ELIMINATOR ROUND CLINCH SCENARIOS / TALLADEGA

October 24, 2015 – As outlined above, there are no sure things when it comes to Talladega. Having said all that, if the following drivers have the finishes below, they’re assured a spot in the next round – regardless of the finishes of any other driver.

• Denny Hamlin: 14th and no laps led; 15th and at least one lap led; 16th and most laps led
• Kurt Busch: 8th and no laps led; 9th and at least one lap led; 10th and most laps led
• Carl Edwards: 7th and no laps led; 8th and at least one lap led; 9th and most laps led
• Kevin Harvick: 3rd and no laps led; 4th with a lap led
• Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski: 2nd or better; 3rd and at least one lap led; 4th and most laps led
• Martin Truex Jr.: 2nd and no laps led; 3rd and the most laps led
• Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth only control their own destiny with a win.

Coors Light Pole and Keystone Line Pole Qualifying Procedures – Talladega Superspeedway

Qualifying for all superspeedway races will consist of two rounds with the first round’s order based on the slowest to fastest single-lap speed posted in the first practice session.

Qualifying consists of one timed lap. The 12 vehicles that post the fastest single-lap speed from the first round will advance to the final round.

The remaining vehicles will be sorted based on their fastest single lap speed posted in the first round in descending order to determine starting positions 13th – 43rd.

There will be a ten-minute break after the completion of the first round, and the 12 remaining vehicles that advance to the final qualifying round will have their speed reset.

The final round consists of one timed lap. The vehicle’s fastest single lap speed will determine starting positions 1st-12th in descending order.

 

 

THE QUARTET IS BACK FOR TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY’S INFIELD PARTY

The Big One on the Blvd – on Friday, Oct. 17, with New Twists

Bowyer, Harvick, Stenhouse, Jr. & Dillon Return for Tons of Fun Which Will Pay Competition Winner $1,000

TALLADEGA, AL – September 30, 2014 – NASCAR drivers Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Austin Dillon had so much fun at Talladega Superspeedway’s first “Big One on the Blvd”  Parade in the track’s infamous infield in May that they are coming back for more during the track’s Oct. 17-19 weekend. And, this time, fans can expect even bigger and better from the wild side of NASCAR’s Party Capital.

Kevin Harvick

The quartet will oversee a new flurry of activities, which begins with the “Hallow-Dega” costume contest, on Friday, Oct. 17. The crowd, as well as the drivers, will play a key role in determining the fan that walks away with $1,000 in cash, not to mention a lifetime of bragging rights. The champion of the “The Big One on the Boulevard,” will have to win a series of competitions, which will include food and beverages used in unique, vicarious ways.

“This is what Talladega is all about – having clean fun and making sure everyone has a smile on their face, with both the racing and the social atmosphere,” exclaims Bowyer, who pilots the No.15 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing and is a two-time winner at Talladega. “I can’t wait. This is Talladega baby!”

“If fans weren’t a part of this event in May, they need to make plans to attend this one,” said Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. “It’s going to be a blast.”

The parade gets rolling at 6:30 PM (CST) on Friday night at the north end of Talladega Blvd., Bowyer, Stenhouse Jr. and Dillon will be atop the lead float throwing out swag and welcoming fans to NASCAR’s version of Mardi Gras. The parade will make its way down the Blvd., building up excitement as it passes the most colorfully decorated campsites in all of NASCAR. At the south end of the Blvd. the parade will come to a halt, and Harvick will be anxiously waiting on the main staging area for the fan competitions.

“Talladega is a lot of fun,” said Harvick, who has gone to Victory Lane once at Talladega. And, Stenhouse, Jr.,  a regular visitor to Talladega Blvd. during the weekend, says “Talladega definitely knows how to throw a party for their fans. It is just awesome.”

Austin Dillon

On the track, Friday’s schedule at Talladega includes practice and qualifying for the fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race as well as practice for the GEICO 500 for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Saturday will see the drop of the green flag for the fred’s 250 event at high noon (CST), followed by the Food Land/Food Giant qualifying for the GEICO 500 at 3:40 p.m. (CST). Later in the evening, the Saturday Night Concert featuring Thomas Rhett will take place (Free admission with purchase of a Sunday GEICO 500 ticket). Sunday’s GEICO 500 gets underway at 1 p.m. (CST).

The track has many ticket options for fans of all ages, as well as hundreds of acres of FREE Camping. To find out more, call the Talladega ticket office at 1-877-Go-2-DEGA or visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.

 

CHEVROLET SS DRIVERS AND TEAMS LOOK TO TAME THE ‘MONSTER’

‘Challenger’ round Finale Set to Eliminate Four Drivers from Chase Contention at Dover

DETROIT – September 24, 2014 – This weekend’s 400-lap/400-mile AAA 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway is always exciting for Team Chevy. The 1.0-mile track known as the ‘Monster Mile’ is a concrete oval that provides many unique challenges for drivers and teams.  The self-cleaning, high-banked track makes it difficult to avoid mayhem and one small mistake can lead to a disastrous day.

