debris on the backstretch. Jason White and Whitt, who took two tires to Busch's four under the yellow, took the green flag side-by-side on Lap 161.

Whitt powered his No. 60 Chevrolet into the lead after the restart, with Busch in pursuit. Whitt opened an advantage of roughly one second before Justin Lofton's spin on the backstretch on Lap 178 brought out caution No. 6 and bunched the field for a restart on Lap 184.

Busch charged into the lead from the inside lane on the restart and held it for a lap before Craig Goess' wreck caused the seventh caution. Not surprisingly, Busch chose the bottom lane for the restart on Lap 192 and quickly pulled away.

"I snookered him (Whitt) on the second-to-last restart, and I got him a little bit there, but on that last restart, he was right with me. We ran down into Turn 1 side-by-side. I chose the bottom because I felt like, running through (Turns) 1 and 2 wide open, it was the faster way around."

But Parker Kligerman, who had run in the top 10 for most of the race, spun and tagged the outside wall under close racing with Whitt on Lap 193. The resulting caution forced the final restart on Lap 198.

Though his first win eluded him, Whitt had much to celebrate.

"Running second to Kyle—a good points day for us—it's like winning the points for us," Whitt said. "We'll take that and move on and go to Charlotte (May 20) and try to win one there."

Busch and Harvick, both on probation for an altercation at last Saturday's Sprint Cup race at Darlington, competed without incident on Friday. The drivers raced for the lead after a restart on Lap 81, with Busch getting the advantage, but a subsequent pit-road speeding penalty to Harvick separated them for the rest of the race.

NSCS Race Recap: Regan Smith pulls of major upset at Darlington

May 7, 2011

Regan Smith pulls of major upset at Darlington

 

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

 

(May 7, 2011)

 

DARLINGTON, S.C.—Nearly three years after a NASCAR ruling denied him his first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory, Regan Smith finally got the elusive win.

 

After staying out on old tires, Smith held off Carl Edwards to win Saturday night’s Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in a dramatic green-white-checkered-flag finish.

 

Smith crossed the finish line .196 seconds ahead of runner-up Edwards.

 

“This is the Southern 500—we’re not supposed to win this thing,” an incredulous Smith radioed to his crew after the race.

 

Brad Keselowski, also on old tires, finished third, with polesitter Kasey Kahne running fourth and Ryan Newman fifth.

 

The victory was redemption for Smith, who was deprived of an apparent victory at Talladega in 2008 when he was penalized for passing Tony Stewart below the yellow out-of-bounds line that separates the racing surface from the apron.

 

After a final round of green-flag pit stops, Edwards, the Sprint Cup points leader, passed Kahne for the lead as the cars sped into Turn 1. Edwards was comfortably in front when Jeff Burton’s engine blew and oiled the track with 10 laps left, causing the 10th caution of the night.

 

After Smith, Keselowski and Stewart stayed out, taking the top three spots under caution, Edwards climbed to second after a restart on Lap 363 of the scheduled 367-lap race. The previous caution, however, was only a prelude to a wild three-wide wreck involving Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch later that same lap. That set up the two-lap sprint as the race went to overtime, with Edwards and Smith taking the green flag side-by-side.

 

Kahne, Edwards and Harvick took turns out front during the second half of the race after Busch made an unscheduled pit stop.

 

Busch had led 78 laps when a vibration forced him to the pits on Lap 205. A caution for Jimmie Johnson’s spin on the frontstretch trapped Busch a lap down. The driver of the No. 18 didn’t get the lap back until he received a free pass as the highest scored lapped car for a restart on Lap 244.

 

Busch had worked his way up to 12th before NASCAR called the ninth caution of the race on Lap 280 for debris on the backstretch.

NNS Race Recap: Busch wins Nationwide race, trails Martin by one win

May 6, 2011

Busch wins Nationwide race, trails Martin by one win

 By Reid Spencer

Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

 (May 6, 2011) 

DARLINGTON, S.C.—One to go.

