Phoenix International Raceway is the place to be this weekend – plan ahead

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Karen Pistone

SOLD OUT!
Phoenix International Raceway’s grandstands are sold out for the AdvoCare 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race on November 11th. Fans may still purchase general admission tickets to PIR’s hillside area by calling 866-408-RACE or visiting PhoenixRaceway.com.

REMINDER: Phoenix International Raceway announced that NASCAR has moved Gatorade Pole Qualifying for the semi-final race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup to Friday, Nov. 9 at 4:10 p.m. Gates open to the public Friday at 9 a.m. A full day of activity on the track will be highlighted by Gatorade Pole Qualifying and the running of the Lucas Oil 150 Camping World Truck Series race at 6 p.m.

PRACTICES/QUALIFYING/RACES
Thursday, November 8th:
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Practice & NASCAR K&N Pro Series – West Practice
3:00 p.m.    Spectator Gates Open
3:30 p.m. – 4:25 p.m.    NCWTS Practice
4:35 p.m. – 5:25 p.m.    NKNPS-W Practice
5:35 p.m – 7:35 p.m.    NCWTS Final Practice

Friday, November 9th:
2:30 p.m. NCWTS Qualifying
4:10 p.m. NSCS Qualifying
Lucas Oil 150 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race

Saturday, November 10th:
8:30 a.m. NKNPS-W Qualifying
10:35 a.m. NNS Qualifying
2:00 p.m. Great Clips 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series Race. (200 laps, 200 miles)
5:00 p.m. Casino Arizona 50 NASCAR K&N Pro Series – West Race (50 laps, 50 miles)

Sunday, November 11th:
AdvoCare 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race

PRE-RACE PERFORMANCES/SPECIAL APPEARANCES
Country music duo The Lost Trailers- known for their current hit “American Beauty”- will perform at 11 a.m. on Sunday, November 11 at the Budweiser ROLL-BAR main stage prior to the AdvoCare 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Country singer Chelsea Bain will be singing National Anthem for Phoenix Nationwide race
Pop singer/songwriter and actress JoJo will sing “The Star Spangled Banner” prior to the AdvoCare 500 Semi-Final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, November 11.

Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight champion, and former star of The Ultimate Fighter Live on FX, Dominick Cruz has been named Honorary Pace Car Driver for the AdvoCare 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, November 11.

ENTERTAINMENT
Fans attending the AdvoCare 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend at Phoenix International Raceway will be treated to hearing from some of NASCAR’s top drivers prior to the action on the track Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 10-11. PIR race fans will have an opportunity to visit with 2012 Chase contender Kevin Harvick, racing legend and five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series runner-up Mark Martin, Arizona native Michael McDowell and 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series runner-up Elliott Sadler and much more.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Event	Time	Location
Harry Luge Jr.	9pm-11pm	SPEED Cantina

Friday, November 9, 2012

Event	Time	Location
Furious George Band	9pm-10:30pm	Budweiser ROLL-BAR Stage
Harry Luge Jr.	9pm-11pm	SPEED Cantina

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Event	Time	Location
Harry Luge Jr.	7pm-8:30pm	SPEED Cantina
Chad Freeman and Redline	9pm-11pm	SPEED Cantina

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Event	Time	Place
The Lost Trailers	11am-11:45am	Budweiser ROLL-BAR Stage

(Entertainment schedule and locations subject to change)

NASCAR Chase Contender stats – TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Karen Pistone

Texas Motor Speedway Data

Chase Race #: 8 of 10

Season Race #: 34 of 36 (11-04-12)

Track Size: 1.5-mile

Banking/Turns: 24 degrees

Banking/Straights: 5 degrees

Frontstretch Length: 2,250 feet

Backstretch Length: 1,330 feet

Race Length: 334 laps / 501 miles

Qualifying/Race Data

2011 pole winner: Greg Biffle, Ford, 193.736 mph, 27.873 sec., 11-04-11

2011 race winner: Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 152.705 mph, (3:10:51), 11-06-11

Track qualifying record: Brian Vickers, Chevrolet, 196.235 mph, 27.518 sec., 11-05-06

Track race record: Greg Biffle, Ford, 160.577 mph, (3:07:12), 04-14-12

Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas going into the AAA Texas 500 on Nov. 4.

TEXAS-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

1 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.9

2012 Rundown

· Four wins, 17 top fives, 23 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 10.1

· Led 24 races for 1,551 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One win, eight top fives, 13 top 10s

· Average finish of 9.7 in 18 races

· Average Running Position of 11.7, fifth-best

· Driver Rating of 100.6, fourth-best

· 296 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 172.668 mph, sixth-fastest

· 3,662 Laps in the Top 15 (72.9%), fifth-most

· 585 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), sixth-most

2 – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.8

2012 Rundown

· Five wins, 12 top fives, 21 top 10s

· Average finish of 10.3

· Led 19 races for 650 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Average finish of 25.3 in eight races

· Average Running Position of 23.2, 27th-best

· Driver Rating of 63.2, 28th-best

3 – Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour Energy Toyota)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.6

2012 Rundown

· Three wins, nine top fives, 21 top 10s

· Average finish of 10.8

· Led 13 races for 388 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Three top fives, seven top 10s

· Average finish of 13.3 in 13 races

· Average Running Position of 13.4, ninth-best

· Driver Rating of 90.9, 10th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 172.572 mph, ninth-fastest

4 – Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Hendrickcars.com/Great Clips Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.0

2012 Rundown

· Two wins, 11 top fives, 18 top 10s; four poles

· Average finish of 12.8

· Led 11 races for 275 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One win, four top fives, five top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 18.8 in 16 races

