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NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

By
Jeffrey Boswell
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Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson fell to 36th after an early spin at Charlotte, but recovered to finish third in the Bank Of America 500, one spot ahead of Denny Hamlin. Johnson now leads Hamlin by 41 points in the Sprint Cup standings with five races remaining.

“Five points may not be a lot,” Johnson said, “but it puts me five points closer to the Sprint Cup championship. And five is the operable number. That fifth title will give me five rings, one for each of my five fingers. And, with five fingers, you can make a very convincing ‘clinched’ fist.”

2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished fourth in the Bank Of America 500, his 12th top-5 finish of the year. Hamlin chased Jimmie Johnson for many of the closing laps but was unable to get close enough to pass. Johnson’s five-point edge in the race put him 41 ahead of Hamlin as the series heads to Martinsville, where both Johnson and Hamlin are strong.

“The No. 11 Fed Ex Ground Toyota was good,” Hamlin said, “but not good enough. We’ve slipped back in the standings by small margins the last two races. In Japan, they call that ‘Tokyo Drift.’”

Now, I want the Sprint Cup championship badly. To me, it’s the Holy Grail of auto racing. With Johnson on his game, it may take a bit of magic, and we may have to pull something out of our rear end to defeat him. If that’s the case, then we’ll call my car ‘Fed Ex-calibur.’”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished eighth at Charlotte, posting his series-best 21st top-10 result of the year. He is third in the point standings, trailing Jimmie Johnson by 77 points, and besides Denny Hamlin, may be the only hope to end Jimmie Johnson’s title reign.

“There’s an election approaching,” Harvick said, “so it’s fitting that the No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil team is offering ‘hope’ and ‘change.’

Others have thrown in towels, as a result of engine failures, wrecks, unjust rulings by NASCAR, or what have you. We’re much too close to Johnson to call it quits. There will be no ‘concession’ speech, except maybe by Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s director of merchandising, because sales have to be slow for him.”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch led 217 of 334 laps at Charlotte, but his dominance was interrupted by a debris caution with 26 laps to go that bunched the field. Busch was passed by Jamie McMurray, who pulled away in clean air, while Busch settled for second. Busch improved four spots in the point standings to fifth, 177 behind Johnson.

“Was their actually debris on the track?” Busch said. “I don’t know. This I do know: NASCAR has the best spotter in the business.

I still don’t like our chances to win the Cup. There’s a joke going around: ‘What did Kyle Busch say when asked about his attitude towards winning the Cup, despite facing nearly insurmountable odds?’ If you don’t know the answer and replied ‘I give up,’ then you’re right anyway.”

5. Tony Stewart: Stewart fought an ill-handling car for much of the night at Charlotte and finished 21st, the last car on the lead lap. It was a crushing blow to Stewart’s title hopes after last week’s win at California. He is sixth in the point standings, 177 out of first.

“The naming of Mobil 1 as a sponsor for next year eases the pain of our disappointment in the Chase thus far,” Stewart said. “We may have ran out of fuel in New Hampshire, but now we’re ‘gassed’ up for next year.”

6. Carl Edwards: Edwards started second at Charlotte but immediately faced handling problems that dropped him well out of the top 10. Numerous adjustments led to minor improvements, but the No. 99 Ford never found the speed to compete up front. Edwards remained seventh in the point standings, and is 200 out of first.

“The Aflac Fusion lacked handling all night,” Edwards said. “Give Matt Kenseth a football, and he’ll throw one, but I’m not used to driving a ‘wounded duck.’

I’m not quite ready to declare my Sprint Cup hopes over,” Edwards said. “At least not officially. But, as you can see by a 200 point deficit and my body language, a ‘declaration of inference’ is imminent.”

7. Jeff Gordon: Gordon dashed to the pole for the Bank Of America 500, but his night in Charlotte was felled by a battery issue and a late pit road speeding penalty. He finished 23rd, and is now 156 points behind Jimmie Johnson in the Sprint Cup standings.

“That’s two speeding penalties in the last two races,” Gordon said. “I’m obviously in a hurry to get somewhere, but apparently not to the finish line.”

8. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished fourth at Charlotte, overcoming a slow start to claim his seventh top-5 result of the year. He moved up two spots to eighth in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now trails Jimmie Johnson by 225.

“It was nice to ‘finish’ on Sunday,” Brady said, “as opposed to last week’s disaster at California, in which we were ‘finished.’”

9. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished sixth in the Bank Of America 500, his second top 10 of the Chase and only his fifth of the year. Kenseth, in the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford, started 17th and made continual improvements to position himself for his best finish of the Chase.

