Young Wallace hopes past success translates at Iowa (NASCAR.com)
July 31, 2009
The Nationwide Series races at Iowa Speedway for the first time Saturday in the U.S. Cellular 250 (4 p.m. ET on ESPN2), but it's like a homecoming for Steve Wallace.
"I've got a lot of laps around Iowa," Wallace said. "It's a really cool, awesome track, so clean and new."
Wallace won an ARCA race in 2006 at the .875-mile track in Newton. He's competed in three other races and done lots of testing on it, including in a Nationwide car before NASCAR instituted its testing ban this season. There were never any problems scheduling track time at Iowa, which was co-designed and is partially owned by father Rusty Wallace.
There are a handful of other drivers entered in this race who have competed at Iowa, including Nationwide points leader Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick, and any advantage Wallace has from his experience at Iowa will be minimal after two days of practice.
Wallace has other sources of confidence that he'll run strongly. He finished a season-best fifth last week at O'Reilly Raceway Park, his sixth top-10 of the season. Wallace is eighth in points.
"It's going really good," Wallace said. "I'm really excited about our season. We've had a lot of strong runs. We've been running real consistent. We've got those top-10s and [seven] more top-15s. I understand these cars, how to drive them and how they're supposed to handle to go fast. I've raced these things enough to know how to get them handling. If your car isn't handling, you're going to be slow."
Wallace has shown tremendous improvement in his third full season in the series. He was 14th in the points with two top-fives and seven top-10s running an entire 35-race schedule in 2008 and didn't have a top-10 in 34 races in 2007. Wallace crashed often in the previous two seasons and was parked by NASCAR for rough driving in one race. He's been a more mature driver this season, almost eliminating what had been termed his "stupid" driving.
"I sort of feel like I was thrown to the wolves the first year," Wallace said. "My dad had a Nationwide car and he wanted me to drive the car. I had won in ARCA, won in Late Models, and it's a tough step for anybody."
Steve Wallace says Rusty Wallace Racing has made big steps, too, in the past three years.
"The team started in 2004 and from 2005 to 2007, it was somewhat a decent Nationwide team," Wallace said. "We had decent money, but we didn't hire the right people. Now, we've got really strong people, good sponsorship dollars and we're strong."
Wallace says adding Trip Bruce, who was crew chief for Johnny Benson's championship team in the Camping World Truck Series in 2008, to be his crew chief on the USfidelis Chevrolet in June has made a big difference.
"Trip has helped me a ton," Wallace said. "He brings a lot to the table. Trip wanted to test a lot and we've been testing a lot. We went to Pikes Peak [International Raceway] right after Milwaukee. It drove just like my dad's track, the banking and shape of the track is similar to Iowa, but the asphalt is worn out. It was a great test to prepare for Iowa."
THREE TO WATCH
Carl Edwards, No. 60: Edwards shaved 20 points off points leader Kyle Busch's points lead with a win last week at ORP, but he's still 192 behind. Edwards did have five wins in the final 11 races of 2008, so he still could make a comeback.
Michael Annett, No. 15: A native of Des Moines, Annett holds the distinction of having run the most competitive laps at Iowa among Nationwide Series drivers, and he'll have plenty of fans in the stands rooting for him. That should give him a chance at his third top-10 this season.
Stephen Leicht, No. 29: Richard Childress Racing's Leicht has three top-10 finishes in six races, and two others no worse than 13th. He runs better at intermediate tracks, so this short track will be a challenge for him.
TRACK CHATTER
Jason Leffler: "I'm happy that we were able to participate in the Goodyear test in May and get a good feel for the track. It went really well. You can't really compare this track to anywhere else we go throughout the year. I had thought it would be a lot like Richmond, but it's a lot bigger than I thought and has a different surface. With only four cars on the track, there was only about a lane-and-a-half of a groove, but once we have 43 cars out there this weekend, it's going to get a nice second groove built in."
Chad Walter, crew chief for Justin Allgaier: "I am looking forward to going to Iowa Speedway. We tested there [in May] for Goodyear which gave [our] team an edge over the competition. Justin has raced there three times in the ARCA RE/MAX Series so he knows what it takes to be successful. It is a great track. You will see side-by-side racing all day long. It is imperative to have a strong qualifying lap. Just like at all the short tracks we visit, being up front is paramount."
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Petty team denies rumor of dropping to three Cup cars (NASCAR.com)
July 31, 2009
A Richard Petty Motorsports spokesman Friday emphatically denied rumors that would be replacing Reed Sorenson in the No. 43 Dodge this season.
Allmendinger's No. 44 has been struggling to find full sponsorship all year, fueling speculation that if RPM needed to downsize, Sorenson would be the odd man out. Sorenson, whose only top-10 finish this season came in the season-opening Daytona 500, is 26th in the Sprint Cup standings, while Allmendinger is 27th.
A note on Ford Racing's Web site earlier this week mentioned the possibility that Petty would shut down the No. 44 when its current sponsorship commitments end after Richmond.