· Average Running Position of 16.0, 16th-best

· Driver Rating of 82.8, 16th-best

· 200 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

· 1,055 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

· 2,759 Laps in the Top 15 (55.0%), 13th-most

· 485 Quality Passes, 12th-most

5 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.1

2012 Rundown

· Five wins, 13 top fives, 16 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 12.6

· Led 23 races for 1,180 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s

· Average finish of 10.3 in 14 races

· Average Running Position of 12.6, eighth-best

· Driver Rating of 94.6, seventh-best

· 165 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most

· 1,111 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 172.608 mph, eighth-fastest

· 3,085 Laps in the Top 15 (65.8%), ninth-most

· 594 Quality Passes, fourth-most

6 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.6

2012 Rundown

· One win, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 14.1

· Led 22 races for 554 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One win, eight top fives, 11 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 16.2 in 23 races

· Average Running Position of 14.0, 10th-best

· Driver Rating of 91.3, ninth-best

· 251 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 172.443 mph, 10th-fastest

· 3,089 Laps in the Top 15 (61.5%), eighth-most

· 524 Quality Passes, ninth-most

7 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 Carlyle Tools by NAPA Toyota)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.7

2012 Rundown

· Seven top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 11.3

· Led 11 races for 423 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One top five, seven top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 16.1 in 14 races

· Average Running Position of 15.2, 14th-best

· Driver Rating of 85.0, 13th-best

· 967 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 172.422 mph, 12th-fastest

8 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Ford EcoBoost Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.5

2012 Rundown

· Three wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 11.1

· Led 21 races for 477 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Two wins, 11 top fives, 14 top 10s

· Average finish of 8.6 in 20 races

· Series-best Average Running Position of 9.2

· Series-best Driver Rating of 107.2

· 299 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

· 1,073 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 173.004 mph, second-fastest

· Series-high 3,988 Laps in the Top 15 (79.4%)

· 591 Quality Passes, fifth-most

9 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.5

2012 Rundown

· Two wins, 11 top fives, 18 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 10.5

· Led 16 races for 721 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Two wins, seven top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 16.2 in 17 races

· Average Running Position of 12.6, seventh-best

· Driver Rating of 103.3, second-best

· Series-high 447 Fastest Laps Run

· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 173.009 mph

· 3,648 Laps in the Top 15 (72.7%), sixth-most

· 604 Quality Passes, third-most

10 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.0

2012 Rundown

· Three wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 13.6

· Led 14 races for 420 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Two wins, five top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 13.1 in 21 races

· Average Running Position of 9.6, second-best

· Driver Rating of 102.5, third-best

· 339 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 172.934 mph, fourth-fastest

· 3,910 Laps in the Top 15 (77.9%), third-most

· 557 Quality Passes, seventh-most

11 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Rheem/Budweiser Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.8

2012 Rundown

· Four top fives, 11 top 10s

· Average finish of 12.6

· Led 8 races for 241 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Three top fives, nine top 10s

· Average finish of 12.7 in 19 races

· Average Running Position of 15.3, 15th-best

· Driver Rating of 84.8, 14th-best

· 1,136 Green Flag Passes, second-most

· 2,895 Laps in the Top 15 (57.7%), 12th-most

· 531 Quality Passes, eighth-most

12 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.6

2012 Rundown

· One win, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 10.7

· Led 13 races for 358 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One win, three top fives, 11 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 13.9 in 20 races

· Average Running Position of 11.3, third-best

· Driver Rating of 92.8, eighth-best

· 172 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

· 1,103 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 172.649 mph, seventh-fastest

· 3,930 Laps in the Top 15 (78.3%), second-most

· Series-high 650 Quality Passes

Chase Contenders

The Top 12 Following Race 33 of 36

Driver	Points	Wins	Poles	Week	Rating
1. Jimmie Johnson	2,291	4	3	2	109.9
2. Brad Keselowski	2,289	5	0	1	97.8
3. Clint Bowyer	2,265	3	0	4	95.6
4. Kasey Kahne	2,262	2	4	5	96.0
5. Denny Hamlin	2,242	5	3	3	102.1
6. Jeff Gordon	2,237	1	2	8	97.6
7. Martin Truex Jr.	2,228	0	1	6	96.7
8. Matt Kenseth	2,226	3	1	9	100.5
9. Greg Biffle	2,222	2	3	11	100.5
10. Tony Stewart	2,220	3	1	7	87.0
11. Kevin Harvick	2,203	0	0	10	90.8
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.	2,151	1	1	12	97.6

Texas Motor Speedway offering a NASCAR triple header weekend

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Karen Pistone

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
NASCAR Sprint Cup Race #34 of 36
NASCAR Countdown Pre-race: ESPN – 2:00pm/et
Television Race Coverage: ESPN, 3:00pm/et
Scheduled Green Flag (approx): 3:16pm/et
Practices:  Fri, Nov. 2, 12:30 – 2:00 pm/et on SPEED  Sat, Nov. 3, 3:00 – 3:50pm/et on SPEED
Happy Hour ‘Final’ practice: Sat, Nov. 3, 5:45 – 6:45pm/et on SPEED
Qualifying: Fri, Nov. 2 at 4:40 pm/et on ESPN2

Coming out as the winner of Martinsville, Jimmie Johnson reclaimed the points lead – by 2 points – from Brad Keselowski – with three races remaining. But remember last season with three races to go – Tony Stewart trailed then-leader Carl Edwards by eight points.