 

With a convincing victory in Friday night's Royal Purple 200 at Darlington Raceway, Kyle Busch scored his fifth Nationwide Series win of the season and the 48th of his career, leaving him one behind Mark Martin for the career victory lead in the series.

 

Busch beat Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin to the finish line by 3.677 seconds. Elliott Sadler was third, followed by Nationwide points leader Justin Allgaier and Steve Wallace.

 

Pit strategy moved Sadler to the front of the field, as crew chief Jimmy Elledge elected to keep the No. 2 Chevrolet out on the track under caution for Michael Annett's backstretch crash on Lap 89.

 

Sadler passed Allgaier for the lead on Lap 108, but that didn't last. Busch, who had restarted ninth on Lap 104—after an eight-car wreck caused the fifth caution of the race—worked his way through the field and passed Sadler for the top spot on Lap 124. 

 

The eight-car melee on Lap 95 collected the cars of Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne, both of whom had battled for the lead early in the race.

 

NASCAR stars prepare for Brickyard 400 in Goodyear tire test at IMS

                         NASCAR STARS PREPARE FOR BRICKYARD 400 AT TIRE TEST

Montoya, Kurt Busch, Biffle, Menard, Truex preparing for July at IMS

 

INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, May 4, 2011 - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stars Juan Pablo Montoya, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, Paul Menard and Martin Truex Jr. got a head start on preparations for the 2011 Brickyard 400 by participating in a Goodyear tire test May 3-4 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 18^th annual Brickyard 400 is scheduled for Sunday, July 31.

Richard Childress Racing driver Menard said drivers and teams still gained plenty of important data and experience despite a high temperature of only 60, at least 20 degrees cooler than the probable Race Day temperature in July.

"It was good," Menard said. "Goodyear is trying a bunch of different things, and we hit on a couple things that will hopefully make a great race even better come July.

"It's a nice, cool day, and we'll come back in July and it'll be really hot, so times will be a lot slower. You have to take that into account in what you do as a driver and kind of set up trends that we learn today and tomorrow that we'll apply for July, for sure."

2000 Indianapolis 500 winner Montoya returned to IMS with one goal for this year's Brickyard 400 - victory. He dominated the 2009 race, leading 116 laps before finishing 11^th after a pit-road speeding penalty. He started the 2010 race from the pole and led 86 laps before finishing 32^nd due to an accident while charging toward the lead with 14 laps remaining.

Despite the heartbreak of the last two years, Montoya doesn't think IMS owes him a victory July 31.

"To tell you the truth, they gave me a big one at the beginning," Montoya said. "I got the '500,' and that means a lot to me. I would love to get the '400' win, but it's been like it was in Formula One, when every time I came here in Formula One, we were always so close to winning and it never happened.

"I feel like I'm a lot closer in NASCAR than I was in Formula One, so I'm pretty pumped."

2004 Sprint Cup champion Busch also has a special reason for wanting to earn his first Brickyard 400 victory. He drives for Penske Racing, which has won the Indianapolis 500 a record 15 times but never has captured a victory in the annual midsummer NASCAR classic at IMS.

"It would mean the world to me," Busch said. "To bring it on the NASCAR side, we haven't done that before, and it takes a full effort. It seems like it's easy on the INDYCAR side for those guys to bolt it together and pull home those wins, especially here at Indy.

"So we're hoping we can do that here in July, and this is great that Goodyear invited us to be part of this tire test. It helps us get that little edge on the competition."

 

NASCAR GOODYEAR TIRE TEST QUOTES:

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA (No. 42 Target Chevrolet): "I think it's good to get the information on the tire. We get to pick the tire that we're going to be running here for the race, and I think that's always very useful. It's always fun and a cool place to run, and it's kind of weird when you come here and there's nobody around, but it's fun." (About his return to IMS on the eve of the 100^th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500, which he won in 2000): "It's really cool. It's a shame that I'm going to miss all of that because I'm running that evening in Charlotte, and I'll have to be focused on what I'm doing."

