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Happy Monday all. I won't be sending out a list tomorrow because I'm in class all day. So everyone have a great Tuesday, and I'll see ya on Wednesday!
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Or just drop in to learn where to find spoilers and what they are all about. We welcome your questions.
We are not a bunch of spoiler wizards...
just a bunch of people who are entertained by them!
just a bunch of people who are entertained by them!
Help us make this the one stop to be notified of all the new spoilers and reality show info.
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Carpe diem! Seize the day!
WILSON'S ALMANAC global ezine
Dazzling thousands of readers daily
http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com
On This Day * Inspiration * Folklore * Bizarre Tales
Celebrities * Odd History * Humor * Birthdays * Quotes
WilsonsAlmanac-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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Quote of the Day
“Anytime you win at Indy, it’s a good weekend.”
-Kevin Harvick
News gathered from multiple sources, including but not limited to: Jayski.com, Cup Scene Daily, Thatsracin.com, catchfence.com, nascar.com, yahoo!,
espn.com and others.
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Comments from the Peanut Gallery
from Tim H
from Dave S
Q: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Who does the best Chris Economaki impression?
A: Tony Stewart, the consummate American driver.
I always enjoyed Chris and thought he was a great commentator and a smart man! Now I know it for sure!!
Dave S.
Totally agree Dave!
Back in the early 1990's when I was a local racer here in Calgary the local track had a display set up promoting the track at a car show. We had CASCAR, IMCA and Street Stock cars on display.
I wasn't totally sure but I thought a man with several people in tow who stopped to look sure looked like Chris Economaki...
He quickly removed the little doubt I had when he introduced himself where he paused for several minutes to ask questions about the local racing up here. I could tell he was genuinely interested in what I told him. He then said thanks, shook my hand and walked away. His assistant then stopped before leaving to say that Chris loved ALL types of car racing.
I agree with you guys... His passion for the sport makes him what he is....
Tim
from Tom P
Momma
Just as a bit of humor for your die-hard Ford Fans. Toyota just beat Ford and hasn't ran the first race...LOL Be sure to check the url at the bottom to see who else is moving on up!
Pops
Toyota Takes on Detroit
Toyota surpassed Ford in sales last month, climbing to the No. 2 position behind GM for the first time ever. Toyota’s achievement calls into question the strength of Detroit’s Big Three auto makers. Toyota sales rose 11.7 percent to 241,826 vehicles in July compared to a year ago. Ford sales, meanwhile, dropped by more than a third to 239,989 units, reports Autodata Corp. "Nobody was more surprised than we were to see the final sales results," Toyota spokesman Irv Miller tells The Wall Street Journal. "With current energy costs, that is playing into our hands since we have fuel efficient vehicles and products that customers want." Rising gasoline prices drew more customers to Toyota’s fuel-efficient vehicles than Detroit’s traditional bread-and-butter trucks and SUVs. Back in May, foreign vehicles sales in the U.S. surpassed domestic sales. According to R.L. Polk, which monitors new car registrations, imports accounted for 53 percent of market share in the first five months of 2006. Last year, they totaled just 49 percent of the market. In all, U.S. vehicles sales totaled 1,493,078, a 17.4 percent dive from last year, says Autodata. The decline is attributed to the Big Three’s incentive campaigns last year, which drove sales up and profits down. As a result, Detroit’s automakers are trying a new tact of reducing production and lowering vehicle prices.
also from Tom P
Momma
Unless things turn around at RYR soon Robert and Doug may close shop...with two inexperienced drivers coming in will be like Petty putting unknown Rick Wilson in the 43 and nearly losing his shirt...make that hat! Best I can remember Wilson hit everything but the flag stand and winners circle..and Robert Yates needs to go out and hire at least one experienced driver and two crew chiefs before he loses his butt!
Pops
from Tim H
from Dave S
Q: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Who does the best Chris Economaki impression?
A: Tony Stewart, the consummate American driver.
I always enjoyed Chris and thought he was a great commentator and a smart man! Now I know it for sure!!
Dave S.
Totally agree Dave!
Back in the early 1990's when I was a local racer here in Calgary the local track had a display set up promoting the track at a car show. We had CASCAR, IMCA and Street Stock cars on display.
I wasn't totally sure but I thought a man with several people in tow who stopped to look sure looked like Chris Economaki...
He quickly removed the little doubt I had when he introduced himself where he paused for several minutes to ask questions about the local racing up here. I could tell he was genuinely interested in what I told him. He then said thanks, shook my hand and walked away. His assistant then stopped before leaving to say that Chris loved ALL types of car racing.
I agree with you guys... His passion for the sport makes him what he is....
Tim
from Tom P
Momma
Just as a bit of humor for your die-hard Ford Fans. Toyota just beat Ford and hasn't ran the first race...LOL Be sure to check the url at the bottom to see who else is moving on up!
Pops
Toyota Takes on Detroit
Toyota surpassed Ford in sales last month, climbing to the No. 2 position behind GM for the first time ever. Toyota’s achievement calls into question the strength of Detroit’s Big Three auto makers. Toyota sales rose 11.7 percent to 241,826 vehicles in July compared to a year ago. Ford sales, meanwhile, dropped by more than a third to 239,989 units, reports Autodata Corp. "Nobody was more surprised than we were to see the final sales results," Toyota spokesman Irv Miller tells The Wall Street Journal. "With current energy costs, that is playing into our hands since we have fuel efficient vehicles and products that customers want." Rising gasoline prices drew more customers to Toyota’s fuel-efficient vehicles than Detroit’s traditional bread-and-butter trucks and SUVs. Back in May, foreign vehicles sales in the U.S. surpassed domestic sales. According to R.L. Polk, which monitors new car registrations, imports accounted for 53 percent of market share in the first five months of 2006. Last year, they totaled just 49 percent of the market. In all, U.S. vehicles sales totaled 1,493,078, a 17.4 percent dive from last year, says Autodata. The decline is attributed to the Big Three’s incentive campaigns last year, which drove sales up and profits down. As a result, Detroit’s automakers are trying a new tact of reducing production and lowering vehicle prices.
also from Tom P
Momma
Unless things turn around at RYR soon Robert and Doug may close shop...with two inexperienced drivers coming in will be like Petty putting unknown Rick Wilson in the 43 and nearly losing his shirt...make that hat! Best I can remember Wilson hit everything but the flag stand and winners circle..and Robert Yates needs to go out and hire at least one experienced driver and two crew chiefs before he loses his butt!
