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Jimmie Johnson wins the Sprint All-Star race.....again
posted by Mike Neff
Sunday May 19, 2013
Five-time is now four-time when it comes to the Sprint All-Star race. Coming into Saturday night’s race, Johnson was tied with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt for most wins in the annual event with three wins. Johnson bided his time, restarted the last segment in the second spot, dueled Kasey Kahne for two laps to secure the lead and pulled away to a convincing win. Joey Logano started the last segment in the seventh position, took advantage of a slip up by Kyle Busch on the start of the final segment, and ultimately came home in the runner-up spot. Kyle Busch rebounded from his slip up to muscle his way back to third. Kahne started the final segment on the pole but couldn’t hold off Johnson on the first few laps of the restart and ended up fourth. Kurt Busch won two segments, was the first on pit road for the money pit stop, but finished the event in fifth place. Jimmie Johnson summed up his results in two words, “we’re lucky”. It was tongue in cheek but Johnson was poking fun at the people who continue to accuse the No. 48 of preferential treatment, fixed races, and a blind eye to cheating. Johnson has one of the highest winning percentages in NASCAR history and it comes from natural talent and chemistry with his crew. This race also now ties Johnson with Davey Allison as the only two drivers to win the race in back-to-back years. Logano and Busch visited with the media after the race to speak about their runs. Logano was understandably upbeat about his second while Busch was quite dejected, having another All-Star race slip out of his grasp. Kahne spoke about the elephant in the room that is the length of the segments in the race during his post race availability on pit road. He noted that the inherent problem with the format is that the car is designed with downforce, on a track that is cool and has a bunch of grip. The only way to make the races exciting after the first couple of laps of racing would be to extend the segments to the The first 20 lap segment was won by Kurt Busch. Segment two went to his brother Kyle. That segment win allowed Bruton Smith to breathe more easily since he put up a $1,000,000 bonus to anyone who won all four of the segments. Segment three also went to the younger Busch, while the fourth segment win was tallied in brother Kurt’ s account.
Kyle Busch wins the North Carolina Education Lottery 200
posted by Mike Neff
Friday May 17, 2013
‘Rowdy’ Busch was back in his familiar No. 51 truck at his favorite track on the Truck schedule. Busch led 80 laps and thought he should have led more but had a fuel issue on pit road that resulted in him having to battle back through the field. The race was slowed by eight cautions that helped him work his way back through the field. Busch beat Brendan Gaughan to the finish by .488 seconds, while Max Gresham chased them both to the line for his first top three finish of his Truck career. Matt Crafton came home in fourth place after having to battle through a couple of tire mishaps during the event. Ty Dillon rounded out the top 5 for his first finish that high this season. Busch led the race three times for his 80 laps. Miguel Paludo was second on the laps led board with 33. Gaughan, Gresham and Dillon also scored bonus points for leading laps. There were two cautions in the first 72 laps of the race while 29 of the last 62 laps were completed under the yellow flag. Jeb Burton started the race on the pole but did not lead a lap. He did however end the race as the Rookie of the Race for his 13th place finish. Matt Crafton leads Burton by 22 points in the season standings after five races this season.