"We'll be running four cars all year," RPM director of media relations Drew Brown said. "It's as simple as that. I don't expect any changes. We'll be running four cars. Nothing's changed."
To say this has been a tumultuous season for Allmendinger might be an understatement. After Gillett Evernham Motorsports merged with Petty Enterprises, Allmendinger was announced to replace Elliott Sadler in the No. 19, only to have Sadler threaten to file suit over breach of contract. He then was signed to a 10-race deal in January, including the Budweiser Shootout.
But as the season has progressed and Allmendinger remained in the top 35 in owners' points, additional sponsorship has been found to keep him on the track. In April, Allmendinger's schedule was extended through Richmond and an option for 2010 was picked up by the team.
Allmendinger began his racing career in go-karts and advanced through open-wheel, winning the Barber Dodge Pro Series championship in 2002 and the Champ Car Atlantic title one year later. He was Champ Car rookie of the year in 2004 and won five races for the Foysthe operation in 2006 before making the switch to stock cars with Red Bull Racing.
Without a guaranteed starting spot, the first-year team struggled mightily in 2007, as Allmendinger made only 17 races, with a best finish of 15th in the fall race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He scored two top-10s in 21 starts for Red Bull in 2008 before being replaced by Scott Speed. But a strong showing in a five-race audition with Gillett Evernham at the end of last season earned him an extension.
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Stewart tries to double up at Pocono (PA SportsTicker)
July 30, 2009
(Sporting News) – When you’re on a roll, it often pays to double up, and that’s what Sprint Cup points leader Tony Stewart will try to do in Sunday’s Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway, site of his first points win as an owner-driver for Stewart-Haas Racing.
Stretching his fuel mileage to the limit, Stewart won the June 7 Pocono 500 at the 2.5-mile Tricky Triangle to secure his first victory since leaving Joe Gibbs Racing for his own team to start the 2009 season.
Propelled by that win, Stewart now holds a 192-point lead in the Cup standings over three-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson, last Sunday’s winner at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“You always think you can do better,” Stewart said, and that statement should serve as a shot across the bow of competitors hoping to find a weakness in his efforts. “I can do better behind the steering wheel. There are always things and variables that you think you can make better, and that’s what you strive for every week. I’ve been happy with our performance.”
He should be. Over the last eight races, Stewart has won twice, finished second twice and placed outside the top five only once (seventh at Michigan). Circumstances hardly could be better for the new team, which receives engines, chassis and technical support from Hendrick Motorsports.
“Historically, we’ve always been better the last half of the season, and the second third and last third of the season in particular,” Stewart said. “This is the best start we’ve ever had to a season in the Cup Series.
“I don’t know what’s different about it. I don’t know what’s changed. I just know that I’m happy with the performance up to this point, and we just hope that what we’ve done up to this point we can continue to do during the last 10-week stretch, so that we have a shot at winning the championship.”
—-=Five to watch=
Denny Hamlin, No. 11. Five drivers currently inside the top 12 have yet to win a race, and Hamlin is one of them. Along with Carl Edwards, he may have the best shot at winning this weekend. He and crew chief Mike Ford both have enjoyed considerable success at the track.
Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42. It will be interesting to see Montoya’s on-track response from last week’s huge disappointment at Indy. Montoya finished eighth in the June race here, showing he’s capable of running well. He needs all the solid finishes he can get over the next six races to stay Chase-eligible.
Greg Biffle, No. 16. Biffle may be in the most danger of falling out of the top 12 this Sunday. In 13 Pocono races, he has just two top-10 finishes. However, he has finished no worse than 15th in his last three.
Kevin Harvick, No. 29. The Chase is well out of reach for Harvick, but at the Brickyard he reappeared in the top 10 for the first time since finishing fourth at Atlanta. Whether he can put together two consecutive top 10s is the bigger question as he haggles over his future with Richard Childress Racing.
Brian Vickers, No. 83. As Vickers continues to wait for a contract extension from Red Bull Racing, the best way to prove your worthiness is to enter victory lane. A top-five finish at Indianapolis may foreshadow a great run this weekend.
—-=Track chatter=
Tony Gibson, crew chief for Ryan Newman: “I have had success (at Pocono) with a couple of different drivers, and I like the racetrack, but it is definitely a challenge because it is such a unique track. Your focus is to figure out the three different corners. All the corners are so different that it is hard to find a balance to fit all three. For a crew chief, I think the most important thing is to concentrate on what will help you and your driver the most.”
Casey Mears: “You know what’s crazy is how much the track can change in that (short) amount of time between (the two Pocono) races. I’ve gone there for the first race and been fast and spot on, then go back for the second race with the same setup and you have to change it all. It’s amazing how much the weather may change the track or maybe what your competitors have learned between now and then, too. But, you always have to stay on top of things even though it’s a short amount of time between the two races.”
Sam Hornish Jr.: “We had a strong run at Pocono in June and were poised for our first top-five finish before it rained. This No. 77 team has shown a lot if strength at flat tracks this year with top-10 finishes at Phoenix and New Hampshire as well as here at Pocono, and we are ready to build on that success.”