So heading into the AAA Texas 500 on Sunday, Keselowski has yet to score a top-10 finish within his last eight starts. As a matter of fact, five were outside the top 20 – and Keselowski has yet to finish on the lead lap.

It is still anyone of the Chaser’s Championship. No driver has been mathematically eliminated from championship contention – though a couple may be following Texas (any driver 97 points behind the leader after Texas will be officially eliminated).

Greg Biffle holds two wins at Texas and has moved back into 10th in points.

Clint Bowyer comes into this race with three top 10s in the last four Texas races, and boasts momentum at 1.5-mile tracks after capturing his first victory on an intermediate track at Charlotte. Kasey Kahne enters the weekend with two consecutive top 10s at Texas, along with a win there in 2006.

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
NASCAR Nationwide Series Race #31 of 33
Television Race Coverage: Sat, Nov. 3rd on ESPN2, 7:00 pm/et
Scheduled Green Flag (approx): 7:41pm/et
Practice: 2 p.m. ET /6 p.m. ET on Fri., Nov. 2nd on SPEED
Qualifying: Sat., Nov. 3rd, 3:05 PM (4:05 PM/ET) on SPEED

On Saturday, the NNS will be coming off of their last ‘off week’ for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway.

Elliott Sadler holds the advantage in the championship standings with a six-point lead over Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with only three races remaining. It’s going to be a tight race between these two drivers. Stenhouse won at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this season in April to earn his fourth career NNS victory. In 2004, Sadler won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held at Texas.

For Kyle Busch Motorsports, Kyle Busch has six top-five and 11 top-10 finishes, including two runner-up finishes at Talladega and Chicago. Unfortunately for the NNS Chaser’s, Busch owns Texas Motor Speedway when it comes to the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He has five wins, 10 top fives and two poles in just 13 starts.

In other news, Danica Patrick is on her way to making history. Currently 10th in points, if Patrick finishes 12th or better in the NNS point standings, she will become the highest-finishing female in national series history. The record is currently held by Sara Christian – 13th, Cup, 1949; Jennifer Jo Cobb – 17th, Truck, 2010 and Patty Moise 22nd, NNS, 1990. Johanna Long – currently ranked 20th in the standings – could move ahead of Moise’s record.

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race #20 of 22
TV Race Coverage: Fri, Nov. 2nd, 8:00pm/et on SPEED
Qualifying: Fri, Nov. 2nd 3:00pm/et on SPEED
Practice: Thur, Nov. 1st 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM [6:00 PM - 7:00 PM EN] on SPEED
Final Practice: Thur, Nov., 1st 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM [7:30 PM – 9:00 PM ET on SPEED

Texas native James Buescher will be shuffling into Texas Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday night. Buescher captured a sixth-place finish in his Turner Motorsports Chevrolet and heads to his home state this weekend with a 21-point advantage over previous points leader, Ty Dillon. Dillon sustained damage to his vehicle after having a tire go down and suffered his worst finish of the season, 28th.

Buescher has the upper hand heading to Texas Motor Speedway with four wins at 1.5-mile tracks this season. Though he has never won in his backyard, Buescher brings Chassis No. 212 that has sent him to Victory Lane four times in 2012.

Timothy Peters remains in the third position (-25) after his seventh-place finish at his home track, followed by teammate Parker Kligerman (-36) in fourth and Joey Coulter rounding out the top five, 46 points out of first.

Other drivers to watch is Brendan Gaughan, who owns four wins and four top-five finishes and Todd Bodine (The Onion) holding six wins and three top-five finishes.

NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Stats – MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Karen Pistone

Martinsville Speedway Data

Chase Race #: 7 of 10

Season Race #: 33 of 36 (10-28-12)

Track Size: 0.562-mile

Banking/Turns: 12 degrees

Banking/Straights: 0 degrees

Frontstretch Length: 800 feet

Backstretch Length: 800 feet

Race Length: 500 laps / 263 miles

Qualifying/Race Data

2011 pole winner: None Due To Weather

2011 race winner: Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 68.648 mph, (3:49:52), 10-30-11

Track qualifying record: Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 98.083 mph, 19.306 sec., 10-21-05

Track race record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 82.223 mph, (3:11:55), 9-22-96

Notebook

· There have been 127 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway, one in the inaugural year and two races per year since 1950.

· Curtis Turner won the pole for the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville in 1949.

· Red Byron won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

· 57 drivers have won poles, led by Darrell Waltrip with eight. Jeff Gordon, with seven poles, can tie that mark this weekend.

· Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Darrell Waltrip share the consecutive pole record, each with three.

· 47 different drivers have won, led by Richard Petty’s 15.

· Jeff Gordon leads active drivers with seven wins. Jimmie Johnson hassixand Denny Hamlin has four.

· 9 races have been won from the pole, the last by Denny Hamlin in October 2010.

· Petty Enterprises has won 19 races, more than any other organization. Hendrick Motorsports, with 18 wins, can tie that mark this weekend.

· Kurt Busch won the 2002 fall race from the 36th starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.

· Three active drivers average a top-10: Jimmie Johnson (5.7), Denny Hamlin (6.4) and Jeff Gordon (7.0).

· Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Martinsville Speedway winner: Richard Petty (4/10/1960 – 22 years, 9 months, 8 days). Oldest NSCS Martinsville Speedway winner: Harry Gant (9/22/1991 – 51 years, 8 months, 12 days).

· Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Martinsville Speedway pole winner: Ricky Rudd (4/26/1981 – 24 years, 7 months, 14 days). Oldest NSCS Martinsville Speedway pole winner: Morgan Shepherd (04/26/1987 – 45 years, 6 months, 14 days).