Matt Kenseth Snatches Victory from the Jaws of Defeat at Darlington
posted by Mike Neff
Sunday May 12, 2013
Kyle Busch appeared to be headed for another weekend sweep after winning the Nationwide race at Darlington on Friday night. However, a funny thing happened as they were bringing out the dustpan. Matt Kenseth chased down the dominant car of the night, passed him with relative ease and then strolled away to a 3.165 second victory. Kenseth led the final 13 laps after Busch had held the point for 265 of the 354 laps leading up to Kenseth’s race winning pass. After Kenseth worked around Busch, the No. 18 slid rapidly backwards over the final eight laps to fall from second to sixth place. Joe Gibbs Racing did manage a 1-2 finish after sweeping the podium in Friday night’s Nationwide tilt. Denny Hamlin, in his first full race back in the car since his vertebrae fracture at California, soldiered through the pain of his arms, neck and shoulders more than his recovered back to wrestle a second place finish away from the Lady in Black. Coming home in third was Jeff Gordon, who turned his 700th career start into a top 3 finish. Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top 5 in the Bojangles Southern 500. Kurt Busch started the race on the pole and led the first 51 laps before coming to the pits for a green flag stop. After the stops cycled through Busch was back at the point for 18 more laps before his brother began his domination. The race went green for the first 302 laps save a seven lap caution stint from lap 125 to lap 131. The final 65 laps saw four more cautions that flew for accidents involving Regan Smith, Brad Keselowski, Casey Mears, Kurt Busch, Josh Wise, David Reutimann and Kasey Kahne. The race saw four leaders including Jeff Gordon in addition to the Busch brothers and Kenseth. The win is Kenseth’s 27th of his career and breaks a tie between himself and his teammate Kyle Busch. The win is Kenseth’s third this season which is the most among all of the competitors in the Cup series. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the Rookie of the Race. Jeff Gordon’s top 5 finish was his 300th of his career. He joins Richard Petty, David Pearson and Bobby Allison as the only four drivers in the history of the sport to accomplish such a feat.
Busch Dominates at Darlington as JGR Sets Nationwide Series Record
posted by Amy Henderson
Friday May 10, 2013
Kyle Busch dominated the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 on Friday night en route to his 56th career Nationwide Series victory and fifth series win of 2013. Joe Gibbs Racing in general was the class of the field all night at Darlington Raceway, claiming four of the top 5 finishing spots, with only fourth-place Joey Logano keeping them from sweeping the top four spots. It was a historic night for JGR, as no team has ever before placed four cars in the top 5. Elliott Sadler finished second to Busch and Brian Vickers third, with Logano and Matt Kenseth rounding out the top 5. Busch led 107 of 147 laps on the way to the win. Sadler was the best among the Nationwide Regulars, finishing second despite an early spin in Turn 2, and gained points on leader Regan Smith, who finished seventh. Kyle Larson continued to impress at the Lady in Black, posting a sixth-place finish in his first Darlington start as he runs for rookie honors. Sam Hornish, Jr., who remained second in points, finished eighth while Kasey Kahne and Justin Allgaier filled the top 10. Smith now leads Nationwide Series points by 28 over Hornish. Sadler jumps two spots to third on his second-place run as Justin Allgaier fell one place to fourth. Vickers gained three sports and is now fifth, 49 behind Smith. Austin Dillon, Parker Kligerman, Brian Scott, Alex Bowman, and Kyle Larson round out the top 10.
Joe Gibbs Racing Penalties Reduced Following Appeal
posted by Summer Bedgood
Wednesday May 8, 2013
Joe Gibbs Racing had many of their penalties for the No. 20 team reduced during the appeal process on Wednesday. Driver Matt Kenseth and owner Joe Gibbs had their points penalties reduced from 50 to 12 points. Crew chief Jason Ratcliff’s suspension has also been dropped from seven races to one, though he will still be forced to pay the $200,000 fine. Not all of the penalties were reduced, however. Toyota Racing’s manufacturer points penalty was increased from five points to seven. All other penalties were dropped, including the suspension of Joe Gibbs’ owners license, the loss of bonus points for the Chase earned at Kansas Speedway, and the loss of eligibility into the Sprint Unlimited garnered from the pole at Kansas Speedway. JGR has accepted the penalties and will not appeal further. Following a dominant win at Kansas Speedway a few weeks ago, Kenseth’s car failed post-race inspection when it was found that a connecting rod was 2.7 grams below the minimum weight. Toyota Racing Development accepted the blame for the incident. The reduction moves Kenseth up to fourth in points, 66 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson. JGR has not announced who will replace Ratcliff this weekend in Darlington. The appeal was heard by Mark Arute, Dennis McGlynn, and Jack Housby. NASCAR cannot appeal the revised penalties.
