Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet) and his Stewart-Haas Racing team arrive at Pocono Raceway this Sunday with a history-making NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point lead.
Stewart is the first owner-driver in the series to lead the series championship standings in 17 years. The last time an owner-driver led the series points was on November 15, 1992, when Alan Kulwicki won the series championship over Bill Elliott.
“Everybody respected Alan because he was an owner-driver and what he was able to accomplish,” Stewart said. “It was a little bit before I was really a die-hard NASCAR guy.”
Stewart was a 21-year-old focused on his USAC Sprint Car and Midget career when Kulwicki won the 1992 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.
“You know, you go through a time and you’re able to go back and look at how the history of the sport has evolved and what milestones and moments shaped the sport to what it is,” Stewart said. “So it’s a pretty cool moment to have your organization mentioned with his organization.”
Stewart is excited about the progress of his team, and teammate Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet).
“I’m proud of our organization ... I’m proud of (Director of Competition) Bobby Hutchens, I’m proud of (crew chief) Darian Grubb, I’m proud of our teammate Ryan Newman, and (Newman’s crew chief) Tony Gibson and our entire organization,” Stewart said in sharing the credit for the team’s successful launch.
Newman arrives at Pocono fifth in series points riding five consecutive top-10 finishes and seven top 10s through the first 13 events of 2009. Newman also won the first pole for Stewart-Haas Racing for last month’s Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway where he finished second.
Both drivers have enjoyed success at Pocono, both in 2003. Stewart won the spring Pocono 500, while Newman won the summer Pennsylvania 500 from the pole. Newman also won a Pocono pole in 2007, while Stewart won a pole at Pocono in 2000.
With their second win of the season in the rear-view mirror and a pick-up of two positions in the series championship standings, Jimmie Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus and the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet are ready for the Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway this Sunday.
The three-time and defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions arrive at Pocono third in series standings and amid some serious momentum building, as they mount a charge at what would be an unprecedented fourth consecutive championship in NASCAR’s premier series.
Johnson swept both Pocono Raceway events in the 2004 season. He also has two pole awards at Pocono, including the 2008 Pennsylvania 500.
Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania’s scenic Pocono resort area is unique to NASCAR in many ways. It is the only track of its shape – the “Tricky Triangle” they call it.
At Pocono’s helm is Dr. Joseph R. “Doc” Mattioli, who along with his wife, Dr. Rose C. Mattioli, built, struggled and ultimately flourished at the 2.5 mile triangularly shaped oval. Doc Mattioli is a congenial, energetic man, proud of Pocono’s long path to success, and even more proud of his family.
Pocono Raceway has a special feel to it for more than just competitive racing. Three generations of the Mattioli family are involved with operating the track, and a fourth generation is coming up from the cradle. The Mattiolis strive to make their facility fan friendly and family friendly while seeing to the comfort of those who participate in racing there as well.
“Pocono is special in NASCAR history because of the family that owns and operates it… the Mattiolis, Doc and Rose,” said NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter. “They invested everything they owned to make their unique track successful”.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series takes to the track for the 63rd time in the June 7 Pocono 500, continuing a relationship that dates back to the first race in 1974.
Pocono Raceway had a difficult time in its early years. The Pocono NASCAR race was one of the first ventures outside its traditional southeastern base. USAC Indy Car racing had been Pocono’s marquee event when the track opened in 1971. By the mid-1970s, however, Mattioli’s race track was suffering financially due to ongoing repairs of original construction and he began contemplating its sale.
Bill France Sr. didn’t want Mattioli to throw in the towel.
“My son Joe and I flew to New York to meet Bill to talk about it,” Mattioli said. “We argued about it, but he was a dear friend, too. He took out one of his business cards and wrote this on the back of it: ‘On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of millions who when within grasp of victory sat and waited and waiting died.’ He wanted us to stay the course, and he convinced us to stay with it, and I still carry that card with me. Bill and his wife Anne B. came to Pocono and helped us the first few years. I still think of them every time I look at our grandstands on race day.”
At NASCAR’s request, Pocono added a second NASCAR race in 1982. The Indy Car race lasted through 1989.
“When Ontario Motor Speedway closed after their 1980 race, Bill wanted us to take a second race because NASCAR needed the races,” Mattioli said. “We had our NASCAR race in June and our CART Indy Car race in July. For August, I didn’t think three 500-mile races in three months would work for us. We argued about it but we ended up adding the August race in 1982. It worked out great.”
Grandsons Brandon and Nick Igdalsky serve as the track’s President and Senor Vice President. Granddaughter Ashley Igdalsky is a Vice President and is in charge of construction. Grandson Chase Mattioli is a Vice President. He and Nick are sharing a road racing ride in the KONI Sports Car Challenge Series. Chase also competed in the NASCAR Camping World Series East in 2008 and in ARCA in 2009, while Nick helps operate the Mattioli-owned South Boston (Va.) Motor Speedway, a NASCAR Whelen All American Series track where he has also raced.
Pocono Raceway has been in almost a constant state of evolution since 1990, with millions of dollars of improvements and renovations made each year.
Reflecting on his 84th birthday in April, Mattioli recalls being raised in a house with no electricity or plumbing, going to a two-room schoolhouse and growing or raising all the food the family ate; of serving in the Marine Corps in World War II; benefiting from the G.I. Bill to be educated to become a dentist; running away with wife Rose to be married more than 60 years ago; to being founder and CEO of Pocono Raceway What in his lifetime makes him most proud?