MARTINSVILLE-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

1 – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.9

2012 Rundown

· Five wins, 12 top fives, 20 top 10s

· Average finish of 10.4

· Led 18 races for 642 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

· Two top 10s

· Average finish of 13.4 in five races

· Average Running Position of 15.2, 13th-best

· Driver Rating of 82.3, 14th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 90.792 mph, 13th-fastest

2 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.1

2012 Rundown

· Three wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 10.4

· Led 23 races for 1,358 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

· Six wins, 14 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 5.8 in 21 races

· Average Running Position of 6.4, second-best

· Series-best Driver Rating of 121.4

· 742 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

· 685 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most

· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 91.456 mph

· Series-high 6,854 Laps in the Top 15 (91.0%)

· Series-high 542 Quality Passes

3 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.6

2012 Rundown

· Five wins, 13 top fives, 16 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 11.9

· Led 22 races for 1,168 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

· Four wins, nine top fives, 12 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 6.4 in 14 races

· Average Running Position of 8.5, third-best

· Driver Rating of 113.4, third-best

· 495 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

· 683 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 91.289 mph, third-fastest

· 5,844 Laps in the Top 15 (83.1%), third-most

· 457 Quality Passes, fourth-most

4 – Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour Energy Benefiting Avon Foundation for Women Toyota)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.6

2012 Rundown

· Three wins, eight top fives, 20 top 10s

· Average finish of 11.0

· Led 12 races for 234 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

· One top five, seven top 10s

· Average finish of 14.7 in 13 races

· Average Running Position of 14.0, seventh-best

· Driver Rating of 87.9, 10th-best

· 127 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 90.903 mph, ninth-fastest

· 4,397 Laps in the Top 15 (67.3%), 10th-most

· 370 Quality Passes, ninth-most

5 – Kasey Kahne (No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.5

2012 Rundown

· Two wins, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s; four poles

· Average finish of 13.1

· Led 10 races for 263 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

· One top five, two top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 21.7 in 17 races

· Average Running Position of 21.8, 22nd-best

· Driver Rating of 73.5, 21st-best

· 162 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

6 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.1

2012 Rundown

· Seven top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 11.0

· Led 11 races for 423 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

· Two top fives, four top 10s

· Average finish of 21.4 in 13 races

· Average Running Position of 22.1, 25th-best

· Driver Rating of 68.4, 24th-best

7 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.5

2012 Rundown

· Three wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 13.2

· Led 14 races for 420 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

· Three wins, nine top fives, 15 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 13.2 in 27 races

· Average Running Position of 10.3, fourth-best

· Driver Rating of 101.5, fourth-best

· 375 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 91.104 mph, fifth-fastest

· 5,680 Laps in the Top 15 (75.4%), fifth-most

· 358 Quality Passes, 11th-most

8 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Pepsi MAX Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.8

2012 Rundown

· One win, 10 top fives, 16 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 14.3

· Led 21 races for 462 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

· Seven wins, 25 top fives, 31 top 10s; seven poles

· Average finish of 7.1 in 39 races

· Series-best Average Running Position of 6.4

· Driver Rating of 120.8, second-best

· Series-high 826 Fastest Laps Run

· Average Green Flag Speed of 91.447 mph, second-fastest

· 6,775 Laps in the Top 15 (89.9%), second-most

· 486 Quality Passes, second-most

9 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.5

2012 Rundown

· Three wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 11.0

· Led 20 races for 476 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

· Three top fives, eight top 10s

· Average finish of 16.0 in 25 races

· Average Running Position of 17.5, 17th-best

· Driver Rating of 79.1, 17th-best

· 764 Green Flag Passes, third-most

· 3,500 Laps in the Top 15 (46.5%), 13th-most

10 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.5

2012 Rundown

· Four top fives, 11 top 10s

· Average finish of 12.0

· Led 8 races for 241 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

· One win, three top fives, 10 top 10s

· Average finish of 16.0 in 22 races

· Average Running Position of 14.2, eighth-best

· Driver Rating of 93.9, seventh-best

· 186 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 90.911 mph, eighth-fastest

· 4,773 Laps in the Top 15 (63.4%), seventh-most

· 363 Quality Passes, 10th-most

11 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.1

2012 Rundown

· Two wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 10.5

· Led 16 races for 721 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

· Two top 10s

· Average finish of 21.9 in 19 races

· Average Running Position of 21.8, 24th-best

· Driver Rating of 67.6, 26th-best

· 709 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

12 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.6

2012 Rundown

· One win, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 10.3

· Led 13 races for 358 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

· 10 top fives, 14 top 10s

· Average finish of 12.6 in 25 races

· Average Running Position of 11.1, fifth-best

· Driver Rating of 100.1, fifth-best

· 435 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

· Series-high 841 Green Flag Passes

· Average Green Flag Speed of 91.133 mph, fourth-fastest

· 5,710 Laps in the Top 15 (75.8%), fourth-most

· 474 Quality Passes, third-most

Chase Contenders

The Top 12 Following Race 32 of 36

Driver	Points	Wins	Poles	Week	Rating
1. Brad Keselowski	2,250	5	0	1	97.9
2. Jimmie Johnson	2,243	3	2	2	109.1
3. Denny Hamlin	2,230	5	3	3	102.6
4. Clint Bowyer	2,225	3	0	4	94.6
5. Kasey Kahne	2,220	2	4	5	95.5
6. Martin Truex Jr.	2,207	0	1	7	97.1
7. Tony Stewart	2,203	3	1	8	87.5
8. Jeff Gordon	2,199	1	2	9	96.8
9. Matt Kenseth	2,195	3	1	11	101.5
10. Kevin Harvick	2,191	0	0	10	91.5
11. Greg Biffle	2,188	2	3	6	101.1
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.	2,128	1	1	12	97.6

NASCAR’s wild, crazy (and sometime’s new) affair with Martinsville Speedway will leave some heated

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Karen Pistone

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

If you’re a NASCAR driver in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, you can either LOVE Martinsville or you can HATE it.

