Pit strategy propels Matt Kenseth to Sprint Cup Series-best fourth win

 

June 30, 2013 

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

SPARTA, Ky.—About the only thing that could cast a cloud over Matt Kenseth's fourth victory of the season was the hard hit Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin suffered in Sunday's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway, a race postponed from Saturday because of rain.

But Hamlin recovered quickly, and Kenseth had cause to celebrate after the driver of the No. 20 Toyota took advantage of a spin by the race's dominant car — Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet — on a restart on Lap 247 of 267.

Kenseth, who got the lead by taking no tires during a pit stop on Lap 242, collected the 28th victory of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career.  

On Sunday, intermittent clouds and sunshine replaced the persistent rain that had forced postponement of the 17th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season from Saturday night to noon the next day — and radically changed the handling characteristics of cars that had been set up for a night race and impounded since qualifying on Friday.

But it didn't prevent crew chief Jason Ratcliff's call to forego tires on the last pit stop from succeeding. Kenseth conceded afterward that it was the percentage play.

"I thought in my head we had about a five percent chance of winning, if something didn't happen to the 48," Kenseth said. "But, if we would have got two tires and came out behind the 48, unless he broke, I thought we had almost a zero percent chance of winning.

"When you look at it like that, it was a great call.  Circumstances helped a little bit to have the quick restarts, everybody's got their rights (right-side tires), and then we had another caution (for Johnson's spin), and that gave us some time to cool our tires back down and definitely got rolling faster in that second restart.

"So I mean, obviously you look back right now, it's a great call. It was the only one that gave us a chance to win the race."

Runner-up Jamie McMurray was closing on Kenseth in the final laps but ran out of time. Clint Bowyer ran third, followed by Joey Logano and Kyle Busch. Johnson, the series leader, rallied to finish ninth and extended his standings lead to 38 points over Carl Edwards.

It was Johnson who appeared to have the race under control until Brian Vickers blew a tire and slammed the outside wall on Lap 241. Johnson took two fresh tires under the ninth yellow of the race but lost the lead to Kenseth who didn't change tires on pit road.

Johnson felt that, on the subsequent restart, Kenseth slowed and failed to maintain pace car speed approaching the restart zone. After the cars crossed the start/finish line, Johnson was fighting for the second spot in a four-wide battle with Joey Logano to his inside and lost control when the proximity of other cars took the air off his spoiler and sucked him around.

"We were kind of in an awkward situation in that restart there," Johnson told reporters after the race. "And then we were like three- and four-wide going in the corner, then something happened with the air and just kind of turned me around.

"Unfortunate, but at least we rallied back for a good finish. The No. 20 (Kenseth) broke the pace car speed, which you aren't supposed to, but they aren't calling guys on that, so I need to start trying that in the future."

Kenseth said he first heard of Johnson's assertion in Victory Lane.

"I had no idea what had happened to him or what I possibly could have done to upset him," Kenseth said. "When we got ready for the restart, we were on the top (outside lane), and we were the leader, so anywhere in that (restart) box we can start the race.

"When the pace car peeled off, I felt like I went the same pace. I didn't check my tach when the pace car went off, to see if we were going the same pace, but I think you can look at the data to see I didn't slow down . . . When I got to the box, I went. I certainly didn't feel like I did anything wrong from where I was. But if you're dominating all day, and then you have a problem at the end, I imagine it's frustrating. I've been there, too."

Not as frustrated, perhaps, as Hamlin, who blew a right front tire for the second time in the race on Lap 147 and rocketed into the outside wall near the exit of Turn 4. The impact recalled the wreck in late March that had caused a compression fracture of Hamlin's first lumbar vertebra and forced him to the sidelines for four Cup races.

Hamlin was banged up inside the car - a similar impact to the one he sustained during a crash in practice last year at Kansas — but he indicated his back was unaffected by the crash.

"My back feels good — really good, I'd say," Hamlin asserted after leaving the care center. "It feels the same as it did this morning. Really, that was the least of the concerns after this hit."

Chase contenders, however, had plenty of concerns, almost from the outset.

One circuit after a restart on Lap 47, Kurt Busch knocked the No. 2 Ford of reigning Cup champion and defending race winner Brad Keselowski across the track and into harm's way. Busch turned his No. 78 Chevrolet down to the apron near the start/finish line, hit a large bump in the asphalt and shot back up the track into Keselowski's car.

As the Blue Deuce slid across the track, Greg Biffle slammed into the Penske Ford and came to a stop as flames erupted under the hood. Others involved in the seven-car pileup included Paul Menard, Dave Blaney, Travis Kvapil and Landon Cassill.

"The track just threw me right back into him," Busch radioed after the wreck. "It was all my fault."

Keselowski agreed the contact was unintentional but questioned Busch's judgment in running on the apron in the first place.

"I know he didn't intentionally wreck me, but it's just one of those things," Keselowski said after exiting the infield care center. A chain of events with the way the cars drive, and the track has that really bad bump down there, and we all know it. There's no reason to go down there, but he still did. ...

"We were trying to get patient, because it looks like we'll get the whole race in before rain, and there's no reason to drive like an animal. Apparently, I'm the only one that got that memo."

If the Keselowski crash was violent, the incident that preceded it was simply bizarre. After a restart on Lap 36 — following a competition caution called on Lap 31 — Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota sailed toward the outside wall with a right front tire down.

Hamlin steadied the car and steered it to an access road inside the oval. As he rolled toward pit road, the carcass of his flat tire broke free and rolled onto the racing surface, right into the path of polesitter Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has leading the race.

After bouncing off the nose of Earnhardt's car, the tire casing clipped the right front corner of the No. 48 Chevrolet of Johnson, who was running second at the time. Though Johnson's car survived without significant consequences, the impact with the tire damaged the nose of Earnhardt's car and bent the front splitter out of position.