“My family,” he says in an instant. “We have a wonderful relationship, we all live here and everybody is involved with the track. When you have a family like that, you appreciate them.”
Richard Petty won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono on August 4, 1974.
Bill Elliott has the most Pocono victories all-time with five.
Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) has the most top fives (19) and the most top 10s (31).
The Mattiolis have presented the Bill France Award of Excellence in the NASCAR community annually since 1977. The 2009 award winner is Chris Economaki of National Speed Sport News.
The Mattiolis’ South Boston (Va.) Speedway, a .400-mile NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track, is helping bring the next generation of drivers along. Jeb Burton, son of 2002 Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton, is competing in the Limited Sportsman Division at South Boston, where Ward and brother Jeff each launched their NASCAR careers.
Pocono 500 Good News For Hendrick, Gibbs And Penske Teams
Holding top-12 positions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points upon arrival at Pocono Raceway this week should be reason for optimism for several top teams.
Pocono has been the site of success for Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Penske Racing. The teams account for six of the top-seeded drivers in the standings, and 23 Pocono victories.
Hendrick Motorsports is Pocono’s all-time leading win producer with 11. Hendrick drivers Jeff Gordon (4), the late Tim Richmond (3), Jimmie Johnson (2), Geoffrey Bodine (1) and Terry Labonte (1) have contributed to the Pocono win total. Veteran Mark Martin, Hendrick’s newest driver, has not yet been to Pocono’s Victory Lane, nor has second year team driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet).
Bobby Labonte (No. 96 ASK.com Ford) swept both Pocono events for Gibbs in 1999, and added another win in 2001. Tony Stewart took one Pocono win in 2003. Current Gibbs driver Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota) dominated Pocono in 2006 sweeping both event pole awards and races. Gibbs’ rookie driver Joey Logano (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota) will be making his first Pocono start this weekend, while teammate Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota) is still looking for his first Pocono win.
Penske Racing also has six Pocono wins, including four scored by retired driver Rusty Wallace in 1991, 1994, 1996 and 2000. Former team driver Ryan Newman got a Pocono win in 2003 while current driver Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) won there in 2007. Busch’s new teammate David Stremme (No. 12 Penske Racing Dodge) is looking for his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win.
In addition, Roush Fenway Racing has posted three Pocono wins with Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford) in 2005 and last year’s Pennsylvania 500, and with Kurt Busch in 2005.
Richard Childress Racing has a pair of Pocono wins, both with the Dale Earnhardt in 1987 and 1993.
Defending Pocono 500 winner Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge) has been on the move in recent weeks with a seventh in the Coca-Cola 600 and a sixth at Dover. A repeat Pocono win would help Kahne rise from his current 14th place in the standings toward a place in the top 12.
Kahne’s 2008 Pocono win was his first at a track where crew chiefs and drivers have to make compromises for speed’s sake.
Pocono’s irregularly shaped triangle also features three turns of varying degrees, forcing teams to pick their turn for the best set-up, knowing in return they’ll not have their cars as good as they would like elsewhere on the track.
While Pocono features the longest front straightaway on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit, the variable turns have produced the most Pocono wins for drivers who excel on road courses.
Nine-time road-course winner Jeff Gordon has four Pocono wins as does the late Tim Richmond who had five road course wins. Four time Pocono winner Rusty Wallace had six road course wins. Five time Pocono winner Bill Elliott’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win came on the Riverside (Calif.) road course in 1983.
“Guys who do good on road courses do good at Pocono because they can combine speed with car control,” said team owner Rick Hendrick.
Darin Nestlerode (Jersey Shores) - No. 31 car chief)
Greg Erwin (Hatboro) - No. 16 crew chief
Pat Tryson (Malvern) - No. 2 crew chief
Bob Osborne (Chester) - No. 99 crew chief
Travis Geisler (Cranberry Township) - No. 77 crew chief
Frank Kerr (Bensalem) - No. 47 crew chief
Kevin Buskirk (Nazareth) - No. 17 crew chief
Ben Beshore (York) - No. 16 engineer
Stephen Ritchie (Jonestown) - No. 19 engine tuner
Clark Rupp (Hawthorn) - No. 1 mechanic
Lance Munksgard (Warren) - No. 83 pit crew coach
Scott Munksgard (Warren) - No. 83 shock specialist
Jerry Wittig (Redding) - No. 31 shock specialist
Jason Seitzinger (Shartesville) - No. 24 shock specialist
Brad Little (New Kensington) - No. 9 sign man
Toby Mellott (Needmore) - No. 19 tire specialist
Mike Harold (York) - No. 43 tire specialist
Wesley Lape (Sinking Spring) - No. 26 tire specialist
Ray Erwin (Willow Grove) - No. 8 transporter driver
Mark Miller (New Wilmington) - No. 13 transporter driver
Ben Holm (West Chester) - No. 26 catch can man
The last trip the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series took to Pocono must have felt like a complete nightmare for Denny Hamlin.
He finished 23rd, a respectable enough result – if it weren’t Hamlin at Pocono.
Hamlin has owned Pocono in his short three-year career. Ever since his first trip around the quirky and unique tri-oval, Hamlin was a natural.
In his first Pocono trip in 2006, he won the pole – then the race. In his second trip, he did the exact same thing.
Hamlin’s first five Pocono races all resulted in top-10 finishes, and four of the five were top-three finishes.