Heading into Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 very well could scramble the Chase standings. Brad Keselowski maintains just a 7-point lead over Jimmie Johnson. Last April’s race at the 0.526-mile track had Johnson, Bowyer and Jeff Gordon piled up on the next-to-final restart of a green-white-checker finish and handed the victory to Ryan Newman. Jeff Gordon, who led 329 laps, finished 14th.

If you remember, however, from the fall of 2006 through the fall of 2010, it was either Johnson or Denny Hamlin that had won every Martinsville race. Johnson holds six – four while in the Chase; Hamlin holds four – two in the Chase. But then came along Tony Stewart, who just happened to win last year’s Martinsville Chase race.

2011 Martinsville NSCS Practice – Dale Earnhardt Jr Cockpit Photo credit: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR

NASCAR has just stated that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been medically cleared to return to NASCAR competition and WILL be back in the seat of the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports this weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

Earnhardt missed the past two events after suffering a second concussion Oct. 7 at Talladega Superspeedway. His first concussion came during testing at Kansas Speedway. Earnhardt was not seen by the Kansas Infield Care Center, but apparently learned he did suffer a mild concussion from that hard hit during testing.

Earnhardt finished third at Martinsville in the spring. He has a pair of second-place finishes (most recent, spring 2011) among 10 top-five finishes and has finished seventh or better in his past four Martinsville starts.

NSCS POINT STANDINGS

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

Ryan Truex will make his truck series debut behind the wheel of the No. 27 Hillman Racing Chevrolet in Saturdays’ Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. This start will mark a “Truex family” trifecta with all three Truex Family members (Martin Truex, Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Truex) having a start in each of NASCAR’s three national touring series at Martinsville Speedway.

Ryan Blaney will also be making his track debut at the 0.526-mile oval, Martinsville Speedway after winning at Iowa Speedway, another short track, earlier this season. Other local drivers will be Tyler Young made his truck series debut at Rockingham Speedway earlier this year and has made two additional starts (Kentucky – June, Bristol) this season. Josh Richards will make his first series start this season in the No. 5 Wauters Motorsports Ford. Richards drove the Kyle Busch Motorsports Chevrolet last season in seven races including the fall Martinsville race. Jeff Agnew from Cooper Hill, Va., has two truck series starts (Spring 2012 and Fall 2011) at Martinsville Speedway with a best finish of 14th last fall. In addition, Agnew has a late model victory captured at the speedway. Grant Enfinger has three truck series starts this season with a best finish of 12th at Daytona and Las Vegas. Matt Merrell will attempt to make his truck series debut in the No.35 Win-Tron Racing Chevrolet.

NCWTS POINT STANDINGS

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES

NNS headed into an off weekend once again with Elliott Sadler holding a six-point lead in the championship standings over Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series returns on Saturday, Nov. 3 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway.

NNS POINT STANDINGS

Sources: NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports PR

Fall winner of Talladega race has never become NSCS Champion

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Karen Pistone

FACT: No fall Talladega winner has gone on to become the NASCAR Sprint Cup champion during the Chase era.

With non-Chase drivers winning four of the eight fall races at Talladega under the current post-season format, watch for an outlier to open the gates to Victory Lane on Sunday.

Seven of this year’s 12 Chase qualifiers (Bowyer, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon) have a ‘Dega victory. Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr., Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth are still looking for one. A member of this year’s Chase field has won 10 of the past 13 races at Talladega Superspeedway.

NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader Brad Keselowski, winner of the track’s spring race earlier this year and in 2009, when he scored his first of nine series victories. Denny Hamlin is 16 points behind Keselowski in third place. A victory would make Keselowski the first to sweep both Talladega races since Jeff Gordon in 2007.

Talladega stands statistically as Jimmie Johnson’s worst-performing track. Kenseth, the Daytona 500 winner, finished third in the track’s spring race with Biffle close behind in fifth place. Both drivers need a victory in the worst way and so does Ford, a winner just twice in the track’s most recent 27 races.

However, do not rule out Jamie McMurray. McMurray was the last Ford driver to win at Talladega (fall 2009) and is both a Daytona 500 and Coke Zero 400 champion in Daytona.

Source: NASCAR Media

Statistical data for NASCAR drivers at Chicagoland Speedway

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Karen Pistone

Chicagoland Speedway Data

Chase Race #: 1 of 10

Season Race #: 27 of 36

Track Size: 1.5-miles

Banking/Turns: 18 degrees

Banking/Tri-Oval: 11 degrees

Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees

Frontstretch Length: 2,400 feet

Backstretch Length: 1,700 feet

Race Length: 267 laps / 400 miles

Qualifying/Race Data
2011 pole winner: Matt Kenseth, Ford (183.243 mph, 29.469 sec., 09-17-11)
2011 race winner: Tony Stewart, Chevrolet (143.306 mph, 2:47:41, 09-19-11)
Track qualifying record: Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet (188.147 mph, 28.701 sec., 07-08-05)
Track race record: David Reutimann, Toyota (145.138 mph, 2:45:34, 07-10-10)