Penske Has Suspensions Reduced On Appeal
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday May 8, 2013
Roger Penske’s team got some relief Tuesday from NASCAR’s Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook, as he chose to reduce penalties assessed to that organization at Texas Motor Speedway in early April. Middlebrook, after hearing the evidence from both sides Tuesday chose to reduce all suspensions in the case from six to two weeks, plus NASCAR’s All-Star Race on May 18th. That means the final consequences for both teams are the following: No. 2 car No. 22 car Other Middlebrook’s official statement was short, simply stating, “After looking at all the facts, data, and interpretations from the rule book, I have decided to uphold the original fines and points penalties. However, I have decided to reduce the suspensions of the seven team members involved from six points races and the All-Star race to two points races and the All-Star Race.” However, it seemed both sides, after presenting their cases were far more pleased with how the case was handled during this portion of the appeal. “We were able to talk about areas we worked in,” said Roger Penske, referring to the “gray area” of the NASCAR rulebook officials ultimately felt stepped over the line. “I’m very happy with the outcome. This sport has been built on innovation. All of us have tried to innovate in areas not defined in the rulebook. We were in that area.” In conversations with the parties involved, it was clear the controversy surrounded parts designed to increase the rear-end angle at the back of both cars. In past years, with innovation limited through the Car of Tomorrow templates teams have played around with suspension systems designed to make the rear end of the car easier to “move.” The more the car skews in the corner, the easier it can be to handle and gain extra speed. However, NASCAR had made rules designed to curb those types of innovations this year and made the determination Penske parts to build the rear suspension were unapproved. Why they had gone undetected in previous inspections was never addressed, along with claims someone else in the garage had alerted officials to possible inappropriate car construction. One thing Penske did admit, though is had this decision been issued by the initial appeals panel, he would not have pressed his luck with Middlebrook. “All of us,” he said. “Have lost points for certain infractions over the years. The key thing is to have people back at the racetrack operating in full control.” The end results leave Logano 18th in points, 146 behind championship leader Jimmie Johnson and 43 outside a Chase position. Keselowski is far more stable; fifth in points, he’s 69 behind and 45 ahead of 11th-place Matt Kenseth. Neither of the Penske cars have won a race this season. “Moved on from last few weeks,” Keselowski tweeted Wednesday morning. “And ready to focus on @TooToughToTame (Darlington Raceway).” The next round of NASCAR penalty appeals, focusing on Joe Gibbs Racing and Matt Kenseth will be heard on Wednesday morning. Connect with Tom!
Penske Racing LOSES Penalty Case, Will Appeal To NSCRC John Middlebrook
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday May 1, 2013
A three-member panel Wednesday unanimously upheld penalties assessed to Penske Racing after pre-race inspection at Texas Motor Speedway. Comprised of Pocono President Brandon Igdalsky, Bowman-Gray President Dale Pinilis and former NASCAR VP Paul Brooks, the trio determined the sanctioning body’s evidence was enough to “convict” Penske to the tune of points lost, suspensions given and $200,000 in fines. Roger Penske, in response has pledged to send a final appeal to National Stock Car Racing Commissioner John Middlebrook. That hearing will occur Tuesday, May 7th at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center. Here’s a quick list of what penalties are pending (everything but the points deductions will be deferred, pending Middlebrook’s approval until after the final appeal): No. 2 team No. 22 team Both teams NASCAR’s representation included Sprint Cup Director John Darby but not Vice President Robin Pemberton, who was whisked away to Florida on jury duty. Owner Roger Penske was in attendance to defend the allegations along with Team Manager Travis Geisler, Tim Cindric, Walt Czarnecki, Joey Logano’s crew chief Todd Gordon along with several other key principles. UPDATE: The National Stock Car Racing Commission issued a brief statement, reviewing the penalties and then explaining the following. “Upon hearing the testimony and carefully reviewing the facts, it was a unanimous decision by the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel to uphold the original penalties assessed by NASCAR.” “The Appellants have the right under Section 15 of the rule book to appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Chief Appellate Officer.” Connect with Tom!