KURT BUSCH (No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge): "It's always a treat and a privilege running out here at Indy. It was a short day for us with the rain this morning, and then our motor broke halfway through the afternoon, but we'll have a full day tomorrow to get caught up." (About if tire testing helps prepare for the race): "Yes. Big time. We don't get a chance to test on tracks we race on all that often. The ultimate reason to be here is a Goodyear tire test, and yes, the tire was good here last July. But we can make it better, and that's what we're here to try to help them do."

PAUL MENARD (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet): (About if he follows the IZOD IndyCar Series, in which his father was a car owner for nearly a decade): "I watch all the races that I can. I can remember walking through the (IMS Hall of Fame) Museum when I was 8 years old and kind of being in awe of the place, and I still am. It's cool to turn laps around Indianapolis in May, something I've never done before, and definitely it's something I'll be paying attention to next week and throughout the '500' week."

***

2011 Brickyard 400 tickets: 2011 Brickyard 400 tickets are on sale now.

To buy tickets, visit www.imstix.com, call the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or visit the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16^th Street. Ticket office and phone hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.

The 2011 Brickyard 400 is scheduled for July 29-31 at IMS.

Race Day general admission tickets cost $30, with Friday general admission $10 and Saturday general admission $15. A Friday-Saturday general admission ticket is $25.

Children ages 12 and under will be admitted free any of the three days of the event when accompanied by an adult with a general admission ticket.

Race Day reserved seat prices start at $40.

 