“I drive the Crown Royal car,” Kenseth said. “And the way things are looking, Jimmie Johnson drives the ‘crown royalty’ car.”

10. Kurt Busch: Busch, the spring winner at Charlotte, fell out of contention early in the Bank Of America 500 with a spin that dropped him a lap down and languishing far back in the field. Busch eventually finished 30th, three laps down, and fell to ninth in the point standings, 237 out of first.

“Saturday’s race was a far cry from May’s race,” Busch lamented. “Believe me, it’s humbling being called a ‘defending champion’ in the presence of Jimmie Johnson.”

The Hall of Fame and the memories of a NASCAR senior citizen

By
SM Staff
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The memories of carefree moments from my youth are exactly what I received from last week’s announcement regarding the 2010 class of NASCAR’s Hall Of Fame. While everyone else was debating the merits of the five names on this year’s list, I was lost in my own private little world of family memories, our South Carolina home and how NASCAR racing played a role in our lives.

Like many residents of the southeast during the 1950’s our family quickly became NASCAR racing fans. This was the era of the sport when a racing season often exceeded 60 events. The teams raced on every track configuration from quarter mile dirt ovals to the mammoth Daytona International Raceway. The majority of these events were located in the southeast so there was no shortage of opportunity to see this exciting new sport.

My first ever NASCAR experience was in the summer of 1958 at a dirt track in Columbia-South Carolina. I was all of six years old at the time. This event was also the NASCAR debut that launched the racing career of King Richard Petty. I was thrilled to get autographs from both Richard and Lee Petty that night.

Dad eventually became a member of the Darlington Rescue Squad and that opened a brand new level of racing opportunity for his son. It meant spending race weekends there sleeping under the mammoth army tents. My job was to pass out aspirin and small Dixie Cups of water to infield campers who had way too much fun the night before. That job kept me quite busy on race day mornings. It also provided unfettered access to the raceway’s garage area where any autograph a young race fan could ever want was now available.

Over the years there were plenty of NASCAR themed family mini vacations. That included attending races at Darlington, Daytona, Atlanta and Charlotte plus the collection of paved and dirt short track ovals the series ran on back in the day.

All of those family memories came flooding back while monitoring the progress of NASCAR’s Hall Of Fame. Many of the video clips used to announce the newest members of the Hall looked very familiar to me. I was there to witness many of those moments first hand. That’s the true reason why the Hall Of Fame means so much to me. It’s those memories of quality time with my family. Over the years I jokingly said that it was NASCAR racing, along with Atlanta Braves baseball, that got Dad and me through the so called generation gap. It was something we could share together completely free of any form of hassle.

I was especially glad to see Bobby Allison receive his well deserved induction into this year’s Hall Of Fame class. I had a chance to talk racing with Allison last September when he was making a personal appearance at the Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino.

Allison arrived in NASCAR’s upper tier of racing in the mid 1960’s driving a family owned independent Chevrolet Chevelle. Independent meant that Allison’s team wasn’t receiving the factory sponsorship support that was available to other teams. To help with the travel expenses associated with launching a national NASCAR career, the Allison team began selling two dollar memberships to their official fan club. Allison seemed amazed when he learned that I not only knew this but actually had one of those cards that was purchased in 1966 at Darlington. I suspect it was one of the last things he expected to hear while signing autographs in southern California.

Over the past week there has been a lot of lively debate from the NASCAR media and the fans regarding whom should have been inducted into the Hall Of Fame’s second class. The debate seems to be centered around Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough being excluded from this year’s vote.

It’s not me for me to say which NASCAR icon needs to voted in the Hall and who should wait for at least another year. I can’t even comprehend the angst the voting committee went through to whittle 25 well deserving candidates down to five inductees. I wasn’t the least bit surprised to learn that the process took over a reported four hours to complete.

I’m just glad that there is a NASCAR Hall Of Fame, an official organization to honor those whose contributions created the sport we all enjoy today. I’m perfectly content reliving the memories of a NASCAR senior citizen despite the realization that I’m getting older by the minute.

The Best Part About Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series Race at Martinsville Won’t Be the Racing

By
SM Staff
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At the end of a long hard fought day, following the champagne spray, the hat dance and when the media has begun working toward their deadline, the driver will marvel at his winnings.

The points they gained in the championship. Another win they added to their growing column. Maybe even the hefty winner’s check that their wives or girlfriends can’t wait to help them put to good use.