The racing on Sunday will be even more intense because it is the final of three races in the ‘Challenger’ round, the first elimination for the Chase for the Sprint Cup.  The current Chase contender field will be reduced from 16 to 12 when the checkered flag flies at Dover.  The eight Chevrolet SS chasers are all anxious to transfer to the next segment and continue their individual quests for the championship.

The Monster Mile has been a successful 1.0-mile oval for Team Chevy with Chevrolet SS being victorious four out of the last five races at Dover.  Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has had the most success at this track with nine trophies to his credit.

Solid strategy and fast cars will be key for drivers and teams as they deal with predicted warm temperatures which could lead to a slick race track.  For the second week in a row qualifying will be of up most importance in order to get good pit selection on pit road to give the driver a small advantage over the tight competition.

All the action is scheduled to begin Sunday September 28th at 2:00 p.m. ET. Live coverage will be available on ESPN, MRN, Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and NASCAR.com.

ENGINEER EXPERTISE FROM THE GARAGE AREA – PAT SUHY, MANAGER, CHEVROLET RACING – NASCAR GROUP MANAGER:

Pat Suhy

“Congratulations to last weekend’s Team Chevy winners!  It’s always nice to add another driver to the long list of drivers who got their first win in a Chevy, and Cole Custer did a great job in the Camping World Truck Series race at NHMS to add his name to that list.  In the Nationwide Series race in Kentucky, Brendan Gaughan led a trio of Richard Childress Racing Camaros across line and captured Chevrolet’s 15th win of the season in that series.

“Looking ahead to this coming weekend’s triple header at Dover International Speedway, the big story will be that it’s the final race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship ‘Challenger’ round’ of 16.  Chevy has several drivers well positioned to advance into the ‘Contender’ round of 12.

“This concrete one-mile track is challenging enough without the pressure of being a cutoff race within the Chase.  With the added pressure to perform, for some teams it will be interesting to see how the race unfolds.  With the combined efforts of our teams, engineering staffs, and our Team Chevy engineering group, preparations have been made to have the fastest cars possible heading into the weekend.

“Combining fast cars with strategies developed by the talented lineup of Chevy crew chiefs, along with great execution on the track by drivers and pit crews, should lead to some exciting racing and great results for Team Chevy.”

TEAM CHEVY FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT – CHASE CONTENDERS: KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 4 BUDWEISER CHEVROLET SS – 3RD IN STANDINGS

“Dover is definitely one of the most taxing places that we go to for sure. There are just a lot of g-forces as you go off into the corner and it kind of throws you down into a hole. There’s a lot of banking with a lot of speed and it’s hard on your body. I usually leave out of there with sore heels from where my feet have beat on the floorboard through the day. It’s definitely a very taxing race track for a driver.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S/KOBALT TOOLS CHEVROLET SS – 4TH IN STANDINGS

“I love Dover. It’s one of the best tracks for this Lowe’s/Kobalt team.  I think it goes back to my off-road days, this track just suits my driving style. It’s good to have the going into this race, especially since it’s a cut-off race, but it doesn’t guarantee us anything going back. It makes the week leading into it feel a little bit better. It gives us some talking points and places to look at and focus on, but we still have to show up there and get the job done.”

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET SS – 6TH IN STANDINGS

“We run well at Dover. I know everybody is looking at us like we are falling off a little bit, but Chicago hadn’t been a great track for us and New Hampshire hadn’t either. Dover has. So I will be surprised if we don’t go there and be competitive. We were racing for a win there last year and ran pretty good there earlier this year. I look forward to going and having a good car. Dover is not a track where we practice well.  I just have to keep that in mind while we are out there practicing and not get too distraught because we race pretty well there.”

JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DRIVE TO END HUNGER CHEVROLET SS – 7TH IN STANDINGS

“We had a good car last weekend at New Hampshire, but we didn’t get the finish we had hoped for because of the cut tire and damage after hitting the wall. Instead of going into Dover with a good cushion, we have to go there and perform at a high level like we’ve been doing all year to make it to the next round.”

AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 47 HUNGRY JACK/ACME CHEVROLET SS – 10TH IN STANDINGS

“I feel fortunate about being 10th in the points heading into Dover. We haven’t been at our best to be in that position. Last week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, was a good fight out of the team. We fought hard all day. Honestly, 13th was disappointing because we ran better at the end of the race and it didn’t play out. Going into this weekend, I would say that I am not trying to think about it and have all that pressure of advancing to the Contender Round. Things aren’t different for us this weekend. My goal would be no different than if we were 20-something in the points. We just have to have a solid weekend. We haven’t put together a good weekend from start to finish in a while. We have pieced it together and at times have had a good result. Sometimes the first part of weekend is good and the second is not. We need a good overall weekend. I don’t care what’s going around me and where Ryan (Newman) or Greg (Biffle) or any of those guys are.  If we handle our business like we are capable of, we should be in.”

RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 31 QUICKEN LOANS “DESIGN A SCHEME” CHEVROLET SS – 12TH IN STANDINGS

“This obviously is going to be a very important race for a lot of us, including the No. 31 Quicken Loans team. The first two events have not played out as we have hoped. We’re sitting tied with Kasey Kahne in 11th with just six points separating us from the current cutoff spot. With that said, we’re only two points from eighth and 22 out of fifth. It’s close. For us to transfer into the Contender 12 Round, we are going to have to be on top of our game. No mistakes. Dover is a very demanding track but it is usually a track where once we get our car handling right, it stays right because of the concrete. We shouldn’t see the big transition of balance and grip that can really change your day. But if we cannot get the Quicken Loans car to handle, Dover is one of the most frustrating places to race. It’s like a bigger version of Bristol. If you spend the majority of your day looking in the rearview mirror more than the windshield, you are going to have a long day. There is no doubt, Dover is going to be an exciting race to watch and I believe we will have a car capable of contending not only for a transfer spot but a race win. It’s a track I know how to win on, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure our bid for a championship continues.”

KURT BUSCH, NO. 41 HAAS AUTOMATION CHEVROLET SS – 15TH IN STANDINGS

“It’s called the Monster Mile for a reason – the track can chew up cars and spit them out. And it’s because of the tough transitions into the corners with the high banking and even the high-banked straightaways. It’s tough to do that sharp of a turn on a mile racetrack. It’s like you literally jump down into the corner and then jump back up out of the corner onto the straightaway, and so those points of the track are the toughest part – the transition from straightaway to corner. It’s a fun track to drive. You’re always on that edge and, when you’re fast there, it feels extra fast because of how close you have to cut it on corner exit and not hit the wall.”

TEAM CHEVY FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT – NON-CHASE CONTENDERS: KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET SS – 17TH IN STANDINGS

“My team is looking forward to continuing this late-season momentum this weekend at Dover.  As we’ve shown for the past several races, our team is continuing to get stronger and has been really good at overcoming obstacles that pop up at the track.  Both of the Ganassi cars have been fast, and I think we should have a really good Target Chevy to race this weekend.  I thought our race there earlier was pretty good, even though we gave some spots back over the course of the race.  We’ll just look to qualify well and keep the car up front during the race.  Me and my Target team are still racing hard for a win this season.”

JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 MCDONALD’S CHEVROLET SS – 18TH IN STANDINGS

“I’m looking forward to heading to Dover this week.  Not only because it is a fun track to race, but also from the standpoint of our team has really been on a roll of late.  We have really put together some great runs the last few weeks and I feel like we are as good as we have been all year.  We had a good car the first race at Dover and ended up hitting a big chunk of the race track that came apart.  Even with all the damage we were able to overcome and have strong finish.  This is one of the tracks where things happen so fast, we will just need to focus on track position and have our McDonald’s Chevy poised to hopefully continue our string of top-10 finishes from the last three weeks.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 DOW CHEVROLET SS – 20TH IN STANDINGS

“I really like Dover International Speedway because of the physical aspect of the track. You have to muscle your way around that place. With a good car, you can really string out over a long run and gain and pass people. It’s a fast track. It’s a place that aggressive drivers like.”

PAUL MENARD, NO. 27 CERTAINTEED/MENARDS CHEVROLET SS – 21ST IN STANDINGS

“Dover is probably one of the top two or three tracks where you can get a great sensation for speed. There are elevation changes when you drive off into the corner then you drive back up the hill on exit. The tires will fall off a fair amount which means you can move around a lot. It just basically means there are two different ways you can drive at Dover and you can move your car around a little bit to try and compensate for what it’s doing. It’s an exciting track.”

MARTIN TRUEX, JR., NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW CHEVROLET SS – 24TH IN STANDINGS

“I’ve said it many times that I like the speed at Dover. Of all the tracks we go to Dover probably feels the fastest to drive on and I like that. The speed can be pretty scary at times. Dover is closest to home (Mayetta, N.J.) and I have more fans and family at the race than any other track we go to. Honestly our car wasn’t that good back in June but we fought through and finished 6th. For some reason if we can get the car close to a good setup, I can keep it up front at Dover. I don’t know why that is. Maybe it’s home track advantage.”

CASEY MEARS, NO. 13 GEICO CHEVROLET SS – 25TH IN STANDINGS

“Dover is always a fun place for us to go because GEICO’s corporate office is only about 100-miles away. Our Germain Racing team will also be going on a C-17 orientation flight at Dover Air Force Base this week, so everyone’s looking forward to the experience. We’ll have about 20 people from the Air Force base joining us at the race on Sunday, so it will be nice to spend time with the folks that serve in our country’s military. The No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS was good there in the spring race before that block of concrete knocked a hole in our grill, which affected our downforce and slowed us down. Hopefully, that’s an issue we will not have to deal with this trip.”

DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY CHEVROLET SS – 28TH IN STANDINGS

“I always like going to Dover. The track is pretty fun. I remember everyone telling me how unique and challenging Dover was prior to my first race. At the time, I didn’t have a whole lot to compare that track to. They said it was like a larger version of Bristol, but I hadn’t raced at Bristol yet, either. It’s nice to have more of a handle on what to expect heading in there now. Dover is fun. It’s fast and it can make for a really long day of racing. I think that’s part of the appeal of it – how demanding it can be. We definitely want to stay out of trouble, which is easier said than done at these types of tracks.”

JUSTIN ALLGAIER, NO. 51 BRANDT PROFESSIONAL AGRICULTURE CHEVROLET SS – 29TH IN STANDINGS

“Dover [International Speedway] has always been a more difficult track for me. I think it’s definitely one of the more difficult tracks for most drivers. One small slip on the track and you find yourself in a bad position really quick. I struggled there a little bit earlier this year, but I feel like Steve [Addington] and the guys have come up with a good plan for us this weekend.”

MICHAEL ANNETT, NO. 7 CYPRESS HQ CHEVROLET SS – 31ST IN STANDINGS

“Last time out at Dover, we were running in the top 20 when we broke a shock mount and that killed our day right then and there. We all feel that there’s unfinished business at Dover. ‘Bono’ [Manion, crew chief] has won there before, I was close to winning there in Nationwide and we had a really good car there in the spring. Hopefully this time we can put everything together and have a good day.”

 

 

 

REBOUND TIME: BOTTOM FOUR ATTEMPT TO STAY IN THE CHASE HUNT

Ryan Newman

September 19, 2014 – Luckily for Ryan Newman, AJ Allmendinger, Greg Biffle and Aric Almirola, the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup’s Challenger Round does not end after one race. The revamped playoff system keeps all drivers in the hunt until the very last lap at Dover.

Thank goodness. The four stumbled at New Hampshire and currently reside in spots 13-16 in the Chase standings. Sunday’s Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2 p.m. on ESPN) presents vastly different outlooks for each driver as they try to make the cut after the third Chase race at Dover:

Ryan Newman – The most successful driver of the four at New Hampshire, Newman has to like his chances to advance to the Contender Round. He owns a track-record seven Coors Light Pole Awards and ranks tied for first among all entrants with three wins. His last checkered flag at Loudon came in 2011 and he posted a fifth-place finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ first visit there this season.

AJ Allmendinger – In 11 starts at New Hampshire, Allmendinger has one top-10 finish and an average running position of 23.6.

Greg Biffle – Biffle entered the Chase with a string of consistent performances, locking himself into the last spot with five top-10 finishes in his last six regular season races. In 24 starts at New Hampshire, Biffle owns one win (2008), six top fives and nine top 10s.

Aric Almirola – Perhaps the biggest underdog going into the Chase, Almirola was running sixth at Chicagoland until his engine blew with 36 laps to go. The setback caused him to finish 41st. Almirola finished fifth at Loudon in 2013. Otherwise, he hasn’t posted a showing better than 18th in seven other starts there.

 

2015 NASCAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE WENDELL SCOTT TO BE HONORED AT MARTINSVILLE

NASCAR, Front Row Motorsports, Kyle Busch Motorsports and Martinsville Speedway Pay Tribute To Scott With Special Paint Scheme, Number Change

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. September 19, 2014 – NASCAR, Front Row Motorsports, Kyle Busch Motorsports and Martinsville Speedway announced today they will honor 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Wendell Scott, the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR premier series event, with a series of tributes during the Martinsville race weekend from Oct. 24-26.

Wendell Scott

Front Row Motorsports will pay homage to Scott, also the first African-American driver to race full-time in NASCAR’s premier series, with a full throwback paint scheme on its No. 34 Ford driven by David Ragan, reminiscent of the blue No. 34 that he drove to Victory Lane for his first NASCAR premier series victory at Jacksonville Speedway on Dec. 1, 1963. Ragan is one of just three drivers to win in the No. 34, and the first since Scott.

“It’s going to be cool to honor Wendell Scott at his home track with his family,” said Ragan. “I got to drive a tribute scheme for Ned Jarrett a while back, and it’s a tribute to the history of our sport that I get to honor Mr. Scott as an inductee, the last driver to win in the No. 34 before I did. I’m a fan of our sport’s history and have a real appreciation for it, so it’s special to be able to bring that paint scheme back for a weekend.”

In addition, Kyle Busch Motorsports will change the number of Darrell Wallace Jr.’s truck from 54 to 34 in honor of Scott. A NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduate, Wallace became the first African-American to win a NASCAR national series race since Scott’s historic 1963 triumph when he captured the checkered flag in last season’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville.