Pops
Sent to me By RD....he dared me to do it!!! LOL
"Media Ho"
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Bits and Pieces
Dodge Commits to NASCAR: Dodge Motorsports has lost two of its top executives in the past month, but the automobile manufacturer still intends to be a big player in NASCAR. "Our commitment to NASCAR remains very strong," Dodge official Mike Accavitti said before Sunday's race. "The only thing that's changed is some people have retired, but that happens when you've been with a company for a while." Speculation about Dodge's future in the stock car series increased when Dodge Motorsports chief John Fernandez announced Friday he was leaving DaimlerChrysler to take over as managing director of Chip Ganassi's team based in Concord, N.C. Accavitti said Dodge has picked a replacement and hopes to make that announcement soon. "We've identified a candidate for John's job and that's going through the internal approval process now," he said. Bob Wildberger, another top executive, also is retiring, and Accavitti said a search for his replacement has begun.(USA Today)
Dodge Commits to NASCAR: Dodge Motorsports has lost two of its top executives in the past month, but the automobile manufacturer still intends to be a big player in NASCAR. "Our commitment to NASCAR remains very strong," Dodge official Mike Accavitti said before Sunday's race. "The only thing that's changed is some people have retired, but that happens when you've been with a company for a while." Speculation about Dodge's future in the stock car series increased when Dodge Motorsports chief John Fernandez announced Friday he was leaving DaimlerChrysler to take over as managing director of Chip Ganassi's team based in Concord, N.C. Accavitti said Dodge has picked a replacement and hopes to make that announcement soon. "We've identified a candidate for John's job and that's going through the internal approval process now," he said. Bob Wildberger, another top executive, also is retiring, and Accavitti said a search for his replacement has begun.(USA Today)
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Ford Re-evaluating their plans: Rosuh Racing and Ford officials say they are re-evaluating their plans in the face of a) the Toyota challenge, b) the debacle at Robert Yates Racing, and c) the failure of some young recruits to pan out, thus leaving holes open at Yates's and, possibly, Roush's. Sources say Roush and/or Ford have offered Mark Martin $8m to stay yet another year in the No. 6 car. Martin, who had planned to retire after 2005, stayed one more year to help Roush plug a gap after the departure of Kurt Busch last summer. Meanwhile, Todd Kluever, Roush's top gong show tryout racing
the past three years in Trucks, has not shown the kind of progress expected, and newcomers Stephen Leicht (Yates), David Gilliland (Yates) and Danny O'Quinn are not considered ready for big-time competition. If Ford adds a team in 2007 (assuming it can plug the holes at Yates's), it likely will be under the Wood Brothers banner, with Jon Wood at the wheel and Ken Schrader minding the #21 one more year. That, of course, will depend on the Woods finding financing.(Speed Channel)
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250 treated at Indy due to heat: About 250 people were treated for heat-related illnesses during Sunday's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, said Indianapolis Motor Speedway spokesman Ron Green. That compares with 225 people who were treated in May during the Indy 500 when temperatures were unseasonably hot. The National Weather Service said
Sunday's high was the same was it was that day -- 89 degrees. Green said track officials were prepared for the August heat and had cooling-off tents set up around the track. Sunday's heat at the Brickyard wasn't as bad as in 2002, when the high on race day was 96 degrees -- three degrees short of the record for the date.(CNNSI/Associated Press)
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Blaney back with BDR in 2007 UPDATE with CAT: Bill Davis Racing Competition Director Tommy Baldwin confirmed that Dave Blaney will drive one of the two [#22, #23] BDR entries in 2007, and said an announcement should come soon regarding the other seat.(NASCAR.com)(8-5-2006) UPDATE: Dave Blaney will be back in the Caterpillar Inc. car for the 2007, team owner Bill Davis said Sunday morning. "(Caterpillar
director of racing operations) Greg Towles has indicated to us all along that Dave Blaney has done a good job in the car and done a good job with the sponsors and he'd be perfectly happy to have him back (in the car) and so would we," Davis said as preparations for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard were under way. "I guess it's as close to (being) official as you can say." Davis was a little more guarded about recent rumors that Jeremy Mayfield will join his operation in a second Toyota Camry for 2007. "We're not in a position to announce anything, but certainly we've talked to Jeremy a lot and we have an understanding," Davis said of the current Evernham Motorsports driver. "Nothing's ever official until it's official so we don't talk about it, but certainly, like a lot of people in this garage, we'd like to see him come to our team." Davis said he has a letter of intent for a sponsor for the second team. Better things, finally, are happening with Blaney's car. Starting
with the race at Chicagoland Speedway last month, Blaney finished 17th, 13th and 16th before faltering a little in Sunday's race with a 29th-place finish. "It's been a lot of little things, no one big blaring obvious deal," Davis said of the upturn. "Certainly the Michael (Waltrip) deal was an enormous distraction at the first of the year. He came in and struggled and really disrupted the shop and had us changing our cars and doing crazy stuff. Five or six weeks ago, I took the stance that I didn't know what else we could do to help him - he'd had several different combinations of cars and bodies and chassis and crew chiefs - and we needed to get back to basics and do the things we'd always done and do what works (for Blaney's car). And that's what we've done." Davis also is looking forward to putting the team's Dodge days in the past. BDR has been without factory support from Dodge for three years and has been involved in continued legal battles with the company. "It has
been a struggle and a distraction and a financial burden, which has been huge, and now to have all that basically behind us and have Toyota poised and ready to come in here, it's a huge relief for us," Davis said. "For everybody that has stuck with us and been loyal to us, from employees to associates to sponsors, we certainly appreciate those people and look forward to getting back on track and back to where we were."(Peoria Journal Star)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mayfield likely to leave EvernhamJeremy Mayfield might soon split with Evernham Motorsports.
“I doubt I’ll be back,” Mayfield said following his qualifying lap Saturday.
It has been widely speculated that Mayfield will not drive the No. 19 Dodge next season, but the driver has been limited in what he can talk about since criticizing his team and owner Ray Evernham last month in Chicago.
Mayfield, who made the Chase for the championship the past two seasons, is 34th in the standings.
Jeremy Mayfield still has a year remaining on his contract with Ray Evernham, but unless there's a second seat in the No. 19 Dodge to share with Elliott Sadler, who is expected to join Evernham next year, Mayfield doesn't plan on being with the organization in 2007.
Mayfield likely will wind up in the No. 22 Toyota at Bill Davis Racing. There was an earlier indication that Mayfield would drive for Michael Waltrip Racing, but the addition of Tommy Baldwin as director of competition for Nextel Cup at BDR has made this latest offer more attractive.
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Knaus signs extension with Hendrick team
After a rocky 18 months in which he was suspended for cheating, Chad Knaus signed a contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports through 2010. The move was announced Saturday and mirrors the team’s recent agreements with Johnson and sponsor Lowe’s.
Knaus has been series leader Jimmie Johnson’s crew chief since the driver came to NASCAR’s top stock car series as a rookie in 2001.
After a rocky 18 months in which he was suspended for cheating, Chad Knaus signed a contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports through 2010. The move was announced Saturday and mirrors the team’s recent agreements with Johnson and sponsor Lowe’s.
Knaus has been series leader Jimmie Johnson’s crew chief since the driver came to NASCAR’s top stock car series as a rookie in 2001.
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Waltrip’s start streak ends
Michael Waltrip will miss a Nextel Cup race for the first time since 1998 after failing to qualify for today’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.
The top 35 cars in team owner points are guaranteed a starting spot at each Cup race, but Waltrip is 38th and has to qualify each week on speed. The two-time Daytona 500 winner needed to finish in the top eight Saturday among those who didn’t automatically qualify, and his lap of 178.091 mph was 10th.
Michael Waltrip will miss a Nextel Cup race for the first time since 1998 after failing to qualify for today’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.
The top 35 cars in team owner points are guaranteed a starting spot at each Cup race, but Waltrip is 38th and has to qualify each week on speed. The two-time Daytona 500 winner needed to finish in the top eight Saturday among those who didn’t automatically qualify, and his lap of 178.091 mph was 10th.
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Wilkes makes request to honor Parsons
DOT is asked to name 5 miles of U.S. 421 for local racing legend
By Monte Mitchell
JOURNAL REPORTER
Wilkes County commissioners unanimously approved a resolution yesterday asking the N.C. Department of Transportation to name a 5-mile section of U.S. 421 in honor of racing legend Benny Parsons.
Parsons is building a home in the Wilkes County community of Parsonville, where he grew up. He plans to live in the county and open a vineyard.
Work on this request has been going on for several months, and the timing wasn't linked to Parsons' announcement last week that he is being treated for lung cancer.
Mary Louise Canter, a friend of Parsons' since their high-school days together, asked commissioners to honor Parsons.