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Return trip to Pocono brings out best in Chasers (NASCAR.com)
July 30, 2009
Preview Show Marc Fein and Mike Bell recap Indy, the Chase standings, and look ahead to the tricky triangle of Pocono. •
Fantasy Preview Mike Bell breaks down his fantasy favorites for the race at Pocono. •
Garage Expert Larry McReynolds explains the importance of saving fuel and some of the tricks that drivers use to lengthen their fuel window. •
Track Facts Nikki Alexander brings you all the facts you need to know about the Tricky Triangle in Long Pond, Pa. •
Beyond Pit Road Carl Edwards talks with Matt Yocum about his acting experience on the TBS comedy series The Bill Engvall Show. •
Travel Log It's the second trip to Pocono, and following the trend set forth in Travel Log when the schedule returned to Daytona early in July, the focus will stay … •
Breaking down the Top 12
While most will remember the Brickyard 400 as the race Jimmie Johnson won for a third time, the biggest story in breaking down the top 12 competitors is the absence of Kyle Busch from this list. Busch had troubles all day and finished 38th, dropping from 10th to 14th in points. Here are this week's dapper dozen.
1. Tony Stewart, 3,054 points—In years past, an Indianapolis letdown would have meant a Stewart meltdown. But Stewart was overly pleased with finishing third, his ninth top-five finish in the past 11 races. No doubt that beating everyone's expectations as an owner-driver (including his own) plays a big part in that.
2. Jimmie Johnson, 2,862—Fans can say Johnson got very lucky to win at Indy again, but that's not fair analysis. Johnson consistently puts himself in positions to win and takes advantage when opportunities arise. Just think, he's one title away from tying teammate Jeff Gordon—and becoming the first driver in history to win four consecutive Cup Series titles.
3. Jeff Gordon, 2,847—Not even a pre-race interview with Kelly Ripa could help Gordon win a fifth Brickyard. Gordon did finish ninth for his sixth top-10 in the past seven races, but still hasn't won since Texas.
4. Kurt Busch, 2,608—Busch had to pit under green for a vibration and lost a lap. And with the long green-flag runs, the Lucky Dog free pass eluded Busch and he finished 27th. At least he did better than brother Kyle.
5. Carl Edwards, 2,556—Edwards finished 15th, his fourth finish outside the top 10 in the past five races. But no one can write him off, considering how Roush drivers performed in last year's Chase. If they're saving anything, look out. Edwards could get his first win this weekend at Pocono, where he led a race-high 103 laps in June, finishing second.
6. Denny Hamlin, 2,518—A broken drive shaft early in the race doomed Hamlin, who lost 16 laps because of repairs and finished 34th. His past Pocono success should have him geared for a quick turnaround.
7. Ryan Newman, 2,506—Newman was one of too many drivers complaining how difficult it was to pass, as he finished 14th. Still, he's inching ever closer to his first Chase berth since 2005, when he finished sixth.
8. Kasey Kahne, 2,482—After Darlington, Kahne was 16th in points, 66 markers behind 12th place. After his seventh-place finish at Indy, he's eighth in points and 53 ahead of 12th. Even if Richard Petty wanted more from his teams this past weekend, he has to be pleased about Kahne's position.
9. Mark Martin, 2,471—Martin's idea of driving like he's 13th in points is working well. He was so close to winning another marquee event but accentuated his positives rather than the woe-is-me negatives after Sunday's runner-up finish. He climbed from 11th to ninth in points.
10. Juan Montoya, 2,461—Montoya's penalty for speeding on pit road cost him a race he would have easily won otherwise. Even with his disappointing 11th-place finish, he has finished no worse than 12th since Pocono.
11. Greg Biffle, 2,445—Biffle's fourth-place finish halted a four-race backslide that started at Infineon. Biffle rued the fact that he lost a position to Stewart at the end to save fuel, but that's far better than running out of gas and finishing anywhere outside the top five.
12. Matt Kenseth, 2,429—Kenseth was glad to finish 10th, considering it was his second-best finish in the past seven races. Now that his sponsorship issues have been solved for next season, maybe Kenseth can focus on improving during these last six pre-Chase races. If he doesn't get into gear, Kyle Busch or someone else will pass him.
Top five and five to watch
Here's a look at the top five in points and five drivers to watch in Sunday's Pennsylvania 500. All statistical references are for Sprint Cup races at Pocono Raceway unless otherwise indicated. Driver rating is based on the past nine races at the track.
• Top five …
1. Tony Stewart, 104.6 Driver Rating—Four of the drivers in the top five in Cup Series points are in the top five in Pocono driver rating. Stewart is third on the driver-rating list, and he won from the pole here in June after rain washed out qualifying, stretching his fuel nearly beyond belief. He's finished in the top 10 in seven of the past eight races and will be a threat if he grabs another strong starting spot.
