D.J. Kennington and Andrew Ranger, the best of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
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[/media-credit]When Andrew Ranger took the checkered flag a couple weekends ago at Circuit ICAR, he tied D.J. Kennington for the most victories all-time in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. So it begs the question – who is the best of the series between them?
For starters, Ranger is a two-time series champion, having won the championship in both 2007 and 2009. Kennington has only won the championship once – 2010 – though currently has a healthy points lead on the field.
Kennington, though, holds the record for the most consecutive wins in NASCAR Canadian Tire Series history with five in a row, which he did this year. It was Ranger that ended that streak at Circuit ICAR.
Kennington has been a main-stay in the series, always known as a championship contender each year. Meanwhile, Ranger has ventured off, not running the full schedule for a span of two years following his second championship. Kennington won his 16 races in 71 starts with a total of 51 top fives and 59 top 10s. Ranger, meanwhile, won his 16 races in 54 starts, with a total of 31 top fives and 47 top 10s. That mean, Ranger has finished in the top 10 in 87% of his starts while Kennington has finished in the top 10 in 83% of his starts.
All in all, both drivers are pretty even throughout the numbers, each having a fair bit of success. The difference comes when you look at where they have each scored their wins.
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series runs half their races on road courses, well the other half is on ovals. For Kennington, 15 of his 16 wins have come on ovals. Meanwhile, Ranger has 13 of his 16 wins on the road courses. Both are consistant on both types of track, though Kennington shines on ovals while Ranger shines on road courses. It goes back to how they each got started in racing.
Kennington got his start racing on the short tracks across Ontario, mainly at Delaware Speedway, before moving up to CASCAR, which then became the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.
Ranger, meanwhile, began down the open-wheel road, racing in those ranks for five years, before moving to the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. The move came following no sponsorship in 2007 after Champ Car merged with the Indy Racing League.
So in reality, both are highly considered the best in history for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and each deserve a spot at the top of the list as it shows the diversity that the series offers in both road course and oval racing. It also showcases that you need to have a strong racing background and be good at both if you want to reign at the top at the end of the year.
This year, it looks to be Kennington’s year. However, next year could easily be Ranger’s as this is just for the first year for his team in the series.
Looking out for a champion: Eddie D’Hondt
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[/media-credit]How did you become a spotter?
“Well, I used to drive late models and modified’s in the NASCAR touring division. I first drove to Charlotte in 1996. I became a General Manager since I have a good business background and we needed a spotter one day for the Cup race with Bill Elliott when I was a general manager there so I just started doing it and I’ve been doing it ever since 12-13 years ago.”
Entering adulthood, was your plan originally to work in auto racing or did you have another plan for your future?
“Everything just kind of fell into place. I went to high school and college at C.W. Post on a Baseball and academic scholarship and I went there and started commercial window business in Manhattan where we made and sold commercial window systems and I just raced in the area. I did that for about 15-16 years. But, I raced all over the East Coast while I did that. A bunch of us moved down to Charlotte in 1996, Tommy Baldwin, myself, and Steve Park, and it just kind of all evolved.”
How did you manage your time between your business and your racing?
“We had very little sleep. I had to wake up at four o’clock every day to travel to my job and then come home and be with my family for a little while and then go to the shop and work on my race cars and go to be at 12:30-one o’clock every night.”
What has been the biggest challenge that you’ve faced in your career?
“I think the change in it all. After about four years I went to work for Bill Elliott as his General Manager. I wanted to work with him for the rest of my life. His career was winding down and Ray Evernham came up to me and asked me if I can convince Bill to drive for him as he was going to start up a Dodge team and he wanted me to come and be his General Manager. Eventually he bought out Bill Elliott Racing. After that I became the GM at Evernham Motorsports. But, the biggest challenge has been changing jobs because the platform of the sport changes. I worked with Robert Yates for almost four years and became like a second son to him and the challenge itself has been to pick up teams from the ground and the business changes in one way or another. The change of it is a little bit devastating but you have to try to make the best of it in the long term.”
Can you elaborate on your relationship with Robert Yates, Tommy Baldwin, and Ray Evernham?
“Tommy and I have been best friends for 37 years, our friendship goes back when he was seven years old and I stuffed him in a tire and rolled him down a hill in the mud and we became best friend’s ever since. His dad and I were extremely close. As far as Ray goes, I knew him from back home and when I came down here and I was always happy for him and his accomplishments. Then I started working for him for a while. Robert and getting to know him and getting to run his company and turning it around was a pretty big change from when I got there. I can say that I became a second son to him and after three and a half years his career wound down and sold the team. I spent so much time with these people, it’s pretty easy to build a relationship with them. You spend more time with the people you work with than your own family.”