"He has been a good friend of ours for many years," she said, listing the racing accomplishments and contributions to the community.
The request will be a surprise to Parsons. Canter worked with his family to gather information, but they kept it secret from him.
"We know Benny has certainly done a monumental task as far as racing is concerned and contributed much to this sport," said Zach Henderson, the chairman of the board of commissioners. "We wish Benny well."
The 5-mile section would take in a stretch of highway between the Maple Springs community and the Watauga County line.
Wilkes is putting the request on a fast track by faxing the resolution to the state in hopes that the N.C. Board of Transportation can consider it during Thursday's meeting.
A section of U.S. 421 in eastern Wilkes was named in honor of racer and team-owner Junior Johnson in May 2004.
If the latest request is approved, drivers would travel on the Junior Johnson Highway on one end of Wilkes County and the Benny Parsons Highway on the other.
DOT is asked to name 5 miles of U.S. 421 for local racing legend
By Monte Mitchell
JOURNAL REPORTER
Wilkes County commissioners unanimously approved a resolution yesterday asking the N.C. Department of Transportation to name a 5-mile section of U.S. 421 in honor of racing legend Benny Parsons.
Parsons is building a home in the Wilkes County community of Parsonville, where he grew up. He plans to live in the county and open a vineyard.
Work on this request has been going on for several months, and the timing wasn't linked to Parsons' announcement last week that he is being treated for lung cancer.
Mary Louise Canter, a friend of Parsons' since their high-school days together, asked commissioners to honor Parsons.
"He has been a good friend of ours for many years," she said, listing the racing accomplishments and contributions to the community.
The request will be a surprise to Parsons. Canter worked with his family to gather information, but they kept it secret from him.
"We know Benny has certainly done a monumental task as far as racing is concerned and contributed much to this sport," said Zach Henderson, the chairman of the board of commissioners. "We wish Benny well."
The 5-mile section would take in a stretch of highway between the Maple Springs community and the Watauga County line.
Wilkes is putting the request on a fast track by faxing the resolution to the state in hopes that the N.C. Board of Transportation can consider it during Thursday's meeting.
A section of U.S. 421 in eastern Wilkes was named in honor of racer and team-owner Junior Johnson in May 2004.
If the latest request is approved, drivers would travel on the Junior Johnson Highway on one end of Wilkes County and the Benny Parsons Highway on the other.
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'Dale' to premiere in February 2007: The documentary-style movie, entitled Dale, will be released in theatres and includes original, never-before-seen footage of Earnhardt's racing career and personal life, as well as family photos and historical interviews with the seven-time champion that give the viewer an unprecedented look at the man Earnhardt truly was.. A local premiere is planned for October in Charlotte for the Earnhardt family, NASCAR's drivers and industry insiders, and a national premiere is slated for February in conjunction with the Budweiser Shootout.(more at NASCAR.com)
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Former NASCAR driver Purvis injured in wreck: Retired NASCAR Busch Series driver Jeff Purvis was airlifted to Vanderbilt University Hospital Saturday night after
sustaining injuries in a wreck, while en route to Talladega, Ala., to race in the StormPay.com dirt track series. Purvis, along with his wife, Margo, son Clay, crew chief Matt Angel, and another Clarksville resident were heading toward Talladega for the Saturday night race when the accident occurred. Margo, who was not injured, told The Leaf-Chronicle publisher Gene Washer, the hauler veered out of control after the blown tire, crossed the medium into traffic, hitting two cars, then hit some tree before coming to a stop. Margo told Washer everybody exited safely, only seconds before the hauler burst into flames. The hauler, dirt track cars and equipment were a total loss. Purvis had two fractures in his neck and back, and was airlifted to Vanderbilt at 7:50 p.m. Clay had sore ribs, and Angel was wearing a neck brace, Margo said. Margo told Washer that Jeff was talking when he was loaded onto the helicopter. Margo said Clay was sleeping in a bunk when the wreck occurred.
Jeff jumped up to protect Clay, and was tossed around the living quarters inside the hauler. Purvis returned to dirt track racing last season, after a nearly 20-year career in the ARCA, Busch and NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. He was top-10 in the Crate Series points standings.(Leaf-Chronicle)
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Montoya's first test could be at Lakeland: Team owner Chip Ganassi said former Formula One driver and Champ Car champion Juan Pablo Montoya, once he is contractually free, will make one of his first stock car tests at USA Speedway in Lakeland before a scheduled Nextel Cup campaign in 2007. Montoya is under contract with the McLaren F1 team, though he has been replaced as driver. "If he's made available, I'm sure it'll be at Lakeland," Ganassi said. Ganassi said he also expects to see defending Indy Racing League champion Dan Wheldon test a Nextel Cup car after his
season ends Sept. 10. "We haven't formally talked about it, but we both know it's coming, so that's good," he said.(St Petersburg Times)
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Elliott still has not decided: Bill Elliott says he is within a couple of weeks of deciding what he'll do next season. The semi-retired former series champion, who won this race in 2002 and is at the Brickyard this year driving Michael Waltrip's #00 Chevrolet, has been courted by several teams, including some that plan to field Toyotas next year. "I'm still waiting on a few things to come together," said Elliott. "The folks that I've talked to still haven't decided what we're going to end up doing. I'm going to try to put things together a little bit more in the next couple of weeks."(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
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Sponsorship changes at the #18? The #18 Chevy of J.J. Yeley could see its sponsorship split among three companies — including Interstate Batteries — each of whom would be the primary sponsor for 12 races and an associate for the remaining 24.(Speed Channel)
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Senator Jeff Burton? After his racing career is over the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevy driver plans to explore the political arena. “I’ve had the good fortune to spend a little bit of time with Senator (John) Kyl of Arizona quizzing him a little bit about what he does and how the Senate works” said Burton recently. “One of the things I’ve become discontented with politics is that I think that there are a lot of people in politics for the wrong reason. I could go into it without really having an
agenda other than trying to do the right thing. I’m not going to do it now, but at some point in my life I’m going to look into it and see if there it’s something I could be successful at and if it’s something that I would enjoy. We’ll see what happens when that time comes.” Burton, a Republican who lives nears Charlotte wouldn’t be satisfied running for local or state office. “No, I’m gonna run for U.S. Senate if I do it. I want to do it at a big level. I think I’d have a chance in North Carolina to win and I’d want to have an impact on a national level. The people I’ve talked to said I have a chance so we’ll see.”(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)
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Larry Foyt done driving - Foyt Auction news Larry Foyt, who ran 66 NASCAR Busch Series races during the 2001/2002 seasons and 23 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series races in 2003/2004, has not been seen since except for the
past three Indianapolis 500 mile IndyCar races. It seems father, A.J. Foyt has recently decided it is time for Larry to step up and take a lead in the family business whether it's what he wants or not. “(A.J.) knew I didn’t want to quit driving, so that’s hard,” Larry said. “But, realistically, am I going to get a good ride? Probably not. At first it was tough for me to swallow, because I didn’t want to quit driving. But in the long run it will be a good opportunity. I’m just learning right now, hanging out. I certainly don’t want to be the boss’ son coming in here trying to run things. I’m just watching how A.J. wants things done, watch our people and other teams. We just have to start taking our operation to the next level." Complete public auction liquidation for A.J. Foyt Racing, Mooresville, N.C. will be August 23 - August 27, 2006. Pictures and information can be found by seeing sentmanauctions.com.(Insider Racing)
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Johnson Foundation to build 4-Lane Bowling Alley at Victory Junction: The Jimmie Johnson Foundation announced its commitment to raise $600,000 to build Victory Lanes, a four-lane bowling alley at Kyle and Pattie Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, N.C. In support of its NASCAR Nextel Cup driver, Lowe's, through its Charitable and Educational Foundation, announced it would fund half of the project with a $300,000 donation. Fans may donate to the cause as well by visiting jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org, a limited edition Victory Lanes commemorative coin is available with a donation of $48 or more. Johnson said he hopes the coin and the worthy cause will appeal to NASCAR fans. The first 100 donors will have their coins autographed by Jimmie Johnson. The Victory Lanes coin is featured on a special #48 Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe's Chevy unveiled at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The car features the Jimmie Johnson Foundation logo on the hood and is scheduled to run in the Busch Series race at California Speedway on Sept. 2. Johnson said his and Chandra's foundation is dedicated to assisting children, families and communities in need throughout the United States. The foundation strives to help everyone, particularly children, pursue their dreams. Lowe's said it supports the Johnson's commitment to community projects.(Jimmie Johnson Foundation PR)
By DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
Checking out the fabled Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the rear-view mirror ...