Only in last August’s Pennsylvania 500 did Hamlin struggle, and the statistics suggest that his run was much better than his result.
In that race, Hamlin had a Driver Rating of 89.5 and an Average Running Position of 11th. So it’s no wonder that Hamlin has the top statistics at Pocono – by far.
In his six-race Pocono career, Hamlin has a series-best Average Running Position of 6.5, a series-best Driver Rating of 123.6 and a series-best Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 90.6%. He is also second in Fastest Laps Run with 201, eight behind leader Kurt Busch.
Busch, owner of two perfect Driver Ratings at Pocono (in his 2005 and 2007 victories), is Hamlin’s prime threat this weekend.
Always strong at Pocono, Busch should continue his “comeback” season. At Pocono, Busch has a Driver Rating of 106.8 (second-best), an Average Running Position of 10.1 (second) and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 74.0% (fifth).
Also an intriguing choice this weekend is Tony Stewart, who needed only 13 races to reach one driver-owner milestone. This past weekend in Dover, he became the first driver-owner to lead the points since Alan Kulwicki on the last day of the 1992 season. Now he looks to be the first driver-owner to win a race since Ricky Rudd in 1998.
Pocono statistically fits Stewart’s style. He has a Driver Rating of 102.4 (third), an Average Running Position of 10.9 (fourth) and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 78.3% (second).
Michigan International Speedway opens its 40th anniversary season with the LifeLock 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event on June 14.
The track hosted it’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Motor State 400, in 1969. Cale Yarborough the race in a Wood Brothers Mercury, while Donnie Allison won the pole in a Banjo Matthews-owned Ford.
Next week’s LifeLock 400 is the 80th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the two-mile oval.
Ford has been the dominant manufacturer at Michigan. The Blue Oval bunch leads all brands with 31 victories. Chevrolet is second on the all-time win list with 17 wins, including its most recent with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in last year’s LifeLock 400 at MIS.
However, in the August Michigan 400, Carl Edwards quickly answered with Ford’s 31st win.
Ford was not always dominant at MIS. While David Pearson drove a Holman-Moody Ford to victory in the August 1969 event at Michigan, it was 14 years until Ford won again when Bill Elliott won the June 1984 event there.
Since then, Ford has won 28 of the last 46 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Michigan.
Elliott has seven career wins at MIS, and is entered to drive the Wood Brothers No. 12 Motorcraft Ford in next week’s event. The Woods Bros. have contributed 11 of Ford’s Michigan wins.
In addition to Earnhardt, Hendrick Motorsports has been to the MIS Victory Lane three other times with Jeff Gordon in 1998 and 2001; and Ricky Rudd in 1993. Hendrick’s newest driver Mark Martin also has four MIS wins, all when he was driving the No. 6 Jack Roush prepared Fords.
Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is the only current Hendrick driver who has yet to win at Michigan. His best finish there was third in 2007.
In Coor’s Light Pole Award qualifying, Ford and Chevrolet are tied with 22 poles each. In 2008, Brian Vickers (No. 83 Red Bull Toyota) brought Toyota it’s first MIS pole.
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: TNT, (12:30 p.m. ET)
Schedule: (All times local ET) Friday—Practice, 12:00-1:30 p.m., Qualifying, 3:40 p.m. Saturday—Practice, 10-10:45 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.-12:20 p.m.
For Immediate ReleaseNASCAR Sprint Cup Series News And Notes-Lowe's Motor Speedway
It’s Golden: NASCAR Celebrates The 50th Coca-Cola 600
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 19, 2009) – Cue the balloons and noisemakers.
When the green flag falls late Sunday afternoon at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers will contest the 50th running of one of the sport’s most notable events — the Coca-Cola 600.
As NASCAR’s longest race, the Coca-Cola 600 has embraced career-defining debuts, victories and action each year since its 1960 christening — an inimitable formula of distance and difficulty that hasn’t mellowed with the years.
“I think it's more of a mental thing that our minds are programmed for 500 miles,” said three-time Coca-Cola 600 champion Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet), “and when you hear halfway and you look up at the scoreboard and you realize you've gone 300 and you've got 300 to go, it's kind of a mental thing that you have to focus on.”
Joe Lee Johnson won the first Coca-Cola 600 on June 19, 1960, also the first race at the then-new 1.5-mile track outside Charlotte, N.C. Intended as a new Memorial Day tradition, that first Coca-Cola 600 had to wait a few weeks as construction crews completed their work.
But since then, tradition has held firm. A quick statistical synopsis:
Beginning with Joe Lee Johnson, 14 drivers have won one Coca-Cola 600.
Thirteen drivers have won multiple Coca-Cola 600s, led by three-time series champion Darrell Waltrip’s five victories.
Six drivers have won three Coca-Cola 600s: David Pearson, Buddy Baker, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) and Jimmie Johnson.
Six other drivers have won two Coca-Cola 600s: Fred Lorenzen, Jim Paschal, Richard Petty, Neil Bonnett, Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet) and Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge).
Reigning and three-time series champion Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to win three consecutive Coca-Cola 600s. He did it from 2003-05.
“I do like the 600-mile race from a history standpoint,” he said. “And I also like the challenge, to work on the car all night long. Start in the day, go to the night, the longer race, all the aspects that come with it ."
