The drought is over! Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins at Michigan

Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

June 17, 2012

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- At the same venue that produced his last NASCAR Sprint Cup victory, four years and two days removed from his most recent visit to Victory Lane, Dale Earnhardt Jr. broke the most talked-about, most frustrating streak in motor sports.

Pulling away from defending series champion Tony Stewart at the end of the final 60-lap green-flag run, Earnhardt won Sunday's Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway by a dominating 5.393 seconds to end a drought of 143 races.

"I know you guys have been waiting on that one," Earnhardt radioed to his crew after crossing the finish line. "I know I have."

As Earnhardt performed a wild celebratory burnout on the frontstretch, fans and crew members crowded around Victory Lane as the crowd in the grandstands stood and cheered.

The victory was the 19th in the Cup series for Earnhardt, who solidified second place in the Cup standings, closing to four points behind leader Matt Kenseth, who ran third Sunday behind Earnhardt and Stewart.

Earnhardt overcame Goodyear's 11th-hour switch to a harder left-side tire, after blistering became an issue on the left sides originally supplied for the race. Earnhardt wasn't happy with the handling of his No. 88 Chevrolet during a extra practice Saturday night, but crew chief Steve Letarte found a combination that worked for the race.

Greg Biffle finished fourth, followed by five-time champion Jimmie Johnson, who started from the rear of the field because of an engine change before the race but worked his way back into the top five.

Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Juan Pablo Montoya, pole-sitter Marcos Ambrose and Kevin Harvick completed the top 10.

Earnhardt took the lead for the first time on Lap 70, when he passed Ambrose for the top spot. From that point on, his was the dominant car; Earnhardt led a race-high 95 laps.

"Winning races is all you ever want," Earnhardt said in Victory Lane. "You work real hard to get there, and I've got to thank (team owner) Rick Hendrick, the whole organization, really, for sticking with me.

"They could have picked another route, but they stuck with me, and we're back in Victory Lane. I appreciate everybody's support -- Rick, the company, the fans, my team . . . everybody."

The start of the race was delayed for nearly two hours by rain, but by the time NASCAR's most popular driver took the checkered flag, the track was bathed in sunshine.

About the only blight on the landscape was Tony Stewart's response to Earnhardt's long-awaited victory. Apparently tired of questions about Earnhardt's winless streak, Stewart resorted to sarcasm.

"It's no different than anybody else that does it -- it's not a national holiday, guys," Stewart said. "This morning they were celebrating the fourth anniversary of his last win, so I guess we're all in a state of mourning now, 'cause he's broke that string now, so I wonder what we're all supposed to think."

Kenseth, Earnhardt's longtime friend, was more gracious in his assessment of the breakthrough victory.

"This year you could see it going to be a matter of time," Kenseth said. "They've really been the guys -- that 88 has had a ton of speed. They haven't always gotten the finishes (because of) circumstances, but they've been battling up there in the top five each and every week. They've finished every lap.

"I'm really happy for him to get that win. The championship part, I think they're definitely a contender. They've been right up there in the mix each and every race, no matter what size or shape the racetrack. I think they're definitely, at this point in the season, one of the favorites."

RACE RESULTS

1. (17) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 200, $168,775.

2. (8) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 200, $179,160.

3. (6) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 200, $155,096.

4. (3) Greg Biffle, Ford, 200, $120,910.

5. (10) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 200, $140,496.

6. (28) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 200, $134,046.

7. (13) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 200, $117,649.

8. (21) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 200, $120,176.

9. (1) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 200, $121,743.

10. (2) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 200, $134,346.

11. (42) Carl Edwards, Ford, 200, $133,426.

12. (16) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 200, $112,524.

13. (25) Brad Keselowski, Dodge, 200, $118,705.

14. (19) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 200, $115,218.

15. (5) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 199, $125,068.

16. (31) Bobby Labonte, Toyota, 199, $109,693.

17. (15) Aric Almirola, Ford, 199, $119,621.

18. (32) Landon Cassill, Toyota, 199, $108,630.

19. (20) AJ Allmendinger, Dodge, 199, $122,860.

20. (24) Casey Mears, Ford, 199, $98,893.

21. (33) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 199, $119,735.

22. (18) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 199, $88,935.

23. (38) David Ragan, Ford, 199, $94,743.

24. (22) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 198, $88,285.

25. (36) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, 198, $80,485.

26. (39) Travis Kvapil, Toyota, 197, $99,268.

27. (35) David Gilliland, Ford, 197, $88,857.

28. (12) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 197, $87,160.

29. (14) Mark Martin, Toyota, Engine, 195, $78,460.

30. (26) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 194, $85,385.

31. (40) Ken Schrader, Ford, 193, $83,735.

32. (34) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 157, $122,843.

33. (4) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, Accident, 151, $83,910.

34. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Accident, 132, $120,451.

35. (9) Joey Logano, Toyota, Accident, 125, $83,310.

36. (41) Tony Raines, Chevrolet, Vibration, 68, $75,260.

37. (43) JJ Yeley, Toyota, Brakes, 67, $75,205.

38. (27) Michael McDowell, Ford, Vibration, 41, $75,093.

39. (29) Mike Bliss, Toyota, Overheating, 35, $72,340.

40. (37) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, Vibration, 32, $72,300.

41. (23) Scott Riggs, Chevrolet, Power Steering, 27, $72,260.

42. (30) Josh Wise, Ford, Engine, 9, $72,195.

43. (7) Trevor Bayne, Ford, Engine, 7, $71,792.

RACE STATISTICS

Average Speed of Race Winner: 139.144 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 52 Mins, 29 Secs.

Margin of Victory: 5.393 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 8 for 39 laps.

Lead Changes: 23 among 14 drivers.

Lap Leaders: M. Ambrose 1-5; G. Biffle 6-26; M. Ambrose 27-31; M. Kenseth 32-48; M. Ambrose 49-52; J. Yeley 53; G. Biffle 54-68; M. Ambrose 69; D. Earnhardt Jr. 70-82; D. Blaney 83; D. Gilliland 84; D. Earnhardt Jr. 85-86; T. Stewart 87-104; D. Earnhardt Jr. 105-117; J. Gordon 118; J. Montoya 119-122; J. Gordon 123-125; D. Earnhardt Jr. 126-162; G. Biffle 163-164; C. Bowyer 165; J. McMurray 166; B. Keselowski 167-169; J. Burton 170; D. Earnhardt Jr. 171-200.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): D. Earnhardt Jr. 5 times for 95 laps; G. Biffle 3 times for 38 laps; T. Stewart 1 time for 18 laps; M. Kenseth 1 time for 17 laps; M. Ambrose 4 times for 15 laps; J. Montoya 1 time for 4 laps; J. Gordon 2 times for 4 laps; B. Keselowski 1 time for 3 laps; C. Bowyer 1 time for 1 lap; J. Burton 1 time for 1 lap; D. Blaney 1 time for 1 lap; D. Gilliland 1 time for 1 lap; J. Yeley 1 time for 1 lap; J. McMurray 1 time for 1 lap.

Top 12 in Points: M. Kenseth - 565; D. Earnhardt Jr. - 561; G. Biffle - 548; J. Johnson - 532; D. Hamlin - 514; K. Harvick - 504; M. Truex Jr. - 497; T. Stewart - 491; C. Bowyer - 481; B. Keselowski - 458; C. Edwards - 456; Kyle Busch - 432.

INDYCAR'S 2012 CHINA RACE CANCELLED

  INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, June 13, 2012) - INDYCAR, the sanctioning body for the IZOD IndyCar Series, announced today its scheduled Aug. 19 race in Qingdao, China, has been cancelled.