Post-race ceremonies take a while at Indianapolis, but one nice part is a lap around the track for the winner in a convertible, giving fans all the way around this massive joint a chance to feel like a part of the festivities. But the fact that the woman conducting a running interview during that lap Sunday worked in a question about the ridiculously hyped "Talladega Nights" movie was enough to induce vomiting.
Tony Stewart said fans shouldn’t expect that angry drivers won’t retaliate against each other because they’re adults and they’re professionals. He then called Carl Edwards NASCAR’s Eddie Haskell, a character from the old "Leave it to Beaver" show. Edwards heard Stewart's comments and lamented the practice of name-calling. He then called Stewart a "moron." Isn't it nice to see the lads being civil and gentlemanly?
NBC barely acknowledged what happened in two wrecks on the final lap of the race, but it did manange to squeeze Jimmie Johnson’s victory interview in before switching to a meaningless preview of a meaningless preseason NFL game. Do you think this year's Chase for the Nextel Cup is going to be much more than a 10-week promo for the network’s new baby or what?
Gordon's day starts badly, but team rebounds and his finish could have been a lot worse
Jeff Gordon could have seen his chances to make this year's Chase for the Nextel Cup take a major blow after falling three laps down at one point in Sunday's Allstate 400, but he fought back to salvage a 16th-place finish.
That leaves him eighth in the standings with five races left before the Chase cutoff.
He's still right in a major logjam near the back of the top 10, as Gordon is only 52 points ahead of 11th place.
"I applaud the team for the comeback, it shows what a championship team we are," Gordon said. "But we can't afford to have these kinds of problems."
Gordon lost ground when a bolt holding his front sway bar broke just eight laps into the race. He lost two laps and then a third at another as his team made repairs, but managed to get them back with free passes on subsequent cautions.
"We had a great car," he said.
"It's frustrating to have a car as good as ours was and not be able to race up front. I guess we are just fortunate to get back on the lead lap."
It could have been an even better day for Gordon in the points, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. stayed out on the final yellow and parlayed that into a sixth-place finish. Earnhardt Jr. is now 10th in the standings, seven points behind Tony Stewart and 15 behind Gordon.
Harvick's praise of winning team sounds like longing for longevity with his own bunch
After finishing third to help his cause in the Nextel Cup standings, Kevin Harvick had words of praise for race-winner Jimmie Johnson's team.
"Their cars are fast and they've had their team together for a long time," Harvick said. "Their guys understand what to do when they have a mishap like they had today."
Johnson rallied from a flat tire on Lap 39 to win for the fourth time this year.
"Their team seems to do that more than just about anybody," Harvick said. "That comes from having chemistry on the race team and the guys knowing what to do when things go wrong."
Harvick said the Hendrick Motorsports team, led by crew chief Chad Knaus on No. 48 Chevrolets, is a good model.
"That's what we're trying to do at Richard Childress Racing, build a strong foundation," said Harvick, who is now tied for fourth in the standings with Kyle Busch, 158 points clear of 11th-place Kasey Kahne.
"That's why they run better than most other cars do week in and week out. The longer you can keep your team together, the better off you are going to be."
Stewart eighth, gets a little breathing room, but not a lot
One year after scoring an emotional victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tony Stewart wound up eighth after an eventful afternoon. He started 32nd but had worked his way well forward before a problem on pit road set him back once again.
"We had an air gun break, and instead of taking a chance, Zippy (crew chief Greg Zipadelli) brought me back in to make sure the lug nuts were tight," Stewart said.
"I think I passed 60 cars or more today."
Stewart gained ground in the standings, moving up to ninth, but he’s still only 44 points clear of 11th with five races left before the Chase for the Nextel Cup cut comes.
"This is not how we wanted this day to go by any means," Stewart said. "But to get us back into the top 10, it was an awesome day for us."
Jeff Burton led 87 of the first 109 laps in Sunday's race, but after that he faded and finished 15th.
That barely extended his streak of finishing in the top 15, which is now at 15 races, but that doesn't mean he went home happy.
"We made huge adjustments and it never fixed it," Burton said.
"I don't know, we might go home and find out that a spring collapsed or something unusual happened. I would be shocked if we just tuned ourselves out like that."
Burton is still third in the standings, 375 points out of first. More significantly, he's 176 ahead of 11th.
"It's good to be really disappointed to finish 15th, but to lead that many laps and to have that dominant of a car and then not even be in the mix is disappointing," Burton said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chad Knaus Extends with Hendrick Motorsports: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series crew chief Chad Knaus has signed a contract extension that will keep him with Hendrick Motorsports through the 2010 racing season, mirroring the organization's recent agreements with driver Jimmie Johnson and team sponsor Lowe's. Financial terms were not disclosed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
California Speedway Extends Ticket Office Hours Leading Up To Sony HD 500 On Labor Day NASCAR Weekend - Race fans can purchase tickets over the phone, in person or online: California Speedway today announced its on-site ticket office has expanded operating hours leading into the SONY HD 500 Labor Day NASCAR weekend (September 1-3). Race fans can select their tickets over the phone, in person or online during expanded ticket office hours. Guests who would like to purchase their tickets using the toll-free number, 800-944-RACE [7223], can do so Mondays through Saturdays 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT and Sundays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT. California Speedway’s on-site ticket office, which is open year round on Monday through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PT, has also expanded its operating hours. Guests may visit the Speedway in person the next four Saturdays and the two Sundays prior to the Labor Day
NASCAR weekend. On Saturdays, August 5 and 12, the ticket office is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. PT. On Saturdays and Sundays, August 19-20 and 26-27, the ticket office is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. PT. The California Speedway ticket office is located at 9300 Cherry Avenue (zip 92335) inside the gates of the world-class motorsports facility, approximately 40 miles east of Los Angeles and just minutes from LA Ontario International Airport. Race fans can also select their tickets online 24 hours a day with the convenience of a three-dimensional grandstand map and print at home ticket option. To purchase tickets online, visit www.californiaspeedway.com and click on the buy tickets link. Guest can also utilize California Speedway’s website for event news and schedule information. Great seats for the SONY HD 500 on Labor Day NASCAR weekend are still available. In addition to great on-track NASCAR action, the weekend will include the debut of the newly redesigned FanZone, great
food at California Speedway's official restaurant Apex by Wolfgang Puck and a stellar entertainment line-up including Latin superstar Patricia Manterola, Jim Belushi and the Sacred Hearts and Country sensation Julie Roberts. NASCAR superstars Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and more, are scheduled to make appearances in the Speedway’s exclusive fan hospitality area, Party Zone, in the new expanded area near FanZone. For ticket and event information, call 800-944-RACE [7223] or log on to californiaspeedway.com. - California Speedway Press Release ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NBC has no replays of last-lap wreckage, but hey, there's an NFL exhibition game coming up ... By DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
Checking out the fabled Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the rear-view mirror ...