“It’s an honor to run the No. 34 Toyota Tundra at Martinsville,” said Wallace. “I got my first win at Martinsville and the historical significance of that win and to be so close to Wendell Scott’s hometown was a really cool bonus to getting my first win. The Scott family has followed my career since I ran the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program for Rev Racing and I’ve kept a relationship with the family over the years. Thanks to Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Toyota and NASCAR for allowing me to run the No. 34 at Martinsville. I’m pumped to get back there and hope to get another victory.”

Adding to the celebration, Martinsville Speedway and the NHOF will host members of the Scott family during the race weekend and offer special Q&A opportunities for fans on-site.

“Wendell Scott faced numerous adversities throughout his racing career. At the end of the day though, he persevered and overcame all odds,” said Clay Campbell, president of Martinsville Speedway. “That perseverance serves as an inspiration today and as a testament to that, he was inducted to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.”

A trailblazer whose legacy extends to the present day, Scott was the 1959 NASCAR Virginia Sportsman champion and won over 100 races at local tracks prior to starting his NASCAR premier series career. The Danville, Virginia native served three years in the U.S. Army during World War II where he honed his skills in the motor pool. In 13 years of NASCAR premier series competition, Scott made 495 starts (35th on the all-time list), accumulating 20 top-five and 147 top-10 finishes. He passed away in 1990, at the age of 69.

NASCAR currently awards scholarships in Scott’s name through the United Negro College Fund, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. The Wendell Scott Trailblazer Award is awarded to a diverse or female driver in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series who has demonstrated significant contributions on and off the track. Current NASCAR D4D driver and last year’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Nevada state champion Jay Beasley was the 2013 award recipient.

In addition, NASCAR has designated the first race weekend in March as a time to remember Wendell Scott’s legacy during a week that marks his first career start. Cars in all series run a decal in honor of his accomplishments within the sport.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goody’s ® Headache Relief Shot ® 500 will run Sunday, Oct. 26 at 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200 will run Saturday, Oct. 25 at 1:30 p.m. on FOX Sports 1. Both races will also air on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.

 

DALE EARNHARDT, JR. SWEEPS POCONO

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., driver of the #88 Michael Baker International Chevrolet SS, celebrates his victory Sunday, August 3, 2014 after winning Sunday’s Nascar Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/HHP for Chevy Racing)

Fifth Consecutive Win for Chevrolet at the ‘Tricky Triangle’

LONG POND, Pa. – August 04, 2014 – On the final restart with only three laps remaining, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. took the lead in his No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet SS to win the GoBowling.com 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race, and complete a season sweep at Pocono Raceway.

This was Earnhardt’s third victory of 2014 and 22nd career trip to Victory Lane.  The win marked the fifth consecutive victory at Pocono for Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports. It was the first time a driver has swept at Pocono since Denny Hamlin’s pair of wins in 2006. This is also the second time in Earnhardt, Jr.’s career to complete a season track sweep and first since 2002 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Earnhardt was able to hold off a hard-charging Kevin Harvick in the No. 4 Mobil 1 Chevy SS.  Harvick rebounded from a midrace speeding penalty and a multi-car crash to finish second, giving Chevrolet a 1-2 finish at the ‘Tricky Triangle’. Harvick’s runner-up performance also secured him a berth in the final 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

“They (Kevin Harvick) were faster than my car,” said Earnhardt Jr. in Victory Lane. “I was over-driving it; not rolling the center very good and Kevin was getting me in between turns one and two. I couldn’t back-it-down, and I was just way over-driving the car.   I could get him through the tunnel in (Turn) three and I was fine, but man he could come through (Turns) one and two, and I wasn’t driving the car right.   We had a fast car all day.

“Steve’s (Letarte, crew chief) strategy was perfect at the end,” Earnhardt, Jr. continued.  “I don’t know if anybody knew what was going on but that was pretty awesome.  It takes a really, really smart guy to understand what to do to take those gambles.  Sometimes they pay off and sometimes they don’t.  I can’t believe we swept Pocono.  We definitely went home from the last race and made our car better.  So, that is what I am proudest of this team for.  They went back and didn’t sit on what we had, they wanted to get better, faster car so we didn’t have to rely on luck to win.”

Jeff Gordon, who led a race-high 63 of the 160-lap race in his No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS finished sixth, and also reached two laps-led milestones: 24,000 career laps led in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition and 1,000 laps led at Pocono Raceway.

Jamie McMurray was seventh in the No. 1 Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet SS, Ryan Newman was eighth in the No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevy SS, and Kasey Kahne finished 10th in his No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS. To complete a strong contingent of six Chevrolet SS race cars finishing in the top 10.

Rounding out the top five finishing positions were Joey Logano (Ford) in third, Clint Bowyer (Toyota) in fourth, and Greg Biffle (Ford) in fifth.

The series moves next to New York for road course racing at Watkins Glen International on August 10th.