What years did you work with RYR and what did you do to turn around the team?
“I started in the last two races in 2003 and I left mid-season 2006. When I left, there was trouble financially. When I got there, they had two top ten’s between Dale Jarrett and Elliott Sadler and then the next year they had two wins, 23 tops ten’s and when I took over it totally changed a lot of the ways things were going on. They just needed someone to come in and give a fresh look at it. We won Talladega in 2005 and it was also the last time Dale Jarrett won a race. It was pretty good for a couple of years and they ran well.”
How do you take that experience you have with managing teams and taking it to the teams when your spotting?
“There aren’t that many parts of the managerial side that play a role while spotting, it’s more of my time as a driver. I make it seem like the driver’s I’m working with are in my shoes.”
Previously, you worked with Kyle Busch, this season you’re working with Jeff Gordon and Justin Allgair. What differences do you see between the two drivers compared to other drivers you worked with in the past?
“Jeff is a Cup Series professional and he’s extremely professional in his approach as he never ever gets angry, he doesn’t call out anyone on our team and when something goes wrong he’s the positive guy that takes care of everything and he’s extremely talented. Kyle is also talented, but he’s more exaggerated in his feelings and emotions. All of the stuff that is happening to him is happening for the first time when Jeff has been through all of it, winning four championships and having a lot of experience. With Kyle, he has all of the talent in the world to win multiple championships, but they are totally different personalities. They’re both very good but on two parts of the spectrum.”
What are the differences which you have witnessed going from Joe Gibbs Racing to Hendrick Motorsports?
“I think that they’re very similar in how they approach things on the performance side. My son works at JGR and I’m very happy for him. At HMS, it’s very polished, they have more years than JGR, JGR started up after HMS so you can see that the experience things that HMS has with the championships between Jimmie Johnson and Jeff in house as opposed to just three with JGR with Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte. It’s just the maturity of the organization. Gibbs will get to winning championships in years to come, but I think Hendrick stand on its own platform.”
What does your OLDEST son do with JGR?
“He is a mechanic for the No. 18 Nationwide team.”
Besides being a spotter, what additional roles do you have with the team?
“None, that is all I do with the No. 24 team. I also spot for Miguel Paludo and Justin Allgair. I do contract work for drivers and teams, but that’s all I do.”
When not spotting or writing up contracts, what do you usually do?
“Well I have two dogs that I look after and take care of in my house. I’ve been doing a lot of laundry these days because we’re in mid-season form and get home at four o’clock in the morning on Saturday night.”
Does the speed of the sport, going week-to-week ever get to you?
“Yeah it does, but, after all these years, I’ve gotten a pretty good basis of it without overwhelming me. I can see that happening to some young kids that drive. But, I started all of this in 1981 and have been through it for a quite amount of years. The schedule isn’t foreign to me. It used to be a lot harder with all of the testing where we spent the weekend at the racetrack and then go to another track for three days to test.”
How much longer do you plan on spotting?
“I don’t really know. I don’t really have a plan. I’ll probably keep going as long as I can do it. I enjoy working for the best company in the business and the best driver in the business. But, I don’t really have a plan.”
Once you do retire, what will you do with all the free time every weekend?
“I don’t know (chuckles). That’s a good question, but I’m not sure yet. Maybe I’ll consult for people. It’s just in my blood and it’s really hard to walk away from it.”
With your managerial background, what is the possibility of you owning a team in the future?
“I owned two Nationwide teams with Tommy Baldwin and myself and then I had my own Nationwide team and ARCA team with Randy Humphrey. I might get back to it one day, but it would be when the economy turns around a little bit better and when I can get people to be behind me to keep it financially stable. There was a couple of times around when Tommy and I built teams that were very strong, but we couldn’t find the funding.”
The Nationwide team you owned a few years ago in 2008 or 2009 right?
“That sounds roughly correct. The last Nationwide team I owned, Kyle drove for us at Watkins Glen and finished second. But I also owned the start and park teams with Randy Humphrey a few years ago. We were trying to build a full-time Nationwide team but we could never get the money to do it. But, the Nationwide team that Tommy and I had was sponsored by Unilever and is still around today.”