2. Jimmie Johnson, 102.5—Johnson is building momentum for a push toward a record fourth consecutive title, and Pocono should be good for him. Only once in 15 starts has Johnson finished worse than 15th. Top-10 finishes in the past four races and a combined 124 laps led in his past three all but assure that.
3. Jeff Gordon, 96.0—Gordon doesn't have the momentum that teammate Johnson has, but he is contented by his consistency. The first race at Pocono in June started a run of six top-10 finishes in the past seven races. Gordon still is looking for wins though; he could use his first at Pocono since 2007 this Sunday.
4. Kurt Busch, 105.0—Busch crew chief Pat Tryson says the No. 2 team will be in a conservative mode this weekend, as it's just trying to assure its spot in the Chase. You understand that mentality after looking at Busch's results from the past two races at Pocono (38th and 37th). Still, Busch could make some noise, considering he has won there twice and finished second four times in 17 starts.
5. Carl Edwards, 100.4—Edwards is bringing back the same car he finished second with in June, when he led a race-high 103 laps. He has led laps in six of nine career Pocono races and has two wins, including last August's race. He's still looking for his first win of the season.
• Five to watch …
6. Denny Hamlin, 111.3—Hamlin does have the best Pocono driver rating, but his past two finishes at the track are 23rd and 38th, with the latter being the result of a fuel-pump failure in June. But chances are he'll be back up front. He paced final practice at the track in June and was fourth fastest in the first practice.
9. Mark Martin, 98.1—In just two races (a win at Chicagoland and a second-place run at Indy), Martin has gone from 13th in points to ninth, and is just 85 points out of fifth place. Martin and crew chief Alan Gustafson believe they will improve on their 19th-place effort from June based on what they've learned in the meantime.
13. David Reutimann, 61.3—You know your driver rating is bad when former Cup driver 's mark is better than yours, but Reutimann has an excellent chance at making up ground this Sunday. The Franchise has had top-10 runs at Phoenix, Pocono, Loudon and Indianapolis—all flat tracks. He finished third in June and will pounce on anyone ahead of him in points that falters.
14. Kyle Busch, 78.5—Busch fell out of the top 12 for the first time since Fontana, and Pocono probably won't be the track where he'll regain a Chase-eligible spot. Pocono is one of Busch's worst tracks; he's finished 22nd or worse in five of nine career starts. Already behind 12th-place Matt Kenseth by 82 points, a poor showing here will make Busch's Chase chances tougher in the remaining five races.
15. Brian Vickers, 93.5—Vickers is another driver looking to close the gap to the top 12. Being 120 points behind Kenseth, Vickers needs solid runs the rest of the way to give himself a realistic shot of racing his way in. He'll have to forget his most previous runs of 28th and 21st and focus on the four prior top-fives he has at the track.
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Busch riding Chase bubble; McMurray chasing ride (NASCAR.com)
July 30, 2009
1. Is Kyle Busch actually going to miss the Chase?
Raygan Swan: I don't think Kyle will actually miss the Chase, but this weekend he returns to Pocono, where neither his luck or performance is really any good. So I'd rather answer this question after Pocono. But if I must answer, Kyle will make the Chase because Kasey Kahne and David Reutimann won't hold up in the next six races. Bold, yes, but that is my thought.
Bill Kimm: No, no, no! Does he want to be in 14th with six races remaining? Of course not. But there is no way Kyle Busch will miss the Chase. Look for six strong finishes from the No. 18 car, and for one of the boys from Roush Fenway Racing to fall out.
David Caraviello: Yes, he's outside the top 12, but it's not time to panic yet. The kid is way too good to think he can't make up the 82 points currently separating him from 12th in the standings. But he also needs some other drivers to go backward, and if his struggles go on for a few more weeks … well, things are going to get perilous.
Bill Kimm: Thanks for pointing out the obvious, David. More bad finishes means more peril. Busch is too good not to make up the ground. He will be in.
David Caraviello: Well, the Gibbs folks are going through something of a problem stretch right now, with Kyle's performances of late and Denny Hamlin's mechanical failure last week. This is the kind of stuff that knocked them out of the Chase last year. Maybe they're getting it out of the way early this season.
Raygan Swan: Yeah, the talent is there, Bill, but I don't know about Kyle's ability to thrive under pressure. We saw it last season. Kyle does well when everyone is chasing him, not when he is chasing everyone else.
Bill Kimm: Raygs, what happened last year wasn't his fault. His title hopes were gone after two weeks because of fluke mechanical issues.
Raygan Swan: Yes, some of it was not his fault, but the way he handled himself was his fault. Kyle is much like Tony Stewart when Stewart was in his 20s at Gibbs. Team president J.D. Gibbs said so. I think Kyle is still maturing, and if he doesn't make the Chase, so what? Dale Earnhardt Jr. has missed it and will miss it again. Stewart has, too.