The Longest And The Toughest: Uniqueness Of Coca-Cola 600 Format
Four hundred laps and 600 miles usually equals approximately four-and-a-half hours behind the wheel at 1.5-mile Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Add late May heat and humidity. Teeth-rattling speeds. The evolution of a daylight start, mid-race dusk and a checkered flag in the evening. Combined, all those factors pose unique challenges, making patience, endurance and focus the keys to thriving in — and winning — the Coca-Cola 600.
“The late afternoon start throws a wrench at you because your eating and sleep schedules change,” said Jeff Burton, the 1999 Coca-Cola 600 champion. “Then, you add 600 miles of racing on top of that. It’s a perfect storm of stuff going on that makes this race a challenge. Don’t get me wrong – there are no excuses. You have to be physically ready no matter what.”
Fuel mileage and pit-road strategy become paramount as the hours dwindle.
“The track will change a lot as the sun goes down,” said Matt Kenseth (No. 17 R&L Carriers Ford), the 2000 Coca-Cola 600 champion, “and you have to have your car set up where you can keep up with the track with different adjustments when needed. You'll have to keep up with the track conditions and that usually means altering your setup throughout the race.”
“It’s tough on equipment and it’s tough mentally,” said Jeff Gordon, a three-time Coca-Cola 600 champion. “You have to mentally stay in the game and be focused for 600 miles.”
History-Maker: Coca-Cola 600 The Backdrop For Notable Victories, Career-Firsts
NASCAR’s longest event, the Coca-Cola 600, has yielded more than a few milestones through its first 49 years.
Some NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have defined their careers via a Coca-Cola 600 victory.
Others have used it to launch their careers.
The most recent first-time winner is Casey Mears (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet), whose 2007 Coca-Cola 600 win was the first of his series career. Then driving for Hendrick Motorsports, Mears and his crew used tenacity, endurance and timely pit-road strategy to snare the victory.
Other drivers who claimed their series-first wins in the Coca-Cola 600 include David Pearson, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte (No. 96 ASK.com Ford) and Matt Kenseth.
Pearson, who won three Coca-Cola 600s, did so in 1961, 1974 and 1976.
The 1960 series Rookie of the Year, Pearson nevertheless couldn’t find a ride in ‘61. When legendary car owner Ray Fox’s regular driver, Darel Dieringer, couldn’t compete in the second annual Coca-Cola 600 due to a conflict with a tire supplier, promoter Joe Littlejohn alerted the owner to Pearson, who was making a living doing roofing work.
The latter jumped into Fox’s car and won the ‘61 Coca-Cola 600 by two laps — his first series visit to Victory Lane.
It’s a routine Pearson would become accustomed to, racking up three series titles and second-place on the all-time wins list, with 105.
Gordon, currently sixth on the all-time wins list with 82 victories, raced to his first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory in the 1994 Coca-Cola 600.
As the reigning Raybestos Rookie of the Year, Gordon won the pole for the ‘94 Coca-Cola 600 with a track-record run. But after leading the first lap, he stayed invisible for much of the race, avoiding the attrition rate plaguing other drivers.
Gordon didn’t re-take the lead until Lap 300, and then only for two laps. He surged back in front for good on Lap 392, beating runner-up Rusty Wallace by nearly four seconds.
Labonte, the 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, was just getting started in 1995, his third full-time season. Then driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, he won his first series race in the ‘95 Coca-Cola 600, after starting on the outside pole.
His finish was a bit of a classic. He won by a whopping 6.28 seconds over runner-up and older brother Terry Labonte, the 1984 series champion. The elder Labonte would win his second series title a year later, in 1996.
“Memorial Day is huge for motorsports and obviously for our veterans and military,” Bobby Labonte said. “So, it’s a neat deal. Now that we live here and we race in it, it’s pretty neat. It meant a lot to win the Coke 600.”
Though he didn’t win the Coca-Cola 600 in his title season, the younger Labonte figured in Kenseth’s career-first victory that season.
Kenseth, who would win the 2003 series title, won the 2000 Coca-Cola 600 as a rookie. He edged Bobby Labonte by 0.573 seconds.
The Coca-Cola 600 also has been the race of choice for series debuts. Those drivers who turned their first official NASCAR Sprint Cup laps in the Memorial Day event at LMS include:
Dale Earnhardt (1975) finished 22nd;
Janet Guthrie (1976) finished 15th;
Michael Waltrip (1985) finished 28th;
Elliott Sadler (1998) finished 42nd;
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1999) finished 16th.
Guthrie’s debut also made history. She became the first female driver to race on a superspeedway in NASCAR competition.
It’s Johnson’s House, But Edwards And Kyle Busch May Have A Foot In The Door
The obvious favorite at Lowe’s Motor Speedway is Jimmie Johnson.
He’s the only driver with an average finish under 10.0 (his is 8.9).
He’s the only driver with a Driver Rating over 110.0 (his is 117.1). And he’s the only driver with an Average Running Position under 10.0 (his is 7.2).
But two other drivers in particular seem poised to steal Johnson’s “King of Lowe’s Motor Speedway” crown: Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch.
Neither have won, but theirs statistics suggest it is just a matter of time.
Edwards has the second-best average finish – 10.8, the only other driver close to average a top-10 finish.
Likewise, his career Loop Data statistics at LMS are strong.
He has a Driver Rating of 89.0 (seventh-best), an Average Running Position of 16.8 (eighth), 61 Fastest Laps Run (13th), a series-high 604 Green Flag Passes and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 51.6% (10th).