 

 

DATES SET FOR NASCAR’S: NSCS, NNS AND NCWTS AWARDS

Trump National Doral Miami

NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Move to Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. July 03, 2014 – NASCAR announced that the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards – the annual culmination of Champion’s Week – will be held on Friday, Dec. 5, at Wynn Las Vegas. This is the sixth year that NASCAR has celebrated Champion’s Week in the city of Las Vegas, a tradition that has featured a bevy of A-list entertainers and fan-friendly activities involving the sport’s biggest stars.

Last year’s show, which honored six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, featured many memorable moments from host Jay Mohr and entertainers John Mellencamp, Dierks Bentley and Sara Bareilles.

“Two of the world’s most recognizable brands, NASCAR and Las Vegas, have developed a strong and successful partnership that delivers unrivaled excitement to the sport’s loyal fans,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, president/CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “We’re proud to celebrate this milestone as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards and its Champion’s Week return for the sixth year, proving that no destination matches the passion and energy of NASCAR like Las Vegas.”

NASCAR also announced that the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will hold a joint celebration on Monday, Nov. 17, at Trump National Doral Miami. The event will honor the series driver and owner champions, as well as the top-five drivers in each series.

This is the first year the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will have been held at Trump National Doral Miami. The property was recently purchased by the Trump Organization with plans for a $250 million resort-wide restoration.

“We are honored to host our first-ever joint celebration of these superb events at Trump National Doral Miami,” said Donald Trump Jr., executive vice president of Development and Acquisitions at The Trump Organization. “Our vision for the expansive transformation has been to create an unparalleled event experience and welcome these awards to our newly restored resort.”

“NASCAR’s postseason celebrations continue to be highly anticipated, can’t-miss events on the season’s calendar,” said NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Brent Dewar. “Las Vegas was built on world-class entertainment, and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards and Champion’s Week fit perfectly. In addition, we’re thrilled to shift the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards to Trump National Doral Miami. It’s a first-class property that will certainly provide an elevated experience for our industry and our championship teams.”

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards will air on FOX Sports 1 beginning at 9 p.m. ET. MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the awards show live.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will be broadcast via tape delay on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.

Source: NASCAR

 

 

SEBASTIEN BUEMI SETS THE PACE IN FIRST FORMULA E TEST

LEICESTERSHIRE, UK July 3 2014 – E.dams-Renault’s Sebastien Buemi set the fastest time during today’s maiden official test for the new FIA Formula E Championship at Donington Park, as fans got their first glimpse of the new all-electric series.

The first of five public tests took place at the Leicestershire circuit in dry, bright conditions and saw all 10 teams and drivers use the full Donington Park GP circuit, modified to include an additional chicane at the exit to the Old Hairpin.

Being the first outing for many of the drivers, the day focused on getting to grips with the Spark-Renault SRT_01E cars with German driver Daniel Abt, driving for Audi Sport Abt, laying down the early benchmark for the morning session. The German, who ended the day eighth overall after missing the afternoon session due to other commitments, lapped in the low 1:37s, closely followed by Buemi and Andretti’s Franck Montagny.

Times began to tumble in the afternoon session with Buemi once again on the pace, posting a 1:35.475s with under an hour to go and holding on to the top spot until the end of the day. Abt’s Lucas di Grassi finished over a half a second shy of the Swiss despite only running during the afternoon session with Virgin Racing’s Sam Bird a further three-tenths back in third. Mahindra Racing’s Bruno Senna ran well all day to finish fourth with Venturi’s new signing and ex-Le Mans driver Stephane Sarrazin rounding out the top-five during his first outing in a fully-electric single-seater.

Nicolas Prost (e.dams-Renault), son of four-time Formula One World Champion Alain, finished sixth to edge out Jarno Trulli with Virgin Racing’s Jaime Alguersuari and Mahindra Racing’s Karun Chandhok completing the top-10.

The day also saw outings for several of the championship’s new signings including Amlin Aguri duo Katherine Legge and Antonio Felix da Costa, Venturi’s Nick Heidfeld, Trulli’s Michela Cerruti and Dragon Racing’s Mike Conway.

Former F1 racer Jerome d’Ambrosio and Spain’s Antonio Garcia tested for China Racing with Scott Speed making his test debut for Andretti – sharing the car with IndyCar legend and Formula E ambassador Gil de Ferran.

Sebastien Buemi said: “I’m more than happy to be honest. I didn’t have any problems with the car at all and that meant we were able to learn quite a lot about it. It’s always nice to be P1 so let’s hope it continues tomorrow.”

Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E, added: “Today’s first test has been a special occasion for everyone involved with the FIA Formula E Championship. This project has been a long time coming but to see all the cars and drivers taking part is a very proud moment and my thanks goes to all our investors, partners, teams and Formula E personnel for transforming the FIA’s dream into a reality.”

Day two of testing gets underway tomorrow at 9am with free access to fans, including a pitlane walk.