"We wanted to give the China race every opportunity to move forward and be successful, but INDYCAR has been notified by the promoter that the event is cancelled for 2012," said Randy Bernard, CEO, INDYCAR. "We were informed that the promoter was trying to move the event to a different date and location. After ongoing discussions regarding alternative dates, as well as doing our due diligence in exploring alternate venues in China, the promoter cancelled the event. A decision had to be made to allow INDYCAR and its participants to plan accordingly for the second half of the season."
INDYCAR announced plans for its inaugural race in China on Nov. 10, 2011. Bernard said INDYCAR is "not closing the door" on opportunities for a future race in China.
Bernard added that INDYCAR is investigating a possible replacement event that will keep the IZOD IndyCar Series schedule at 16 races.
"We are working with our promoters that host events in the second half of our calendar to keep them apprised of how the date of a potential new race could impact our current schedule," he said.

INDYCAR ANNOUNCES RULES FOR IOWA QUALIFYING HEAT RACES

 

For Immediate Release 

 

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, June 12, 2012) - Two IZOD IndyCar Series practice sessions June 22 totaling 90 minutes will play integral roles in setting the starting grid for the Iowa Corn Indy 250.

As announced by INDYCAR in mid-February, three heat races of 30 laps each will replace single-car qualifications for the June 23 race under the lights on the .875-mile Iowa Speedway oval.

According to Rule 8.5 of the IZOD IndyCar Series rulebook, groups for the 6:15 p.m. (local) qualifications will be determined by combined practice session times.

Race 1 will consist of the even-numbered positions, starting with the 10th-quickest practice time overall, and determine the even-numbered positions in the starting field from 10^th down.

Race 2 will consist of the odd-numbered positions, starting with the ninth-quickest practice time overall, and determine the odd-numbered positions in the starting field from 9^th down.

Race 3 will consist of drivers ranked one through eight by combined practice times. Results of Race 3 will determine the top-eight starting positions with the winner taking the pole position for the Iowa Corn Indy 250.

INDYCAR president of competition Beaux Barfield said the qualifying procedure was introduced for this event only as an experiment to add excitement. Single-car qualifications with the cumulative time of two laps will be held at the Milwaukee Mile on June 15 and Auto Club Speedway on Sept. 14.

The new Iowa oval qualifying procedure will complement the three rounds of qualifications held on road/street courses, culminating in the Firestone Fast Six.

"The build-up we presently have for the Firestone Fast Six has that excitement and we wanted to do something similar for the oval events," Barfield said. "It's going back to the heritage of short-track races."

Double-file restarts also will be utilized at Iowa Speedway, which has played host to the IZOD IndyCar Series since its opening in 2007. Marco Andretti of Andretti Autosport won the 2011 race.

"We've had a lot of firsts at Iowa Speedway with INDYCAR and the mini-races are another first," said Stan Clement, president of Iowa Speedway. "With the new car and the heat races, fans who attend the Iowa Corn Indy 250 weekend will get racing on both days."

 

It all Clicks for Landon Cling at South Boston on His Way to His First Career Super Late Model Win

Pro All Stars Series-South

www.proallstarsseries.com

Contact: Chris Ragle

 

Charlotte, NC 6/11/12- The notion of a sophomore slump in sports can be thrown out of the window for Landon Cling and his Brad Keselowski Racing race team as the Tempe, Arizona youngster scored his first career super late model win Saturday night in the PASS South SoBo 150 at the South Boston Speedway in Virginia. Cling took advantage of a second place starting position during the series redraw of the top ten qualifiers after posting the fifth fastest time during qualifying and never looked back. It was the seventeen year old driver’s first win in a full size super late model machine after majority of his experience up until last year had been behind the wheel of a go-kart.

 

“Our plan was to get out front and set the pace that we wanted until it got down to about fifty to go before we really started racing. I thought we were going to be fine but then all those cautions killed us and allowed Preston to really race us hard for the win. Luckily I was able to hold on and man does it feel good to be here in victory lane right now,” said Cling. “I knew at the end of the season last year we were getting close to winning a race so I had a good feeling about 2012 and here we are. I really want to say thank you to Brad Kelselowski for taking a chance on me, my family who’s been supporting me every step of the way, and this race team. They’ve really worked with me over the last year and half and developed me into a winning race car driver.”

 

Cling battled with Preston Peltier, who set fast time during qualifying for the eighth time in his career, in the closing laps especially on a lap 144 restart to decide the event winner. The two made contact on several occasions before Cling was able to muscle his way to the lead off the exit of turn two with four laps to go. Peltier was not able to just ride it out to the finish as Jay Fogleman, who recovered nicely from a lap one incident with Gray Gaulding, nosed his way to the inside of Peltier’s #26 machine on several occasions before being denied at the checkered flag and settling for his second podium finish in as many races.

 

While the battle for the win took the eyes of most fans in attendance, die hard PASS South fans paid close attention to the top two drivers in the championship standings. Brandon Ward, who came to South Boston second in standings ten points behind leader Kyle Grissom, flexed his muscle early behind the wheel of his #62 New Day Motorsports ride running down leader Cling from a ten car length distance just as the race hit the halfway distance. Over the course of the closing laps Ward succumbed to the above mentioned podium finishers forcing the Winston-Salem, NC driver to settle in to the fourth position.

 

All the while Kyle Grissom never really showed much from his #31 team as he had over the last few races. After starting the race tenth Grissom just hung around the sixth position over the course of the event before going for a spin on lap 144 setting up the wild six lap sprint to the finish for Cling. Ward’s consistency of another top five finish mixed with Grissom’s late race incident was the exact formula needed to make both drivers co-championship point leaders heading into the month of July. 

              

 

Next up for the “BIG BOYS WITH THE BAD FAST TOYS” PASS South Super Late Model Series will be the Firecracker 150 at the Anderson Motor Speedway located in Williamston, South Carolina on a special holiday night, Tuesday July 3^rd. The 150 lap race will be a “Road to the All American 400” qualifier allowing one lucky driver that wins the event to earn a guarantee starting position for the historic All American 400 race on October 6^th in Nashville, Tennessee. As part of the race’s holiday festivities a gigantic fireworks display courtesy of Zambelli Fireworks will occur after the feature events. For more information on the PASS South Series or any of the PASS sanctioned series visit www.proallstarsseries.com.    

Johnny Sauter finds redemption in trucks win at Texas

Credit: By Chris Graythen, Getty Images

June 8, 2012

By John Sturbin
Special for NASCAR Wire Service

FORT WORTH, Texas -- One year removed from a black-flag penalty that cost him a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win here, Johnny Sauter belatedly pulled into Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday night.

Sauter passed ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton on Lap 146 of 167 and rolled to victory by a margin of 2.101 seconds in the 16th annual WinStar World Casino 400K. Sauter, who hadn't led a race since the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, decisively snapped a string of three consecutive finishes of 24th or worse.

Sauter's shot at the win here last year went awry when he was black-flagged for moving out his lane before reaching the start/finish line on a late-race restart opposite Ron Hornaday Jr. While Hornaday celebrated his third career victory at TMS, Sauter retreated to his trailer after placing 22nd.

"There's no sweeter vindication," said Sauter, driver of the No. 13 Toyota Tundra co-owned by Mike Curb, and Duke and Rhonda Thorson. "Last year was really tough to swallow coming down to a late-race restart, but I broke the rules. The season we've had this year has been bad luck after bad luck. I couldn't be prouder of (crew chief) Joe Shear and the guys at ThorSport. The driver's only a small part of the equation. That truck could pretty much drive itself."

Sauter credited Shear's setup with allowing him to lead on two occasions for 41 laps, 14 fewer than championship leader Justin Lofton.

"Setups . . . I've come here and been humbled when I've left, it was so bad," said Sauter, a 34-year-old native of Necedah, Wis., with Texas ties. "Grandma lives 20 miles down the road up there in Dallas, and I get to go there and eat chicken n' dumplings once a year. This track really puts an emphasis on handling. We just hit the setup right. Joe did a great job; right off the truck we were at the top of the board. We passed a million trucks, it seemed like tonight."