Matty’s Picks 2012 – Vol. 20 – Straight From The Glen Watkins Glen International – Pennsylvania 400 – August 12, 2012
This week we travel back to the place that was the start of my NASCAR days. It’s a track near and dear to my heart, and will no matter where life takes me, it will always have a special place in my heart as my ‘Hometown Track’. Watkins Glen International may not be the most famous stock car track in the world, but it produces some of the best beating and banging NASCAR has to offer.
If you remember back to 2011’s ‘Monday in the mist’ at Watkins Glen International, the drivers of the NASCAR Sprint Cup series put on one of the most exciting spectacles of the 2011 season. A late-race crash involving David Reutimann forced a revaluation of the safety measures around the 2.45-mile road course. Watkins Glen International has taken tremendous strides in improving driver safety, and the fan experience alike. The towering grandstands erected on the outside of Turn 1 here at Watkins Glen International caught my eye on my way in, and I am excited to check out the new setups around the track. The two road courses on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule often tend to be overlooked by most fans in terms of vacation destinations, but I encourage all race fans to visit a road course and see what these facilities have to offer.
My first memories of WGI involve standing on a trash can on the inside of Turn 11 while my father tried to time a photo just right in order to capture a snapshot of The Intimidator and one of his biggest fans in the same frame. SpeedwayMedia.com Editor, Ed Coombs taught me the art of obtaining autographs outside the motor-coach lots as a young teenager. Ron Hornaday invited me inside the fences into his motor-coach for a quick autograph and meet and greet, and I learned very quickly during my first trip inside the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Garage that when a NASCAR Official blow their whistle, PAY ATTENTION! I’ve come leaps and bounds as a photo journalist, but still manage to get scolded every now and again in the Media Center for “not paying attention to what you’re doing”.Watkins Glen is truly a weekend I have circled on my calendar each year, and will always bring me back to my first memories as a young NASCAR fan.
Adding to the excitement of my weekend here at Watkins Glen International is the camaraderie of attending a NASCAR race with thirty to forty of your closest racing friends and family. My family and I will be making our 18th consecutive trip to Watkins Glen International this year, and with a crew larger than ever before. I’m excited to announce my younger brothers, (yes both of them), will be receiving their Eagle Scout Award, the highest honor in Scouting, on Sunday in Gatorade Victory Lane here at Watkins Glen International. As a fellow Eagle Scout, and the second of four in my family, I am truly proud for both Christopher and Nicholas LaFlair in receiving such a great honor in such a great atmosphere. More to follow on this great honor, but I’d like to thank Track-President, Michael Printup, and Elizabeth Mayer, Public Relations Manager, for allowing such a special ceremony to take place amidst the jam-packed competition schedule this weekend here at WGI. You’ve really made a dream come true for my family, Troop 709, and the entire Scouting community.
Pocono Recap
First, I’d like to send along my thoughts and prayers to those affected by the tragic lightning strikes last week at Pocono Raceway. I am extremely saddened by this story and pass my condolences on to the families involved, and hope for a speedy recovery to those injured by the fierce storms that wreaked havoc on race fans exiting Pocono Raceway following the Pennsylvania 400.
I’ll make the recap section short this week as yet again, there’s not much to talk about other than the poor luck I’ve had this season…
My Winner Pick was Denny Hamlin last week, one of the most decorated drivers to come out of Pocono Raceway with four wins, eight top-fives, and nine top-tens, in just thirteen prior starts at the Tricky Triangle. Completing my picks before last Saturday’s qualifying session, I was excited that my Winner Pick would start the Pennsylvania 400 on the outside of the front row. My glory was short lived after the No. 11 FedEx Toyota quickly slipped through the field after gaining the top spot on just the second lap. Hamlin struggled with the handling of his car for the remainder of the day, and finally met his fate on the lap-91 wreck that brought an early end to the No. 11 team’s day. Hamlin collected points for finishing in the 29th position.
My Dark Horse pick last week is a seasoned veteran to Pocono Raceway, but in now 52 starts at the Tricky Triangle, he is still winless. Mark Martin used a pit strategy different than the rest of the field to help him finish just outside the top ten in the twelfth position. He appeared in the top five for some of the 91 lap sprint, but the majority of Mark Martin’s day last week was spent in the middle of the pack. Another week of picks, and another week with nothing to show for my efforts.