Busch seems even more likely to nab his first LMS win, which would fit his success spectrum. He has 15 wins, and only at Bristol Motor Speedway is he a repeat winner. It’s almost as if Busch loves the element of surprise.
But if he wins at LMS, few will be shocked.
Busch has finished in the top four in each of the last three LMS races, and has led at least one lap in the last five races there.
Busch’s Loop Data statistics are among the best. He is the only other driver beside Johnson to earn a Driver Rating over 100.0. His is 100.4.
Additionally, Busch has an Average Running Position of 12.2 (third-best), 183 Fastest Laps Run (third-most), an average Green Flag Speed of 176.233 mph (second-fastest) and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 75.1% (third).
Charting Progress: Hornish Hopes To Build On Past Memorial Day Success
Learning curves aren’t much fun.
So has Sam Hornish Jr., a former Indianapolis 500 champion (2006) and three-time IndyCar Series champion, found out in his 18-month NASCAR Sprint Cup foray for Penske Racing.
But just days away from one of the series’ marquee races — the 50th Coca-Cola 600 — the former open-wheel star has found both solid footing and flashes of brilliance.
Which soon may pay off in the standings.
Two recent top-10 finishes, plus last week’s stellar performance in the 25th annual NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at LMS, signal Hornish’s learning and comfort gains.
He’s 31st in the standings heading into Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, but he and his No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge team feel upward-bound.
Hardware always helps.
Hornish won last weekend’s Sprint Showdown, the preliminary race that sends the winner to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. He finished 16th in the evening’s main event.
“I love racing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway,” Hornish said. “It is by far one of my favorite tracks. Having the chance to compete in the All-Star Race gave me an additional 100 laps of practice for this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600. I also earned my first NASCAR trophy by winning the Sprint Showdown and it was such a thrill for me and the entire Mobil 1 team.”
Last month’s ninth-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway and a sixth-place result three week’s ago at Richmond International Raceway are further signs of progress. Add a pair of fourth-place starts at Talladega Superspeedway and Darlington Raceway, and Hornish believes he may have overcome last year’s rookie trials and this year’s tough start.
“I’m so happy with the progress we are making as team,” he said. “We’ve had some really good runs lately and it is due to everyone’s hard work and dedication.
“I’ve been saying for a while that good things were coming, that all the pieces were falling into place.
“I’m excited to get back to Lowe’s Motor Speedway this weekend for the Coca-Cola 600. We all hope to have another strong run in the Mobil 1 Dodge. It’s the longest race of the year at 400 laps so patience will be key as well as just taking care of yourself physically so that we can be there in the end.”
At LMS, Hornish will be surrounded by former open-wheel brethren, including the 2000 Indianapolis 500 champion, Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Target Dodge), and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet), the 1997 IndyCar Series champion who won last week’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
Other former open-wheel standouts who will compete at LMS on Memorial Day weekend include Jeff Gordon, Robby Gordon (No. 7 Jim Beam/Operation Home Front Toyota), Kasey Kahne, Casey Mears, AJ Allmendinger (No 44 Hunt Brothers Pizza Dodge), Scott Speed (No. 82 Red Bull Toyota), Dave Blaney (No. 66 Prism Motorsports Toyota) and Max Papis (No. 13 GEICO Toyota).
NASCAR Sprint All-Star Week: A Competitive And Fan-Friendly Success
Last week’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race victory by Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart capped an exciting and eventful all-star weekend in the Charlotte, N.C., area.
As the first part of the two weeks of NASCAR national-series racing that traditionally ends the month of May, Stewart’s win was a career-first in all-star competition.
But it was preceded by plenty of excitement.
The very popular band O.A.R. opened the festivities with a “NASCAR Rev’d Up” concert last Wednesday evening, drawing a crowd of 15,000 to uptown Charlotte.
A day later, Jeff Burton’s No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet team won the 5th Annual NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman. Held at Time-Warner Cable Arena, Burton’s Richard Childress Racing crew beat 23 other NASCAR Sprint Cup teams, before an enthusiastic crowd of all ages.
On Saturday night, actor Kevin Costner and his band, Modern West, played a pre-race concert at LMS. The band Montgomery Gentry also performed a pre-race concert for fans.
As for on-track exploits, the Sprint Fan Vote provided another piece of all-star drama. Thanks to millions of votes, Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender Joey Logano (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) earned a starting spot in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
The weather even smiled — holding off earlier rain and permitting the 140,000 in attendance to witness all 100 laps of all-star excitement.
Perhaps the last 10 laps were the most thrilling yet as Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge), Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet), Matt Kenseth and Stewart all battled for the win and the million-dollar paycheck, with Stewart finally muscling in front of the others.
Hundreds of fans also stayed to watch Stewart’s Victory Lane celebration from the LMS frontstretch.
NSCS, Etc.
Bill Elliott, the 1988 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, is approaching a significant milestone.
His next start will be his 800th, which means fans may witness history if Elliott qualifies the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 Motorcraft Ford for Sunday’s 50th Coca-Cola 600.
David Reutimann (No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota) will make his 75th career start on Sunday.
All 50 U.S. states are accounted for in the home address of ticketholders for Sunday’s 50th Coca-Cola 600, according to LMS officials, who also report that fans from Canada, Australia, Belgium, Bermuda, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom will attend Sunday’s race.
NASCAR legend Bobby Allison, the 1983 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion who will serve as Grand Marshal for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, will be honored the day before in Concord, N.C.