All of it though, fails to compare to the trophy.

Some are cooler than others. Some mean more than others. One, Las Vegas, isn’t a trophy at all. Then there’s one that every driver can’t wait to bring home.

No, it’s not Daytona or Indianapolis. Although you’ll never hear a driver pass one of those up, more like offer to make a trade of one of their championship trophies for one. That’s because for the past nearly 60 years the Martinsville Speedway has created a unique brand by awarding winners in the Sprint Cup Series Grandfather clocks.

Whether he’s won only one or nine, no driver gets tired of being awarded a Martinsville clock.

Except, unless you race in the NSCS that experience will never be felt. It’s why heading into the upcoming weekend the excitement felt in the Camping World Truck Series is bound to overshadow what’s taking place in the NSCS garage and the Chase for the Sprint Cup. When the green flag falls on the Kroger 200 Saturday afternoon there will be 36 drivers that have more incentive to be the first to the checkered flag than ever before.

There’s one, tall, $10,000 reason.

Early this year it was announced that they too would finally be getting their hands on the beloved winner’s “trophy” of the Martinsville Speedway.

It’s something defending winner Timothy Peters doesn’t believe came quick enough, “This is a huge deal. I wish it had started last fall. I would have it sitting in my trophy room right now.”

For some drivers winning at the short track in Virginia can’t get any better. The emotion on Peter’s face last year after he won not only his first career race, but in his home state, won’t be forgotten anytime soon. For others, just winning at a short track is the greatest accomplishment.

Then there are those like Mike Skinner who have a score to settle with the speedway. Up until a few weeks ago Skinner had no idea that Martinsville would begin awarding Grandfather clocks.

“I know you don’t get a clock at Martinsville because I’ve won three of them,” he remarked in regards to his three victories at the paperclip. But when told by the media and fellow driver Todd Bodine that this year was different, Skinner said, “They need to send me a truck load of them then.”

Should he get back into a familiar groove, Skinner won’t need to just be given a clock. He’s the driver that the rest of the competition will be gunning for as he’s led more laps at the speedway, 600, than any other driver. He’s also tied for the most wins at the speedway with Dennis Setzer.

However, thus far in 2010 Skinner’s been held winless and is all but eliminated from the championship battle. Sitting eighth in points, over 600 markers behind, the No. 5 team has nothing to lose and everything to gain from here on out. Skinner wants back in victory lane and he most certainly wants a clock he feels is owed to him.

The racing on Saturday afternoon will be nothing less than frantic and exciting. The NCWTS always good for that but now every driver wants to be the first to take home the newest prize, they want that clock.

This is no ordinary clock. Valued at $10,000 the Martinsville Speedway gave out the first one in September of 1964. They’re built by a local furniture manufacturer, Ridgeway Clocks, and stand seven feet tall.

Said Bodine, “That Grandfather clock from Martinsville is just like having that guitar [from Nashville].”

There will be those in the NASCAR world that don’t understand what the big deal is, why it’s important to a driver who isn’t even taking home a real trophy. Is it possible to ask whether the racing might end up being overshadowed by the driver that ends the day in victory lane and sees the Grandfather clock waiting for him?

There have been 18 winners at Martinsville in the NCWTS and none of them have one. No more than a what could have been for those drivers who can only be left with a burning desire to again capture the checkered flag in Martinsville.

This race won’t crown a champion. It won’t send a driver to the new NASCAR Hall of Fame. It may not even be a typical bumping and banging wreck-fest that some races have been in the past.

It will however, be memorable. It’ll be coveted and relived by a driver for years to come. A brand new, shining, invaluable Grandfather clock will be given away and then treated like gold.

Sometimes it’s really not about the check. Or the points and the flattering stories from various media outlets. Sometimes it really is all about the hardware.

Toyota NASCAR Notes & Quotes II Martinsville – Gateway

By
Official Release
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TOYOTA TALK: Hamlin and Reutimann Talk Martinsville Busch Focusing on Race Wins Truex Talks Gateway Return Bodine’s Tundra Turns Pink

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) NEWS, NOTES & NUMBERS: This year, Toyota drivers have combined for 10 wins, 34 top-five results, 70 top-10 finishes and five poles after 31 of 36 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) races … Toyota drivers Denny Hamlin (second in points) and Kyle Busch (fifth in points) are currently competing in the 2010 NSCS Chase … Hamlin is 41 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson after five of 10 races … Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Busch, Hamlin and Joey Logano have all finished together in the top-10 four times this season, including three of the last six NSCS races … Aric Almirola will drive the No. 83 Red Bull Camry this weekend.