Sauter scored his fifth career victory in his 93rd start at an average speed of 123.925 mph, while Crafton posted his 12th top-10 finish in 23 races at TMS. Crafton's third top-10 finish of 2012 marked the second 1-2 result for ThorSport, based in Sandusky, Ohio.

"Anytime you can finish 1-2 it shows the equipment and the people we've got, how hard they work," said Shear, who oversaw the team's offseason switch from Chevrolet Silverado sheet metal to the Tundra. "We come here with Toyota and their support and I'm proud of all the guys."

Sauter's first victory of 2012 was his second top-10 of the season and sixth top-10 result on TMS' 1.5-mile quad-oval.

"Every win is special, and I've been fortunate to win some very cool races in the truck series," said Sauter, the 2009 Rookie of the Year. "This one is going to rank right up there, with the start to this season. Last year was tough. That definitely by far was the toughest loss. It's hard not to think about that because everybody's talking about it."

With the exception of a fourth-place finish at Rockingham Speedway in mid-April, Sauter hadn't placed higher than 24th (three times) in the previous six races.

"I'm competitive to a fault," said Sauter, who finished second to Austin Dillon in the truck series championship last year. "I get a little bit too wound-up. The way this season's gone has been very trying. I'm trying to keep everything in perspective. I got wound up with about 35 laps to go and Joe said to shut up . . . and I never said another word."

Crafton, driver of the No. 88 Toyota, held off Joey Coulter, who posted his third top-10 finish in as many starts at TMS in his No. 22 Richard Childress Racing Chevy. Coulter was followed by Brendan Gaughan, a four-time winner at TMS, and Nelson Piquet Jr.

Ty Dillon, Austin's younger brother, was the highest finishing rookie (seventh) despite late-race contact that sent Texas resident James Buescher into the Turn 1 wall while they were battling side-by-side for the lead on Lap 138. That incident brought out the race's seventh caution and allowed Crafton to inherit the lead, with Sauter in fourth.

Lofton worked his way back to a ninth-place finish after getting caught in the pits when Bryan Silas' spin on the backstretch brought out the night's sixth caution on Lap 199. Lofton, who fell from the lead to 20th during that sequence, increased his lead over Timothy Peters to five points heading into the next event at Kentucky Speedway on June 28.

RACE RESULTS

1. (20) Johnny Sauter, Toyota, 167, $58,025.
2. (10) Matt Crafton, Toyota, 167, $39,715.
3. (11) Joey Coulter, Chevrolet, 167, $29,085.
4. (6) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 167, $21,025.
5. (8) Nelson Piquet Jr., Chevrolet, 167, $17,050.
6. (18) Jason Leffler, Toyota, 167, $14,825.
7. (3) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 167, $14,575.
8. (16) Cale Gale, Chevrolet, 167, $13,075.
9. (1) Justin Lofton, Chevrolet, 167, $12,975.
10. (5) Parker Kligerman, RAM, 167, $14,150.
11. (2) Timothy Peters, Toyota, 167, $12,775.
12. (9) Ron Hornaday Jr., Chevrolet, 167, $12,600.
13. (17) David Starr, Toyota, 167, $12,500.
14. (15) Miguel Paludo, Chevrolet, 167, $12,400.
15. (4) James Buescher, Chevrolet, 167, $13,375.
16. (23) Ross Chastain, Toyota, 167, $12,200.
17. (13) Jason White, Ford, 167, $12,100.
18. (19) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 167, $12,000.
19. (25) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 167, $10,600.
20. (34) Brandon Miller, Chevrolet, 167, $9,825.
21. (21) Max Gresham, Chevrolet, 164, $10,700.
22. (30) Norm Benning, Chevrolet, 162, $9,300.
23. (26) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 161, $9,200.
24. (31) Scott Stenzel, Chevrolet, 160, $9,100.
25. (24) Bryan Silas, Ford, 159, $9,150.
26. (27) Brent Raymer, Chevrolet, Suspension, 139, $8,900.
27. (12) John Wes Townley, Toyota, 128, $8,800.
28. (22) Paulie Harraka, Ford, Accident, 69, $8,700.
29. (32) Rick Crawford, Chevrolet, Accident, 52, $8,595.
30. (7) Todd Bodine, Toyota, Oil Pump, 31, $8,995.
31. (28) Johnny Chapman, Toyota, Overheating, 25, $8,370.
32. (29) Jennifer Jo Cobb, RAM, Engine, 10, $8,270.
33. (33) Mike Harmon, Chevrolet, Overheating, 6, $8,195.
34. (35) Chris Lafferty, RAM, Engine, 3, $8,145.
35. (14) Brandon Knupp, Chevrolet, Ignition, 2, $8,120.

RACE STATISTICS

Average Speed of Race Winner: 123.925 mph.
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 01 Mins, 17 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 2.101 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 7 for 32 laps.
Lead Changes: 13 among 6 drivers.
Lap Leaders: J. Lofton 1-26; J. Buescher 27-33; T. Dillon 34-50; J. Buescher 51-54; J. Sauter 55-73; J. Buescher 74; J. White 75-81; J. Buescher 82-96; J. Lofton 97-125; J. Buescher 126-129; T. Dillon 130-134; J. Buescher 135-137; M. Crafton 138-145; J. Sauter 146-167.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): J. Lofton 2 times for 55 laps; J. Sauter 2 times for 41 laps; J. Buescher 6 times for 34 laps; T. Dillon 2 times for 22 laps; M. Crafton 1 time for 8 laps; J. White 1 time for 7 laps.
Top 10 in Points: J. Lofton - 272; T. Peters - 267; T. Dillon - 260; J. Buescher - 249; P. Kligerman - 247; N. Piquet Jr. - 234; M. Crafton - 223; J. Coulter - 219; R. Hornaday Jr. - 218; T. Bodine - 212.

Luckless Gordon Focuses On Wins, ‘Wild Card’

Only twice in Jeff Gordon's full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career has the four-time champion finished outside the top 10 in the points standings. With a 21st-place ranking, the 85-time winner is in danger of missing it for a third time.
All is not lost for Gordon. He and his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team just need a change of luck – of the kind teammates Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne have enjoyed over the past month.
Gordon admits qualifying for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ will come through trips to Victory Lane. He's 94 points behind current 10th-place Clint Bowyer but a single point outside the top 20 and "wild card" territory.
Following the season's 26th race on Sept. 8 at Richmond International Raceway, the Chase field will be set. The top 10 drivers in points automatically advance to the post season along with two competitors ranked 11th through 20th with the most wins.
Current "wild card" leaders are Brad Keselowski, 11th with two victories, and Ryan Newman, 13th with a single win. Kahne, who won the Coca-Cola 600, is 14th, a point behind Newman.
Eighth through 12th positions are separated by 17 points. A shake-up there would truly complicate the "wild card" picture. Three-time and defending champion Tony Stewart, eighth, counts two victories. Ninth-place Kyle Busch also has a win.
Gordon had lean years from 2008 through 2010, winning just once. But he bounced back last season with three victories and made the Chase for the seventh time. Given the circumstances, the 40-year-old California native must duplicate 2012 and has just 13 races to do so.
History is on Gordon's side. Gordon has won on every track comprising the summer schedule save Kentucky Speedway, which was added to the NASCAR Sprint Cup lineup a year ago. He's won both road races at Sonoma and Watkins Glen and is a five-time Indianapolis Brickyard 400 victor.
"We've had things out of our control this year," said Gordon, whose season-to-date Driver Rating ranks 12th despite his 21st-place points position. "We don't care about finishing top 15 or top 10 right now. That does nothing for us. We need wins."