Historic Downtown Concord is hosting a Tribute to Bobby Allison from 3-7 p.m. on Friday, May 22. It’s a family-oriented event on Union Street that will include a proclamation, musical performances by Charlotte Music Legends Band and Jeff Luckadoo.
Up Next: Dover International Speedway
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ next stop is the Autism Speaks 400 presented by Heluva Good Sour Cream Dips & Cheese. It takes place next Sunday, May 31, at Dover International Speedway.
Kyle Busch is the defending winner. Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M/Red Cross Ford) is the defending pole sitter.
Legends Bobby Allison and Richard Petty lead all drivers with seven Dover wins each. Mark Martin (No. 5 CARQUEST/Kellogg’s Chevrolet) leads active drivers with 21 top fives and 28 top 10s at Dover. He and Jeff Gordon lead all active drivers with four Dover wins each.
Fast Facts
The Race: Coca-Cola 600
The Date: Sunday, May 24
The Track: Lowe’s Motor Speedway (1.5-mile quad-oval)
The Time: 5:45 p.m. ET
The Distance: 400 laps/600 miles
TV: FOX. 5:00 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN and Sirius Satellite
(WSOC-FM 103.7 local)
2008 Polesitter: Kyle Busch
2008 Winner: Kasey Kahne
For Immediate ReleaseNASCAR Sprint Cup Series News And Notes - Phoenix
4-For-4? Johnson Hopes To Extend Winning Streak At Phoenix
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Last November, Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) made track history by becoming the first driver to win three consecutive races at Phoenix International Raceway.
On Saturday, the three-time and defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion will attempt to extend that history with a fourth consecutive Phoenix victory — this time in the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500.
“There’s not really anything I can put my finger on,” Johnson said. “I know that’s a popular question, wanting to know why a driver does well at a certain track. I think something just clicks with certain drivers at certain places. We’ve just been able to get the car comfortable for me and I’ve just been able to get around the track. During a race there’s a lot that can go on at a short track like Phoenix and having a good pit stall and good pit stops is important too.”
He has three wins, six top fives, nine top 10s and one pole in 11 series starts at Phoenix. No shock, then, that Johnson leads five pre-race NASCAR Loop Data categories for Phoenix — Driver Rating (122.0), Average Running Position (4.992), Fastest Laps Run (266), Average Green Flag Speed (123.719 mph) and Laps in the Top 15 (2,383 or 95.4%). He also boasts an average finish of 5.5.
If Johnson requires more motivation, he need only look inward. The last driver to win four consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup races was … Jimmie Johnson. He did from 2004-’05 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Chasing history and another Phoenix victory is a must for Johnson, who trails only Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) in the series standings. The top-ranked Gordon leads the second-place Johnson by 162 points and is the series’ most recent winner, two weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway. Johnson finished second in that event, and knows he must keep pace to slice Gordon’s lead.
“I don’t really go into a race thinking about stats,” Johnson said. “It is pretty cool that we’ve had some good runs lately at Phoenix. The last win gave us some good momentum going into (the 2008 season-finale) at Homestead. Don’t get me wrong, a win is always a big deal and never easy and winning four in a row somewhere like Phoenix would certainly be special, but it’s not something that I’m really thinking about a lot.”
Sweeps The Norm Rather Than Exception At Phoenix
Although it looks benign nestled against the Estrella Mountains, Phoenix International Raceway can be as tough as any wildlife lurking in nearby peaks.
The flat, one-mile track features tight turns and a unique dog-leg-shaped backstretch that forces concentration from beginning to end of each lap.
Yet once drivers “tune in” to those nuances, they tend to stay attuned. Just ask Jimmie Johnson, who hopes Sunday’s SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 will be his fourth consecutive victory there.
Sweeping seems contagious at Phoenix. There have been two season sweeps since the venue began hosting two NASCAR Sprint Cup events in 2005. (PIR had its first series race in 1988).
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) was the first driver to do so, winning both 2006 events. Johnson became the second driver with a Phoenix season sweep, capturing both 2008 events. He split with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon in 2007, winning the fall event while Gordon won the spring race.
But back-to-back Phoenix victories weren’t unusual before the track had two races each year. Davey Allison was the first to do it in 1991 and ‘92. Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet) won the 2000 and ‘01 events, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet) won in 2003 and ‘04.
A Closer Look At Drivers With Four-Or-More Consecutive Wins At the Same Track
If three-time and defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson pulls into Victory Lane following Saturday night’s SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, he’ll add another line to the chart at far right.
Nine drivers — including Johnson — have won four or more consecutive series races at the same track. Johnson himself has done it once in his seven-year career, in 2004 and 2005 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
The list, with Johnson, includes six series champions: Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Bill Elliott, Rex White and Cale Yarborough.
The standards are Waltrip and Petty, who each won seven consecutive races at the same track, Waltrip at Bristol Motor Speedway and Petty at Richmond International Raceway.
Waltrip accomplished the four-or-more consecutive win feat three times at three different tracks. Petty and Bobby Isaac did it twice at two different tracks. Five drivers — White, Elliott, Yarborough, Fred Lorenzen and Dale Earnhardt Jr. — have won four or more consecutive races at the same track once in their careers.
Bristol is the only track where the four-or-more consecutive win feat has happened twice — once with Waltrip and again with Yarbrough. The latter’s four wins began with the spring race of 1976 and ended with the fall event of 1977.