David Caraviello: I would agree with Raygan here. Can you imagine Kyle, needing to make up like 40 points or so at Richmond to make the Chase? I don't know if he's ever faced pressure like that in his NASCAR career. How would he deal with it? He might not talk to anyone all week! But let's hope this new, improved "be a better person" Kyle helps him take some of the pressure off himself. Though I'll believe that when I see it, or hear it over the radio.
Bill Kimm: And here we go with his attitude again. The kid hates losing. I like that. Does he take it too far, sure, but us in the media have to quit complaining about him blowing us off—we need to get some thicker skin.
David Caraviello: Well, Bill, when he bolts from the race track, he's not just blowing us off. He's also blowing off the sponsors who have paid umpteen millions to paste their logos on his car and firesuit and want an explanation just like everyone else. He's blowing off fans who will continue to cast him in the somewhat unfair role of the villain. I know this is a lot to comprehend, but stay with me.
Bill Kimm: Then he will have to answer to his sponsors. But he doesn't owe the fans or the media a sound bite.
Raygan Swan: I almost think Kyle missing the Chase, or barely making the top 12, might be the reality check he and the team needs. Because it's almost as if Kyle appeared to be invincible last season. I'm not a sports shrink, but drivers have to have a realistic perception of themselves.
David Caraviello: Five minutes before the cameras, Bill, takes care of all that in one fell swoop. And Raygan, I might agree with you on missing the Chase. I like Kyle the way he is—he's fantastic for the sport—but a small dose of humility might make him a little more palatable to more people in the grandstand. Hey, nobody wants the guy to go all Stuart Smalley. That attitude and arrogance are the best thing going in NASCAR right now. But clearly, he's still working to round off some of his rougher edges. He'll get there.
Raygan Swan: Yeah, because Kyle is a good person off the track. He's dating a nice girl [a Purdue grad], he loves his dogs, he's good to his friends and his family. It's just no one will ever know that, because he's already been typecast as a villain in the sport.
David Caraviello: Much like Bill Kimm in Track Smack!
•
2. Roush Fenway Racing has announced that Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and David Ragan will comprise its driver roster in 2010. Where does this leave Jamie McMurray?
Bill Kimm: The unemployment line. I kid! Roush hopes the entire No. 26 team just slides nicely to Yates Racing, but I don't see that happening.
David Caraviello: He's out of a ride, obviously. And is there any certainty that he'll wind up at Yates Racing? We always thought the "extra" Roush driver under the four-car cap would automatically wind up in the Yates shop, but after this week's announcement I'm not so sure.
Bill Kimm: Yeah David, I think we all assumed Crown Royal and the entire 26 operation would move to Yates, but now with no sponsor on the 26, I don't see that happening.
Raygan Swan: I can't figure Jamie McMurray out. Just when I think he's proving his worth on the track, his performance shifts the other way. I don't know, four seasons with only one win is kind of rough. Maybe he can find success with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, where he found his first Cup win—OK, it was just with Chip Ganassi, but close enough—years ago, but I just don't know.
David Caraviello: Are he and Chip on good enough terms that they might get back together again? And if the answer is yes, does that mean Aric Almirola gets shifted elsewhere once again?
Raygan Swan: I think so, David, because Chip told Danica Patrick to wait, and Aric is too all over the place. That is my speculation only, but I'd rather see J-Mac at EGR than as the Roush B team at Yates Racing, no offense to them. I think NASCAR benefits from a personality like Jamie's.
Bill Kimm: That No. 1 car has to look enticing to McMurray. As for Almirola, I'd rather have Jamie Mac than Aric behind the wheel. And as we've learned, Puffy was ahead of the times when he sang, It's all about the Benjamins, baby!
David Caraviello: The more I think about the Yates thing, the more I think it's not going to happen. I mean, Jamie is having a rough year, but he's still 20th in points. The Yates cars are well below that. And since sponsorship isn't part of the deal, you'd have to think Yates doesn't have the cash to add another program. Of course, stranger things have happened. But if not Yates, where? This is a brutal year to be looking for a ride, especially a rather high-level one of the kind McMurray is used to. Not a lot of openings out there.
Bill Kimm: Aside from the 1, what is out there? Nothing jumps to my mind.
Raygan Swan: Is Gibbs going to open a fourth team? Will Stewart-Haas do a third? No clue. It all depends on sponsorship I would assume.
David Caraviello: Well, there's always that mythical third car at Stewart-Haas, that everyone is lining up for!
Raygan Swan: I put my application in last week, David. Haven't heard back.
David Caraviello: It's all wait and see at this point. Does SHR start up a third car? Does Gibbs add a fourth? Does Kevin Harvick bolt RCR early? Does Red Bull make a change? Is there movement at RPM? All of those things could happen, and none of them could. And given the economic conditions right now, I wouldn't bet on anyone adding an extra car. Somebody needs to start a new team so Brad Keselowski and McMurray can have rides. MacBrad Racing!
Bill Kimm: I think I have 10 bucks in my wallet. How much can you chip in, Raygs?
Raygan Swan: They could steal Go Daddy from Danica, and J-Mac could get that fabulous shampoo sponsor back. Was it Fructis or something like that?