Post-race ceremonies take a while at Indianapolis, but one nice part is a lap around the track for the winner in a convertible, giving fans all the way around this massive joint a chance to feel like a part of the festivities. But the fact that the woman conducting a running interview during that lap Sunday worked in a question about the ridiculously hyped "Talladega Nights" movie was enough to induce vomiting.
Tony Stewart said fans shouldn’t expect that angry drivers won’t retaliate against each other because they’re adults and they’re professionals. He then called Carl Edwards NASCAR’s Eddie Haskell, a character from the old "Leave it to Beaver" show. Edwards heard Stewart's comments and lamented the practice of name-calling. He then called Stewart a "moron." Isn't it nice to see the lads being civil and gentlemanly?
NBC barely acknowledged what happened in two wrecks on the final lap of the race, but it did manange to squeeze Jimmie Johnson’s victory interview in before switching to a meaningless preview of a meaningless preseason NFL game. Do you think this year's Chase for the Nextel Cup is going to be much more than a 10-week promo for the network’s new baby or what?
Jeff Gordon could have seen his chances to make this year's Chase for the Nextel Cup take a major blow after falling three laps down at one point in Sunday's Allstate 400, but he fought back to salvage a 16th-place finish.
That leaves him eighth in the standings with five races left before the Chase cutoff.
He's still right in a major logjam near the back of the top 10, as Gordon is only 52 points ahead of 11th place.
"I applaud the team for the comeback, it shows what a championship team we are," Gordon said. "But we can't afford to have these kinds of problems."
Gordon lost ground when a bolt holding his front sway bar broke just eight laps into the race. He lost two laps and then a third at another as his team made repairs, but managed to get them back with free passes on subsequent cautions.
"We had a great car," he said.
"It's frustrating to have a car as good as ours was and not be able to race up front. I guess we are just fortunate to get back on the lead lap."
It could have been an even better day for Gordon in the points, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. stayed out on the final yellow and parlayed that into a sixth-place finish. Earnhardt Jr. is now 10th in the standings, seven points behind Tony Stewart and 15 behind Gordon.
After finishing third to help his cause in the Nextel Cup standings, Kevin Harvick had words of praise for race-winner Jimmie Johnson's team.
"Their cars are fast and they've had their team together for a long time," Harvick said. "Their guys understand what to do when they have a mishap like they had today."
Johnson rallied from a flat tire on Lap 39 to win for the fourth time this year.
"Their team seems to do that more than just about anybody," Harvick said. "That comes from having chemistry on the race team and the guys knowing what to do when things go wrong."
Harvick said the Hendrick Motorsports team, led by crew chief Chad Knaus on No. 48 Chevrolets, is a good model.
"That's what we're trying to do at Richard Childress Racing, build a strong foundation," said Harvick, who is now tied for fourth in the standings with Kyle Busch, 158 points clear of 11th-place Kasey Kahne.
"That's why they run better than most other cars do week in and week out. The longer you can keep your team together, the better off you are going to be."
One year after scoring an emotional victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tony Stewart wound up eighth after an eventful afternoon. He started 32nd but had worked his way well forward before a problem on pit road set him back once again.
"We had an air gun break, and instead of taking a chance, Zippy (crew chief Greg Zipadelli) brought me back in to make sure the lug nuts were tight," Stewart said.
"I think I passed 60 cars or more today."
Stewart gained ground in the standings, moving up to ninth, but he’s still only 44 points clear of 11th with five races left before the Chase for the Nextel Cup cut comes.
"This is not how we wanted this day to go by any means," Stewart said. "But to get us back into the top 10, it was an awesome day for us."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After being so good, NASCAR veteran Jeff Burton kind of expected a better finishJeff Burton led 87 of the first 109 laps in Sunday's race, but after that he faded and finished 15th.
That barely extended his streak of finishing in the top 15, which is now at 15 races, but that doesn't mean he went home happy.
"We made huge adjustments and it never fixed it," Burton said.
"I don't know, we might go home and find out that a spring collapsed or something unusual happened. I would be shocked if we just tuned ourselves out like that."
Burton is still third in the standings, 375 points out of first. More significantly, he's 176 ahead of 11th.
"It's good to be really disappointed to finish 15th, but to lead that many laps and to have that dominant of a car and then not even be in the mix is disappointing," Burton said.
Loose wheel doesn't leave Martin and he keeps pace by keeping front-runners in sight
Mark Martin brought his No. 6 Ford home fifth and held his ground in the standings despite having a loose wheel at one point late in the race.
"I was really concerned," he said. "I don't know if we would have made it to the end or not, but we got a caution and got a chance to change it.
"We just weren't quite good enough to get up there and win, but we were good enough to get up there and watch them race for it. This old man hasn't given up yet."
Martin is sixth in the standings, 137 points ahead of 11th.
Mark Martin brought his No. 6 Ford home fifth and held his ground in the standings despite having a loose wheel at one point late in the race.
"I was really concerned," he said. "I don't know if we would have made it to the end or not, but we got a caution and got a chance to change it.
"We just weren't quite good enough to get up there and win, but we were good enough to get up there and watch them race for it. This old man hasn't given up yet."
Martin is sixth in the standings, 137 points ahead of 11th.
'Go-for-broke' roll of the dice pays off for Bowyer
Rookie Clint Bowyer didn't win Sunday, but he did finish fourth thanks to a late-race strategy call by crew chief Gil Martin.
Bowyer took just two tires on the final pit stop, allowing him to restart fifth with 14 laps remaining. Bowyer held that ground and got his best finish of the season.
"I am really proud of Gil for making a gutsy gamble, and it paid off," Boywer said.
"It was kind of a go-for-broke kind of deal. If you have that kind of opportunity in a race like this, you just have to go for it."
Raines gets 11th despite running over something 'the size of a beer cooler' after incident involving Stewart, Kahne and the wall
BY JIM UTTER
The Charlotte Observer
Tony Raines ran over debris from Kasey Kahne's car after a last-lap crash, but still managed to finish 11th after crew chief Phillipe Lopez went with a two-tire change on the caution on Lap 142.
"We put two (tires) on there at the end, and I didn't think it would work. But once we got by (Jeff Burton), I thought we had something," said Raines, whose career-best Cup finish was a sixth at Rockingham in 2003.
"That was a good day for us. We had good stops all day long and the car kept getting better and better."
Raines said he saw Kahne get together with Tony Stewart's car on the last lap.
"He got loose and over-corrected, and he hit the wall hard," Raines said.
"I just went between him and the wall, and whatever fell out of his car was the size of a beer cooler. I popped a wheelie like I never have. ...I was surprised the car even drove back."
Fuel pump issues, last-lap entanglement cause Hamlin to lose ground
Rookie Denny Hamlin's Pocono prowess – sweeping both races there this season – nearly carried over to Indianapolis, but a last-lap wreck dampened his day.
Hamlin, who ran as high as third, was behind Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart on the last lap when Kahne hit the wall and a piece of his car struck Hamlin's. Hamlin was able to continue and wound up 10th.
"We had the best-handling car, by far, today," he said. "We got it good there at the end."
A fuel pump problem also added to the team's troubles, giving Hamlin fits on the long straightaways.
"It was just so frustrating all day to have that motor shutting out on just down the straightaway," he said. "It's just one of those things you can't help."