Kyle Busch Wins Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown
posted by Thomas Bowles
Friday April 26, 2013
Who says Joe Gibbs Racing teammates don’t get along? Kyle Busch is certainly receiving gifts, from Denny Hamlin in the form of shiny trophies from winning the latter’s annual charity event. Rowdy was romping through the field again at Richmond Thursday night, taking control at the race’s midpoint and cruising during the latter stages to win the Showdown for the third time in the past six years. In a race that benefits the Denny Hamlin Foundation, created to help those with cystic fibrosis Busch had his late model hitting on all cyilnders down the stretch. Pulling away from fellow Cup driver David Ragan, in the final segment of the 75-lap race the outcome was simply never in doubt following a 5-minute break for pit stops prior to Lap 47. Ben Rhodes, Ronnie Bassett, Jr., and Garrett Campbell rounded out the top-5 finishers. Other Cup drivers, including defending race champion Tony Stewart were in the field but never a factor up front. Smoke, actually extending his slumping start to 2013 into this race got wrecked before the halfway point and wound up 28th. Matt Kenseth, still distraught after a midweek penalty virtually negated his win at Kansas was never truly competitive, either; he finished 22nd. Also on Thursday night, African-American driver Ryan Gifford won the first K&N Pro Series East race of his young career. Surviving a five-lap shootout, following a red flag he cruised home over Brandon Gdovic. Connect with Tom!
Matt Kenseth, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Penalized As Engine Fails Kansas Post-Race Inspection
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday April 24, 2013
Until the end of time, Matt Kenseth can say he crossed the finish line first at Kansas Sunday. NASCAR Record Books will say the same. But after a harsh series of penalties announced on Wednesday, should they stand that’s about the only thing Kenseth can hang his hat on after a successful weekend turned sour. According to multiple reports, officials at the NASCAR R & D Center in North Carolina discovered a connecting rod on Kenseth’s engine, brought in for Kansas post-race inspection weighed three grams less than the minimum weight of 525g. The consequences, announced today are crippling for both driver and team. Kenseth, along with car owner Joe Gibbs have been docked 50 driver and owner points, actually reducing their overall totals heading into Kansas even though the No. 20 car won the race. That lost chunk of points drops Kenseth from eighth to 14th in the standings. More importantly, the win “won’t count” for either bonus points in the Chase or determine postseason eligibility; that means the driver, now in “Wild Card” position is considered to have one win so far this season instead of two. That’s just the tip of the iceberg on these consequences. Crew chief Jason Radcliffe, fined $200,000 based on the infraction has also been suspended for the next six Sprint Cup points events, along with the All-Star Race. Toyota, whose TRD engine department ultimately supplies the JGR powerplants has had five points deducted from its total in the manufacturer’s championship. And finally, Joe Gibbs himself, already docked 50 owner points has had his license suspended by NASCAR, which means he’s ineligible to accrue owner points for the No. 20 until the next six Sprint Cup Series points races are completed. Gibbs, NASCAR has clarified will still be able to travel to the racetrack despite a suspended license. In a tersely worded statement, the owner says he’ll appeal the ruling, which violated three parts of the series rulebook. The one most pertinent is Section 20-5.5.3(E) which states only magnetic steel connecting rods, with a minimum weight of 525.0 grams will be permitted. Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4J, which gives officials the right to penalize for parts they claim do not conform to NASCAR rules were also cited in the sport’s official release. Toyota Racing Development’s Lee White, in a statement released early this afternoon took responsibility for the violation. During NASCAR’s routine post-race tear down of Matt Kenseth’s race-winning car and engine from Kansas Speedway,” he stated, “One of our engine connecting rods weighed in approximately three grams under the legal minimum weight of 525 grams. None of the other seven connecting rods were found to be under the minimum weight. We take full responsibility for this issue with the engine used by the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team this past Sunday in Kansas — JGR is not involved in the process of selecting parts or assembling the Cup Series engines. It was a simple oversight on TRD’s part and there was no intent to deceive, or to gain any type of competitive advantage. Toyota is a company that was built on integrity, and that remains one of the guiding principles of the company. The goal of TRD has always been — and will continue to be — to build high-performance engines that are reliable, durable and powerful, and within the guidelines established by NASCAR.” Kenseth, who has led 482 laps this season, two higher than his total last year has been one of the strongest competitiors on the Sprint Cup track in 2013. His engines have also passed several previous inspections.