Pocono: New Pavement, New Race Distance

Pocono Raceway is unlike any track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule: Three distinctly different turns and three straightaways of varying lengths and top speeds.
But this week, there are two new wrinkles. Pocono's surface has received its first new coat of asphalt since 1995. And for the first time in the track's history, neither 2012 race will be a 500-miler. Both Sunday's Pocono 400 and August's Pennsylvania 400 will be scheduled for 160 laps/400 miles over the 2.5-mile layout that became a part of NASCAR's premier series in 1974.
This also will be the first race since January's passing of Pocono founder Joseph "Doc" Mattioli. Each car in the starting field will carry a special decal in "Doc's" memory.
Goodyear Tire tests suggest the "new" Pocono can be summed up in one word: speed. Smooth is another description that comes to mind. Teams test Wednesday and Thursday in advance of the weekend's schedule.
Last year's Pocono 400 winner Jeff Gordon said crew chiefs can leave their notes at the shop. "I am definitely not thinking about being the defending champion of that race at all just because there is nothing to compare to with a repave," said Gordon, whose five wins are tied with Bill Elliott for the all-time Pocono lead. "I think there is very little that we're probably going to have in our set-up that would compare to what we had there last year."
Jimmie Johnson said repaving shouldn't be a radical departure from the past because the same kind of materials were used in both old and new asphalt.
"Normally, it's an edgy race track regardless of the tire that you come with on a new repave," said Johnson, whose two Pocono victories came in 2004. "It sounds like we didn't have that [during the test] and Pocono made sure they used the same mix, the same asphalt that we were racing on.
"I would imagine that it's going to be super smooth and really fast."
Greg Biffle won the track's August race in 2010. He looks forward to the new format and thinks the fans should too. "I think the racing being shortened to 400 miles will create some excitement with the fan," said the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader. "There will be more urgency to go and different strategy."

Biffle's Chase Hopes Secure: Title No Guarantee

History says current points leader Greg Biffle will qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™.
Every driver ranked No. 1 regular season's midway point has reached the Chase. Only Jimmie Johnson in 2006 has gone on to win the championship.
Over the format's eight previous years, only two midway leaders have finished worse than fifth: Kyle Busch, 10th in 2008, and Tony Stewart, sixth in 2009. The last two mid-point leaders, Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick, finished second and third respectively.
Biffle leads Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth by a single point entering Sunday's Pocono 400 presented by #NASCAR. Kenseth could take over the No. 1 position by finishing as few as two positions higher than Biffle depending upon how lap leader bonus points fall. Biffle has been the leader for 11 consecutive races beginning March 11 in Las Vegas.
The first 13 races of the 2012 season have seen nine different winners from five teams and all four manufacturers. The list of winning drivers from a year ago who haven't won is lengthy. It includes Edwards, Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer, David Ragan, Marcos Ambrose, Paul Menard, Regan Smith and Trevor Bayne.

Edwards' 2011 Proving A Tough Act To Follow

Carl Edwards, who finished in a points tie with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart to finish the 2011 season, fell out of the top 10 at Dover after a 26th-place finish, his third finish of the year outside the top 25.
Now 12th, Edwards would miss the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup if the season ended today. But it doesn't. So no need to fret just yet.
One mild worry – and it could be completely coincidental – is that Edwards is following an unfortunate pattern suffered by championship runner-ups. The season after the runner-up campaign has often trended downward.
In 2011, Denny Hamlin finished ninth after his runner-up finish in 2010. Prior to that, Mark Martin went from second to 13th; Edwards, himself, went from second in 2008 to 11th in 2009; Jeff Gordon went from second in 2007 to seventh in 2008.
Not since Matt Kenseth in 2006-07 has a championship runner-up followed up with a points finish in the top five.
But the NSCS is only at the halfway point of the season, and Edwards has some favorites coming up – notably this weekend at Pocono Raceway.
Edwards has two wins at Pocono, including one in his first visit in June of 2005. His pre-race Driver Rating of 98.4 at Pocono ranks sixth in the series.

Nothing Tricky About It For Hamlin

Denny Hamlin doesn't understand the nickname "Tricky Triangle." Pocono's unique layout, with three corners (all of them different) and three straightaways has given some drivers fits – hence the alliterative Tricky Triangle moniker.
But not Hamlin. In his first visit to the 2.5-mile track, Hamlin won the pole and won the race. In his second visit, he did the same. In all, Hamlin has four victories, one short of the all-time lead, and has boasted double-digit laps led figures in each of the last five races.
His Driver Rating at Pocono – 118.6 – is tops in the series. His average finish of 9.7 is second-best, and would likely be better if not for some bad luck in last year's Pocono events. Though he led the most laps in each race, his finishes were 19th (mechanical issues) and 15th (pit road issue), respectively.
Hamlin, with new crew chief Darian Grubb, has excelled this season. Currently fourth in points, Hamlin is tied for the series lead in wins (two) and has six top fives and seven top 10s.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Etc.

Launching this weekend and built to support the live TNT race broadcast, a new Twitter experience will give #NASCAR fans a complementary insider's view of the action as it unfolds on the track and on Twitter. During a race, when fans click on #NASCAR, search for #NASCAR on twitter.com or visit twitter.com/#NASCAR, they'll reach a new Twitter experience where they will see the most relevant tweets from their favorite NASCAR drivers, NASCAR families, teams, commentators, celebrities and other racing fans and personalities. ... NASCAR will honor sailors representing the US Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Lehigh Valley on Sunday at Pocono Raceway through an initiative called "Troops to the Track," which invites active duty, wounded warriors, veterans, and military families to races throughout the year for NASCAR-style VIP experiences. The program is part of the "NASCAR Unites – An American Salute" patriotic initiative involving the NASCAR community and fans during a six-week summer period between Memorial Day and Independence Day weekend to support U.S. military families. More information can be found at NASCAR.com/Unites. … Milestone Watch: Ryan Newman continues the hunt to become the ninth driver to reach 50 Coors Light Poles. He has two poles at Pocono, most recently in 2007. … Jeff Gordon looks to become the fifth driver to reach 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top-10 finishes. … David Gilliland will make his 200th NSCS start.

Richard Childress Racing Back On Top In More Ways Than One

Capitalizing on wins and consistency is the key to championships and Richard Childress Racing's Elliott Sadler has done just that. Twelve races into the season and Sadler has regained the standings lead.
Leaving Iowa a few weeks ago, it looked as though Roush Fenway Racing's Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was about to pull away from Sadler, but bad luck struck quickly and two consecutive finishes outside the top 25 later, Sadler has assumed the standings lead for the first time since Richmond.
Sadler finished seventh this past weekend at Dover, posting a series-leading 10th top-10 finish. Now 12 points separate Sadler and Stenhouse, but Sadler isn't blind to his competition's resiliency and prowess.
"We know as a team that the No. 6 car (Stenhouse) is really going to run good week in and week out," Sadler said. "We just have to keep our performance up, but we know the No. 6 isn't going to have problems every day."
Sadler is correct. Prior to a 26th at Charlotte and 32nd at Dover, Stenhouse had rallied off three wins and a series-leading seven top fives.
Thus far, Sadler e has a season-to-date Driver Rating of 110.0, two poles, two wins and six top fives.
Sadler's RCR teammates, Ty and Austin Dillon, also have starring roles. Ty, younger brother of Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Austin, finished eighth in his series debut. Not to be outdone, Austin finished sixth and also moved into the championship picture. He sits third in the standings, 14 points behind Sadler and only two behind Stenhouse.