Kenseth, acknowledging Johnson's edge, says he'd still hoped for a late-race chance
Matt Kenseth is a frustrated runner-up.
For the second time in his seven Nextel Cup Series starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Kenseth came away in second-place, finishing behind racer winner Jimmie Johnson in Sunday’s Allstate 400.
"I feel real bad because (my team) put me in position to win again and I just couldn’t figure out how to get it done," said Kenseth, who remains second in the series points race as well, 107 behind Johnson.
"The No. 48 (Johnson) just came out of nowhere. He was real fast. There was no way I was going to beat him one-on-one. I was just hoping to get out front first."
Kenseth’s best opportunity for the win came following a caution on Lap 143 of 160. While Johnson, Kenseth and most of the lead-lap cars pit for tires, four drivers stayed out while some others pit only for two tires.
The wild strategy left Kyle Busch leading on the restart, with Kenseth – the first car with four new tires – seventh and Johnson eighth. Johnson was able to get by Kenseth relatively quickly as both worked lapped traffic while also navigating the cars that did not pit.
"He just did a better job of being in the right place getting through those cars," Kenseth said. "When we’ve come here we’ve had really competitive cars. We have never quite been able to finish it off."
With Johnson out front and the laps winding down, Kenseth was left losing little ground in the points race, but short of victory at Indy again.
"I was running all I could and he was running away," Kenseth said. "I know he was only going as fas as he needed to go, and Kevin (Harvick) was catching me.
"We didn’t have the car to get it done, but I was still hoping that we could get up front and have a chance."
Zipadelli gets a coveted honor and other NASCAR notes from Indianapolis
By DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
Also worth mentioning as we wrap up the Brickyard weekend ...
Greg Zipadelli, who has won two championships as Tony Stewart's crew chief, was named the recipient of this year's Brickyard True Grit award that goes to a dedicated crew chief or mechanic each year. The winner of the $5,000 prize is chosen by a panel of NASCAR and media representatives.
Sunday's victory was the fifth in this race for car owner Rick Hendrick. Jeff Gordon is a four-time winner of this event.
Thirty-five cars finished on the lead lap Sunday. That set a record for a Nextel Cup race of 400 miles or longer.
There have now been 13 Cup races at Indianapolis, with a total of 2,081 laps completed. Bill Elliott finished 22nd on the lead lap Sunday and now has completed 2,080 of those laps. Only he and Jeff Burton have been running at the finish of all 13 races here.
David Stremme moved into the top 35 in car owner points with his 18th-place finish on Sunday. He knocked out Jeremy Mayfield, who finished 41st. That means Stremme's team will be guaranteed a starting spot next week at Watkins Glen, while Mayfield's will have to make the race on his qualifying speed.
Crawford wins NASCAR Truck series race at Indy
The Associated Press
CLERMONT, Ind. – Rick Crawford took the lead in a tight four-truck battle with 32 laps remaining, then held on to beat Dennis Setzer by 10 truck-lengths Friday night in the Craftsman Truck Series’ Power Stroke Diesel 200.
Crawford, Setzer, Mike Bliss and Ron Hornaday Jr. fought for the lead going into the third turn at O’Reilly Raceway Park, with Bliss getting squeezed into the wall in the first turn to bring out a caution flag.
“I saw him (Bliss) go into the turn and stumble just a little bit,” Crawford said. “It wasn’t much, but I had to make my pass as quickly as I could.
“If you had some other guys involved, it would be a recipe for a wreck. But this was four veteran guys. But I’m glad my spotter said ‘clear.’ It was close. I don’t think we touched at all, but I could smell yellow, red, black and green paint.”
Setzer was just pleased to survive the brief battle.
“It was pretty exciting, I guess,” he said. “Crawford and I had the 16 (Bliss), and my spotter called and said Hornaday was coming up fast, and he was. I thought he was going to get all of us.”
Hornaday said he could see the mad scramble coming.
“They had a half straightaway on me, and I could see what was going to happen,” he said. “I knew they were going to squeeze him (Bliss). I had a little bit of a run, and I knew things were going to get interesting.”
Crawford stayed out front through four more caution periods, the last with four laps remaining in the 200-lap race around the 0.686-mile oval.
“To win, you have to have a perfect race, and tonight was a perfect race for me,” said Crawford, who won for the first time since last September at New Hampshire.
Hornaday finished third, followed by David Starr, Bliss and Terry Cook, points leader Todd Bodine, Ted Musgrave, David Ragan and Erik Darnell.
Bodine leads Johnny Benson by 182 points and is another five points head of the third-place Crawford. Benson finished 12th Friday night.
Bliss’ team gambled just past the halfway point, staying out while the leaders pitted after Chad Chaffin hit the wall. Bliss, who pitted on the 81st lap, inherited the lead and maintained it until the late four-truck flurry.
The race featured a track-record 11 caution periods for 51 laps.
The Associated Press
CLERMONT, Ind. – Rick Crawford took the lead in a tight four-truck battle with 32 laps remaining, then held on to beat Dennis Setzer by 10 truck-lengths Friday night in the Craftsman Truck Series’ Power Stroke Diesel 200.
Crawford, Setzer, Mike Bliss and Ron Hornaday Jr. fought for the lead going into the third turn at O’Reilly Raceway Park, with Bliss getting squeezed into the wall in the first turn to bring out a caution flag.
“I saw him (Bliss) go into the turn and stumble just a little bit,” Crawford said. “It wasn’t much, but I had to make my pass as quickly as I could.
“If you had some other guys involved, it would be a recipe for a wreck. But this was four veteran guys. But I’m glad my spotter said ‘clear.’ It was close. I don’t think we touched at all, but I could smell yellow, red, black and green paint.”
Setzer was just pleased to survive the brief battle.
“It was pretty exciting, I guess,” he said. “Crawford and I had the 16 (Bliss), and my spotter called and said Hornaday was coming up fast, and he was. I thought he was going to get all of us.”
Hornaday said he could see the mad scramble coming.
“They had a half straightaway on me, and I could see what was going to happen,” he said. “I knew they were going to squeeze him (Bliss). I had a little bit of a run, and I knew things were going to get interesting.”
Crawford stayed out front through four more caution periods, the last with four laps remaining in the 200-lap race around the 0.686-mile oval.
“To win, you have to have a perfect race, and tonight was a perfect race for me,” said Crawford, who won for the first time since last September at New Hampshire.
Hornaday finished third, followed by David Starr, Bliss and Terry Cook, points leader Todd Bodine, Ted Musgrave, David Ragan and Erik Darnell.
Bodine leads Johnny Benson by 182 points and is another five points head of the third-place Crawford. Benson finished 12th Friday night.
Bliss’ team gambled just past the halfway point, staying out while the leaders pitted after Chad Chaffin hit the wall. Bliss, who pitted on the 81st lap, inherited the lead and maintained it until the late four-truck flurry.
The race featured a track-record 11 caution periods for 51 laps.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Busch points leader Kevin Harvick dominates, wins Kroger 200
By STEVE HERMAN
The Associated Press
CLERMONT, Ind. – Kevin Harvick still has some unfinished business this weekend.
The NASCAR Busch Series points leader passed pole-starter Denny Hamlin on lap 84, built a lead of more than 2 seconds with 20 laps left and held off Reed Sorenson in the Kroger 200 on Saturday night for his series-high fifth win of the season.
Now comes an even bigger test Sunday in the Nextel Cup race at the nearby Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"Today was a long day. It was three or four trips back and forth," he said of the practice and qualifications at the Speedway and practice, qualifications and the race at O'Reilly Raceway Park, about 15 minutes away in neighboring Hendricks County.