Crew chief Steve Letarte and the No. 88 team spent the rest of the race trying to deal with the damage and salvaged a 12th-place finish.

Notes: Keselowski lost four spots in the standings and is now 13th, 14 points behind Logano in 10th, the last Chase-eligible position. ... Bowyer remained third in points but gained ground on Edwards in second. The drivers are separated by three points.


NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race - Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts
Kentucky Speedway
Sparta, Kentucky
Sunday, June 30, 2013

       1. (16) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 267, $200451.
       2. (23) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 267, $153915.
       3. (15) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 267, $146078.
       4. (11) Joey Logano, Ford, 267, $130338.
       5. (4) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 267, $139743.
       6. (27) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 267, $116455.
       7. (19) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 267, $121810.
       8. (12) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 267, $130871.
       9. (3) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 267, $142771.
       10. (22) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 267, $131571.
       11. (21) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 267, $100510.
       12. (1) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 267, $105885.
       13. (5) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 267, $112699.
       14. (7) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 267, $119193.
       15. (18) Aric Almirola, Ford, 267, $122521.
       16. (10) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 267, $110974.
       17. (13) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #, Ford, 267, $129946.
       18. (31) Casey Mears, Ford, 267, $109393.
       19. (14) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 267, $91285.
       20. (25) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 267, $127210.
       21. (2) Carl Edwards, Ford, 267, $127110.
       22. (17) AJ Allmendinger, Toyota, 267, $106443.
       23. (29) Danica Patrick #, Chevrolet, 267, $82060.
       24. (26) Austin Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 267, $103968.
       25. (28) David Stremme, Toyota, 267, $93768.
       26. (38) David Ragan, Ford, 265, $98882.
       27. (36) David Reutimann, Toyota, 263, $81185.
       28. (34) David Gilliland, Ford, 262, $80560.
       29. (42) Ken Schrader, Ford, 262, $77960.
       30. (24) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 259, $107876.
       31. (9) Brian Vickers(i), Toyota, Accident, 240, $86320.
       32. (35) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, Engine, 165, $78710.
       33. (8) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 153, $131101.
       34. (20) Greg Biffle, Ford, 151, $95610.
       35. (6) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Accident, 147, $97360.
       36. (30) Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 104, $77510.
       37. (41) Joe Nemechek(i), Toyota, Vibration, 95, $77456.
       38. (33) Michael McDowell, Ford, Electrical, 84, $72700.
       39. (37) Josh Wise(i), Ford, Electrical, 77, $68700.
       40. (32) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, Accident, 62, $64700.
       41. (39) Mike Bliss(i), Toyota, Vibration, 57, $60700.
       42. (40) Travis Kvapil, Toyota, Accident, 47, $64700.
       43. (43) Scott Riggs, Ford, Transmission, 6, $53200.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  131.948 mph.
Time of Race:  3 Hrs, 02 Mins, 07 Secs. Margin of Victory:  0.699 Seconds.
Caution Flags:  10 for 42 laps.
Lead Changes:  11 among 6 drivers.
Lap Leaders:   D. Earnhardt Jr. 0; C. Edwards 1-31; D. Earnhardt Jr. 32; D. Gilliland 33; D. Earnhardt Jr. 34-42; J. Johnson 43-94; M. Kenseth 95-108; J. Johnson 109-149; C. Mears 150; C. Edwards 151-154; J. Johnson 155-243; M. Kenseth 244-267.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  J. Johnson 3 times for 182 laps; M. Kenseth 2 times for 38 laps; C. Edwards 2 times for 35 laps; D. Earnhardt Jr. 2 times for 10 laps; D. Gilliland 1 time for 1 lap; C. Mears 1 time for 1 lap.
Top 12 in Points: J. Johnson - 610; C. Edwards - 572; C. Bowyer - 569; K. Harvick - 544; M. Kenseth - 528; D. Earnhardt Jr. - 512; Kyle Busch - 500; M. Truex Jr. - 490; G. Biffle - 489; J. Logano - 479; K. Kahne - 478; J. Gordon - 477.


--30--

Brad Keselowski wins rain-shortened Nationwide race at Kentucky

 

June 28, 2013 

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

SPARTA, Ky.—When you win a rain-shortened race, you can't do a burnout - but Brad Keselowski certainly tried.

After being declared the winner of Friday night's Feed the Children 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kentucky Speedway, 30 laps short of the scheduled finish, Keselowski did donuts on the frontstrtech, minus the usual smoke because of the wet, slippery asphalt.

The win was by no means a fluke, because as the race progressed, Keselowski's car identified itself as the clear class of the field. He took the lead for good on Lap 156, seven laps before NASCAR called the final caution for rain.

The victory was Keselowski's second of the season and the 22nd of his career.

"I didn't want it to end this way, but we had a great car," Keselowski said. "This is the type of car you get like once a year—if you're lucky. In driving this car I felt like Jimmie Johnson. This is a rocket."

Elliott Sadler finished second, followed by Matt Crafton, who was making his Nationwide debut. Brian Vickers ran fourth, with Kyle Busch finishing fifth.

A caution on Lap 141 for Carl Long's spin in Turn 4 gave the lead-lap cars a chance to pit for enough fuel to finish the race, but varying tire strategies scrambled the field for a restart on Lap 146. Matt Crafton, who took fuel only, led the field to green but quickly yielded to Sadler, who took right-side tires only on pit road.

Eleven laps into the run, Keselowski, on four fresh tires, passed Sadler for the top spot. By then he had already put significant distance between his No. 22 Ford and the No. 54 Toyota of Busch, who lost 10 positions on pit road after sliding through his pit stall under the caution.