Johnny Sauter Penalized For Fuel Cell Infraction At Kansas
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday April 24, 2013
Thorsport Racing, along with former Truck Series point leader Johnny Sauter are reeling this Wednesday after a major penalty involving their No. 98 Toyota. On Wednesday, NASCAR announced the team was fined $10,000, crew chief Joel Shear has been suspended for four races and 25 owner points were taken away as a result of a faulty fuel cell, confiscated during pre-race inspection at Kansas. Driver Sauter was also hit was a loss of 25 points, completely reshaping the championship Chase heading into the next race of the season at Charlotte May 17th. According to NASCAR officials, the team violated multiple sections of the rulebook. The key ones involve Section 20B-16 and 20B-16.1B, regarding the proper size and functioning of fuel cells. “Once a fuel cell or fuel cell components have been certified,” the rules say, “Modifications of any kind will not be permitted.” The 16.1B portion refers to black safety foam, with a minimum height of eight inches that must be used as a safety mechanism when putting together the fuel cell itself. By violating that rule, NASCAR is insinuating the team modified or enhanced the cell in some way by cutting back / replacing that foam. Section 12-1, actions detrimental to stock car racing was also listed as a rules violation along with 12-4K, which gives NASCAR Officials the leeway to penalize teams when they feel previously legal equipment was modified, in any manner after being initially inspected. Thorsport, as of yet has not said whether they plan to appeal. The penalties mean Matt Crafton becomes the new Truck Series point leader, by 13 over Jeb Burton while Sauter gets pushed back into a tie for second place. |
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To the Point: Last week at Richmond, Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing crashed the Chase party in style by taking the win. With Jeff Burton also squeaking into the title hunt in 8th place, it marked the first two times in team history an RCR driver had made the Chase for the Championship.
Sunday, they proved that simply getting the invite won't be enough.
Harvick dominated at New Hampshire Sunday, leading 118 of the final 123 laps to take the checkered flag first for the second week in a row. Finishing .777 seconds in front of second place Tony Stewart, Harvick took not only the win but the point lead for the first time in his Nextel Cup career, starting his Chase out on the right foot. Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, and Brian Vickers rounded out the Top 5 finishers. Meanwhile, Chasers Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson wrecked, putting their chances for a Nextel Cup title in serious jeopardy right off the bat.
Who Should Have Won: Harvick. Not much to argue about here. Leading 196 of 300 laps on the day, Harvick was virtually unchallenged for the majority of the afternoon, becoming just the third driver to win from the pole at New Hampshire since the track first held Cup races here in 1993. Gordon and Burton had their moments, but no one could sustain themselves over a long run like Harvick's Chevrolet.
Five Questions You Should be Asking After the Race Weekend:
1) Was Harvick's victory aided by a little extra innovation on the part of his crew?
Sunday night, Bob Dillner of SPEED channel reported that the tires of both Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton were found to have a bleeder valve that allowed air pressure to be released from the rim of the tire. Such a system, while technically illegal, could have given both drivers an important advantage on a track like New Hampshire, where tires deteriorate fairly quickly on the flat surface over a long green flag run. Immediately, both RCR and NASCAR denied the rumor, with Harvick claiming it was intentionally planted by another team.
OK, well then the question for Harvick would be…who? Would someone really be that paranoid after one race to try and do something to throw Harvick off his game? That's hard to believe…remember, last year Jimmie Johnson's and Kyle Busch's use of shocks at Dover led to a rules change, although NASCAR maintained the cars were technically legal at the time, an admission that infuriated both media and fans. This time, perhaps it wasn't worth the negative PR to admit the truth; with Dillner's solid record in the garage area, it would be disappointing yet not surprising to find out this actually did happen a few months down the road.