Dynamic Duo: Logano And Stevens Have Taken Off

Lately, it seems like all Joey Logano and Adam Stevens can do is win.
The Joe Gibbs Racing duo has been teamed together in the NASCAR Nationwide Series since Jason Ratcliff, former NNS crew chief, was promoted to the No. 20 Toyota team in the NSCS. While most transitional periods have their rough times, this one has quickly gotten off the ground.
"Working with Adam has been great; he is doing an awesome job." Logano said. "Our communication is right where it needs to be and a lot of that has to do with last year. We struggled a little bit and we were really able to diagnose some of the things we can do better as a team and make our cars better."
Dating back to Daytona in 2011, the pair has competed in 29 NNS races together, posting five wins, three poles and an average finish of 8.3.
Joe Gibbs is in search of his fourth owners' championship, which would tie him for the most all-time with Richard Childress. Gibbs currently has three, second-most, tied with William Baumgardener.
Logano and Stevens have been keys in the JGR initiative of seeking an owners' championship this season. The No. 18 team was sixth in the owner standings after Logano and Stevens' first win of the year at Auto Club Speedway. It then moved up to third after a second win at Talladega. JGR teammate Denny Hamlin's win at Charlotte in the No. 18 pushed the team past the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing team into first place, and Logano's Dover win has increased the No. 18's first-place advantage to 34 points.
Logano's victory at Dover was his 13th career NNS win, tying him for 22nd on the all-time NNS wins list with NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip and two-time NNS champion Martin Truex Jr. Among drivers with more than 10 wins in the NNS, Logano has the 13th-best all-time winning percentage in the series with a 13.2%. Logano (@joeylogano) participated in the NASCAR CAM Video Teleconference on Tuesday, June 6. Click here for teleconference audio.

NASCAR Nationwide Series, Etc.

In addition to presenting at the CMT Awards in Nashville this week, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will take his sprint car to Eagle, Neb., for his first race of the year. … On June 7, Travis Pastrana takes some hot laps around Texas Motor Speedway with motorsports legend and 1967 Daytona 500 winner Mario Andretti. … Mike Wallace heads home to St. Louis to visit family and friends and watch his son Matt race Late Models at Lebanon I-44 Speedway, the same track on which Mike started his NASCAR career as track champion. … Jason Bowles plans on taking his No. 81 MacDonald Motorsports team out on the lake before the upcoming 16-week stretch that begins June 16 in Michigan. … Michael Annett has become an avid bowler in the last year and will work on his game this week. … Justin Allgaier (who celebrates his 26th birthday on June 6), Austin Dillon, Danica Patrick and Kenny Wallace are NNS drivers who will participate in Tony Stewart's Prelude to the Dream dirt Late Model race at Eldora Speedway on Wednesday. The annual charity event this year benefits Feed the Children. … Corey LaJoie, son of two-time NNS champion Randy, picked up a popular win last Saturday night at historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. – his first career win and the fifth different winner in five NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races. The series is right back at it this Saturday at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga. Hendrick Motorsports' Chase Elliott leads the points by 16 over LaJoie and 20 over Rev Racing rookie Kyle Larson, in his first year with the NASCAR Drive for Diversity initiative.

Winless Streak Done, Bodine Readies For Favorite Track

There is no such thing as a lock in NASCAR competition. But Todd Bodine as a winner comes pretty close at Texas Motor Speedway, which hosts Friday night's WinStar World Casino 400.
Bodine, who broke a 38-race winless drought last week at Dover International Speedway, has won six times at the 1.5-mile Ft. Worth track – more than any other NASCAR national series driver. Last year was only the second since joining the series fulltime in 2004 that Bodine failed to win in the Lone Star State.
Friday's race will be the first for Bodine at Texas in anything but a Germain Racing-prepared truck. What began as a one-race deal for Daytona has Bodine likely seeking a third title with Red Horse Racing. He's sixth in the points standings, 37 behind leader Justin Lofton.
Five of Bodine's Texas wins have come in the spring, the track's longest race (167 laps, 250.5 miles). "I think we are able to wear everyone else out on the long runs. That's where I excel," Bodine said.

Tough Odds Beating This Three Of A Kind

Three drivers – Bodine, Brendan Gaughan and Ron Hornaday Jr. – are the best of the best at Texas Motor Speedway. The trio has won 13 of the last 20 races held at the Fort Worth track.
Bodine and Hornaday have combined for five victories in the track's most recent eight races. Gaughan won a then-unprecedented four consecutive races at the Texas track in 2002-03. Hornaday initially experienced frustration in Texas, requiring 11 starts to get to Victory Lane in June 2008. He won that year's fall race, as well, and is the defending winner of the WinStar World Casino 400. Bodine won four of six starts from 2004-07 and is the last driver to win from the pole (2007). Gaughan is the only one of the three with a Texas-winning team. He'll drive the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet that carried Kevin Harvick to victory last November.
The winner of the Texas spring race has gone on to become the series champion four times. Bodine did it most recently in 2010.

Rookie Winner Wouldn't Be Unprecedented In Texas

This could be the week that Ty Dillon puts an exclamation point on what became a record-setting consistency streak June 1 at Dover.
The 20-year-old Dillon, sixth at Dover, has opened the 2012 season with six consecutive top-10 finishes. He'd shared the previous record with the late Ricky Hendrick set in 2001.
Dillon may be a freshman – and racing at Texas Motor Speedway for the first time – but he'll benefit by following in the footsteps of older brother Austin Dillon. The elder Dillon finished second to Harvick last November as he rolled to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.
Austin Dillon finished third in his 2008 Texas debut that also featured his first of a rookie record seven poles. He led three of his four starts for 67 laps.
Rookie Kenny Irwin Jr. won the WinStar World Casino 400 debut in 1997 followed by first-year contenders Boris Said and Rick Crawford. Travis Kvapil won the 2001 spring race as a rookie and Gaughan swept both races the following season in his debut as a full-time series competitor.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Etc.

James Buescher and David Starr say there is no place like home. Buescher, a 22-year-old from Plano, Texas, sat on the pole for both Texas races last season. The Katy, Texas, resident – who claimed his first series win at Kansas in April – is fourth in series standings. … Houston's Starr makes his 28th consecutive NASCAR Camping World Truck Series appearance. Starr has seven top-five finishes at the 1.5-mile speedway. … Lofton continues to hold a slim one-point advantage over Timothy Peters in the championship standings. Dillon, Buescher and Parker Kligerman round out the top five with 22 points separating first from fifth. … Miguel Paludo's No. 32 Chevrolet will be clad in the International Diabetes Federation's 'Unite for Diabetes' logo, as well as an image of Paludo and his eight-month-old son Oliver, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes three weeks ago. … Buescher and his wife Krishtian are to battle in Legends cars on TMS' 0.2-mile track on Wednesday.

 

Statement Regarding the Passing of 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee ,,Cotton Owens

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (June 7, 2012) – Everett “Cotton” Owens, a 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee, passed away in his Spartanburg, S.C., home this morning, June 7, 2012, at the age of 88.

Born May 21, 1924 in Union, S.C., Owens combined three unique skill sets – that of driver, mechanic and owner – and turned them into a NASCAR Hall of Fame career. Owens won nine times as a driver in NASCAR’s premier series competition including the 1957 Daytona Beach road course which marked Pontiac’s first NASCAR victory. He nearly won the 1959 championship, finishing second to NASCAR Hall of Famer Lee Petty.

But as an owner, Owens stood out as one of the greats of NASCAR’s early years. His eye for talent was among the best. He hired NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson to drive in 1962, the same season in which he began a future championship relationship with another NASCAR Hall of Famer, David Pearson. Twenty-seven of Pearson’s 105 NASCAR premier series victories were recorded in Owens’ car. The pair teamed to win the 1966 championship. In 1998 Owens was named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers. He was elected to the 2013 Class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame on May 23, 2012, and will be inducted on Feb. 8, 2013.

Statement from the family of Cotton Owens: "The family would like to express gratitude for the thoughts and prayers of precious friends and fans. While Cotton was a racing legend with an incredible racing "family" we mourn the irreplaceable great granddad, granddad, father uncle, brother-in-law and friend we have all lost. The family respectfully requests privacy at this difficult time."