On Lap 163, NASCAR threw the fifth caution of the race when a brief rain shower hit the track. After seven laps under caution, the rain intensified, and NASCAR ordered the cars to pit road and red-flagged the race after Lap 170 — 30 laps short of the scheduled finish — at 9:44 p.m.

"I don't want to win a rain race—I want to race!" Keselowski asserted under the stoppage. Keselowski didn't get his wish, but he got the win.

Notes: Series leader Regan Smith had suspension issues and lost 18 laps in the garage during repairs. His 28-point lead over Justin Allgaier entering the race is now an eight-point advantage over Sam Hornish Jr. (who finished ninth Friday) leaving Kentucky. ... Sadler, Vickers, polesitter Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson, the top finishing NNS regulars, qualified for the Nationwide Dash 4 Cash, which starts next week at Daytona.

NASCAR Nationwide Series Race - Feed The Children 300
Kentucky Speedway
Sparta, Kentucky
Friday, June 28, 2013
 
                   1. (19) Brad Keselowski(i), Ford, 170, $83975.
                   2. (6) Elliott Sadler, Toyota, 170, $61400.
                   3. (8) Matt Crafton(i), Chevrolet, 170, $49150.
                   4. (11) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 170, $34150.
                   5. (5) Kyle Busch(i), Toyota, 170, $27500.
                   6. (1) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 170, $30775.
                   7. (21) Kyle Larson #, Chevrolet, 170, $26175.
                   8. (18) Nelson Piquet Jr. #, Chevrolet, 170, $23975.
                   9. (3) Sam Hornish Jr., Ford, 170, $22950.
                   10. (10) Alex Bowman #, Toyota, 170, $23275.
                   11. (17) Kevin Swindell #, Ford, 170, $16200.
                   12. (4) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 170, $21350.
                   13. (7) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 170, $20800.
                   14. (16) Brad Sweet, Chevrolet, 170, $20250.
                   15. (2) Travis Pastrana, Ford, 170, $21200.
                   16. (12) Parker Kligerman, Toyota, 170, $19800.
                   17. (15) Brian Scott, Chevrolet, 169, $19675.
                   18. (13) Michael Annett, Ford, 169, $19525.
                   19. (24) Mike Bliss, Toyota, 169, $19400.
                   20. (20) Johanna Long, Chevrolet, 168, $19775.
                   21. (27) Mike Wallace, Chevrolet, 168, $19325.
                   22. (28) Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, 168, $19025.
                   23. (39) Eric McClure, Toyota, 167, $18875.
                   24. (29) Ken Butler III, Toyota, 167, $18725.
                   25. (38) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 166, $19075.
                   26. (33) Bryan Silas(i), Ford, 166, $18475.
                   27. (23) Jamie Dick, Chevrolet, 165, $18350.
                   28. (35) Carl Long, Chevrolet, 164, $18225.
                   29. (34) Harrison Rhodes, Ford, 164, $18075.
                   30. (14) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 153, $18250.
                   31. (9) Cole Whitt, Toyota, Transmission, 107, $17825.
                   32. (32) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, Engine, 90, $11700.
                   33. (22) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, Engine, 52, $17590.
                   34. (30) Blake Koch, Toyota, Brakes, 16, $11480.
                   35. (40) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Handling, 15, $11359.
                   36. (25) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, Engine, 14, $16555.
                   37. (31) JJ Yeley(i), Chevrolet, Transmission, 10, $10520.
                   38. (36) Josh Wise, Chevrolet, Vibration, 7, $10486.
                   39. (37) Derrike Cope, Chevrolet, Rear Gear, 3, $10350.
                   40. (26) Jeff Green, Toyota, Vibration, 3, $10250.
 
Average Speed of Race Winner:  131.162 mph.
Time of Race:  1 Hrs, 56 Mins, 39 Secs. Margin of Victory:  Caution.
Caution Flags:  5 for 25 laps.
Lead Changes:  12 among 7 drivers.
Lap Leaders:   A. Dillon 1-18; K. Busch(i) 19-49; S. Hornish Jr. 50; M. Crafton(i) 51-54; K. Busch(i) 55-93; B. Keselowski(i) 94; K. Busch(i) 95-98; B. Keselowski(i) 99-113; K. Swindell # 114; B. Keselowski(i) 115-142; M. Crafton(i) 143-146; E. Sadler 147-155; B. Keselowski(i) 156-170.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  K. Busch(i) 3 times for 74 laps; B. Keselowski(i) 4 times for 59 laps; A. Dillon 1 time for 18 laps; E. Sadler 1 time for 9 laps; M. Crafton(i) 2 times for 8 laps; S. Hornish Jr. 1 time for 1 lap; K. Swindell # 1 time for 1 lap.
Top 10 in Points: R. Smith - 521; S. Hornish Jr. - 513; J. Allgaier - 510; E. Sadler - 502; A. Dillon - 501; K. Larson # - 477; P. Kligerman - 475; B. Vickers - 473; B. Scott - 466; T. Bayne - 453.


--30--

Late surge gives Ty Dillon Truck Series win at Kentucky

Late surge gives Ty Dillon Truck Series win at Kentucky

 
By Reid Spence
NASCAR Wire Service

SPARTA, Ky.—It wouldn't be fair to say that Ty Dillon has Kyle Busch's number, but Dillon picked up his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory the same way he got his first last year — by passing Busch for the lead in the closing laps.

Dillon crossed the finish line 5.736 seconds ahead of Brad Keselowski to win Thursday night's UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway. Busch ran third, followed by reigning series champion James Buescher and Ryan Blaney.

"To beat Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski, two of the best drivers on four wheels right now, is pretty special. ... I want to be like them some day."

After crossing the finish line, Dillon orchestrated a burnout on the frontstretch while hanging halfway out of the driver's-side window, but it was patience on the race track that gave him cause to celebrate.