Watkins Glen Picks
Well, it’s been raining here at Watkins Glen International pretty much all day so I have minimal practice speeds or insider info to pass along here from The Glen. With that, I will try and make some picks based off of historical statistics, the possibility of qualifying being rained out, a few speeds , and gut feeling.
Winner Pick
There are two guys that are ‘road course specialists’ and everyone will be looking at come Sunday afternoon, but it will not be either Juan Pablo Montoya not Marcos Ambrose that will visit Victory Lane following Sunday’s Finger Lakes 355 at The Glen. My winner pick this week finished in the runner-up spot in last year here at Watkins Glen International, and finished twelfth in this seasons’ other Road Course race at Sonoma. Brad Kesolowski has really come into his own this season as a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, and winning a Road Course would only add to his impressive racing resume. His car is shown third on the speed charts so far in this abbreviated practice session today, and he rides a streak of five consecutive top tens into the Finger Lakes dating back to his third win of the season at Kentucky. I love to watch this guy drive, and he’s certain to put on a show Sunday Afternoon.
Dark Horse Pick
My Dark Horse this week finds himself fifth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings, and is also coming into Central New York off a season-best finish last week in Pocono. Though he may not be the driver with a hometown closest to Watkins Glen International, Martin Truex Jr. still considers WGI one of his hometown tracks. “I’m just excited to be here. I really enjoy the road course racing, especially here at Watkins Glen.” Said Truex, earlier today here at The Glen. “This is a place that is pretty special to me coming up here as a kid watching my dad race and then running some Busch North races up here. It’s one of the tracks that is kind of special to me, like New Hampshire and Dover. So, I’m looking forward to the race this weekend.” He finished fourth here last year, and is another guy who has really shown he should be mentioned in talks with the series front-runners.
That’s all for now from Watkins Glen, but be sure to stay tuned all weekend for more updates and live action from my weekend here in the Finger Lakes. For up to the minute action, be sure to follow me on Twitter @ML_B_Lo.
NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: MAKE A LEFT, TAKE THE NEXT RIGHT IT’S ROAD COURSE TIME
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[/media-credit]The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to New York state to take on the annual challenge that comes with road course racing at the massive Watkins Glen International Raceway. Sunday’s Finger Lakes 355 is expected to be a daunting challenge as most road course racing often is. It won’t take very long to determine which drivers has road course experience and which drivers needs some.
THE STORY BREAKDOWN
The 2012 racing season is now in its final five races before the official line up for this year’s Chase for the Championship is determined. Right now the big story focus is on the wild card berths, positions 11 and 12 of the Chase line up. That’s because it’s loaded with racing drama featuring racing names that many of us thought would make the Chase via the traditional top ten in points method.
Going into Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen, Kasey Kahne is in control of the first wild card berth based on his two wins. After shaking off an unexpected tough start to the 2012 season, Kahne and company not only has scored their two trips to victory lane but have also managed to work their way to 11th in the current championship points standings. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Kahne could work his way into the coveted top ten and use his two victories as bonus points that could elevate his Chase position even higher.
When it comes to the second wild card berth story line, the focus lies in the fact that Jeff Gordon, based on last weekend’s victory at Pocono, currently controls that position. It’s very possible that Gordon could be in the process of launching the comeback story of the year. However, to make that happen, Gordon is going to need at least one more win, between now and the September 8th Chase cut off date, and a third win would likely seal the deal. The really good news for Gordon’s championship hopes lies in the fact that he have some very good driver stats at the next five venues on the Sprint Cup schedule.
Still very much involved in the wild card picture are drivers Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano. This trio of drivers have one win each in 2012. A second win from any of the three of them, between now and September 8th, could make the wild card picture extremely interesting.
The most direct route to the 2012 Chase line up is, of course, finishing in the top ten of the points. The bottom half of the top ten, going into Sunday’s race, is rather tight and Watkins Glen could create a shake up among this group. There are only 11 points separating drivers Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Clint Bower who are seventh through tenth in the current standings.
It’s likely that you will also hear considerable commentary about inclement weather and how to handle it. Expect the pre race show to address the lightning strikes, during last weekend’s race at Pocono, that tragically claimed a life and left nine injured. You can also expect to hear a lot of back and forth regarding how this issue should be handled in the future.