Statement from NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France: "NASCAR has lost one of its true pioneers, with the passing of Cotton Owens. On behalf of the France Family and everyone at NASCAR, I offer heartfelt condolences to Cotton's family and friends.

"This is a sad day for the NASCAR industry, but we are all consoled by the fact that Cotton was voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame before his death. Today we have lost a portion of our past. But people like Cotton Owens are the reason our sport thrives today -- and can look forward to a promising future."

Statement from Winston Kelley, executive director, NASCAR Hall of Fame: “We lost one of NASCAR’s greats today. Our hearts go out to Cotton’s family, and we hope they find strength in the memories of his remarkable life and career. That career was topped off just a few weeks ago with his selection for the Class of 2013. In speaking to his grandson, Brandon Davis, he reiterated how much being an Inductee meant to Cotton and how much it lifted his spirit.

“I vividly remember when I first started following NASCAR in the early to mid-60s watching his white and red No. 6 Dodge run up front with David Pearson and later Buddy Baker. I was just a child, but I still remember his car being a contender all the time. It was one of the ones to beat. In more recent years I remember how supportive he was of our initiatives. NASCAR recognized his knowledge and insights by inviting him to be an original member of our Voting Panel. You could always count on Cotton to be here for Voting Day and other hall events. He will be dearly missed.”

Statement from Buz McKim, historian NASCAR Hall of Fame: “Cotton Owens was one of the first heroes of NASCAR. He was exciting to watch, as he thrilled early-day fans with his patented broadsliding on dirt tracks. Not only a gifted driver, he was a fine mechanic and was a championship car owner. He also mentored many drivers, among them David Pearson. Another chapter of history closes today as the racing world has lost a great friend and pioneer, Everett “Cotton” Owens.”

Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family at a later date.

Jimmie Johnson wins Dover Cup Race in a Cake Walk

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service


DOVER, Del. -- The Hendrick Motorsports juggernaut is back -- with a vengeance.


Driving away from Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth after a restart with 31 laps left in Sunday's FedEx 400 at Dover International Speedway, Jimmie Johnson made short work of his NASCAR Sprint Cup rivals.


Johnson, who led 289 of the 400 laps, picked up his second victory of the season (in addition to a win in the May 19 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race) and his second victory in the last three points races. Hendrick drivers have now won four straight races, including the All-Star event.


The victory was the 57th of Johnson's career, eighth most all-time. His seventh win at Dover tied Richard Petty and Bobby Allison for most ever at the high-banked, one-mile concrete track.


Harvick came home second, 2.550 seconds behind Johnson. Kenseth ran third, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Clint Bowyer. Greg Biffle retained his series lead by one point over Kenseth with an 11th-place finish.


Johnson said afterward that leading the most laps doesn't guarantee success, but on Sunday, he need not have worried.


"When you lead the most laps, sometimes at the end -- the way the cautions fall -- it can backfire on the dominant car," said Johnson, who for his post-race press conference sported a multi-colored wig matching the Madagascar 3 paint scheme on his No. 48 Chevrolet.


"The way the cautions fell today, it allowed us to really flex our muscle and bring home the win. I'm proud of the effort. It was a brand new race car we brought to the track. We pulled it off the truck and it was awesome all weekend long."


Harvick recovered from a mistake on pit road to claim the runner-up spot. The driver of the No. 29 Chevrolet overshot his pit stall under caution on Lap 227 and had to be pushed into the box by his crew. The miscue dropped Harvick from third to 18th for a restart on Lap 232.


"The car was good enough to be able to drive back through the pack, and for whatever reason, we were able to adjust our car well today when we needed to and we were able to keep up with the racetrack and keep our car better through the day," Harvick said.


"And I think that was a big key to getting through the traffic and putting ourselves back in position to at least have a chance."


Even though Johnson won handily, however, his No. 48 Chevrolet may not have been the fastest car. The No. 24 of teammate Jeff Gordon was at least its equal, but Gordon had to pit on Lap 250 because of a loose wheel.


Gordon returned to pit road for his final stop on Lap 325 and was in position to challenge for the win until an untimely debris caution on Lap 339 trapped him a lap down temporarily and mired him deep in the field after he regained the lost lap on a wave-around. Gordon finished 13th.


Those who have decried the recent lack of caution flags in Sprint Cup races got more than their fill on Lap 9, when contact between Tony Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet and Landon Cassill's No. 83 Toyota triggered a 12-car pileup off Turn 2.


Regan Smith ducked to the inside and tried to power past Stewart but couldn't clear the No. 14. Nine other cars stacked up behind Cassill, Stewart and Smith, blocking the track and necessitating a stoppage of 19 minutes, 54 seconds while track workers cleaned up the mess.


Smith blamed himself for the wreck, but Stewart was magnanimous in relieving the driver of the No. 78 Chevy of responsibility.


"I got into the back of the No. 14 and started the whole thing," Smith said. "I'll take full blame for that. Somehow they got checked up in front of me. I just didn't have time to get slowed up with it. I hate that there are so many wrecked race cars here. It's not fun for anybody."


Stewart's take on the accident was quite different.


"The No. 83 was trying to get back down to the bottom and we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time," Stewart said. "It wasn't Regan's fault. He was right behind us and he didn't have anywhere to go either. Just not a real good deal at the beginning of the race like this."


Stewart returned to the track on lap 74 and finished 25th, one position better than that of Carl Edwards, who blew a tire and slammed into the Turn 2 wall on Lap 164. Down 80 laps when he returned to the track after repairs, Edwards dropped from 10th to 12th in the Cup standings.


Notes: Mark Martin finished 14th, marking the 30th straight Cup event in which the pole-sitter has failed to win. . . . Johnson's victory broke a string of eight straight different Cup winners this season. . . . Earnhardt gained one position to third in the standings, 10 points behind Biffle. . . . The engine in Kyle Busch's No. 18 Toyota expired after 202 laps. He finished 29th.


RACE RESULTS


1. (2) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 400, $319,411.

2. (6) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 400, $250,001.

3. (5) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 400, $201,601.

4. (17) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 400, $142,340.

5. (4) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 400, $147,904.

6. (12) Aric Almirola, Ford, 400, $148,426.

7. (18) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 400, $140,204.

8. (11) Joey Logano, Toyota, 400, $115,465.

9. (13) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 400, $110,015.

10. (21) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 400, $128,598.

11. (7) Greg Biffle, Ford, 400, $106,205.

12. (16) Brad Keselowski, Dodge, 400, $132,525.

13. (14) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 400, $139,591.

14. (1) Mark Martin, Toyota, 400, $101,480.

15. (3) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 400, $135,613.

16. (23) AJ Allmendinger, Dodge, 400, $134,280.

17. (20) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 400, $100,805.

18. (10) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 400, $133,121.

19. (24) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 400, $122,138.

20. (22) Bobby Labonte, Toyota, 399, $117,788.

21. (28) David Ragan, Ford, 398, $105,938.

22. (15) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, Engine, 364, $127,905.

23. (42) Travis Kvapil, Toyota, 348, $115,738.

24. (9) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, Engine, 338, $107,588.

25. (29) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 331, $137,705.

26. (19) Carl Edwards, Ford, 318, $129,846.

27. (26) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 306, $103,702.

28. (31) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 296, $115,496.

29. (8) Kyle Busch, Toyota, Engine, 202, $129,563.

30. (38) Reed Sorenson, Ford, Accident, 124, $94,705.

31. (39) David Reutimann, Chevrolet, Engine, 110, $84,555.

32. (41) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, Accident, 65, $81,905.

33. (32) David Stremme, Toyota, Overheating, 63, $81,755.

34. (34) JJ Yeley, Toyota, Overheating, 41, $81,555.

35. (37) Stephen Leicht, Chevrolet, Accident, 29, $90,830.