Dillon took his time tracking down Busch in the closing laps and picked his spot with 25 to go.

"My car just took off at the end," Dillon said. "I knew I was faster, so I just really tried not to kill my car, kill my tires, and it finally came to us. I got a good run through (Turns) 1 and 2 and got by him in 3 and 4. It (Dillon's No. 3 Chevrolet) turned into a rocket ship there at the end.

"I wasn't that great in the beginning and the middle, but (crew chief) Marcus (Richmond) and the guys kept digging and kept digging."

About the spectacular burnout, Dillon said simply, "Hey, man, we're here to put on a show."

Rookie Darrell Wallace Jr. spun in Turn 3 on Lap 86, racing in close quarters underneath the No. 29 of Blaney, to cause the fifth caution on Lap 86. Wallace had led a race-high 54 laps to that point but had to take his No. 54 Toyota to the garage for repairs.

Wallace, who had perhaps the fastest truck in the race, was disappointed but philosophical.

"I though I had it, and I think if he (Blaney) wasn't there and already gone that I might have saved it and just lost more positions," Wallace said. "Just hard racing. I'm still trying to figure these (trucks) out. I'm a rookie—that's what the yellow stripes are for (on the bumpers of rookies' cars and trucks)."

The accident left Busch, Wallace's car owner, in charge of the proceedings, at least for a while. Busch pulled away from Blaney after a restart on Lap 91 and held an advantage of 1.035 by the time the race reached Lap 100.

But Bryan Silas' spin in Turn 4 slowed the field again on Lap 108, giving the lead-lap cars a chance to pit and pick up enough fuel to finish the race.

Busch fought off a challenge from Blaney on Lap 118, forcing the 19-year-old driver into the outside wall. Blaney damaged the right side of his truck but was able to hold the fifth position.

Moments after the contact, Dillon began to mount his challenge and eventually passed Busch, whose truck had developed a drastically loose handling condition, on Lap 125. Keselowski passed Busch for the runner-up spot on Lap 138 but had nothing for Dillon in the final 12 circuits.

Tenth-place finisher Matt Crafton retained the series lead by 22 points over ninth-place Jeb Burton. With the victory, Dillon vaulted three positions into third in the standings, 40 points behind Crafton.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race - UNOH 225
Kentucky Speedway
Sparta, Kentucky
Thursday, June 27, 2013

       1. (22) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 150, $51435.
       2. (12) Brad Keselowski(i), Ford, 150, $42875.
       3. (6) Kyle Busch(i), Toyota, 150, $25795.
       4. (13) James Buescher, Chevrolet, 150, $21160.
       5. (1) Ryan Blaney #, Ford, 150, $19785.
       6. (9) Timothy Peters, Toyota, 150, $12960.
       7. (10) Miguel Paludo, Chevrolet, 150, $12460.
       8. (8) German Quiroga #, Toyota, 150, $11960.
       9. (11) Jeb Burton #, Chevrolet, 150, $11860.
       10. (7) Matt Crafton, Toyota, 150, $13010.
       11. (3) John Wes Townley, Toyota, 150, $11635.
       12. (17) Johnny Sauter, Toyota, 150, $11460.
       13. (18) Cale Gale, Chevrolet, 150, $9110.
       14. (34) Brett Moffitt, Toyota, 150, $11260.
       15. (14) Jeff Agnew, Chevrolet, 150, $12010.
       16. (5) Joey Coulter, Toyota, 149, $11230.
       17. (15) Ron Hornaday Jr., Chevrolet, 149, $10930.
       18. (16) Tim George Jr., Chevrolet, 149, $10830.
       19. (25) CJ Faison, Toyota, 149, $10730.
       20. (24) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 149, $9005.
       21. (21) Dakoda Armstrong, Chevrolet, 149, $10530.
       22. (23) Bryan Silas, Chevrolet, 148, $10430.
       23. (26) Scott Riggs(i), Chevrolet, 145, $8080.
       24. (30) Ryan Lynch, Chevrolet, 144, $8980.
       25. (33) Norm Benning, Chevrolet, 142, $9030.
       26. (31) Jennifer Jo Cobb, RAM, 127, $7780.
       27. (4) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 116, $7680.
       28. (2) Darrell Wallace Jr. #, Toyota, 107, $7575.
       29. (29) Todd Peck, Chevrolet, Overheating, 98, $7475.
       30. (27) Justin Jennings, Chevrolet, Vibration, 53, $7875.
       31. (20) Max Gresham, Chevrolet, Accident, 40, $7300.
       32. (19) Brennan Newberry #, Chevrolet, Drive Shaft, 31, $7275.
       33. (28) Danny Efland(i), Chevrolet, Clutch, 9, $7260.
       34. (36) Chris Jones, Chevrolet, Vibration, 2, $7250.
       35. (32) Clay Greenfield, Chevrolet, Transmission, 2, $7235.
       36. (35) Chris Lafferty, Ford, Rear End, 1, $7204.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  127.559 mph.
Time of Race:  1 Hrs, 45 Mins, 50 Secs. Margin of Victory:  5.735 Seconds.
Caution Flags:  6 for 25 laps.
Lead Changes:  5 among 4 drivers.
Lap Leaders:   R. Blaney # 1-27; D. Wallace Jr. # 28-81; K. Busch(i) 82-108; R. Blaney # 109; K. Busch(i) 110-124; T. Dillon 125-150.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  D. Wallace Jr. # 1 time for 54 laps; K. Busch(i) 2 times for 42 laps; R. Blaney # 2 times for 28 laps; T. Dillon 1 time for 26 laps.
Top 10 in Points: M. Crafton - 319; J. Burton # - 297; T. Dillon - 279; J. Buescher - 275; J. Sauter - 272; R. Blaney # - 272; B. Gaughan - 267; M. Paludo - 248; D. Wallace Jr. # - 236; T. Peters - 234.