Weather will definitely be an issue during the Watkins Glen weekend. The area forecast, from the National Weather Service, calls for a 70 percent chance of thunder showers in the area, with gusty winds, through Friday night. There’s also a 30 percent chance of showers on Saturday and Sunday. In the event of rain, the Watkins Glen Raceway has a fleet of eight jet dryers that can dry the massive road course in approximately two hours.
THE LAS VEGAS BREAKDOWN
To determine which driver is going to make those left and right turns all the way to victory lane, we again turn to the number crunching professionals at the Las Vegas based World Sports Exchange, (WSE).
To no real surprise, the WSE is telling us it’s “Aussie time.” They have Marcus Ambrose at the top of the Watkins Glen ranking at 4 to 1 odds. That’s because Ambrose is a multi time road racing champion in his native Australia. It’s also because he has rock solid stats at the Glen including a previous win, from this time last year, along with four top five finishes, four top ten finishes and a stunning average finish ratio, (AFR), of 2.2. He’s is, without question, a rock solid, and relatively safe, wager consideration.
The WSE has Tony Stewart ranked at 6 to 1. Here’s another rock solid wager consideration. Stewart has a series high five wins at Watkins Glen along with seven top fives, ten top tens and a solid AFR of 7.1. He’s sixth in the championship points with three wins. That makes him Chase safe.
At seven to 1 odds you will find Hendrick Motorsports team mates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. The aforementioned Gordon currently has a shot at the second wild card berth for the Chase but needs a second win to seal the deal. His personal stats at Watkins Glen indicates this might be the place to get the job done. He has four wins there along with six top fives and nine top tens along with a 14.5 AFR. He also has nine NASCAR road course wins.
Johnson is still seeking a win at the Glen. He has three top fives, five top tens and a 14.2 AFR. He’s likely rated this high by the WSE because this team appears to be in championship mode at this point in the season. He also has three wins this year, and is fourth in the points, and that makes him Chase safe.
Kyle Busch is ranked at 8 to 1. He’s one of the wild card contenders, with a previous win, but needs a second win to further advance his Chase hopes. He has good numbers at the Glen that includes a win, three top fives, six top tens and a strong 9.3 AFR.
Juan Pablo Montoya comes in at 10 to 1. This rating is likely based on his road racing skills from his Indy car and Formula One days. He does, however, have some solid NASCAR numbers from Watkins Glen that includes a win, two top fives, four top tens and a 11.4 AFR.
Turning to the WSE’s middle tier, the tandem of Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick are rated at 15 to 1. Keselowski, seventh in the points with three wins, is still seeking his first road course win in NASCAR racing. He does have a top five, a top ten with an 11.0 AFR.
The fact that Harvick is still seeking his first win of 2012 remains a mystery. He’s ninth in the points but only two points ahead of tenth. It’s go time for this driver. At Watkins Glen he’s a previous winner with a pair of top fives, six top tens and a 12.9 AFR.
Martin Truex Jr is ranked at 18 to 1. Despite still seeking his first win of the season, his finish consistency has him fifth in the points. He’s also looking for his first Glen win. He does have a pair of top fives there and a 14.2 AFR.
Clint Bowyer is ranked at 19 to 1. He won the road course event at Sonoma last June but that doesn’t necessarily translate into a potential win at Watkins Glen. He only has one top ten there with a 17.5 AFR.
At 20 to 1 is the duo of Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch. Edwards is seeking his first win at Watkins Glen but does have three top fives, five top tens and a healthy 8.7 AFR. Busch is a previous race winner at the Glen with four top fives but the AFR, 19.8, is on the high side.
Denny Hamlin comes in at 22 to 1 with the WSE. He’s eighth in the points and only four markers ahead of tenth so he will have to be a little careful this Sunday. He’s still looking for his first win at Watkins Glen.
Kasey Kahne currently commands the first wild card berth for the Chase and will be looking for a third win to seal the deal. But it may not be at Watkins Glen this Sunday where Kahne is still seeking his first ever top ten finish.
Turning to the WSE’s lower tier for the Watkins Glen race, you will note that there are a few names that are high profile Chase contenders in this group. That’s because their road racing skills could lose a little work. This list includes Joey Logano, a wild card contender, at 28 to 1. Greg Biffle, third in the championship standings, comes in at 35 to 1. Jamie McMurray is rated at 40 to 1. Ryan Newman, another wild card hopeful, is rated at 50 to 1 and shares that rating with Matt Kenseth who is second in the points, only five markers away from reclaiming the lead,
If you do not see the name of your favorite driver here, that means the WSE has them listed under “all others” at 8 to 1 odds.
