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Hamlin Snags Coca-Cola 600 Pole With Track Record Time
posted by Amy Henderson
Thursday May 23, 2013
Denny Hamlin shattered the track qualifying record at Charlotte Motor Speedway as he rocketed to the pole for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600. Hamlin had a lap time of 27.604 seconds, or 195.624 miles per hour. Several drivers drove past the old record, set by Greg Biffle in 2012, but it was Hamlin who came out at the top of the heap and holds the new record. Kurt Busch will start on the outside of the front row. Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, and Clint Bowyer round out the top 5. Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray, and Ryan Newman hold down sixth through tenth places. The pole is Hamlin’s second of 2013; he also started in front at Fontana before an injury in that race sidelined him for over a month. Hamlin says that his back feels “nearly 100%” and that it doesn’t cause him pain while driving. He added that winning the pole helped solidify for him that he is back at a competitive level, but he wants one more thing before he’ll be satisfied. “I think winning would do that. I think ultimately getting the big trophy on Sunday is the validation that you’re truly back,” said Hamlin after his lap. “For me, it’s going to take some wins and some really good consistency throughout these summer months to put ourselves in position to have a chance at a championship. That’s what we’re here for. Even these small victories though give me that confidence that I’m still capable, and I’m still able to do the job at 100 percent like I should be. Any kind of confidence booster for me — it’s always a plus on Sunday.” The Cup teams are next on track Saturday at 10 AM for the weekend’s second practice. Final practice for Sunday’s race is Saturday afternoon at one o’clock. The Coca-Cola 600 is scheduled to start at 6 PM on Sunday and will air on FOX.
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. |
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Tony Lumbis · Monday October 27, 2008
Rookies in the Starting Lineup: (Due to rain, qualifying was canceled and the field was set by owner points): Regan Smith (32nd), Scott Speed (34th), Sam Hornish, Jr. (36th), Marcos Ambrose (38th), Chad McCumbee (41st)
Unofficial Finishing Positions: Sam Hornish, Jr. (24th), Marcos Ambrose (29th), Regan Smith (30th), Scott Speed (34th), Chad McCumbee (36th)
Rookie of the Race: Sam Hornish, Jr. From the drop of the green flag, it looked like it would be a long afternoon for Sam Hornish, Jr. Yet again, his No. 77 team was forced to start from the rear of the pack after qualifying was rained out on Friday. Then, on lap two, the rookie was involved in a wreck with veteran Bill Elliott and subsequently penalized a lap for pitting too early following the incident. But not all was lost for the driver of the Mobil One Dodge, as both he and crew chief Travis Geisler would continue working on the machine until it was good enough to make its way to the front. It may have taken most of the day to reach that point, but after running outside of the Top 30, Hornish made a late race charge that resulted in a 24th place finish, two laps off the pace. It was the rookie’s first Top 25 finish since Charlotte two weeks ago and only his second in the last 11 events; however, despite that record, Sunday was actually Hornish’s third Rookie of the Race honor in a row and 10th this season.
Little Addison Hornish always had faith in her Dad. Now, he’s starting to show some of that potential to the rest of us, earning three Rookie of the Race honors in a row.
Tony’s Take: Sam Hornish, Jr.’s recent run of rookie honors may have most fans saying “Where did he come from?” The former open wheeler has actually made the race for the 2008 Rookie of the Year Award a tight one between himself and Regan Smith, the only two drivers eligible for that honor remaining in the field. The reason for the surprise is a bad one, and that is because hardly anyone is paying attention to this race in a year where not one ROTY candidate has broken into the Top 10 with three events remaining. Yes, this battle is tight, but only because nobody stood up and established themselves in the lead running in a year where rookie attrition has been at perhaps its highest ever due to both sponsorship and performance woes.
Not all is lost for Hornish, however, as he is the only 2008 ROTY candidate with a guaranteed ride next season… at least as of today. So, while on paper this finish may be just another lackluster result in a season where there have been plenty, in reality, it represents just a hint of momentum to take into the offseason. Perhaps Sunday could serve as a symbol for how this team needs to view their entire season; for even when things look their worst, persistence and hard work could still pay off in the end.