--30--

U.S. Marine Honored As Brickyard Sprint Cup Series Race Namesake

 

U.S. MARINE HONORED AS BRICKYARD SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE NAMESAKE INDIANAPOLIS, Thursday, June 27, 2013 - While deployed in Iraq, Gunnery Sgt. Samuel Deeds, a diehard NASCAR fan, dreamed of working in the sport after completing his service. In 2005, those dreams took a back seat when Deeds placed himself in harm's way to save the lives of his fellow Marines. This summer Deeds will travel to one of the country's most historic tracks, Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), not as a fan or employee, but as the race namesake. On June 27 in his hometown of Erlanger, Ky., Deeds was recognized as the winner of Crown Royal's "Your Hero's Name Here" program, which awards one deserving individual naming rights to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday, July 28 at IMS. Surrounded by friends, family and Marines, Deeds cemented his place in the NASCAR record books by laying the final brick, engraved with the official race logo, in a ceremonial "Yard of Bricks" at Flagship Park in Erlanger. While deployed in Iraq, Deeds came across an improvised explosive device (IED) while setting up a vehicle checkpoint. Upon seeing fellow Marines approaching, he exposed himself to the device, risking his life to save others. He was severely injured and underwent more than 30 surgeries and procedures following the blast. Three years later, while still recovering, Deeds' heroic instincts took charge once again when he saved the lives of three individuals caught in a rip tide off the coast of North Carolina. In addition to Deeds' friends and family, special representatives from Crown Royal, Big Machine Label Group (BMLG), and IMS attended the ceremony and spoke of Deeds' many accomplishments. NASCAR driver Kurt Busch surprised Deeds during the ceremony, appearing on behalf of the Armed Forces Foundation (AFF), and country music star Justin Moore debuted a special song titled "Heroes," which was penned specifically for the "Your Hero's Name Here" program. Consumers 21 and over can visit CrownHeroesSong.com to download "Heroes" for free. For every download redeemed between now and the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com July 28, Crown Royal will donate $1 to AFF. "I was so fortunate to be part of this program last summer," Moore said. "That experience and the brave men and women I met along the way served as inspiration for this new song. The opportunity to debut 'Heroes' in front of a true hero like Samuel, his friends, family and community is incredibly special to me as well as all of the folks at BMLG." This will mark the seventh time Crown Royal has awarded race naming rights to an adult fan. After receiving thousands of entries during the nomination period, five heroes were chosen as finalists, and adult fans had the opportunity to cast their votes for the person they felt was most deserving of the honor. As the winner of the program, Deeds will participate in a VIP race weekend experience, riding in the pre-race pace car, delivering the trophy bearing his name to the race winner in Victory Lane and participating in the "kissing the bricks" ceremony following the race. "I've been a NASCAR fan for as long as I can remember, so the reality of having my name on a track with such rich history and meaning is beyond words," Deeds said. "I am so grateful to all of those who took the time to hear my story and vote for me. I can't wait to attend the race and dedicate that special weekend to all fellow servicemen and women who put their lives on the line every day." Deeds, now retired from his service in the Marines, is a husband and father of two boys. His wife, April, nominated him for the program for his unwavering commitment to his country. "We could not be more honored to announce Gunnery Sgt. Samuel Deeds as the 2013 'Your Hero's Name Here' winner," said Abby Wise, brand director for Crown Royal. "His sacrifice and continued acts of heroism serve as an inspiration to all of us at Crown Royal, and we are proud to provide him with the ultimate race experience at the Brickyard next month." The official race title, Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com, will be incorporated into race memorabilia as well as the winner's trophy. Various events and celebrations will take place leading up to and throughout race weekend to honor Deeds, during which Crown Royal would like to remind adult consumers to please drink responsibly. "It is our privilege to participate in this program with Crown Royal for the second year at IMS," said Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation Chief Operating Officer Doug Boles. "We've been introduced to so many deserving American heroes, and we look forward to rolling out the red carpet for Samuel and all other heroes in attendance at this year's race." Through a partnership with Crown Royal and IMS, country music artists from Big Machine Label Group including Justin Moore, The Cadillac Three, Cassadee Pope and Dustin Lynch, will perform special concerts throughout the race weekend. About Crown Royal Crown Royal Canadian whisky is the number one selling Canadian whisky brand in the U.S. by value and has a tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in 1939, Crown Royal Canadian whisky's smooth, elegant style reflects its aristocratic origins and is considered the epitome of Canadian whisky. For more information visit www.crownroyal.com. Crown Royal encourages all race fans to please drink responsibly. About Diageo Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines. Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com. About Big Machine Label Group At the helm of the independent Big Machine Label Group is industry veteran Scott Borchetta, who serves as President and CEO. The conglomerate encompasses Big Machine Records (founded in 2005), The Valory Music Co. (founded in 2007) and Republic Nashville (a partnership with Universal Republic founded in 2009 with Jimmy Harnen serving as President). The Big Machine Label Group's current artist roster includes multi-platinum superstars Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw and Reba; platinum sensations The Band Perry and Florida Georgia Line; legendary group The Mavericks; gold-selling artist Brantley Gilbert & Justin Moore; chart-topping act Eli Young Band as well as hot newcomers Thomas Rhett, Cassadee Pope, Greg Bates and RaeLynn. BMLG artists have received multiple GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, American Music Awards, CMT Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards, MTV Video Music Award and People's Choice Award accolades as well as Brit Award and JUNO Award nominations. In 2012, BMLG rejuvenated its publishing arm with Big Machine Music, which has created a joint venture with Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald's Prescription Songs, allowing the two companies to co-publish songwriters and artists whose unique talents translate across genres. The label group has also forayed into the racing world, sponsoring the Brickyard 400 as well as back-to-back Indianapolis 500 drivers. About Indianapolis Motor Speedway The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been the worldwide leader in motorsports entertainment since it opened in 1909. The facility has hosted the Indianapolis 500, the world's largest single-day annual sporting event, since 1911 and also is the site of the Crown Royal Presents the "Your Hero's Name Here" 400 at the Brickyard and the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. The NASCAR Nationwide Series and GRAND-AM Road Racing also will race for the second consecutive year at IMS in 2013. IMS is the world's largest spectator sporting facility and is the only venue to stage annual races in the IZOD IndyCar Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, GRAND-AM Road Racing and MotoGP. *** 2013 Kroger Super Weekend tickets: Ticket orders for the 2013 Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard can be made at www.ims.com/tickets and through the IMS Ticket Office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or by visiting the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday. General admission tickets will cost $10 for Thursday, July 25, $30 for Friday, July 26, $25 for Saturday, July 27 and $30 for Sunday, July 28. A four-day Kroger Super Weekend general admission ticket is $80, a great value for the ultimate race weekend. A three-day general admission ticket (Thursday-Saturday) is $65. Children ages 12 and under will be admitted free any of the four days of the Super Weekend at the Brickyard when accompanied by an adult with a general admission ticket. Reserved tickets for the Saturday and Sunday action also will be available at various price ranges. ...SW2013-005...