David Caraviello: That was a Brian Vickers sponsor at Hendrick, I believe. (Note: Garnier Fructis was the primary sponsor on the No. 25 Chevrolet for four races in 2005-06).
Raygan Swan: Oh. OK, then I've got $5 on it.
Bill Kimm: Never thought David would out-Raygs Raygan!
David Caraviello: I've been around a little longer, Bill. Plus, I'm out of Fructis Apple Splash conditioner. Need to pick up more at the store today!
•
3. Which race this weekend is more intriguing—the Sprint Cup event at Pocono or the Nationwide debut at Iowa Speedway?
Bill Kimm: I mean this in all niceness to the folks in Pennsylvania, but anything is more intriguing than a Pocono race!
David Caraviello: Iowa, baby. Let's go racing in the corn! Very intrigued to see the racing on this less-than-1-mile tri-oval. Looks something like Richmond, only bigger. And we know what kind of racing there is at Richmond.,
Raygan Swan: That is a tough question, especially for me to answer, because what interests me are storylines off the track, not necessarily the racing at either place. But I'm dying to know if Kyle can pull out a top-10 at Pocono, who will run out of gas this time, or how many rain-delay fights Bob Osborne and Carl Edwards will have.
David Caraviello: Oh please, Raygan. You just miss the bathroom in the Pocono media center.
Raygan Swan: Oh, I knew you wouldn't forget. Thank God for the third trimester! I get to stay home. Besides, they didn't serve the darn pretzels last time out. Where were the pretzels? Joe Menzer was bummed! And as for the bathroom, hovering with an extra 40 pounds is far too great a risk to take for me!
Bill Kimm: This backs up my statement. We are talking about bathrooms and pretzels instead of the racing. Pocono is baaaaadddd.
David Caraviello: Seriously, this is a nice stretch for the Nationwide boys. Last week and this week, they're on tracks that appear—in the case of Iowa, at least—to be more entertaining venues than those the Cup drivers are racing on. No question, the action at O'Reilly Raceway Park last weekend trumped that at the big speedway in Indianapolis. I fully expect the same to happen this week. You just wish there was some way for NASCAR to capitalize on it to get the Nationwide tour a little more pub.
Raygan Swan: Jason Leffler seems to think so. He said the Iowa track is the perfect combination of short track and superspeedway racing. I'll be watching.
Bill Kimm: You're right, David. Pocono needs to trim at least 150 miles off that marathon and only go once a year. Then it might become semi-entertaining again.
David Caraviello: Bill, Pocono has issues. No question, the people up there have been good to NASCAR, and NASCAR hasn't forgotten. But the location, the length, the lack of action … and do they still have that infernal guardrail on the inside of the backstretch? I can still see Steve Park flipping over that thing.
Raygan Swan: Bill, this is the same Pocono where Tony got his first points race win as an owner and pulled some fancy fuel-mileage trick to barely make it across the finish line. How is that not entertaining? And there was a man hug with him and Ryan in Victory Lane!
David Caraviello: And who doesn't love a big man hug from a sweaty Tony Stewart?
Bill Kimm: I know I do!
Raygan Swan: Don't knock it 'til you've tried it, boys!
Bill Kimm: My problem isn't with the people, it's with the track. It just doesn't lead to good racing. And Raygs, I watched every lap of that Pocono race—it wasn't exciting. I don't care how it finished.
Raygan Swan: You know, a lot of the racing this season has been sort of dull, but I appreciate the stories nonetheless. I think there have been some great happenings this season, and that has kept me entertained enough.
David Caraviello: Right now, it looks like three drivers are competing in both events—Kyle, Edwards, and Harvick. That means the usual cross-country travel issues that make these weekends kind of fun. I wonder if they'll all be on the same plane?
Bill Kimm: I'm not sure if I would classify Iowa-to-Pennsylvania as cross-country.
Raygan Swan: Oh no, Kyle is screwed! That's how he landed his terrible finishes last season, overextending himself in trying to do the Trucks [at Texas], Nationwide [at Nashville] and Cup [at Pocono] tripleheader. I do like to see Kyle run, though. Remember, David, what did we say he looked like? A blue heron? The grace of a blue heron. That was it.
David Caraviello: We, kemosabe? I believe that was you!
The opinions expressed are solely those of the participants.
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Appeals court hears arguments in Ky. NASCAR suit
July 30, 2009
CINCINNATI (AP)—The former owners of the Kentucky Speedway are asking a federal appeals court for a green flag to pursue their antitrust claim against NASCAR.
“They were squeezed out,” attorney Stan Chesley, who helped file the lawsuit in 2005, said after arguments Thursday in front of a three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
A lower-court judge last year rejected the speedway’s claim that the racing body and a sister company that operates tracks and promotes races have conspired to monopolize control over who gets the top stock car events.
The Kentucky track, some 40 miles south of Cincinnati, has new ownership that wants the case ended to help its chances of gaining a coveted NASCAR Sprint Cup race. But Chesley said there are important issues for a trial, and that the former owners also want hundreds of millions in damages.