2) Can Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson recover from an early Chase gone bad? Who is in the deeper hole?
In July, Busch found himself spraying champagne in New Hampshire Victory Lane; this time around, he needed a drink for different reasons after only lap two, involved with an accident with Jeff Green that would set the tone for the rest of the day. With his car damaged, Busch fell a lap down and was later involved in a second incident later in the afternoon with Clint Bowyer, causing a 38th place finish. Right behind him was teammate Johnson, who lost a cylinder before getting involved in a wreck with Sterling Marlin to slam hard into the turn two wall on the way to 39th.
Of course, the crashes sent both drivers reeling, with Johnson falling to 9th in points and Busch falling one spot further to 10th. However, while Johnson has been in a tough position before, coming back from over 200 points behind to finish second in 2004, Busch has never had this type of hole to dig back from; in the end, such inexperience should doom his Chase before it even truly starts. If neither one can manage a Top 10 finish at Dover, though, their chances for a title are as good as done.
3) Does the Chase need its own points system for the drivers involved?
Tony Stewart was actually the one who brought this topic up, claiming correctly after Sunday's event that non-Chasers are forced to race the Chase drivers around them too conservatively. With the Chase increasingly looked at the battle for who can have the least bad luck, changing the point system for the Top 10 makes a lot of sense in order to increase the emphasis on winning. Certainly, that would keep a driver like Busch from being eliminated after week one, and it would almost automatically ensure that a point leader would endure pressure from those behind him all the way to Homestead in November. The more it's talked about, the more I'm convinced…are you??
4) So you're telling me there were NO major pit road speeding penalties at New Hampshire?
After weeks of pit road speeding penalties causing major controversy in some of the series' biggest races, the 300-mile event Sunday, which included a full set of green flag pit stops, ran with just one pit road speed penalty, incurred by backmarker Ken Schrader during a pit stop on lap 200. Did everyone else really slow down, or did NASCAR's computers suddenly "dial it back" in the wake of fan and garage complaints of excessive and unfair penalizing? We'll never know for sure…but with the way those penalties could affect the Chase, you'd have to believe they'll be used less often.
5) Is it time for this track to be torn up and rebuilt?
It's said every year, but the answer is yes. Sunday's race was one of the more exciting in New Hampshire in recent years, but you could still look up at the stands during the TV broadcast and find that set of fans who were sleeping. With Homestead having made fantastic improvements to its facility just a few years ago, digging up the entire track and rebuilding from scratch, it wouldn't necessarily hurt to do that here.
Solid Runs
Tony Stewart: After missing the Chase for the first time in his career, you'd expect Stewart to come out firing, and he didn't disappoint Sunday. After a horrible qualifying run, Smoke steadily rose through the field from his 32nd place starting spot, finishing a solid second to Harvick to mark his best finish since Watkins Glen one month ago.
Jeff Gordon: Although a 31st place at Richmond sucked away much of Gordon's momentum, it didn't take long for him to find it. A solid second to Harvick for most of the day after starting on the outside pole, Gordon still led 34 laps before fading to third spot by the checkered flag. It's the fourth time in the last five events Gordon has led at least 12 laps, a sign this team will be reckoned with as the Chase heats up.
Brian Vickers: In a world where non-Chasers can fade into the background as quickly as the temperature begins to drop in September, Vickers got himself plenty of airtime Sunday. Running in the Top 5 for most of the race's second half, Hendrick's only driver not in the Chase actually angered teammate Gordon for how aggressively he protected his position ahead of him as the laps wound down. Finally giving up his spot late, Vickers lost a few more down the stretch to wind up 5th, still his best run this season on any track less than 2.5 miles in length.