For more information visit www.fiaformulae.com

 

CORVETTE RACING AT WATKINS GLEN: THIRD STRAIGHT VICTORY FOR GARCIA, MAGNUSSEN

Win equals GT Le Mans championship leads; Gavin and Milner fourth after penalty

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. June 30, 2014 – In its 15 years of existence, Sunday marked Corvette Racing’s first event at Watkins Glen International. The team made its debut one to remember with a dominating GT Le Mans (GTLM) victory in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen for Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R.

The duo led most of the day to earn their third straight class victory in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. In the process, Garcia and Magnussen moved into the lead of the GTLM driver’s championship, as did Chevrolet in the manufacturer standings and the No. 3 Corvette C7.R in team points.

“The Corvette C7.R team’s first race at Watkins Glen was exciting given the challenging track and intense competition that kept the pressure on all race,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Antonio and Jan drove a great race and the crew executed quick pit stops. We are thankful to come out of The Glen with a GTLM class win and the class championship lead.”

Garcia and Magnussen also won the third round of the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup – a four-race championship made of the TUDOR series’ four endurance events.

The Garcia/Magnussen combination led 154 of the 185 GTLM laps. Magnussen drove the opening stint and took the lead from the pole-sitting BMW on the first lap. Despite holding as much as a 30-second lead at various points, the final minutes were tense ones. A full-course caution with 25 minutes left brought the Corvette inside its fuel window for the rest of the race. A final yellow period just after the restart meant a final-lap dash that saw Garcia hold off the second-place Viper by 0.185 seconds.

Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner finished fourth in their No. 4 Corvette C7.R after running second to their teammates for most of the day. A stop-and-go penalty inside the last hour for what race officials judged to be avoidable contact halted their podium charge.

The day wasn’t a complete loss. Gavin and Milner moved into the lead of the Patrón Endurance Challenge with just the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans remaining at the end of the season.

The next round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship is the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix presented by Hawk Performance from Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The race, which Gavin and Milner won last year as part of the American Le Mans Series, is set for 2:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 13.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

“The car was really good. I was running perfect. Jan (Magnussen) made perfect start and pulled a gap. Then we got a caution but we made the gap back up from zero to almost 20 seconds. Whenever I was able to go full-on we went up to almost a 30-second lead. Strategy-wise we were like two or three laps short (on fuel) I believe. We decided because the Viper … maybe they gambled a little bit more at the beginning so they were out of sequence to stretch their fuel to start with; they were good to go to the end. We decided to go too, and it was hard. To go through traffic, it was really difficult to save fuel. At the end we would have been OK to the end (without the last caution). That yellow obviously helped us a little bit more just in case. We weren’t really on it, but I believe Corvette Racing again did a perfect race. I think we led everything but qualifying.”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

“I have to say I am so pleased for how things have gone for the team this year, with the No. 3 car especially, but how we have developed a new car and we keep finding better things to do with it. We are finding better race speed over one lap over the whole distance and making the Michelin tires last for the whole stint. We have a fantastic race car. It’s a very competitive category and you have to be on your game with everything you do. There is no room for any mistakes otherwise you lose it.”

(First race in the Corvette C7.R at The Glen) “I have been here before in other categories, the GRAND-AM GT and also the GRAND-AM DPs earlier. Driving the Corvette C7.R around here is just a fantastic feeling. It’s such a fast race track. It’s almost like there is a part missing of the corner – normally you would have a big braking zone downshifts and everything getting the car ready to rotate and then shoot out the corner. Here that little bit is gone so basically for every corner you barely touch the brake, downshift, back to full throttle. It’s all about the momentum here to build the speed, and that is where dealing with all the traffic was very important; you didn’t get bogged down too much because it would kind of ruin your rhythm. I think both of us did that really well today.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

“Certainly we made a step forward with the car after yesterday morning. We went back to basics with stuff, we changed a lot chassis-wise with the car. So was it the perfect setup? No because it was just really a bit of a stab at it, but it was good enough to race and be in the hunt. I genuinely think we should have had a second-place. Tommy (Milner) did a great job at the start and really got us in a fantastic position. It looked like we were going to be able to race cleanly for second.

(Race impressions) “On the double stint that I did, the first on the medium tire was good and I hung with Jan (Magnussen) pretty much. And then on the harder tire it was trickier. It made it a lot more difficult. But we were still there still in second-place looking like we were going to be able to fight for that and then Tommy (Milner) just got a crazy decision with the penalty. We went back and forth for a long time and it’s a great shame that it ruined our race. We went from second to fourth and I think we should have really had a second. That would have been a great result for the team and the guys. They worked so hard over the whole weekend.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

“First and foremost, I’m very proud of our guys. After Oliver (Gavin) and I were not very happy with the car in practice they put a lot of work into trying to fix the car and it seems like that we have done that. The car was certainly quite a bit better in the race. We were just kind of behind the eight ball – just needed some more practice time to kind of fine tune it, but I think we are back in the ballpark again. That is obviously really encouraging for going forward.