“People have the right to have their case heard in court,” Chesley said.
NASCAR attorney David Boies said the lawsuit against the racing body and its International Speedway Corp. represented impatience by the Kentucky Speedway to get a Sprint Cup race.
“They want one. Everyone wants one,” Boies told the judges.
Boies noted that the speedway has hosted other NASCAR series races since opening in 2000 and was in effect saying: “We want it all and we want it now.”
Plaintiffs’ attorney Charles Rule, who headed the Justice Department’s antitrust division during the Reagan administration, said the alleged conspiracy is meant to keep independent tracks from gaining top-tier races.
“This is a classic case of anti-competitive illegal conduct,” Rule told the judges.
Rule said the new Kentucky Speedway owners, Speedway Motorsports Inc., were co-conspirators. Boies told the judges there was no evidence of that claim.
Kentucky became the eighth NASCAR-sanctioned track in SMI’s portfolio, but the only one without a Cup date. NASCAR has said the lawsuit must end before Kentucky Speedway could get a Sprint Cup race.
“We’re not a party to it, and we’d like to see it resolved,” Mark Simendinger, general manager for the Kentucky Speedway, said in a telephone interview.
Appeals judges typically take months to decide and prepare their opinions.
They repeatedly questioned Rule on his contentions they should overturn the January 2008 ruling by U.S. District Court Judge William O. Bertelsman.
Judge Ronald Lee Gilman asked whether a premium race was “in the eye of the beholder.” Rule replied that NASCAR’s top-tier races draw the most television revenue, fan interest and other benefits to tracks, and are the “major league” of racing.
NASCAR officials say there are limits to how many premium races they can run in a year—the Sprint Cup series currently has 36 points competition races and two “All-Star” races.
“Like other sports—the NFL, Major League Baseball, the NBA—NASCAR has the right to create its schedule and host events where it wants to,” said NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston.
On the Net:
6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals: http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov
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Schumacher working on fitness for comeback (PA SportsTicker)
July 30, 2009
By NESHA STARCEVIC AP Sports Writer
FRANKFURT(AP)—Michael Schumacher is trying to get his 40-year-old body back in shape as he prepares for his Formula One comeback next month.
The seven-time champion is filling in for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa and hopes to race at the European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain, on Aug. 23.
Schumacher retired at the end of the 2006 season, and his return has prompted great anticipation in his home country of Germany.
The comeback is contingent on Schumacher passing a battery of medical tests that could take several days, his doctor, Johannes Peil, said Thursday.
“Had Michael not worked so hard in recent months, all this would not have been possible,” Peil said.
Schumacher was considered one of the fittest drivers in his racing days. Peil said the former champion has been working out at home regularly, especially on his neck muscles.
In February, Schumacher crashed during a motorcycle race and sustained neck injuries never described in detail. He is not believed to have raced on two wheels since. Neck muscles are critical for Formula One drivers, who experience great G forces during a race.
Schumacher holds nearly all Formula One records and won 91 races in 250 starts. His return was welcome news to a sport that has been hit by a series of setbacks, including the withdrawal of two major manufacturers within less than a year. Honda pulled out after last season and BMW announced its withdrawal hours before Schumacher made his decision public.
The manufacturers have been feuding with the sport’s administrators about cost cutting moves and other rules in recent months. Television ratings have also been dropping in Germany, one of its top markets.
“This is the best thing that could happen to Formula One and it’s simply great for our sport,” said Mercedes motor sports chief Norbert Haug.
Former world champion Niki Lauda, also a Ferrari alumnus, warned against huge expectations.
“He doesn’t know the circuit in Valencia, he doesn’t know the car, he is not allowed to do any test driving,” Lauda said. “There are tougher conditions than for his rivals. And on top, Ferrari doesn’t have a top car.”
The circuit in Valencia has been modified since Schumacher’s retirement and testing has been banned to save costs.
World championship leader Jenson Button of Brawn GP expects a tough challenge from Schumacher next month. He described him as “brave” for coming out of retirement.
“Ferrari are very lucky because they have someone working in their team who can jump straight into the car and be competitive – and Michael will be,” Button said. “It’s an interesting one, though, because if he wins people will say they expected him too, and if he doesn’t, they will say he should not have come back.”
Schumacher has been acting as a consultant for Ferrari since his retirement. He steps in for Massa, who was hit in the helmet by a loose part from another car and crashed during qualifying Saturday at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Brazilian was left with multiple skull fractures in the accident and doctors say he will not race again this season.
—-=
AP Sports Writer Rob Harris in London contributed to this report.
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Nationwide Series all set to race at Iowa Speedway (NASCAR.com)
July 30, 2009
There's something to be said about that new-car smell. For the Nationwide Series this week, it's a new-track smell that's raising the scent of anticipation.
OK, so isn't exactly a new, fresh-off-the-factory-assembly-line-straight-to-the-dealership track—it's been hosting races since 2006—but this week will mark the first time any of NASCAR's national series will have raced there.