Elliott Sadler: Quietly, Sadler is laying the foundation within his new Evernham Motorsports team that should catapult him back into Chase contention in 2007. Without a Top 10 all season before Sadler's arrival, the No. 19 bunch has been treated to two of them in the first five races with their new driver, with Sunday the best run yet, as Sadler brought the car home to a sixth place finish. Out of the Top 35 in owner points a month ago, the team is now 258 points clear of 36th due to Sadler's solid performances.
Tough Days
Kasey Kahne: With the most momentum of anyone entering the Chase, Kahne was bound to cool off at some point, and it just so happened New Hampshire would happen to be the place. Pitting under green with a flat tire, Kahne fell two laps down and had to valiantly battle back over the course of the race to even finish in contention. In the end, he finished 16th, an excellent comeback but far short of what the No. 9 team expected here with Kahne's four Top 10 finishes in his last five New Hampshire starts.
Jeff Green: Four months ago, Green was known as part of one of the highest rated single car teams on the circuit. Now, he's simply trying to keep this team together for the rest of the year. On lap two, Chaser Kyle Busch slammed into Green's car and sent it on a course head-on for the frontstretch wall. Green ended up finishing 43rd as a result, and now has put his team in jeopardy of losing a "locked in" Top 35 spot.
David Gilliland: Three months removed from being the hottest young commodity on tour, the 30-year-old Gilliland has done a lot of work to bring that reputation back in the wrong direction. In five Nextel Cup starts, Gilliland has finished no higher than 32nd while crashing five times, causing both a lot of bodywork and a lot of skeptical looks at the RYR shop. Certainly, the mentor Gilliland will have driving the No. 88 car can't come soon enough.
Joe Nemechek: A track at which Joe got his first Cup win back in 1999, Nemechek expected to have another strong day at the speedway despite what had been a miserable season to date. Instead, within the first 50 laps he had already been spun into the turn four wall, continuing a remarkable season of bad luck which has left him without a Top 10 finish this season. Nemechek came home 32nd.
Editor's Note: For more on Jimmie Johnson's and Kyle Busch's tough days, please read this week's Five Questions section above.
Points Shuffle:
Since the Chase for the Championship has begun, the points for the Top 10 drivers had been reset entering the event, with all ten men starting out within 45 points of each other in the overall standings. Because of that, Harvick's win allowed him to inherit the point lead with ease, taking a 35 point lead over new second place man Denny Hamlin. Kenseth fell from first to third, 41 points behind, with Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton rounding out the Top 5.
Mark Martin is 6th, 75 points behind, with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 7th and Kasey Kahne 8th. Rounding out the Top 10 are Johnson and Busch, with both drivers a grand total of 139 and 146 points behind Harvick.
Quotable:
"We sure have momentum right now…we just have to keep doing what we are doing at this point. If we keep winning, we aren't going to get out of the points. We know we have to score all the points we can when we can." Kevin Harvick
"Yeah, I'm not worried about points. I absolutely don't care. We're in the Chase. We're racing (for a title)." Mark Martin
"Not a good way to start the Chase by wrecking not once, but twice. I had no friends out there, for sure." Kyle Busch
"I hope I don't eat the words I said early on when I said you can't win the championship here in New Hampshire…but you can lose it today. As of now, it looks like things are out of our control to get back in this thing." Jimmie Johnson
Next Up:
The first race in the Chase now complete, NASCAR will travel from the flat asphalt track in the Northeast to a Monster of a Mile in the mid-Atlantic. Coverage of the Dover 400 will begin Sunday at 12:30 PM on TNT and your local MRN affiliate.
Wednesday on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice? … The Evolution Of An Ending, Double Duty’s Drought And Charlotte Controversy
Side by Side: Daytona Or Indy — Which Race Is More Important?
Life at the 55: How Engineering and Technology Brought Billy Scott into NASCAR
Top Ten Ways Drivers Entertain Themselves During A 600-Mile Race
Open-Wheel Wednesday: The History of the Indianapolis 500
A Good Friend Mourns: Dick Trickle Remembered
Happiness Is… Racing, Racing, Racing
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