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing What does it take to be successful at Martinsville? “I’ve been there with several different cars and several different series, and I’ve got to have a good car if I’m gonna run well there. It’s one of those tracks where braking is so important. All your laps times are really just made up on how you enter the corners and you’re braking. A lot of people really try to work on exit, but I for the most part work on how I’m going to enter the corner and make sure my car is stable enough.”

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Will your focus be on winning races rather than ‘points’ racing the remainder of the season? “That’s what our goal is, to go out there and win the rest of the races and to try to spoil it. Unless they all have trouble at least once or twice. The reality of that is why I said our championship hopes and dreams are lost. We’re going to go out there and race hard. We’ll see what we can get. If we can get back up to fourth in points, third in points, second in points even — that’s great.”

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Do you enjoy racing at Martinsville Speedway? “We’ve had some decent runs at Martinsville, but we haven’t quite clicked like we would like to. It’s a great race track, but it can be a deceiving race track as to how tough it really is. When you leave Martinsville — even if you’ve had a good day — you’ve had a long day because there’s just a lot of stuff that goes on. There are real long straightaways and tight, tight corners. Of course there happens to be only one patch of grass left in the whole place and I just happened to get turned around and got stuck in it the last race. So that just gives you an idea of how things have gone for me at Martinsville in the past.”

NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) NEWS, NOTES & NUMBERS: This year, Toyota drivers have combined for 16 wins, 66 top-five results, 130 top-10 finishes and 16 poles after 31 of 35 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) races … Kyle Busch remains third in the NNS point standings, despite starting just 26 of 31 races . . . Joey Logano (seventh), Jason Leffler (ninth), Steve Wallace (10th), Brendan Gaughan (11th), Michael Annett (12th) and Reed Sorenson (13th) are also in the top-15 in points with four races remaining … This weekend, Ryan Truex will return to the site of his first career NNS start earlier this year.

RYAN TRUEX, No. 99 Out! Pet Care Toyota Camry, Diamond-Waltrip Racing Are you looking forward to returning to Gateway where you had your first NNS start earlier this year? “I’m really excited. Not only because I ran there before, but the last time the 99 ran there I think they finished third. They have a good car for there. I ran decent running up as high as eighth or ninth last time. I like the track and it’ll be a benefit going back. I feel like we’ll be able to go there and run pretty strong.”

STEVE WALLACE, No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing Do you enjoy racing at Gateway? “I haven’t always enjoyed racing at Gateway, but now, I finally feel like I have a pretty good grasp on how to get around that place. It showed up in the last race there. We had a shot to win it and ended up with a top-five finish. We’re taking the same car we raced there in the spring, so it should be a good weekend for us. Our sponsor, 5-Hour Energy, is sponsoring the race this weekend, so it’d be really cool to get another top-five at Gateway.”

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) NEWS, NOTES & NUMBERS: This year, Tundra drivers have combined for 12 wins, 46 top-five results, 97 top-10 finishes and nine poles after 20 of 25 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) races … Todd Bodine (first), Aric Almirola (second), Timothy Peters (fifth), Mike Skinner (eighth), David Starr (ninth) and Justin Lofton (10th) are in the top-10 in the NCWTS point standings with five races remaining … Bodine leads second-place Almirola in the point standings by 262 points … Toyota is currently 13 points ahead of Chevrolet in the NCWTS manufacturer’s point standings … Bodine will drive a pink No. 30 Germain Tundra at Martinsville in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month … NASCAR K&N West Series driver Jason Bowles will drive the Billy Ballew Motorsports No. 15 Tundra at Martinsville … Toyota driver Eric Holmes won Saturday night’s NASCAR K&N West Series race at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif.

TODD BODINE, No. 30 Germain.com Toyota Tundra, Germain Racing How do you feel about driving a pink truck this weekend? “For a lot of reasons, promoting Breast Cancer Awareness has been an important mission for Germain Racing since our first season in the Truck Series. All of the Germain Racing race vehicles will have pink ribbons on them through October in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, but the 30 team is taking it a step further. At Martinsville, the Germain.com Tundra is going to be very pink! Everything that would normally be red is going to be pink, and I’m getting some pink decals to put on my helmet for the race weekend, as well. The truck is going to look great. I can’t wait to see it!”