Waltrip’s streak of seven consecutive wins at Bristol began with the spring event of 1981 and ended with the spring event of 1984 — all accomplished while driving for legendary team owner Junior Johnson.
During the same time period, Waltrip reeled off five consecutive victories at North Wilkesboro Speedway, beginning with the fall event of 1981 and ending with the fall event of 1983.
Waltrip’s third consecutive win streak, this time totally four, occurred at Nashville Speedway. It began with the July event of 1981 and ended with the May event of 1983.
Petty’s seven consecutive wins at Richmond began with the spring event of 1971 and ended with the fall event of 1973.
His four consecutive wins at South Boston Speedway began with the spring event of 1963 and ended with the August event of 1968.
Isaac, the other driver to twice win at least four consecutive races at the same track, did so at Hickory Motor Speedway and Green-ville-Pickens Speedway.
At Hickory, Isaac’s four-in-a-row run began with the spring 1969 event and ended with the fall 1970 event. At Greenville, his winning run also began with the spring event of 1969 and ended with the spring event of 1971.
Since the mid-1980s, when Elliott reeled off four consecutive wins at Michigan International Speedway, Earnhardt is the only driver other than Johnson to do so. He won four straight at Talladega, beginning with the fall event of 2001 and ending with the spring event of 2003.
Richard Childress Racing Another Team To Watch At Phoenix
While Hendrick Motorsports has claimed four consecutive victories at Phoenix International Raceway — three for Jimmie Johnson and one for Jeff Gordon — Richard Childress Racing shouldn’t be ignored.
Two RCR drivers, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton, have won back-to-back races there, and teammate Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet) has challenged for victories.
Harvick, who heads into Saturday in 14th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings, is looking to vault back into the top 12, and Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup eligibility.
Phoenix is a good place for a boost. Harvick has two wins, three top fives and six top 10s in 12 series starts there. According to pre-race NASCAR Loop Data statistics for Phoenix, he also owns the second-best Driver Rating (105.4), Average Running Position (7.9) and Laps in the Top 15 (2,113 or 84.6%).
Burton has two wins, five top fives and 11 top 10s in 19 series starts at Phoenix.
Bowyer, who has yet to win there, has been a factor. He made his series debut at Phoenix on April 23, 2005, finishing 22nd, and has two top fives in seven Phoenix starts — a runner-up finish last April and a fifth-place finish in April 2006.
Bowyer also has had some lousy Phoenix luck. In November 2006, he was 10th with eight laps remaining. A collision with Burton knocked an oil line loose and he ended the race in the garage — his last DNF (did not finish).
A year later, a potential top-five November finish was spoiled by late-race brake issues; Bowyer finished 11th.
Note: Coincidentally, Bowyer could tie Harvick’s record of consecutive races running at the finish this week. Bowyer has 80 consecutive starts running at the finish; Harvick has 81.
Loop Data: Statistics Point To Steady Performances From Edwards
Any number of drivers would beg for a slump similar to the one Carl Edwards (No. 99 SUBWAY Ford) supposedly suffers.
Edwards, after ending last season with three wins in the final four races, has yet to enter Victory Lane in 2009 and has posted only one top five in the first seven races.
Still, he sits eighth in points and ranks in the top 10 in every key Loop Data category. Through the first seven races, Edwards has a Driver Rating of 99.5 (seventh), an Average Running Position of 10.6 (sixth), 93 Fastest Laps Run (seventh) and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 83.3% (fourth).
Those numbers – as well as his win total – could improve this weekend. Though not a typical layout at which Edwards excels, Phoenix has been kind to the Missouri native. Edwards has a reputation for dominance at the 1.5- and 2-mile courses, a reputation that is well deserved. He has won at nine different tracks in his career, six are intermediate layouts.
Still, Edwards has been strong at Phoenix, a flat one-mile tri-oval. Though he has yet to win there, Edwards has posted top-10 finishes in six of his nine Phoenix starts – including fourth-place finishes in each of last season’s races there.
Since the inception of Loop Data in 2005, Edwards has a Phoenix Driver Rating of 103.3 (third-best), an Average Running Position of 12.7 (seventh), 181 Fastest Laps Run (third), an average Green Flag Speed of 123.525 mph (second) and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 76.0% (sixth).
Likewise, Edwards’ Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford) is strong at Phoenix – and is also hoping to snap a slump.
Biffle finished third at Texas, but prior to that had three consecutive finishes outside the top 25. A strong finish at Phoenix would likely mean a return to the top 12 for Biffle, who currently sits 15th.
Biffle has finished in the top 10 in two of the last three Phoenix races, has a Driver Rating of 100.5 (fourth), an Average Running Position of 14.6 (12th) and 257 Fastest Laps Run (second).
A New Racing Experience: Biffle Heading Off-Road In The Desert
Greg Biffle drives cars for a living, trucks and motorcycles because he loves them, and bulldozers to get work done on his North Carolina property.
This week, the phrase “making tracks” becomes a new experience for Biffle, who is scheduled to participate in his first-ever off-road competition in Primm, Nev.
He’ll drive the F-150 SVT Raptor in the Best in the Desert Terrible’s 250 on Thursday, April 16. Specifically, Biffle is participating in the event’s Fun Run, a different sort of tune-up before he heads south for this week’s SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.
He admits it’s a challenge he couldn’t resist.