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Martin Truex Jr. ends 218-race drought with Sonoma win

Martin Truex Jr. ends 218-race drought with Sonoma win June 23, 2013 b By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service SONOMA, Calif.— For Martin Truex Jr., a welcome oasis called Sonoma Raceway at long last ended one of the longest droughts in NASCAR racing. With a convincing victory in Sunday’s Toyota Save Mart 350, Truex ended a winless streak of 218 races dating to June 4, 2007 at Dover, where he finished 7,355 seconds ahead of runner-up Ryan Newman. On Sunday at Sonoma, Truex beat second-place Jeff Gordon by and even bigger margin—8.133 seconds—as Juan Pablo Montoya dropped from the second position after running out of fuel on the next-to-last lap. Truex set a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series record for the largest number of races between a driver’s first and second victories. It was the second longest streak between any two Cup wins. When Bill Elliott triumphed at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2001, the victory snapped a winless streak of 226 races. Carl Edwards ran third Sunday, followed by Kurt Busch, who rallied from consecutive pit road speeding penalties to score his fourth top five of the season. Clint Bowyer, last year’s winner, came home fifth, followed Kasey Kahne and Marcos Ambrose. “I can’t even put it into words,” Truex said after climbing from his car in Victory Lane. “I’ve got so many people to thank for sticking with me…We’ve had cars really fast all year long. We’ve had some tough luck, but that’s part of racing.” Truex had finished second six times since his 2007 win. “I’m just proud of these guys for sticking behind me and working hard and giving me race cars like this,” he said. “My pit crew’s really turned it on lately, and today was just our day. We’ve had a lot of days when it wasn’t our day, and today it was just our time. “The car was flawless, and I tried to forget about what was behind me and focus on winning. We’re going to get a bunch of them now—I can tell you that much.” Truex’s elation carried over into his post-race press conference. “What streak?” he quipped and then was reminded of team owner Michael Waltrip’s 462-race winless streak before he got his first Cup win. “I had about four years left in me then, didn’t I,” Truex joked. Greg Biffle, series leader Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick completed the top 10. Montoya, who was running second with two laps left, fell to 34th at the finish after running out of fuel. Like Busch, Gordon also had to overcome a penalty to score his runner-up finish. Just before caution flew on Lap 24 because of rain, Gordon tried to duck onto pit road before it closed but missed the light by about a second. Consequently, he had to restart at the back of the field on Lap 31 and spent the rest of the race—through hard driving and solid strategy—working his way to the front. “We were trying to beat that caution and just missed it by a split second,” Gordon said. “Right as I committed to come to pit road, I saw the red light come up, and I knew that that was going to cost us a lot.   “But this team has been faced with a lot worse adversity than that. Luckily we had a fast race car and stayed with our pit strategy, and things went our way. There was a bunch of wrecks that happened right in front of me that I was able to avoid, and we just had a really good race car and were able to drive up through. That part was a lot of fun.”   Varying pit strategies scrambled the field after the cars of Kyle Busch and Edwards tangled on Lap 82 to cause the seventh caution of the race. Led by Truex, the top 15 cars stayed on the track, all close on fuel to finish the race. Johnson restarted 16th on two new tires, while Joey Logano, Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. led a group that changed four tires under the yellow. The new tires made a difference, as Gordon, Kurt Busch and Bowyer all charged into the top five. But staying out was a winning move for Truex, who built a five=second lead with 10 laps left and cruised to the drought-ending victory. Notes: Edwards narrowed Johnson’s lead in the standings from 31 to 25 points… Involved in a couple of late-race incidents, Tony Stewart saw his recent momentum halted with a 28th-place finish. Stewart fell five spots to 15th in the standings… Truex moved up three positions to 10th in the standings, the last Chase-eligible position. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race - Toyota - Save Mart 350 Sonoma Raceway Sonoma, California Sunday, June 23, 2013        1. (14) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 110, $304250.        2. (10) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 110, $240451.        3. (3) Carl Edwards, Ford, 110, $192940.        4. (7) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 110, $154860.        5. (5) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 110, $157548.        6. (15) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 110, $124915.        7. (2) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 110, $139679.        8. (4) Greg Biffle, Ford, 110, $118765.        9. (19) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 110, $145751.        10. (12) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 110, $143226.        11. (8) Joey Logano, Ford, 110, $129413.        12. (26) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 110, $111155.        13. (34) Brian Vickers(i), Toyota, 110, $104455.        14. (16) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 110, $125646.        15. (30) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 110, $131563.        16. (21) Casey Mears, Ford, 110, $119463.        17. (33) Travis Kvapil, Toyota, 110, $116788.        18. (24) Boris Said, Ford, 110, $106488.        19. (6) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 110, $131346.        20. (32) Aric Almirola, Ford, 110, $128866.        21. (18) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 110, $140221.        22. (25) Ron Fellows, Chevrolet, 110, $101188.        23. (17) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 110, $105505.        24. (29) David Gilliland, Ford, 110, $97902.        25. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 110, $126625.        26. (38) David Reutimann, Toyota, 110, $87105.        27. (37) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #, Ford, 110, $133391.        28. (11) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 110, $129805.        29. (31) Danica Patrick #, Chevrolet, 110, $85855.        30. (36) Justin Marks, Chevrolet, 110, $86705.        31. (27) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 110, $90530.        32. (35) Josh Wise(i), Ford, 110, $82360.        33. (23) David Ragan, Ford, 110, $90250.        34. (13) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 110, $109329.        35. (9) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 109, $127383.        36. (28) David Stremme, Toyota, 109, $81890.        37. (42) Victor Gonzalez Jr., Chevrolet, 109, $81752.        38. (41) Tomy Drissi, Toyota, 108, $76245.        39. (40) Paulie Harraka(i), Ford, 89, $72245.        40. (39) Alex Kennedy, Toyota, Accident, 30, $68245.        41. (22) Jacques Villeneuve, Chevrolet, Engine, 19, $72245.        42. (43) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, Transmission, 7, $60245.        43. (20) Bobby Labonte, Toyota, Engine, 0, $69745. Average Speed of Race Winner:  76.658 mph. Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 51 Mins, 20 Secs. Margin of Victory:  8.133 Seconds. Caution Flags:  7 for 19 laps. Lead Changes:  10 among 8 drivers. Lap Leaders:   J. McMurray 0; M. Ambrose 1-18; Kurt Busch 19-33; B. Keselowski 34-40; M. Truex Jr. 41-61; B. Vickers(i) 62-64; J. McMurray 65-66; M. Truex Jr. 67-68; J. Logano 69-78; J. Gordon 79-82; M. Truex Jr. 83-110. Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  M. Truex Jr. 3 times for 51 laps; M. Ambrose 1 time for 18 laps; Kurt Busch 1 time for 15 laps; J. Logano 1 time for 10 laps; B. Keselowski 1 time for 7 laps; J. Gordon 1 time for 4 laps; B. Vickers(i) 1 time for 3 laps; J. McMurray 1 time for 2 laps. Top 12 in Points: J. Johnson - 573; C. Edwards - 548; C. Bowyer - 528; K. Harvick - 510; M. Kenseth - 481; G. Biffle - 479; D. Earnhardt Jr. - 479; Kyle Busch - 461; Brad Keselowski - 454; M. Truex Jr. - 453; K. Kahne - 445; P. Menard - 445. --30--