36. (36) Mike Bliss, Toyota, Steering, 23, $81,205.

37. (43) Scott Riggs, Chevrolet, Vibration, 21, $81,035.

38. (27) Landon Cassill, Toyota, Accident, 9, $107,272.

39. (35) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, Accident, 9, $77,485.

40. (30) David Gilliland, Ford, Accident, 9, $77,325.

41. (40) Casey Mears, Ford, Accident, 8, $77,145.

42. (33) Michael McDowell, Ford, Accident, 8, $77,065.

43. (25) Scott Speed, Ford, Accident, 8, $77,438.


RACE STATISTICS


Average Speed of Race Winner: 122.835 mph.

Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 15 Mins, 23 Secs.

Margin of Victory: 2.550 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 7 for 32 laps.

Lead Changes: 17 among 7 drivers.

Lap Leaders: M. Martin 0; J. Johnson 1-6; M. Martin 7-29; J. Johnson 30-60; M. Martin 61-70; M. Kenseth 71; D. Ragan 72-74; M. Martin 75-84; J. Johnson 85-210; J. Gordon 211-227; J. Johnson 228; J. Gordon 229-244; J. Johnson 245-293; M. Kenseth 294; D. Earnhardt Jr. 295; D. Hamlin 296-297; J. Gordon 298-324; J. Johnson 325-400.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): J. Johnson 6 times for 289 laps; J. Gordon 3 times for 60 laps; M. Martin 3 times for 43 laps; D. Ragan 1 time for 3 laps; D. Hamlin 1 time for 2 laps; M. Kenseth 2 times for 2 laps; D. Earnhardt Jr. 1 time for 1 lap.

Top 12 in Points: G. Biffle - 486; M. Kenseth - 485; D. Earnhardt Jr. - 476; D. Hamlin - 464; J. Johnson - 453; M. Truex Jr. - 441; K. Harvick - 440; T. Stewart - 407; Kyle Busch - 406; C. Bowyer - 405; B. Keselowski - 400; C. Edwards - 390.

LaJoie Claims First K&N Pro Series Victory Takes NASCAR Hall Of Fame 150 At Bowman Gray

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Third generation racer Corey LaJoie captured his much-anticipated first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East victory Saturday night in the NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 at historic Bowman Gray Stadium.
LaJoie, from Concord, N.C., powered the No. 07 Thermal Control Products/Sims Metal Ford to the lead on the event’s first lap, but pole-sitter Kyle Larson wrestled it away the next circuit and LaJoie ran second through the first quarter of the race. The 20-year-old regained the lead on Lap 37 and held on through eight race restarts for his first trip to Victory Lane. (Read More)

: Joey Logano charges to Nationwide Series win at Dover

June 2, 2012

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

DOVER, Del. -- Joey Logano smashed the glass slipper Saturday at Dover International Speedway.

Charging forward from the seventh position after a restart on Lap 158 of 200, Logano overtook pole-sitter Ryan Truex for the lead on Lap 195 to win the 5-Hour Energy 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race, leading a 1-2-3 finish for Joe Gibbs Racing.

In winning his fourth Nationwide race in 10 starts this season and the 13th of his career, Logano finished 1.526 seconds ahead of Truex, who was 11 days removed from an emergency appendectomy.

When Logano came to the pits on Lap 152 after spinning Tim Bainey Jr. to cause the sixth and final caution on Lap 151 (an incident Logano attributed to a rookie not giving the leader enough room), Truex inherited the lead and appeared headed for a fairy tale finish until Logano caught him with five laps left.

Brian Scott ran third, followed by Kurt Busch and Justin Allgaier.

Logano led 154 laps in claiming his third victory in his last four Nationwide starts. The driver of the No. 18 Toyota said his current success was due to improvements made during the offseason.

"Last year we struggled a little bit, and we were able to really diagnose some of the things we could do better as a team," Logano said. "We also did a great job making our cars better -- better aero, better motors, all that stuff adds up. We're coming to the racetrack with a better package and are able to make small adjustments to tune it in better, and that all transfers to the race."

Logano trailed Truex by more than two seconds with 12 laps left, but Truex was slowed by two lapped cars on Lap 195, enabling Logano to close quickly and make the pass.

"We were pretty free that last run, and Joey was catching us on new tires," Truex said. "I don't think he would have caught me in five laps, but I just caught traffic at the wrong time. For some reason, those guys were racing each other 20 laps down in front of me, and I had nowhere to go, and that was the end of it."

The surgery was not an issue for Truex at all.

"From the second I got in the race car, I didn't even remember that I had surgery," Truex said. "That was no issue. That was the last thing that would come to my mind as I was racing."

The race was not yet 27 laps old when the championship battle turned upside down. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., running second to Logano at the time, lost control of his No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford off Turn 2 and slammed nose-first into the inside wall on the backstretch.

"I just lost it," Stenhouse said. "I wasn't up on the wheel and just kind of riding around until that competition caution (scheduled for Lap 40) and just got behind on the steering. "It was driver error, totally my fault."

For the second straight week, Stenhouse took a major hit in the standings. A broken drive shaft May 26 at Charlotte cost him most of his championship lead. With Saturday's trouble -- even though he returned to the track on lap 94 -- Stenhouse finished 32nd and fell from first to second, 12 points behind Elliott Sadler (seventh Saturday) and two ahead of third-place Austin Dillon (sixth Saturday).

After the competition caution, which ran from Laps 42-45, the race settled into a long green-flag run, with Logano blitzing the field. After a cycle of green-flag stops that ended on Lap 123, there were seven cars left on the lead lap, and Logano had been out front for 120 of the 123 circuits.

But when Timmy Hill spun in close-quarters racing in front of Sam Hornish Jr. on Lap 124, Sadler got a free pass back to the lead lap as the highest scored lapped car.

Two laps after the subsequent restart, Hornish's Dodge broke loose under Danica Patrick's Chevrolet. Patrick clobbered the outside wall in a wreck that also collected Brad Sweet. Patrick took her car to the garage and was credited with a 30th-place finish.

RACE RESULTS

1. (2) Joey Logano, Toyota, 200, $39,375.

2. (1) Ryan Truex, Toyota, 200, $37,743.

3. (5) Brian Scott, Toyota, 200, $30,518.

4. (9) Kurt Busch, Toyota, 200, $20,525.

5. (7) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200, $26,318.

6. (11) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 200, $24,518.

7. (6) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 200, $22,028.

8. (3) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 200, $21,388.

9. (14) James Buescher, Chevrolet, 200, $21,018.

10. (15) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 199, $21,818.

11. (23) Michael Annett, Ford, 199, $20,343.

12. (12) Parker Kligerman, Dodge, 199, $20,218.

13. (10) Sam Hornish Jr., Dodge, 199, $20,118.

14. (19) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 199, $19,993.

15. (30) Jason Bowles, Toyota, 198, $21,093.

16. (20) Tayler Malsam, Toyota, 198, $19,843.

17. (28) Jeff Green, Toyota, 198, $19,768.

18. (27) Mike Wallace, Chevrolet, 198, $19,718.

19. (21) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, 197, $19,668.

20. (13) John Wes Townley, Toyota, 197, $13,150.

21. (34) Jamie Dick, Chevrolet, 194, $20,243.

22. (18) Josh Richards, Ford, 194, $13,000.

23. (22) Brad Sweet, Chevrolet, 193, $19,393.

24. (32) TJ Bell, Chevrolet, 193, $12,875.

25. (40) Brad Teague, Chevrolet, 190, $19,768.

26. (36) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 189, $12,775.

27. (29) Erik Darnell, Chevrolet, 179, $19,193.

28. (41) Tim Bainey Jr., Chevrolet, Accident, 144, $19,118.

29. (35) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Transmission, 144, $12,575.

30. (17) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, Accident, 133, $19,293.