Rocky Rookie Performance: Scott Speed. Scott Speed set the stock car world on fire this year when he won in only his sixth Craftsman Truck Series start, while also taking home the checkers several times in ARCA competition and almost winning the championship in that series. However, it looks like it may take this promising young rookie a little longer to adjust to the top level of NASCAR competition. Speed’s second straight Sprint Cup series resulted in a finish of 30th or worse, and the No. 84 Camry has not looked competitive in either one. On a positive note, Speed did finish the race and was not involved in any incidents for the second week in a row (despite having brake issues at Martinsville). He even led his first lap when crew chief Jimmy Elledge elected to keep his driver on track during the day’s second caution. Look for this team to be hungry for much more in the final events of this season as they look to build for 2009.
Rookie Wreck of the Race: Sam Hornish, Jr. It’s not often that the “Rookie of the Race” is also involved in the “Rookie Wreck of the Day,” but that’s exactly what happened in a somewhat quiet race for this year’s freshmen. On lap three, Sam Hornish, Jr. made contact with the No. 21 Ford of Bill Elliott coming off of Turn 2 as the veteran may have backed off slightly to avoid being squeezed by Regan Smith. The contact sent both the cars of Hornish and Elliott spinning down the back straightaway. The Wood Brothers Ford would make contact with the wall, but Hornish came away with relatively little damage in comparison. However, both cars would end up equally handicapped, penalized a lap by NASCAR for pitting too early under the yellow flag. Despite the early problems, the Defiance, Ohio native would defy the odds on Sunday to recover from a near disaster and come home with a Top 25 finish.
Who Wasn’t Here?: Bryan Clauson, Joey Logano, Patrick Carpentier and Michael McDowell
It has been a record year in terms of qualifying rainouts, and perhaps nobody has been impacted more by a moody Mother Nature than Bryan Clauson. Clauson attempted his Sprint Cup debut in Chip Ganassi’s No. 40 Dodge earlier this month at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, but his chances were taken away when rain canceled qualifying. His next scheduled event was this past weekend and it was same song, different verse for Clauson as the guitar on his hood fell silent when wet weather invaded the Atlanta metropolitan region.
Meanwhile, the only good run for Joey Logano so far this year has been during a practice session in the No. 02 car at Richmond. Logano never got a chance to see what that car could do in the race because…you guessed it…he was sent home after qualifying was rained out. Since then, the rookie has looked out of place in the Hall of Fame Camry, riding at or near the end of the pack before leaving that ride in frustration a few races back. It looks like Logano will have to wait even longer to display his talents in Joe Gibbs equipment as his second attempt in the fourth JGR entry was spoiled by rain once again.
It looks like we may not see Patrick Carpentier or Michael McDowell for the rest of 2008. Carpentier still hasn’t been picked up after being released by Gillett Evernham Motorsports; meanwhile, it has been announced that Marcos Ambrose will finish the season for Michael Waltrip Racing, which presumably means that McDowell is out after only participating in 20 events in the No. 00 Camry.
Rookie Quote of the Week:
Scott Speed got a jumpstart on the Texas culture by spending some time in Fort Worth on Tuesday. Doing what, you ask? Riding a mechanical bull, of course! Scott Speed got to spend some time with bull riding champion Tuff Hedeman, who showed him his technique using a mechanical bull as a teaching tool. Speed shared his unusual experience along with the Texas culture:
“It’s definitely one of those things that’s way harder than it looks,” Speed said. “I’ve been riding for the last hour, and I am WORN out. My groin muscle is destroyed. I am so tired. I wanted to ride a real bull – that was my first idea – but that got ixnayed by the lawyers.”
“I’m really having a great time here in Texas,” Speed continued, “in my little cowboy hat and cowboy uniform experiencing this culture and hanging out with Tuff. I enjoy experiencing different cultures and different ways of life. I’m really lucky to be able to do all that.”