“I really enjoy off-road-ing,” Biffle said. “I enjoy my sand car. I’ve never run pre-Baja or anything like that and I might do that this year, but I’ve never really been in a specific off-road.”
He gets that opportunity this week, thanks to Ford engineers seeking some professional feedback for the F-150 SVT Raptor.
The truck part certainly isn’t unfamiliar.
Biffle is the 2000 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion — and the 2002 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion — and he’s spent plenty of his own time tooling around deserts in a recreational sand vehicle.
The potential of barreling over cacti and rocks in a truck is more the unknown.
“I think that I would be more of a closed-course guy than wide open across the desert, not knowing what’s over the next hump,” Biffle said. “Just going wide open where you have no idea what’s coming up may not be the thing for me. I don’t even do that on the sand dunes. I get to know my area fairly well when I’m there and then you can have a lot of fun.”
Sprint Fan Vote Opens For NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
The Sprint Fan Vote, which allows fans to select a driver to compete in the annual NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, opened Tuesday, April 14.
Unlimited voting is available through May 16, also the date of the 25th anniversary of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Fans may vote by visiting www.sprint.com/speed, or at the track-side Sprint Experience on NASCAR Sprint Cup race weekends. They also can vote via wireless submission on their Sprint device by texting “NASCAR” to 7777 to download NASCAR Sprint Cup MobileSM (standard text messaging and data rates apply).
Last year, Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge) became the first driver to win the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race after qualifying for it via the Sprint Fan Vote.
Past Sprint Fan Vote winners are Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shop/Tracker Boats Chevrolet), who won it in 2005; Kyle Petty, who won it in 2006 and Kenny Wallace, who won it in 2007.
To be eligible for the Sprint Fan Vote, drivers must have been in the top 50 in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings in 2008 or have attempted to qualify for a 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race as of March 23, 2009.
The driver with the most votes, who also finishes the Sprint Showdown on the lead lap, will transfer to the all-star field. The Sprint Fan Vote winner will be announced following the completion of the Sprint Showdown.
NSCS Etc.
Milestones At Phoenix: Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, will make his 300th career series start in Saturday’s SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.
Mark Martin (No. 5 CARQUEST/Kellogg’s Chevrolet), who leads all drivers with nine top-five finishes at Phoenix, will be going for his 400th career top-10 finish.
Greg Biffle will be going for his 50th career top-five finish.
Clint Bowyer will be going for his 50th career top-10 finish.
TRG Motorsports At New York International Auto Show: Team owner Kevin Buckler is taking an unusual tact in publicizing his organization.
Cars and drivers from Buckler’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and the KONI Sports Car Challenge teams are participaing in this week’s New York International Auto Show. The event from April 10-19 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.
The TRP Motorsports contingent includes sports-car drivers Andy Lally and Spencer Pumpelly, and NASCAR Sprint Cup driver David Gilliland (No. 71 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet).
On display will be the No. 67 Porsche GT3 that won the 2009 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and Gilliland’s car that’s scheduled for competition next week at Talladega Superspeedway.
Lally was scheduled to appear at the auto show Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Wednesday, April 15 at 3 p.m. Pumpelly will appear at 4 p.m., on Thursday, April 16. Gilliland’s appearances were Monday, April 13 and Tuesday, April 14 at noon.
Buckler says it’s a win-win opportunity.
“We plan to use the show to do business,” he said, “not just show our nice shiny race cars.”
Off-Track News This Week:
Sister Act: Country music recording artists Kate and Kacey Coppola will sing the National Anthem for Sunday’s SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500. The identical twins, who hail from Nashville, Tenn., were semi-finalists on the CMT reality series “Can You Duet?”
Kate and Kacey are scheduled to release their debut single, “Dreaming Love” on April 27. Other honorary officials include former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan – the NFL’s record-holder for most sacks in a single season – will serve as Grand Marshal for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, April 18.
Phoenix To Host Military Families: As a neighbor to Luke Air Force Base, Phoenix International Raceway officials are reaching out to military families for the fourth consecutive year.
The track’s Salute To Military Families Presented by VFW will allow thousands of Armed Forces members and their loved ones to attend Sunday’s SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500. The second of two ticket distribution events will be held Thursday, April 16 at Luke Air Force Base from 2-4 p.m., with Kevin Harvick scheduled to participate.
Fans also can participate in one of two ways:
Purchasing “Hot Laps for the Troops” for $50, a hot-lap experience with the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving on Wednesday, April 15 and Saturday, April 18, or a special “Stars and Stripes” hat for $30 while supplies last.
Proceeds from both the hat and hot-lap purchases will benefit the Salute to Military Program. Visit www.phoenixraceway.com for more information.
Up Next: Talladega Superspeedway
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors return to the high banks next week for the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.
The Sunday, April 26 event will be televised by FOX. The pre-race show starts at 1 p.m. ET with the race starting at approximately 2 p.m.
Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota) is the defending champion of the Aaron’s 499. Last year’s victory marked his first at the 2.66-mile venue.
Joe Nemechek (No. 87 NEMCO Toyota) is the defending pole winner. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with six wins at Talladega.
Fast Facts
Next Race: SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500
The Date: Saturday, April 18
The Track: Phoenix International Raceway; 1 mile oval
The Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
The Distance: 500 kilometers/312 laps/312 miles
TV: FOX, 8 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN (local, KGME-AM 910) and Sirius Satellite
2008 Polesitter: Ryan Newman
2008 Winner: Jimmie Johnson