Fwd: Brennan Poole Wins in ARCA Racing Series Debut at Salem

For Immediate Release: Sunday, May 1, 2011   Brennan Poole Wins in ARCA Racing Series Debut at Salem Speedway   (SALEM, Ind.) - Brennan Poole fought back from one lap down in the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 at Salem Speedway to do in one race what many ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards drivers try week after week to achieve: Win.   Poole, who drove the No. 55 Renton Coil Spring/Midas Chevrolet for Venturini Motorsports in his ARCA Racing Series debut, gave Venturini a second consecutive spring win on Salem's high-banked, 0.555-mile oval.   "I just feel blessed to be in this car and get the Venturinis to Victory Lane," Poole said. "It's incredible. My first time at Salem, and my first time in an ARCA car, and I've just got to thank God, man."   Steve Arpin won in the team's No. 55 car last season; that car was turned over to Max Gresham and the No. 25 Venturini team today.   Poole is the first driver to win his first ARCA Racing Series start since Patrick Long at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 13, 2009. He passed Tom Hessert on Lap 176, and held the lead over the final 31 laps in a race that was extended to 206 laps because of a late caution period.   "We went a lap down, and I was able to get the lap back, and we got around the 52 car there late in the race," he said. "The car was good enough, and we had a little bit of tire, and we were able to pull away from everybody there late in the race."   A 20-year-old from The Woodlands, Texas, Poole started second to Menards Pole Award winner Ty Dillon (No. 41 UNOH Chevrolet). The 200-lap race opened with 20 laps of caution after light rain in southern Indiana throughout the morning left the track slightly damp and in need of drying.   Poole fell to third on the first lap of green flag racing when passed by Chad McCumbee, but gained the position back on the backstretch on Lap 27.   Almost immediately, the top pack of Dillon, Poole, McCumbee, Tom Hessert, and Gresham encountered lapped traffic, but navigated around it. Poole challenged Dillon for the lead on Lap 38, and the group passed Milka Duno one lap later.   Dillon held a 0.652-second lead over Poole after 40 total laps, and the group passed Sean Corr to leave just 15 cars on the lead lap at Lap 45. Dillon extended his lead to 0.764 second, but Poole closed by a half-second over the next five laps and started to truly pressure the pole winner.   Frank Kimmel, Grant Enfinger, and Chris Buescher tangled together on the backstretch on Lap 52, leaving Buescher to be towed off and Enfinger with heavy damage. Kimmel would rebound.   The green flag flew on Lap 60, and Dakoda Armstrong - last fall's Salem winner - began to challenge Gresham for fifth place. Armstrong spun on Lap 69, though, collecting Salem Speedway veteran and Kentucky native Brett Hudson.   Dillon stayed in the lead with Poole following, but the two made light contact on Lap 79, allowing Gresham to come all the way to the lead two laps later. Dillon, meanwhile, fought his car as it pushed up the track, and lost several spots. Poole experienced trouble, too, falling back to eighth.   The drop by the initial leaders allowed Hessert and a recovered Enfinger to battle for the lead, but Gresham maintained an advantage of about three seconds just after Lap 90. Lapped traffic again played a role in slowing down the lead pack, and by the time Gresham and Hessert passed Kimmel on Lap 100, Gresham's advantage was down to 0.979 second.   Hessert took the lead on the backstretch of Lap 104, putting Poole one lap down at nearly the same time. Hessert lapped Dillon two laps later. Meanwhile, Enfinger was behind Gresham in third, followed by Tim George Jr. and Matt Merrell at Lap 110. Duno, back on the lead lap, had used an impressive drive through four-wide traffic just four laps earlier to move to sixth.   Merrell bumped Enfinger for third on Lap 118, and then Gresham for second the next lap. Enfinger, still feeling the effects of the earlier incident, brushed the wall in the second turn of Lap 120 from fourth place.   As Merrell approached Hessert's lead, only one lapped driver was in his way: Poole. At that time, Dillon and teammate Tim George Jr. moved into fourth and fifth, respectively, approximately six seconds behind the lead.   As Dillon challenged Gresham for third, Merrell passed Hessert to take the lead on Lap 127. Dillon, though was only four seconds behind. By Lap 140, he lowered that deficit to three seconds, and then passed Hessert on Lap 145 for second.   By this point, Enfinger was one lap down, and Merrell caught him in the second turn of Lap 146, allowing Dillon to catch up as the two cars battled. Dillon passed Enfinger two laps later, and had Merrell all to himself. George worked hard to slow Merrell and help his teammate, and the next hurdle for the two leaders was Dufault on Lap 150. Dillon caught Merrell five laps later, but Merrell maintained the lead out of Turn 4. One turn later, though, Dillon lost his right front tire and he and Merrell crashed, sending Josh Williams to the lead.   "We had a really fast car," Dillon said. "We were coming back through the field with fresh tires. I just overdrove a little bit and blew a right front. I overheated it. These guys never gave up on the UNOH Chevy; she was really fast."   Williams started first at the green flag on Lap 171, just ahead of Hessert and Poole, who had rebounded. His lead would be short-lived, though, as upon the ensuing green flag Hessert sped to the front and drove away from Williams. Poole also passed Williams, taking second.   Poole passed Hessert on Lap 176, and led by more than a full second one lap later. Even amid several multi-car incidents over the final laps, Poole was able to maintain the lead, and Dillon and Kimmel both rebounded into the top five after George and Hessert made contact on Lap 198. The race was extended to 206 laps after late cautions, and Poole stuck to the lead through every lap. Dillon and Kimmel had a chance to challenge on the final restart, but Poole drove away to win in his ARCA debut. His final margin of victory was 0.643 second.   Poole was quick to thank Arpin, who won last April at Salem, for his advice.   "I want to shout out to Steve Arpin," he said. "I talked to him before I came out here and he helped me out. His tips were pretty good."   Dillon finished second, just missing on his bid to win four of his first six ARCA starts.   "I hate to lose, but second place isn't bad after all the stuff we went through," Dillon said.   Kimmel, a nine-time ARCA winner at Salem, was third. The result was his 24th top-five in 35 ARCA starts at Salem. Bryan Silas, making his ninth career Salem start, finished fourth to match his career high. Merrell ended the race fifth.   Williams was sixth, Hessert seventh, Armstrong eighth, McCumbee ninth, and Enfinger 10th. The race was slowed by eight cautions for 70 laps. The full results from the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 are now available on ARCARacing.com.   The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards returns to action at its home track, Toledo Speedway, on Sunday, May 15.   The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 race tracks in 28 states since its inception. The series tests the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, annually visiting tracks ranging from 0.4 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as a left- and right-turn road course.   Founded by John Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in two professional touring series and local weekly events.