Unfamiliar with Iowa Speedway, located in Newton, Iowa? A BTN look:
.875Distance in miles. The track has a tri-oval shape.1Iowa Speedway is the first race facility to install the SAFER Barrier as the sole retaining wall surrounding the track.4Degrees of banking along the backstretch.10Degrees of banking along the frontstretch.10-12Variable degrees of banking in the turns.60Width, in feet, of track.104RV spaces located along the backstretch.869Distance, in feet, of the backstretch.1,075Distance, in feet, of the frontstetch.3333Numerical street address of Rusty Wallace Dr., location of Iowa Speedway. It is the first track designed by a driver.25,000Grandstand seating, with and additional 25,000 temporary seats having been installed. Add to that club and luxury seating, and the total increases to 55,000, which would make the crowd the largest to watch a race in Iowa.
NASCAR has raced at Iowa Speedway before with Camping World Series East-West combination event three times, the first in 2007. Coverage of the U.S. Cellular 250 ( | Tickets) begins at 4 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPN.
2Place of finish for Kevin Harick (2007) and Brian Ickler (2009) in the Camping World Series East-West combination race at Iowa. Harvick started on the pole.2Place of finish for Justin Allgaier in a 2008 ARCA race at Iowa.3Drivers entered in this week's race who have won at Iowa Speedway: Kyle Busch (2009) and Brian Ickler (2008), East-West combination event; and Steve Wallace (2006), ARCA event.3Place of finish for Trevor Bayne in the 2008 East-West combination race at Iowa.3Place of finish for Iowa native Michael Annett in a 2007 ARCA race. He started from the pole.4Place of finish for Matt Carter in a 2008 ARCA race at Iowa. He started from the pole.6Place of finish for Austin Dillion in the 2008 East-West combination race. He started from the pole.75,000Dollar amount of the Dash 4 Cash bonus to the eligible winner at Iowa.
THE BUSCH WATCH
Kyle Busch finished second last week at O'Reilly Raceway Park, his eighth consecutive race with a top-two finish. One more would tie Jack Ingram's 1983 record of nine in a row.
14Top-five finishes for Kyle Busch in 20 series races this season. He has a 6.2 average finish, with 17 top-10s.
THE WOW FACTOR
6Hours allowed for an open practice on Thursday, the first time many of the drivers will have ever turned a lap at Iowa. "With the six-hour practice on Thursday, not only will we be able to learn about the track but we'll be able to try a lot of things in our short-track program that we would've liked to already tried but haven't had the opportunity," Jason Keller said.
THE SUPER LOOPER
1,737Laps led in 2009 by Kyle Busch. How dominant has he been? Carl Edwards is second with 575.
BLAST FROM THE PAST
48Career wins in the NASCAR career (all Cup) of Herb Thomas. In 1953, driving a '53 Hudson, Thomas won the first NASCAR race held in Iowa, at Davenport Speedway, a half-mile dirt track. Thomas went on to win the second of his two Cup championships that year. Nationwide Series Standings Pos.+/-DriverPointsBehind 1.—Kyle Busch3296Leader2.—Carl Edwards3104-1923.—Brad Keselowski2904-3924.—Jason Leffler2790-5065.—Joey Logano2395-9016.+1Justin Allgaier2370-9267.-1Mike Bliss2353-9438.—Steve Wallace2311-9859.+1Brendan Gaughan2277-101910.-1Jason Keller2244-1052
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ISC, Premiere joining forces for travel packages (NASCAR.com)
July 30, 2009
International Speedway Corp. and Premiere Global Sports on Thursday announced a multi-year licensing agreement. In the five-and-a-half-year deal, Premiere Global Sports will license and operate ISC's travel brand myRacetravel.com. myRacetravel.com is the official sports/entertainment packaged tour provider for the ISC owned and operated racetracks and events, including the Daytona 500.
myRacetravel.com is the official sports/entertainment packaged tour provider for racing venues including: Auto Club Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Daytona International Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway, Richmond International Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, and Watkins Glen International.
The myRacetravel.com site makes it easy for fans to book travel to live racing events including purchasing tickets, hotel accommodations and transportation to and from the various racetracks. The site even includes access to at-track hospitality and pit passes.
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Kanaan cleared to race following cockpit fire (PA SportsTicker)
July 30, 2009
SPARTA, KY.(AP) —IndyCar star Tony Kanaan has been cleared to return to the track for Saturday’s race at Kentucky Speedway after escaping serious injury after his car caught on fire.
During last week’s race at Edmonton, Kanaan was pulling out of the pits on lap 34 when his fuel hose attached to his Honda remained open. The fuel ignited as he left the pit stall and flames spread to the cockpit as Kanaan coasted down pit road.
The 34-year-old Brazilian sustained superficial burns to his face. He credited the quick action of nearby crews in helping him escape unharmed.
Two Andretti Green Racing crew members who assisted Kanaan also have been cleared to return to work.
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