CHICAGO-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota)
2012 Rundown
· Four wins, 11 top fives, 13 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 12.6
· Led 18 races for 899 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
· One top five, two top 10s
· Average finish of 19.2 in six races
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s / Kobalt Tools Chevrolet)
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, 12 top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.3
· Led 17 races for 1,033 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
· Five top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 10.0 in 10 races

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, 10 top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 13.4
· Led 11 races for 378 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
· Three wins, eight top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 8.7 in 11 races

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s
· Average finish of 11.5
· Led 14 races for 409 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
· One top five, one top 10
· Average finish of 18.3 in three races

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Scotch Blue Ford)
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 9.7
· Led 14 races for 634 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
· One top five, one top 10
· Average finish of 18.8 in nine races

Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour Energy Toyota)
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, six top fives, 15 top 10s
· Average finish of 11.5
· Led 7 races for 185 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
· One top five, five top 10s
· Average finish of 10.2 in six races

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/7-Eleven/National Guard Chevrolet)
2012 Rundown
· One win, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 9.9
· Led 12 races for 340 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
· One win, three top fives, four top 10s
· Average finish of 14.8 in 11 races

Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Best Buy Ford)
2012 Rundown
· One win, 10 top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 10.3
· Led 16 races for 362 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
· Two top fives, four top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 12.3 in 11 races

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)
2012 Rundown
· Four top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.0
· Led 7 races for 229 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
· Two wins, six top fives, seven top 10s
· Average finish of 10.4 in 11 races

Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)
2012 Rundown
· Six top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.3
· Led 11 races for 423 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
· One top 10
· Average finish of 18.2 in six races
· Average Running Position of 13.2, ninth-best

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet)
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, seven top fives, 13 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 14.3
· Led 7 races for 252 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
· One top five, two top 10s
· Average finish of 21.0 in eight races

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
2012 Rundown
· One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 14.9
· Led 16 races for 443 laps
Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
· One win, six top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 10.0 in 11 races

The Top 12

Following Race 26 of 36

Driver	Points	Wins	Poles	Week	Rating
1. Denny Hamlin	2,012	4	2	7	101.8
2. Jimmie Johnson	2,009	3	1	4	108.0
3. Tony Stewart	2,009	3	1	10	87.9
4. Brad Keselowski	2,009	3	0	6	95.9
5. Greg Biffle	2,006	2	2	1	102.7
6. Clint Bowyer	2,006	2	0	8	92.6
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.	2,003	1	1	2	99.5
8. Matt Kenseth	2,003	1	1	3	102.4
9. Kevin Harvick	2,000	0	0	9	92.2
10. Martin Truex Jr.	2,000	0	1	5	98.3
11. Kasey Kahne	2,000	0	2	11	93.0
12. Jeff Gordon	2,000	0	1	13	95.8

Even battle for Championship between Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards heading to Texas

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Karen Pistone

Race #: 34 of 36
Track Size: 1.5 miles
Race Length: 501 miles
Banking/corners: 24 degrees
Banking/straights: 5 degrees
Frontstretch: 2,250 feet
Backstretch: 1,330 feet

Qualifying/Race Data
2010 pole winner: Elliott Sadler (195.397 mph, 27.636 seconds)
2010 race winner: Denny Hamlin, 140.456 mph, 11-07-10)
Track qualifying record: Brian Vickers (196.235 mph, 27.518 seconds,
11-03-06)
Track race record: Carl Edwards (151.055 mph, 11-06-05)

1 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 AFLAC Ford)
Three wins, four top fives, five top 10s

2 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
Three wins, six top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole

3 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet)
Four wins, nine top fives, 18 top 10s

4 – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
Three wins, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole

5 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Crown Royal Ford)
Two wins, nine top fives, 12 top 10s

6 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 MyLowe’s Chevrolet)
One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s

7 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
Four top fives, five top 10s

8 – Kurt Busch (No. 22 AAA Dodge)
One win, three top fives, 11 top 10s

9 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard Heritage/AMP Energy Chevrolet)
Four top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole

10 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet)
One win, seven top fives, nine top 10s; two poles

11 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota)
Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s

12 – Ryan Newman (No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet)
One win, three top fives, three top 10s; two poles

This is weird. For the first time in almost six seasons, I am NOT talking about Jimmie Johnson and the Championship. Well, I’ll say it this way… It’s actually a little refreshing!!

Stewart let the world know that he’s after points leader Carl Edwards, whose lead in the Championship points shrunk to only eight points. Edwards started second and finished third at Texas earlier this season. Stewart won at Texas in 2006, and finished 12th there earlier this season.

This is what Carl had to say about Stewart’s threat:

Video courtesy of NASCAR Media

Three Chase drivers head to Texas where they do not have a win: Brad Keselowski (fourth in points), Kevin Harvick (third) and Kyle Busch (seventh).

Keselowski’s best finish at Texas is 14th and he finished 18th there earlier this season; Harvick’s best finish is third, and he finished 20th earlier this season; Busch’s best finish is second, and he finished 16th earlier this season.

Denny Hamlin swept both races last season, and Matt Kenseth won at Texas earlier this season.

Two of the greatest opposites are in the middle of battling it out for the same thing… the Championship trophy. Tony Stewart carries Office Depot – Carl’s old sponsor; while Stewart’s other sponsor is Burger King – Carl’s is Subway; Tony’s outspoken – doesn’t think twice about speaking what’s on his mind and pays no attention to being reprimanded by NASCAR; Carl, well, he likes to smile – a lot; Stewart likes to eat a man’s meal; Carl will be working out. But one advantage Stewart has… he has a better average finish at Texas than Edwards. However, on the other hand, Edwards has two of his best tracks ahead: Texas and Homestead.