"We were fortunate to have a very good car," he said of his Richard Childress Chevrolet. "I was frustrated in practice because I really didn't know what we had to do to the car. They made some great adjustments before the race."
The victory, the 21st by a Nextel Cup series regular in 23 Busch races this season, boosted his point lead to 3,627-3,253 over Carl Edwards with 12 races to go.
"I can't believe the numbers," Harvick said. "You have to do your thing and keep up what we're doing and hopefully things will work out.
"I think we've got a long way to go, so we've still got a lot of work to do. Running hard and winning races is what we have to do to stay in control."
Caution periods kept the field bunched most of the race. Harvick went in front by 2.5 seconds before the final caution and led Sorenson by less than a second after the green came out with 13 laps to go. Neither Sorenson nor J.J. Yeley, who wound up third, could cut into the lead in the final laps, and Harvick's winning margin was 1.4 seconds.
Greg Biffle was fourth and Jeff Burton, who will start from the pole in Sunday's Nextel race, was fifth.
"When you're leading a race on a short track, you want to take your time," Harvick said. "But you also want to get through as fast as you can. Our car was working in such a different groove than anybody else was, we were able to work a lot on the bottom and get through traffic pretty good."
Hamlin, starting from the pole for a Busch series-high sixth time this season, led the first 83 laps, but he couldn't build any significant distance in front of the pack because of the frequent cautions.
There were five yellows in the first 55 laps, mostly for minor scrapes against the wall. But the costliest mishap was by Clint Bowyer, who started second and appeared to pass Hamlin on the 22nd lap until the two cars touched, spinning Bowyer into the inside wall and keeping Hamlin in the lead.
By the time Bowyer's car was repaired and back on the track, he was 91 laps down en route to a 40th-place finish.
Harvick, meanwhile, started sixth and moved into second place, erasing a 3-second lead for Hamlin on the sixth yellow for a spin by Aric Almirola. That gave Harvick his chance to close in and, after the green came out, he passed the pole-starter on lap 84 for the lead he never gave up.
Sorenson's second place matched his season best, at Phoenix, and was his third straight top-five finish.
"We started out pretty good, qualified eighth. But it was a little loose all night long," Sorenson said.
Can anybody catch Harvick for the Busch title?
I don't think so," Sorenson said. "I would guess not, but we'll see."
Notes: Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels waved the green starting flag. Eleven drivers, including Harvick, Hamlin and Bowyer, drove in the Busch race after qualifying earlier in the day for Sunday's Nextel race. Hamlin finished eighth. Jason Keller, who finished 15th, made his 400th career Busch start, second to Tommy Houston's record 417 races from 1982-96. Harvick took the points lead after the second race of the season and has finished worse than eighth only three times in 23 races.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By STEVE HERMAN
The Associated Press
CLERMONT, Ind. – Kevin Harvick still has some unfinished business this weekend.
The NASCAR Busch Series points leader passed pole-starter Denny Hamlin on lap 84, built a lead of more than 2 seconds with 20 laps left and held off Reed Sorenson in the Kroger 200 on Saturday night for his series-high fifth win of the season.
Now comes an even bigger test Sunday in the Nextel Cup race at the nearby Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"Today was a long day. It was three or four trips back and forth," he said of the practice and qualifications at the Speedway and practice, qualifications and the race at O'Reilly Raceway Park, about 15 minutes away in neighboring Hendricks County.
"We were fortunate to have a very good car," he said of his Richard Childress Chevrolet. "I was frustrated in practice because I really didn't know what we had to do to the car. They made some great adjustments before the race."
The victory, the 21st by a Nextel Cup series regular in 23 Busch races this season, boosted his point lead to 3,627-3,253 over Carl Edwards with 12 races to go.
"I can't believe the numbers," Harvick said. "You have to do your thing and keep up what we're doing and hopefully things will work out.
"I think we've got a long way to go, so we've still got a lot of work to do. Running hard and winning races is what we have to do to stay in control."
Caution periods kept the field bunched most of the race. Harvick went in front by 2.5 seconds before the final caution and led Sorenson by less than a second after the green came out with 13 laps to go. Neither Sorenson nor J.J. Yeley, who wound up third, could cut into the lead in the final laps, and Harvick's winning margin was 1.4 seconds.
Greg Biffle was fourth and Jeff Burton, who will start from the pole in Sunday's Nextel race, was fifth.
"When you're leading a race on a short track, you want to take your time," Harvick said. "But you also want to get through as fast as you can. Our car was working in such a different groove than anybody else was, we were able to work a lot on the bottom and get through traffic pretty good."
Hamlin, starting from the pole for a Busch series-high sixth time this season, led the first 83 laps, but he couldn't build any significant distance in front of the pack because of the frequent cautions.
There were five yellows in the first 55 laps, mostly for minor scrapes against the wall. But the costliest mishap was by Clint Bowyer, who started second and appeared to pass Hamlin on the 22nd lap until the two cars touched, spinning Bowyer into the inside wall and keeping Hamlin in the lead.
By the time Bowyer's car was repaired and back on the track, he was 91 laps down en route to a 40th-place finish.
Harvick, meanwhile, started sixth and moved into second place, erasing a 3-second lead for Hamlin on the sixth yellow for a spin by Aric Almirola. That gave Harvick his chance to close in and, after the green came out, he passed the pole-starter on lap 84 for the lead he never gave up.
Sorenson's second place matched his season best, at Phoenix, and was his third straight top-five finish.
"We started out pretty good, qualified eighth. But it was a little loose all night long," Sorenson said.
Can anybody catch Harvick for the Busch title?
I don't think so," Sorenson said. "I would guess not, but we'll see."
Notes: Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels waved the green starting flag. Eleven drivers, including Harvick, Hamlin and Bowyer, drove in the Busch race after qualifying earlier in the day for Sunday's Nextel race. Hamlin finished eighth. Jason Keller, who finished 15th, made his 400th career Busch start, second to Tommy Houston's record 417 races from 1982-96. Harvick took the points lead after the second race of the season and has finished worse than eighth only three times in 23 races.
Johnson takes over, takes a big win at The Brickyard
By DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
INDIANAPOLIS – At a place that had largely been a house of horrors for a race team that seemed to have just about every place else fairly well figured out, Jimmie Johnson surprised himself Sunday by winning the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"I have doubted my ability to get around this track," Johnson said after racing from eighth back to first after a restart with 14 laps to go to win at a place where he'd never led a lap before. "(It) has been an emotional disaster for us."
Two years ago, Johnson came to Indianapolis with a huge Nextel Cup points lead and finished 36th. He followed that up with 40th-place finishes at Watkins Glen and Michigan and lost the top spot in the standings.
Last year, his No. 48 Chevrolet never made it through inspection in time for him to make a qualifying run. He was again the points leader when the race started, but he blew a tire, crashed, finished 38th and lost the points lead when Tony Stewart won the race.
So it is perfectly understandable that Johnson and his crew chief, Chad Knaus, had a strong sense of foreboding when things started to go awry early in this year's race.
"When we were on the starting grid, the two batteries in the radios we had in the car were dead," Knaus said. "Before the race even started, we had people running back to the garage and down pit road."
It would get worse.
On Lap 39, just before a second NASCAR-scheduled caution to check for tire wear issues that were feared for this race but never really became a pervasive factor, Johnson did have a left-front tire go flat.
Johnson slowed and tried to nurse his car back around this 2.5-mile track. Soon, however, he could feel chunks of the tire flying away. Instead of awaiting a yellow, he became the reason for one. Initially it was a relief since Johnson figured it'd keep him from losing a lap. But then, the tire started to come apart and damage the car itself.