Allmendinger wins NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Road America

       June 22, 2013    By Jerry Bonkowski  Special to NASCAR Wire Service     ELKHART LAKE, Wisc. – How do you find just the right gift to say "thank you" to a man who seemingly has everything?    That's the dilemma A.J. Allmendinger has faced since billionaire team owner Roger Penske gave him a second chance to redeem himself following last year's embarrassing suspension for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy.    Saturday, Allmendinger finally found the way. It took two green-white-checker restarts and five extra laps (55 in total), but he easily earned both his first career NASCAR and Nationwide Series win in the Johnsonville Sausage 200 Presented by Menards at Road America.    "This is the only way I could repay him," Allmendinger said of Penske. "It's just cool to win for Roger. It's what I've wanted since last year. … I wish he was here to be able to say, 'Thank you, boss, I got one for you.'"    It was Allmendinger's first start in a Nationwide Series race since 2008. But he's no stranger to victory lane at the 4-mile Road America road course, having won there in the now-defunct Champ Car World Series in 2006.    "It's my favorite track now," Allmendinger said with a smile. "It's a lot of fun. This track is still the same racetrack I remember. The same characteristics still apply to both race cars. The track is still the same thing with how you have to get into the corners and where the grip levels are in the corners."    Earlier in the afternoon, Allmendinger won the Coors Light Pole Award with a lap of 109.233 mph, his first pole in nine career Nationwide Series races.    Penske asked Allmendinger before last month's Indianapolis 500 if he'd be interested in competing in a couple of upcoming Nationwide Series races. Saturday's race at Road America was the first and Allmendinger will race again August 17 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.    "We're going to try and get another one there," Allmendinger said.    After Owen Kelly shoved series points leader Regan Smith into Billy Johnson, sending all three cars sailing on Lap 47, Allmendinger took the green flag two laps later.    But that was short-lived as on Lap 50, which should have been the second-to-last lap, Michael Annett took a spin, got stuck in rain-soaked grass and brought out the eighth and final caution flag.    On the second GWC restart on Lap 54, Allmendinger's Ford Mustang dueled with Justin Allgaier's Chevrolet Camaro, but pulled away at the start of the 55th and final lap and won by a comfortable 1.372-second margin.    "I knew the car was quicker than everybody," Allmendinger said. "I still knew if I could get back the lead, as long as I didn’t make any mistakes, they weren't going to pass me."    Allgaier finished second, followed by Parker Kligerman.    "I'm still not a road racer, I can assure you of that," Allgaier said. "Just watching A.J. and seeing some of the places he was able to go on that last green-white-checker, I still have some stuff to learn."    Added Kligerman, "It's just complete chaos most of the time near the end of the race and all you hope is you put yourself in the right place amongst the chaos and hopefully it goes your way."    Owen Kelly finished fourth, followed by Sam Hornish Jr.    Sixth through tenth were Brian Vickers, who will also race Sunday in the Sprint Cup road course race at Sonoma Raceway, followed by Kyle Larson, Cole Whitt, Elliott Sadler and Austin Dillon.    Because of the tangle he had with Kelly and Johnson on Lap 47, series points leader Regan Smith dropped from fifth to a disappointing 32nd-place finish, one lap down from the winner.    Smith also saw his 58-point series lead cut to just a 28-point edge over Allgaier and 30 points in front of Hornish.    