If Stewart can overcome his eight-point deficit, he would become the first owner/driver since Alan Kulwicki in 1992 to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. He would join Cale Yarborough, Lee Petty, Darrell Waltrip and David Pearson with three championships.

This, my fellow fans, will be interesting!

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES

Ok, so only three races remain until the champion is crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. The NASCAR Nationwide Series also have three races remaining while coming off two consecutive off weeks.

Danica Patrick is now a full-time NASCAR driver, competing in the final three 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series races as she prepares to run the entire series schedule for JR Motorsports in 2012. In addition, she’ll run a limited schedule in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Stewart-Haas Racing. Her start at Texas will be her ninth this year and her first since Kansas.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. holds a 15-point lead over second-place Elliott Sadler in the driver standings.

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

Only two races remain in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and a hard effort by Austin Dillon at Martinsville last Saturday has put him ever closer to his first championship. He’ll look to increase an 11-point lead over James Buescher in Friday’s WinStar World Casino 350K at Texas.

Kevin Harvick can bring the series owner championship home to the No. 2 KHI Chevrolet at Texas, defeating his nemesis Kyle Busch and KBM Motorsports for that coveted award.

Source: NASCAR Media

‘Wild Card’ Talladega Superspeedway expected to shake up Chase even more

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Karen Pistone

Johnson was hit with a hefty deficit when his accident-induced 34th-place finish at Charlotte dropped him to eighth in the standings, 35 points behind leader Carl Edwards. Is he in? Or is he out?

The Chase drivers in front of Johnson at this point seemingly refuse to finish outside the top 10, making Johnson work even more harder. Edwards has top-10 finishes in all five races, the only driver to do so. And second- and third-place Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth have each finished in the top 10 in four of the five Chase races. So what does Johnson need from those drivers to get back into position for that sixth Championship? Poor finishes.

Talladega is Chevy Country

Rick Hendrick and Richard Childress each carry 11 wins at Talladega, most all-time among owners. And don’t count out Dale Earnhardt, Jr. just quite yet. Earnhardt is always a threat at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ biggest track and runs well on a restrictor plate. He has led laps in each of the last 11 Talladega races. He may very well bring home Hendrick Motorsport’s 200th victory.

Don’t forget last April at Talladega when two records were broke… One was for the closest margin of victory since the inception of electronic scoring in 1993. Jimmie Johnson beat Clint Bowyer to the finish line by .002 seconds.

The second was number of lead changes, 88. That tied a record also set at Talladega, prompting a rather unique bonus program for Sunday. If there are 100 or more lead changes in Sunday’s event, the driver who takes the lead the most times will win $100,000. Expect the intensity to be ratcheted up.

Also this weekend, NASCAR is implementing some rule changes into the mix. The size of the restrictor plate will increase by 1/64 inch and is now going to be 57/64-inch diameter. This will provide the teams with an additional 7-10 horsepower.

The pressure relief valve on the cars’ cooling system will be re-calibrated to reduce the pressure by approximately 8 pounds per square inch from this past April’s race at Talladega.

There will also be no greasing of any kind to the rear bumpers. as this had aided the pushing car to ‘slide’ and lessen the chance of spinning the pushed car.

Nascar is hoping with the rule changes above, will alleviate the two-car tandem racing.

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

The top five in the championship – Dillon, Sauter, James Buescher, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Timothy Peters – are separated by just 25 points. All but Hornaday posted top-10 finishes (led by Sauter’s third place) at Talladega in 2010.

Kevin Harvick Inc.’s No. 2 Chevrolet holds a 73-point lead over Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 18 Toyota in the race for the series owner championship. Busch returns to the series at Talladega where he is the two-time defending winner of the Coca-Cola 250 Powered by Fred.

Last year’s Talladega race saw the closest finish under electronic timing and scoring in series history as Busch edged Aric Almirola by 0.002 seconds.

Also, NASCAR driver Donnie Neuenberger will be returning to the NCWTS at Talladega. Neuenberger will be piloting the #16 Eagle Convenience Stores Chevrolet for Rick Ware Racing and making his 2nd 2011 start.

Read blog posted, June 2011 >

NASCAR driver Donnie Neuenberger overcomes life’s obstacles.

Bracelets supporting The Donnie Neuenberger Foundation will be for sale at Talladega Superspeedway at Donnie’s hauler in the garage area. You can also order directly from The Donnie Neuenberger Foundation at www.dgnracing.com or www.dgnf.org for an order form or by ordering through PayPal.

WELCOME BACK, DONNIE AND GOOD LUCK!!!

Smoke claims “dead weight” gone (clarified); NASCAR Chase stats heading to the Monster Mile

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Karen Pistone

If you may recall, Tony Stewart led last year’s Chase race at the Magic Mile but handed the victory to Bowyer when he ran out of fuel on the final lap. In a dramatic reversal of luck, Stewart ended up winning the second race of the Chase and grabbed a seven-point lead in the Cup standings over 12th-place finisher Kevin Harvick—when Clint Bowyer ran out of fuel with fewer than three laps to go.

Phoenix Racing’s Landon Cassill’s spin on Lap 156 played right into Gordon’s hands just past the halfway point in the 300-lap race, giving them the latitude to finish the race on one more stop.Gordon had led 78 points and running upfront with Stewart, Kahne and Biffle, Martin, Keselowski, Ragan and Hamlin. But then it came time for all to fall into the fuel conservation mode, with Denny Hamlin dropping and running out of fuel – finishing 29th.