(Race impressions) The race was pretty good. I had a really fun start there. It was just a shame that I got a penalty for something that I don’t believe should have been a penalty. Obviously the race control saw it differently. We can only just move on and kind of put that behind us and be proud of what we achieved. Obviously a great job by the No. 3 car guys; they executed very well. Our guys did as well. We had great pit stops, great strategy calls… they did everything right.  We deserved a podium today, but we had it taken away.”

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER

“Today was emblematic of one of my key racing axioms – 25 percent great car, 25 percent great team and 50 percent good fortune. We had all those in our corner today, backed up by flawless pit stops and a great strategy by our engineers. With plenty of power from GM Powertrain, you add all that up and it’s a victory in our first visit to Watkins Glen International in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. I couldn’t be more proud of our guys for standing on that top step. Everyone worked very hard to earn this one.”

 

 

SCHMIDT PETERSON TEAMMATES POST 1-2 FINISH

HOUSTON – June 30, 2014 – Simon Pagenaud and Mikhail Aleshin turned heartbreak in Race 1 of the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston presented by the Greater Houston Honda Dealers into celebration in Victory Circle following an exhausting 90-lap battle in Race 2.

The Schmidt Peterson Motorsports teammates finished 1-2 on the 1.634-mile, 10-turn temporary street circuit in the second of three doubleheader events this season.

Jack Hawksworth, a Verizon IndyCar Series rookie like Aleshin, leaped from qualifying last to finishing a season-high third. Charlie Kimball finished fourth and Sebastien Bourdais, who overcame a broken front wing sustained in contact on Lap 49 with the car of Helio Castroneves, recovered to finish fifth.

It was the first 1-2 finish for the Indianapolis-based team co-owned by Ric Peterson and former Indy car drivers Sam Schmidt and Davey Hamilton.

“We thought we had the class of the field (in Race 1), but it didn’t work out that way,” team manager Rob Edwards said. “This is much better.”

Pagenaud earned his first Verizon P1 Award for Race 1, but the Frenchman was relegated to a 16th-place finish after struggling on the rain-soaked track at NRG Park. Aleshin’s Race 1 ended on Lap 33 after contact with Takuma Sato in Turn 6 after starting a then-best 10th. He started on the front row for Race 2.

“Awesome race. The car was just beautiful,” said Pagenaud, who earned his second victory of the season. “That’s why I was so disappointed yesterday. We had such a fast car this weekend. We regrouped after Detroit (22nd and 6th-place finishes) and then came up with this package.”

Following the Lap 49 caution, Pagenaud found clear sailing through a Lap 63 pit stop and three more full-course cautions. Aleshin, who drove 40 laps on one set of Firestone primary tires and 18.5 gallons of E85, slid into second on the pit stop.

All four full-season rookies posted podium results this weekend (Carlos Huertas winning and Carlos Munoz placing third in Race 1). Four different teams were represented in the top five.

“I can’t really explain my feeling. I just have so much emotion,” said Aleshin, the first Verizon IndyCar Series driver from Russia. “We had a great qualifying today and had a great race. I had contact with Graham (Rahal) after his pit stop and at this moment I felt like, ‘That’s it.’ But I had a great strategy and had the same pace as the leaders. I was able to catch up and overtake some of them. Because of the strategy we were up there. And then can you imagine? In the end, I (was losing tire pressure). I was really lucky to finish, actually. The team did an amazing job. I don’t have enough English words to thank the team.”

Castroneves, the Verizon P1 Award winner, lost an opportunity to slice into Team Penske teammate Will Power’s championship points advantage in the incident with Bourdais. The No. 3 Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Team Penske was overtaken for the lead in Turn 3 by Pagenaud and then made contact with Bourdais’ No. 11 Mistic KVSH Racing car on the high-speed run-up to Turn 6.

“I had no idea that he was there,” said Castroneves, who tied Rick Mears for fourth all-time with 40 P1 starts. “When I’m attacking I can’t have eyes in the back of my head. I am upset because we had a great car and there were 40 laps to go and I wasn’t panicking to get the lead back.”

Castroneves led a field-high 47 laps to pick up two bonus points, but they were too few. Power, who made contact with a tire barrier on the white flag lap to fall from running third to finish 11th, takes a 39-point lead into the Pocono INDYCAR 500 fueled by Sunoco on July 7. That’s the margin he enjoyed entering the Houston doubleheader. Ryan Hunter-Reay, who finished seventh and sixth on the weekend, closed to 41 points behind. Pagenaud is 59 points back in fourth.

Juan Pablo Montoya, who was runner-up to fellow Columbian Huertas in Race 1, was overtaken by Hunter-Reay for sixth and Ryan Briscoe gained seven positions to finish eighth. Marco Andretti and Tony Kanaan completed the top 10.

“It feels good to come out of this doubleheader in Houston with a top-10 finish,” said Briscoe, who secured his third consecutive top 10 and fifth of the season. “This series is just so competitive and it’s a fight to the finish at every race.”