TIMOTHY PETERS, No. 17 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing What did it mean to you when you won at Martinsville last year? “Winning at Martinsville last year was really special for me because it was close to home and I had a lot of friends and family there. It’s my home track and to win there was the best moment of my career, so far. This whole year has been a success. We’ve had our share of blown motors and wrecks but some of that is out of our control. When we can contend for wins and top-five finishes each week, then we can’t consider each weekend anything less than a success. Those struggles just make you more determined and grateful for the good weeks.”

TOYOTA DRIVER ROSTER – Martinsville Speedway & Gateway International Raceway NASCAR Sprint Cup Series David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Camry Robby Gordon, No. 7 Extenze Camry Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Express Camry Casey Mears, No. 13 GEICO Camry Kyle Busch, No. 18 M&M’s Camry Joey Logano, No. 20 GameStop Camry Marcos Ambrose, No. 47 Dollar General Country Million Camry Terry Cook, No. 55 Prism Motorsports Camry Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Camry Landon Cassill, No. 64 Gunselman Motorsports Camry Johnny Sauter, No. 66 Prism Motorsports Camry Scott Speed, No. 82 Red Bull Camry Aric Almirola, No. 83 Red Bull Camry Joe Nemechek, No. 87 NEMCO Motorsports Camry

NASCAR Nationwide

Series Scott Wimmer, No. 10 Braun Racing Camry Brad Sweet, No. 11 Braun Racing Camry Michael Annett, No. 15 Pilot Flying J Coffee Camry Brad Coleman, No. 18 Shore Lodge Camry Matt Dibenedetto, No. 20 Bosch Camry Reed Sorenson, No. 32 Dollar General Camry Jason Leffler, No. 38 Great Clips Camry Kevin Lepage, No. 56 RaceDaySponsor.com Camry Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 Snap On Camry Steve Wallace, No. 66 5 Hour Energy Camry Ryan Truex, No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Camry

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Mike Skinner, No. 5 International Trucks/Monaco RV Tundra Justin Lofton, No. 7 VisitPit.com Tundra BJ McLeod, No. 9 Boggy Creek Airboat Rides Tundra Jason Bowles, No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Tundra Timothy Peters, No. 17 Red Horse Racing Tundra Kyle Busch, No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Tundra Johanna Long, No. 20 Panhandle Grading & Paving Tundra Jason White, No. 23 Gunbroker.com/Pursuit Channel Tundra Todd Bodine, No. 30 Germain.com Tundra Aric Almirola, No. 51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Tundra Matt Lofton, No. 97 Strutmasters.com Tundra

FEDEX RACING EXPRESS FACTS – MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

By
Official Release
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RACE INFO:

Event: TUMS Fast Relief 500

Date/Time: Oct. 24, 2010/1 p.m. EST

2009 winner: Denny Hamlin

2009 polesitter: Ryan Newman

Distance: 500 laps/263 miles

Track Length: .526 miles

Banking: 12 degrees

Track Shape: Oval

EXPRESS NOTES:

Hamlin, FedEx Racing Fourth at Charlotte: On a night when Denny Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Racing team knew there was no room for error in their championship pursuit, the team battled back through the field to claim an impressive fourth-place finish. Hamlin started from the 23rd spot on the grid but was forced deep in the pack early on after a Ryan Newman spin, which caused the #11 to restart 36th on lap six. Despite the early setback, Hamlin and team fought forward through skillful driving and stellar work on pit road. Hamlin ran in the top-five for the balance of the evening, moving into the top-three by the end of the evening. The result, a best-ever finish for Hamlin at the 1.5-mile track, sees Hamlin head to the friendly confines of Martinsville Speedway this weekend trailing current Chase for the Sprint Cup points leader Jimmie Johnson by only 41 points.