UNOFFICIAL Raybestos Rookie standings:
Hornish, Jr. 196
Smith 193
Carpentier 184
McDowell 169
Franchitti 97 (DNS)
UNOFFICIAL Driver Points Standings
Regan Smith: 34th (0)
Sam Hornish, Jr.: 35th (0)
Patrick Carpentier: 38th (0, DNS)
Michael McDowell: 39th (0, DNS)
Aric Almirola: 42nd (0, DNS)
Dario Franchitti: 48th (0, DNS)
Marcos Ambrose: 49th (+1)
Chad McCumbee: 52nd (+2)
Scott Speed: 62nd (+3)
Next Up: Premiering this coming Sunday at a NASCAR theater near you, it’s the stock car sequel entitled “Atlanta: Take 2.” Well, maybe not exactly, but the configurations of Texas Motor Speedway are the same as AMS, so expect the crew chiefs to utilize similar setups to those used this past weekend. That may be bad news for the freshmen who did not fare very well this past Sunday afternoon. Considering the now-unemployed Patrick Carpentier’s 28th place finish was good enough to best all rookies in the Lone Star State this Spring, it’s clear the rookies still have work to do on these 1.5-mile cookie cutters. Perhaps this weekend, the sixth and final race in 2008 on this type of configuration will translate into the positive experience the freshmen need to bring home a good finish…but I doubt it.
Qualifying Next Week: The No. 01 team of Regan Smith still remains well above the cutoff in owner points, and can continue to reap the benefits of having a guaranteed starting spot next week. Scott Speed’s Red Bull team has less margin for error, but he still remains 80 markers ahead of the No. 47 (formerly No. 00) team driven by fellow rookie Marcos Ambrose. Finally, the rain has saved Sam Hornish, Jr. from qualifying on time through the last three events. However, if we finally have a dry Friday, he too will need to make the Dickies 500 on speed. Also of note: Brad Keselowski will attempt to make his Sprint Cup debut this weekend after the rain spoiled his plans two weeks ago. But he’s another one that needs make the race on time, as the No. 25 team is mired back in the 58th owner points position.
Tony’s Top Finishing Rookie Pick: It looks like Scott Speed, my pick for this week, may need a few more Sprint Cup starts before he breaks through. The rookie struggled throughout most of the Pep Boys Auto 500, and was never a factor to even crack the Top 30. My streak of correct picks has been stopped, but I maintain the lead with only three events remaining.
You Make The Pick: You were still riding the Regan Smith train this week, but he was on the long list of rookies who were barely heard from during the entire race. Smith apparently shared the same struggles that plagued teammates Mark Martin and Paul Menard as DEI continues to struggle to get a handle on the intermediate tracks this year. The rookie could do no better than 30th, giving up more rookie points to counterpart Sam Hornish, Jr. in the ROTY battle.
Tony’s Pick for Next Week’s Top Finishing Rookie: The only driver to show any sort of life on the quad ovals this year was Sam Hornish, Jr. at both the All-Star race and Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte earlier this year. He was also the highest finishing rookie at this track earlier this season who is still on the entry list for next week. I think Hornish has the best chance to best the rest of the rookie field again this Sunday; however, don’t look for it to happen in an impressive manner.