"I was pretty deflated," Johnson said, apparently not realizing his pun during a postrace interview in which he appeared emotionally numbed by the recovery that would follow in front of 200,000 or so on a warm and sunny afternoon.
With Johnson restarting 38th – the same place he finished here a year ago – Richard Childress Racing teammates Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick were swapping off the lead until Matt Kenseth got up to join the fun.
"Then," Kenseth would say after finishing second, "the 48 came out of nowhere, blew by us and won the race."
It was considerably more complicated.
After the early flat, Knaus assured Johnson that things were still OK. "But in the back of my mind," Johnson said, "I was saying, ‘We're in trouble.'"
Johnson calmly started moving back up, successfully balancing patience with passing until Knaus told him the next sets of tires that came of the car looked fine.
At that point, Johnson unleashed the hounds. By Lap 80 he was comfortably back in the top 10. He took the lead for the first time on Lap 110 and, after green-flag stops cycled through, he was back out front and sailing until a caution on Lap 143.
Knaus called Johnson in for four fresh tires. Kenseth also took four tires and got back on the track ahead of Johnson, but they both were behind Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman and Joe Nemechek, who stayed out, and rookies Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer, who took two tires.
Johnson laid back a little on the restart on Lap 147 hoping to leave himself room to maneuver with so many cars on different strategies. Busch and Earnhardt Jr. got good jumps, but the rest of the lead pack wound up in a big knot in which moves that ultimately proved decisive were quickly made.
Johnson wanted to go inside, but found himself outside and eventually pulled up behind Bowyer and "bump drafted" him past Kenseth, who got bogged down in traffic in the low groove. By the end of that lap, Johnson was fourth and ahead of both Kenseth and Harvick, who'd also taken four tires.
It was a matter of time before they'd all get past Busch, Earnhardt Jr. and Bowyer, although Bowyer did manage to hold on for fourth. Johnson got to the front first, however, and from there neither Kenseth nor Harvick harbored illusions of catching up.
"I could go work on my car for week and not make it that fast," Kenseth said.
Knaus, who on Saturday celebrated his 35th birthday and announced a contract extension to keep him at Hendrick Motorsports, said he was hoping for a top-10 finish here this week.
"I can't believe we won it," said Knaus, who immediately after the checkered flag thanked Johnson and his team for what he called "honestly the best weekend of my life."
Johnson, who joined Dale Jarrett (in 1996) as the only driver to win the Daytona 500 and the Allstate 400 in the same year, seemed to have his post-race mood muted by disbelief as well.
"I am just so proud of what we've done today," said Johnson, who takes a 107-point lead over Kenseth with him out of the weekend. "The past two years when we left here we've had the wind taken out of our sails. ...I just want to go sit in quiet corner and think about it. I can't believe we overcame all the things that have happened to us at this track and all that we overcame today."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
INDIANAPOLIS – At a place that had largely been a house of horrors for a race team that seemed to have just about every place else fairly well figured out, Jimmie Johnson surprised himself Sunday by winning the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"I have doubted my ability to get around this track," Johnson said after racing from eighth back to first after a restart with 14 laps to go to win at a place where he'd never led a lap before. "(It) has been an emotional disaster for us."
Two years ago, Johnson came to Indianapolis with a huge Nextel Cup points lead and finished 36th. He followed that up with 40th-place finishes at Watkins Glen and Michigan and lost the top spot in the standings.
Last year, his No. 48 Chevrolet never made it through inspection in time for him to make a qualifying run. He was again the points leader when the race started, but he blew a tire, crashed, finished 38th and lost the points lead when Tony Stewart won the race.
So it is perfectly understandable that Johnson and his crew chief, Chad Knaus, had a strong sense of foreboding when things started to go awry early in this year's race.
"When we were on the starting grid, the two batteries in the radios we had in the car were dead," Knaus said. "Before the race even started, we had people running back to the garage and down pit road."
It would get worse.
On Lap 39, just before a second NASCAR-scheduled caution to check for tire wear issues that were feared for this race but never really became a pervasive factor, Johnson did have a left-front tire go flat.
Johnson slowed and tried to nurse his car back around this 2.5-mile track. Soon, however, he could feel chunks of the tire flying away. Instead of awaiting a yellow, he became the reason for one. Initially it was a relief since Johnson figured it'd keep him from losing a lap. But then, the tire started to come apart and damage the car itself.
"I was pretty deflated," Johnson said, apparently not realizing his pun during a postrace interview in which he appeared emotionally numbed by the recovery that would follow in front of 200,000 or so on a warm and sunny afternoon.
With Johnson restarting 38th – the same place he finished here a year ago – Richard Childress Racing teammates Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick were swapping off the lead until Matt Kenseth got up to join the fun.
"Then," Kenseth would say after finishing second, "the 48 came out of nowhere, blew by us and won the race."
It was considerably more complicated.
After the early flat, Knaus assured Johnson that things were still OK. "But in the back of my mind," Johnson said, "I was saying, ‘We're in trouble.'"
Johnson calmly started moving back up, successfully balancing patience with passing until Knaus told him the next sets of tires that came of the car looked fine.
At that point, Johnson unleashed the hounds. By Lap 80 he was comfortably back in the top 10. He took the lead for the first time on Lap 110 and, after green-flag stops cycled through, he was back out front and sailing until a caution on Lap 143.
Knaus called Johnson in for four fresh tires. Kenseth also took four tires and got back on the track ahead of Johnson, but they both were behind Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman and Joe Nemechek, who stayed out, and rookies Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer, who took two tires.
Johnson laid back a little on the restart on Lap 147 hoping to leave himself room to maneuver with so many cars on different strategies. Busch and Earnhardt Jr. got good jumps, but the rest of the lead pack wound up in a big knot in which moves that ultimately proved decisive were quickly made.
Johnson wanted to go inside, but found himself outside and eventually pulled up behind Bowyer and "bump drafted" him past Kenseth, who got bogged down in traffic in the low groove. By the end of that lap, Johnson was fourth and ahead of both Kenseth and Harvick, who'd also taken four tires.
It was a matter of time before they'd all get past Busch, Earnhardt Jr. and Bowyer, although Bowyer did manage to hold on for fourth. Johnson got to the front first, however, and from there neither Kenseth nor Harvick harbored illusions of catching up.
"I could go work on my car for week and not make it that fast," Kenseth said.
Knaus, who on Saturday celebrated his 35th birthday and announced a contract extension to keep him at Hendrick Motorsports, said he was hoping for a top-10 finish here this week.
"I can't believe we won it," said Knaus, who immediately after the checkered flag thanked Johnson and his team for what he called "honestly the best weekend of my life."
Johnson, who joined Dale Jarrett (in 1996) as the only driver to win the Daytona 500 and the Allstate 400 in the same year, seemed to have his post-race mood muted by disbelief as well.
"I am just so proud of what we've done today," said Johnson, who takes a 107-point lead over Kenseth with him out of the weekend. "The past two years when we left here we've had the wind taken out of our sails. ...I just want to go sit in quiet corner and think about it. I can't believe we overcame all the things that have happened to us at this track and all that we overcame today."
"I don't have near as much common sense as he had, and he banked on that just about all day, every day, of his life."
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
comparing himself to his father.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, that's all for today. Until the next time, I remain,
Your
Momma
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants wins't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
Your
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants wins't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
"It's nothin' personal, it's just racin'
-Dale Earnhardt Sr.
-Dale Earnhardt Sr.
This list is authored by:
Sandra Monacelli
221 W. 57th Street 18B
Loveland, CO 80538
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