(A brief pause here while members of the Junior Nation screams: “HEY, WHERE’S OUR GUY?????”)
Dale Earnhardt Jr has a pair of top five finishes and a sky high 22.2 AFR at the Glen. The series’ points leader will be the first to tell you that road racing is not his thing. His best bet on Sunday is to points race and try to find a way to keep Kenseth and Biffle behind him. That may not be that hard to do because Kenseth and Biffle’s road racing skills aren’t much better.
Now for the disclaimer: NASCAR wants us to remind you that these posted numbers should be viewed for entertainment and informational purposes only. They neither encourage or condone the placing of wagers on their races.
But if you’re going to do it anyway, then it makes all of the sense in the world to consider the sage advice from the number crunching professionals at the World Sports Exchange.
Personal opinion: the obvious choice is Marcus Ambrose for obvious reasons. The same theory certainly applies to Tony Stewart. However, gut feeling is telling me it’s going to be Jeff Gordon in the winner’s circle Sunday. He’s very good at road racing and he’s part of a very small group of drivers who has everything to gain and everything to lose in terms of making the Chase.
THE RACE BREAKDOWN
The Finger Lakes 355 is 90 laps, 220.5 miles and 355 kilometers around the Watkins Glen International Raceway’s massive 2.45 mile road course.
The race has 43 entries vying for 43 starting berths. That means all entries will get to race on Sunday and the go or go home list, aka knock out qualifying, will not apply here.
Marcus Ambrose is the defending race champion. The first NASCAR Sprint Cup at Watkins Glen was held in 1957 and was won by Buck Baker. Since that time the raceway has hosted 29 Cup events that has sent 18 different winners to victory lane. Tony Stewart leads the raceway’s win category with five. Hendrick Motorsports leads the team wins with six while Chevrolet leads the manufacturer’s standings with 13 wins.
Track position is always important in any NASCAR Sprint Cup event and this is especially true of a road course. The track qualifying record, 126.421 MPH, was set by Kyle Busch in August of last year. Nine of the 29 Cup events have been won from the pole position. The last one to win from the pole at Watkins Glen was Kyle Busch back in 2008. 19 of 29 races have been won from a starting position within the top five while 21 of 29 have been won from a top ten starting berth.
The Watkins Glen International Raceway’s 2.45 mile road course was opened in 1956 and features 11 left and right hand turns. The banking around the track ranges from six to ten degrees. The 11 turns are connected by two lengthy straightaways. The front stretch measures 2,141 feet while the backstretch measures 1,839 feet.
The Finger Lakes 355 will be broadcast live by the ESPN Network beginning at 12 pm eastern time. The race re air will be on Wednesday, August 15th, at 12 pm eastern time.
Brad Keselowski leads Opening Practice for Zippo 200 in the rain at Watkins’ Glen
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[/media-credit]Fitted with rain tires, each of the Nationwide Series drivers were required to make at least one lap during the practice session. In the end, it was Brad Keselowski topping the charts with a lap of 74.596 seconds. Keselowski has three previous starts at Watkins Glen, finishing in the top 10 in each of them.
“Watkins Glen is a track that I picked up on fairly quickly from the first time I raced there,” Keselowski said in the team preview. “It’s a ‘speedway type’ road course and that fits my driving style well. The Nationwide cars are a blast to drive at the Glen because they go through the corners so much faster than the Cup cars. You have to back up your braking points in a Cup car, but you can really race hard into the corner in a Nationwide car. I’ve been close to winning a road course race a couple of times in my career and I’m confident that we will have a shot at it this weekend. After watching what Kurt (Busch) was able to do in my car last year, I know the Discount Tire/SKF Dodge will be fast enough to get it done.”
Last year, it was Kurt Busch picking up the win behind the No. 22 for Penske Racing.
Kyle Busch was second in practice at a lap of 74.596 seconds, only 0.008 seconds behind Keselowski. Busch has finished in the top 10 in four of his five starts at Watkins’ Glen. Ryan Truex was third in practice at a lap of 75.140 seconds in his first ever trip to the road course. Justin Allgaier and Brian Scott rounded out the top five.
Sam Hornish Jr. was sixth, followed by Ron Fellows, Austin Dillon, Cole Whitt and Miguel Paludo.
Points leader Elliott Sadler was 36th in practice. Carl Edwards, who is making his first Nationwide start of the season, was 46th.