| Event | Track | Tony’s Pick | Finish | Reader’s Pick | Finish | Top Finishing Rookie | Finish |
| Daytona 500 | Daytona | Regan Smith | 37th | Dario Franchitti | 33rd | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 15th |
| Auto Club 500 | California | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 43rd | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 43rd | Regan Smith | 31st |
| UAW-Dodge 400 | Las Vegas | Patrick Carpentier | 40th | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 41st | Dario Franchitti | 33rd |
| Kobalt Tools 500 | Atlanta | Dario Franchitti | 33rd | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 25th | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 25th |
| Food City 500 | Bristol | Regan Smith | 26th | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 29th | Aric Almirola | 8th |
| Goody’s Cool Orange 500 | Martinsville | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 28th | Aric Almirola | 42nd | Regan Smith | 14th |
| Samsung 500 | Texas | Regan Smith | 35th | Michael McDowell / Regan Smith | 33rd / 35th | Patrick Carpentier | 28th |
| Subway Fresh Fit 500K | Phoenix | Michael McDowell | 34th | Michael McDowell | 34th | Sam Hornish Jr. | 20th |
| Aaron’s 499 | Talladega | Aric Almirola | 33rd | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 35th | Regan Smith | 21st |
| Crown Royal 400 | Richmond | Patrick Carpentier | 43rd | Patrick Carpentier | 43rd | Regan Smith | 21st |
| Dodge Challenger 500 | Darlington | Regan Smith | 29th | Regan Smith | 29th | Michael McDowell | 28th |
| Coca-Cola 600 | Lowe’s | Michael McDowell | 32nd | Michael McDowell | 32nd | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 13th |
| Best Buy 400 | Dover | Regan Smith | 21st | Michael McDowell | 30th | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 18th |
| Pocono 500 | Pocono | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 42nd | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 42nd | Michael McDowell | 27th |
| LifeLock 400 | Michigan | Regan Smith | 32nd | Michael McDowell | 37th | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 22nd |
| Save Mart 350K | Infineon | Patrick Carpentier | 23rd | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 31st | Michael McDowell | 21st |
| Lenox Industrial Tools 301 | New Hampshire | Regan Smith | 27th | Marcos Ambrose | DNQ | Aric Almirola | 23rd |
| Coke Zero 400 | Daytona | Michael McDowell | 25th | Patrick Carpentier | 14th | Patrick Carpentier | 14th |
| LifeLock 400 | Chicagoland | Michael McDowell | 25th | Patrick Carpentier | 30th | Patrick Carpentier | 30th |
| Allstate 400 | Indianapolis | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 37th | Patrick Carpentier | 18th | Patrick Carpentier | 18th |
| Sunoco Red Cross 500 | Pocono | Regan Smith | 25th | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 26th | Chad McCumbee | 17th |
| Centurion Boats At The Glen | Watkins Glen | Patrick Carpentier | 20th | Patrick Carpentier | 20th | Marcos Ambrose | 3rd |
| 3M Performance 400 | Michigan | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 22nd | Marcos Ambrose | 43rd | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 22nd |
| Sharpie 500 | Bristol | Aric Almirola | 13th | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 37th | Aric Almirola | 13th |
| Pepsi 500 | California | Patrick Carpentier | 18th | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 31st | Patrick Carpentier | 18th |
| Chevy Rock and Roll 400 | Richmond | Patrick Carpentier | 25th | Patrick Carpentier | 25th | Michael McDowell | 20th |
| Sylvania 300 | Loudon | Regan Smith | 23rd | Michael McDowell | 27th | Michael McDowell | 18th |
| Camping World 400 | Dover | Michael McDowell | 29th | Michael McDowell | 29th | Michael McDowell | 29th |
| Camping World RV 400 | Kansas | Patrick Carpentier | 29th | Michael McDowell | DNQ | Patrick Carpentier | 29th |
| AMP Energy 500 | Talladega | Regan Smith | 18th | Patrick Carpentier | DNQ | Aric Almirola | 13th |
| Bank of America 500 | Charlotte | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 22nd | Regan Smith | 23rd | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 22nd |
| TUMS Quik Pak 500 | Martinsville | Aric Almirola | 20th | Regan Smith | 42nd | Aric Almirola | 20th |
| Pep Boys Auto 500 | Atlanta | Scott Speed | 34th | Regan Smith | 30th | Sam Hornish, Jr. | 24th |
2008 Score: Tony 7, Readers 5.
Friday on the Frontstretch:
Charlotte’s Four Burning Questions: Translating Success And McMurray’s Time To Shine
Frontstretch Foto Funnies: Cleaning Out The Vintage Vault
Brendan Gaughan Driver Diary: Race Day, Sharks, And A Fast Fix
That Sound You Heard? Hall Of Fame Standards Dropping A Notch
IndyCar In-Depth
Formula 1 Friday: Two Questions
Voices From the Cheapseats: Discussing The Need For Diversity’
Nuts for Nationwide: Jack Ingram’s Moment To Shine
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