QUESTIONED ABOUT WHAT WAS SAID IN VICTORY LANE

(New Hampshire Media Center Post-Race)

Q. Tony brought this up in Victory Lane. Didn’t make it clear what it was about. He spoke at some length and said, We dropped some dead weight earlier this week and it helped a lot this weekend. Can you explain what he was talking about there?

DARIAN GRUBB: I’ve heard a lot of people talk about it, but I haven’t heard what he was talking about. I know he went and did a lot of dirt racing and had a lot of fun this week, kind of unloaded everything. Maybe it was a lot of dead weight off his mind.

Q. No personnel changes in the team?

DARIAN GRUBB: Not that I know of. Maybe he’s talking about me and I just don’t know it yet (laughter).

NEXT RACE: DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

Race #: 29 of 36 (10-02-11)

Track Size: 1 mile

Banking/Corners: 24 degrees

Banking/Straights: 9 degrees

Frontstretch: 1,076 feet

Backstretch: 1,076 feet

Qualifying/Race Data

2010 pole winner: Jimmie Johnson (155.736 mph, 23.116 seconds)

2010 race winner: Jimmie Johnson (131.543 mph, 09-26-10)

Track qualifying record: Jeremy Mayfield (161.522 mph, 22.288 seconds, 06-04-04)

Track race record: Mark Martin (132.719 mph, 09-21-97)

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

· Two wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s

· Average finish of 12.5 in 25 races

2 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Rheem Chasing The Cure Chevrolet)

· Two top fives, eight top 10s

· Average finish of 17.0 in 21 races

3 – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

· Average finish of 17.7 in three races

· Average Running Position of 18.3, 15th-best

4 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 AFLAC Ford)

· One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s

· Average finish of 7.6 in 14 races

5 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet)

· Four wins, 14 top fives, 21 top 10s; four poles

· Average finish of 12.2 in 37 races

6 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota)

· Two wins, seven top fives, eight top 10s

· Average finish of 13.8 in 13 races

7 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Crown Royal Ford)

· Two wins, 11 top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 12.4 in 25 races

8 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet)

· One win, four top fives, seven top 10s

· Average finish of 17.8 in 23 races

9 – Kurt Busch (No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge)

· One win, seven top fives, 15 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 13.0

10 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet)

· Six wins, eight top fives, 13 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 9.6 in 19 races

11 – Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army ROTC Chevrolet)

· Three wins, six top fives, 11 top 10s; four poles

· Average finish of 10.9 in 19 races

12 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota)

· Two top fives, four top 10s

· Average finish of 20.9 in 11 races

Graphic courtesy of Outside the Oval, printed by the Delaware State News. Editor: Kathy Willes

DON’T FORGET!! Get your FREE Fall copy of OUTSIDE THE OVAL!

It’s the best in-print guide to Delaware during race week. Copies can be located at Dover International Speedway and throughout local businesses in Dover, DE.

History at Dover International Speedway

· The official opening of Dover International Speedway, then called Dover Downs International Speedway, was in 1969.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on July 6, 1969.

· The first two races at Dover were 300 miles. The race length was changed to 500 miles in 1971.

· The track surface was changed to concrete in 1995.

· The race length was changed to 400 miles beginning with the second race in 1997.

· The track name was changed to Dover International Speedway in 2002.

Notebook

· There have been 83 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Dover International Speedway since the track opened in 1969.

· There was one race in 1969 and 1970. There has been two-a-year since 1971.

· Richard Petty won the track’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

· There have been 35 different pole winners, led by David Pearson (six).

· David Pearson won the first pole in July 1969.

· Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman lead all active drivers, each with four poles.

· 32 different drivers have posted victories led by Bobby Allison and Richard Petty, each with seven.

· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers, with six victories.

· Hendrick Motorsports has a series-high 12 wins.

· 50 races at Dover have been won from a top-five starting position; 18 races have been won from a starting position outside the top 10.

· 13 drivers have won from the pole. The last to do so was Jimmie Johnson, in last season’s September race.

· The furthest back in the field a race winner started was 37th, by Kyle Petty in 1995.

· Several active drivers had their first start at Dover, including three past champions: Kurt Busch (18th in 2000), Matt Kenseth (sixth in 1998) and Bobby Labonte (34th in 1991).

· In addition, Matt Kenseth (2002) and Michael Waltrip (1991) earned their first pole at Dover. Martin Truex Jr. won his first race there (2007).

Racingal.com

A NASCAR Fan Blog by Karen Pistone

Tag Archives: The Chase

Phoenix International Raceway is the place to be this weekend – plan ahead

NASCAR Chase Contender stats – TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Texas Motor Speedway offering a NASCAR triple header weekend

NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Stats – MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

NASCAR’s wild, crazy (and sometime’s new) affair with Martinsville Speedway will leave some heated

Fall winner of Talladega race has never become NSCS Champion

Statistical data for NASCAR drivers at Chicagoland Speedway

Even battle for Championship between Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards heading to Texas

Video courtesy of NASCAR Media

Source: NASCAR Media

‘Wild Card’ Talladega Superspeedway expected to shake up Chase even more

Smoke claims “dead weight” gone (clarified); NASCAR Chase stats heading to the Monster Mile

QUESTIONED ABOUT WHAT WAS SAID IN VICTORY LANE

Graphic courtesy of Outside the Oval, printed by the Delaware State News. Editor: Kathy Willes

DON’T FORGET!! Get your FREE Fall copy of OUTSIDE THE OVAL!

History at Dover International Speedway

Notebook

Source: NASCAR Media/Integrated Marketing Services