31. (26) Timmy Hill, Ford, Accident, 120, $18,938.

32. (4) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 119, $19,878.

33. (8) Mike Bliss, Toyota, Electrical, 36, $12,350.

34. (39) Mike Harmon, Chevrolet, Vibration, 14, $12,315.

35. (37) Matt Carter, Chevrolet, Electrical, 11, $12,285.

36. (38) Scott Riggs, Chevrolet, Suspension, 10, $12,260.

37. (24) Josh Wise, Chevrolet, Ignition, 5, $12,240.

38. (16) Scott Speed, Chevrolet, Vibration, 4, $12,176.

39. (25) Kevin Lepage, Toyota, Vibration, 4, $12,075.

40. (31) Tim Andrews, Ford, Accident, 2, $12,020.

41. (42) Blake Koch, Chevrolet, Brakes, 2, $11,990.

42. (33) Matt DiBenedetto, Chevrolet, Electrical, 2, $11,950.

RACE STATISTICS

Average Speed of Race Winner: 110.497 mph.

Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 48 Mins, 36 Secs.

Margin of Victory: 1.526 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 6 for 27 laps.

Lead Changes: 5 among 3 drivers.

Lap Leaders: R. Truex 0; J. Logano 1-42; J. Allgaier 43-45; J. Logano 46-151; R. Truex 152-194; J. Logano 195-200.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): J. Logano 3 times for 154 laps; R. Truex 1 time for 43 laps; J. Allgaier 1 time for 3 laps.

Top 10 in Points: E. Sadler - 454; R. Stenhouse Jr. - 442; A. Dillon - 440; S. Hornish Jr. - 404; J. Allgaier - 376; C. Whitt - 366; M. Annett - 364; M. Bliss - 302; J. Nemechek - 287; T. Malsam - 282.

Todd Bodine breaks drought in rain-shortened trucks race at Dover

June 1, 2012

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

DOVER, Del. -- Let it rain!

At a racetrack where a casino is an integral part of the complex, Todd Bodine gambled and won big.

Despite spinning early in Friday's rain-shortened Lucas Oil 200, Bodine remained on the lead leap, and with a contrarian pit strategy, he worked his way into the lead. When rain forced NASCAR to call the race after 147 laps, Bodine was the winner, breaking a drought of 37 races dating to 2010.

The two-time series champion won for the 22nd time in his career after fending off an assault from Parker Kligerman, the race runner-up. Pole-sitter Kevin Harvick, who dominated the first half of the race, was third when NASCAR called the event after a second stoppage for rain.

Nelson Piquet Jr. finished fourth and Cale Gale fifth.

Bodine came to the pits on Lap 98 and remained on the track when Harvick, Tim Peters, James Buescher and series leader Justin Lofton surrendered top-five positions by pitting for fuel before the resumption of the race after the first rain delay on Lap 124.

Harvick's truck, lightning fast in clean air, tightened up in traffic, and Bodine was able to hold the top spot until a second rain shower necessitated the ninth caution on Lap 143. Four laps later, with no chance to dry the track before nightfall, the race was over.

Bodine credited Red Horse Racing crew chief Rick Gay with the race-winning call.

"We didn't have the best (truck) today, but Rick made a great call," Bodine said. "I didn't realize what he was trying to accomplish, or how close we were on fuel, but it worked out. You don't like to win 'em this way, but you know what? I've lost 'em this way, so I'm going to take this one, and we're going to go to the house.

"Kevin had the best truck, but racing isn't always about having the best truck. It's about strategy and putting yourself in the right position, and Rick Gay did that for this team."

Harvick began to assert his dominance as soon as the race began. By the time the engine in Jason White's No. 23 Ford blew on Lap 12, Harvick had opened a three-second leader over hard-luck Johnny Sauter.

A contender for the series championship last year, Sauter brought his truck to pit road under the fifth caution on Lap 98 because of a power steering failure. The long stay on pit road dropped Sauter to 18th in the running order, the last truck on the lead lap.

Harvick held a comfortable lead when Wes Burton's spin and contact with the inside wall caused the sixth caution of the afternoon. Rain began to fall while the field circulated under yellow.

NASCAR brought the field to pit road on Lap 121 and red-flagged the event for 15 minutes, 23 seconds, but the rain abated and provided an opportunity to restart the race on Lap 124.

Note: The last Truck Series race shortened because of rain was the 2011 season finale at Homestead. Lofton, who finished 10th, maintained a one-point edge over second-place Peters (ninth Friday) in the series standings.

RACE RESULTS

1. (13) Todd Bodine, Toyota, 147, $41,000.
2. (11) Parker Kligerman, RAM, 147, $28,190.
3. (1) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 147, $23,835.
4. (18) Nelson Piquet Jr., Chevrolet, 147, $20,825.
5. (5) Cale Gale, Chevrolet, 147, $18,850.
6. (6) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 147, $15,825.
7. (15) James Buescher, Chevrolet, 147, $15,325.
8. (10) Matt Crafton, Toyota, 147, $14,825.
9. (8) Timothy Peters, Toyota, 147, $14,425.
10. (16) Justin Lofton, Chevrolet, 147, $15,475.
11. (2) Joey Coulter, Chevrolet, 147, $13,975.
12. (9) Miguel Paludo, Chevrolet, 147, $13,700.
13. (17) Brian Scott, Toyota, 147, $11,350.
14. (24) David Starr, Toyota, 147, $13,500.
15. (12) Ross Chastain, Toyota, 147, $14,475.
16. (21) John Wes Townley, Toyota, 147, $13,300.
17. (25) Paulie Harraka, Ford, 147, $13,200.
18. (30) Caleb Holman, Chevrolet, 147, $10,850.
19. (7) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 146, $13,000.
20. (19) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 145, $13,525.
21. (27) Jeff Agnew, Chevrolet, 145, $10,550.
22. (23) Bryan Silas, Ford, 145, $12,700.
23. (29) Chris Fontaine, Chevrolet, 144, $10,350.
24. (4) Johnny Sauter, Toyota, 143, $12,250.
25. (35) Norm Benning, Chevrolet, 142, $10,300.
26. (33) Jennifer Jo Cobb, RAM, 137, $10,050.
27. (3) Ron Hornaday Jr., Chevrolet, Accident, 136, $10,950.
28. (31) Wes Burton, Ford, Accident, 108, $9,850.
29. (22) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, Accident, 95, $9,725.
30. (14) Max Gresham, Chevrolet, Accident, 88, $9,625.
31. (28) Chris Jones, Toyota, Overheating, 17, $10,025.
32. (32) Johnny Chapman, Chevrolet, Ignition, 14, $9,425.
33. (20) Jason White, Ford, Engine, 11, $9,400.
34. (34) Mike Harmon, Chevrolet, Ignition, 3, $9,325.
35. (26) Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet, Vibration, 2, $9,300.

RACE STATISTICS

Average Speed of Race Winner: 81.667 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 48 Mins, 0 Secs.
Margin of Victory: Under Caution.
Caution Flags: 9 for 46 laps.
Lead Changes: 7 among 6 drivers.
Lap Leaders: K. Harvick 1-29; D. Starr 30-32; J. Lofton 33-54; K. Harvick 55-121; M. Paludo 122-126; T. Bodine 127-139; P. Kligerman 140; T. Bodine 141-147.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): K. Harvick 2 times for 96 laps; J. Lofton 1 time for 22 laps; T. Bodine 2 times for 20 laps; M. Paludo 1 time for 5 laps; D. Starr 1 time for 3 laps; P. Kligerman 1 time for 1 lap.
Top 10 in Points: J. Lofton - 235; T. Peters - 234; T. Dillon - 222; J. Buescher - 219; P. Kligerman - 213; T. Bodine - 198; N. Piquet Jr. - 195; R. Hornaday Jr. - 186; M. Crafton - 180; J. Coulter - 178.