NOTES: When asked if there are enough road courses (three) on the current Nationwide Series schedule, Allgaier and Kligerman were quick with their answers. "Not enough," Allgaier said. "If we had 10, that'd be perfect. I'm not a road racer, but I love it. I'm not good at it, but I love doing it." Added Kligerman, "More, more. It'd be awesome (to have 10)." … Here's an interesting irony: the top three finishers are all current or former Penske Racing drivers. "Two former Penske drivers finishing second to a Penske car," Allgaier said. "I think A.J. did a great job today." … Vickers is the only driver to do the "double" this weekend, racing at both Road America and Sonoma. His total travel from Charlotte to Wisconsin to California and back: approximately 6,300 miles. … Dexter Stacey was replaced on the fourth lap by Tim Andrews in the No. 92 Ford. Stacey, who was involved in a hard wreck last week at Michigan, reported residual soreness in his chest and requested a r  elief driver.      NASCAR Nationwide Series Race - Johnsonville Sausage 200 Presented by Menards  Road America  Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin  Saturday, June 22, 2013    	   1. (1) AJ Allmendinger(i), Ford, 55, $59325.  	   2. (4) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 55, $43225.  	   3. (3) Parker Kligerman, Toyota, 55, $33925.  	   4. (2) Owen Kelly, Toyota, 55, $28275.  	   5. (8) Sam Hornish Jr., Ford, 55, $23775.  	   6. (9) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 55, $23425.  	   7. (13) Kyle Larson #, Chevrolet, 55, $21825.  	   8. (17) Cole Whitt, Toyota, 55, $20100.  	   9. (22) Elliott Sadler, Toyota, 55, $20825.  	   10. (14) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 55, $20775.  	   11. (26) Brendan Gaughan(i), Chevrolet, 55, $13475.  	   12. (12) Johnny O'Connell, Chevrolet, 55, $19400.  	   13. (31) Mike Wallace, Chevrolet, 55, $19300.  	   14. (29) James Buescher(i), Chevrolet, 55, $13175.  	   15. (7) Billy Johnson, Ford, 55, $18575.  	   16. (19) Travis Pastrana, Ford, 55, $19025.  	   17. (10) Max Papis, Chevrolet, 55, $18925.  	   18. (28) Kenny Habul, Toyota, 55, $12825.  	   19. (25) Stanton Barrett, Ford, 55, $18750.  	   20. (18) Brian Scott, Chevrolet, 55, $19375.  	   21. (6) Nelson Piquet Jr. #, Chevrolet, 55, $18625.  	   22. (37) Kevin O'Connell, Chevrolet, 55, $18585.  	   23. (24) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 55, $18550.  	   24. (15) Alex Bowman #, Toyota, 55, $18490.  	   25. (40) Dexter Stacey #, Ford, 55, $12895.  	   26. (32) Jeffrey Earnhardt #, Ford, 55, $18385.  	   27. (35) Eric McClure, Toyota, 55, $18350.  	   28. (34) John Young, Dodge, 55, $12320.  	   29. (21) Andrew Ranger, Dodge, 55, $12285.  	   30. (11) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 55, $18540.  	   31. (27) Kyle Kelley, Chevrolet, 54, $18195.  	   32. (16) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 54, $18150.  	   33. (23) Mike Bliss, Toyota, Overheating, 53, $18120.  	   34. (5) Michael McDowell(i), Toyota, 52, $18100.  	   35. (20) Michael Annett, Ford, Accident, 50, $18068.  	   36. (38) Derek White, Toyota, Oil Leak, 37, $17255.  	   37. (33) Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, Chassis, 31, $17235.  	   38. (39) Tony Raines, Toyota, Rear Gear, 20, $11216.  	   39. (30) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, Engine, 7, $11075.  	   40. (36) Jeff Green, Toyota, Brakes, 2, $10975.    Average Speed of Race Winner:  74.697 mph.  Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 58 Mins, 50 Secs. Margin of Victory:  1.372 Seconds.  Caution Flags:  8 for 16 laps.  Lead Changes:  11 among 7 drivers.  Lap Leaders:   A. Allmendinger(i) 1-6; B. Johnson 7-13; O. Kelly 14; P. Kligerman 15-18; O. Kelly 19-25; A. Allmendinger(i) 26-30; S. Hornish Jr. 31-32; J. Buescher(i) 33; A. Allmendinger(i) 34-39; B. Johnson 40-42; J. Allgaier 43; A. Allmendinger(i) 44-55.  Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  A. Allmendinger(i) 4 times for 29 laps; B. Johnson 2 times for 10 laps; O. Kelly 2 times for 8 laps; P. Kligerman 1 time for 4 laps; S. Hornish Jr. 1 time for 2 laps; J. Allgaier 1 time for 1 lap; J. Buescher(i) 1 time for 1 lap.  Top 10 in Points: R. Smith - 507; J. Allgaier - 479; S. Hornish Jr. - 477; A. Dillon - 462; E. Sadler - 459; P. Kligerman - 447; K. Larson # - 440; B. Scott - 439; B. Vickers - 433; T. Bayne - 421.