Hamlin at Martinsville Speedway: This weekend will mark Hamlin’s eleventh career Sprint Cup start at Martinsville Speedway and he returns to southern Virginia as the winner of the past two races at the half-mile track. Earlier this season, Martinsville Speedway provided the backdrop for one of the best finishes and memorable wins of Hamlin’s career. The decision to pit from the lead with less than ten laps remaining appeared to have ended Hamlin’s chances of winning, but the strategy worked and the combination of four fresh tires, Hamlin’s sterling drive, and a well-timed caution put Hamlin in position to claim the win. The Virginia native led 172 laps on the day to claim his first win of the 2010 season and a third grandfather clock trophy. A year ago, Hamlin worked to the front and left perennial Martinsville contender Johnson chasing him, attempting to close the gap over the final 137 laps and though three late-race restarts. However, he could only get as close as the bumper of the #11 as Hamlin fended off the challenge to take the checkered flag. The win marked a second visit to Martinsville Speedway’s Victory Lane for the #11 team. Hamlin led a race-high 296 laps in March of 2009 and, after grabbing the lead from Johnson on lap 456, was well-positioned to claim a second Grandfather clock. However, two consecutive cautions tightened the field and Johnson worked his way to Hamlin’s bumper as the laps counted down. On lap 485, Johnson made contact with Hamlin, forcing the #11 FedEx Freight Camry up the track and allowing the #48 Chevrolet to sneak by on the inside. Hamlin had little recourse but to finish the race in second place. In March of 2008 Hamlin led 82 laps and held off a furious charge from Jeff Gordon to claim his sole win of the season. In the fall of 2008, Hamlin and the #11 team fought handling issues but managed an impressive fifth-place finish. In 2007, Hamlin sat on the pole for the spring race and led 125 laps before taking third place and then posted a sixth place finish in the 2007 Chase race. Hamlin has only finished out of the top-10 once at Martinsville – a 41st place finish in the spring event in 2006.

Race Series Date Start Finish Laps (Led)

Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 Sprint Cup March 29, 2010 19 1 508/508 172

Tums Fast Relief 500 Sprint Cup Oct. 25, 2009 17 1 501/501 206

Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 Sprint Cup March 29, 2009 8 2 500/500 296

Tums QuikPak 500 Sprint Cup Oct. 19, 2008 12 5 504/504

Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Sprint Cup March 30, 2008 2 1 500/500 82

Subway 500 Nextel Cup Oct. 21, 2007 30 6 506/506

Goody’s 500 Nextel Cup April 1, 2007 1 3 500/500 125

Subway 500 Nextel Cup Oct. 22, 2006 3 2 500/500 28

DirecTV Nextel Cup April 3, 2006 37 41 307/500

Subway 500 Nextel Cup Oct. 23, 2005 5 8 500/500

Averages/Totals 13.8 6.6 96.2% 909

FedEx Express World Hub Along for the Ride in Martinsville: The #11 FedEx Express Toyota will carry the letters MEMH on the b-posts this weekend at Martinsville in recognition of the more than 10,000 Air, Ground & Freight Services team members who work at FedEx Express’ largest hub in Memphis, Tenn. Recently, the Memphis World Hub team was recognized by the Institute of Transport Management as the 2010 “Best Global Cargo Hub.” The hub operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and processes approximately 1.6 million shipments each weeknight.

HAMLIN CONVERSATION – Martinsville:

You come back to Martinsville as the two-time defending race winner – what is it about this track that suits you?: “It’s really a combination of things. I have raced here more than I have raced at any other track when you consider total laps. Growing up in Virginia I had the chance to race here in some other series and all that track time definitely gave me a comfort level at Martinsville. That carried over to trucks and Nationwide Series and now to the Cup Series. I feel really confident at this track and I know we bring great cars – those things together usually lead to success. It’s also a lot of pressure because this is a race we circled as one where we expect to be really competitive.”

What is the key to success at Martinsville?: “It definitely starts with having confidence there. It’s not an easy place to race so you know you are in for a battle. It’s really tight and there is no room for error. For me it’s always been about braking at Martinsville – that is where I find I have an advantage. You are always searching for grip coming off the turn there but if you can be smooth in and get the car situated on entry, you put yourself in much better position getting back to the throttle. You also have to be very patient. It’s not an easy place to pass so you have to take the oppprtunities when you have them – you don’t want to be in position like I was last year, needing to make up a lot of ground in just a few laps.”

2010 FEDEX RACING – TEAM ROSTER

Crew Chief: Mike Ford – Morristown, Tenn.

Car Chief: Chris “Spider” Gillin – Smithtown, NY

Shocks: Tim Sparkman – St. Louis, Mo.

Engineer: Mike Wheeler – Southholt, NY

Tire Specialist: Patrick Mullen – Brick, N.J.

Mechanic: John Furino – Long Island, NY

Mechanic: Rick Bray – Placerville, Calif.

Hauler Driver: Jerry Hess – Lancaster, Pa.

Hauler Driver: Frank Hodel – Blythe, Calif.

Spotter: Curtis Markham – Fredericksburg, Va.

Front Tire Changer: Jonathan Sherman – Monroe, La.

Rear Tire Changer: Mike Hicks – Salisbury, N.C.

Rear Tire Carrier: Heath Cherry – Belmont, N.C.

Front Tire Carrier: Brandon Pegram – Statesville, N.C.

Jackman: Nate Bolling – Swanton, Ohio

Motor Specialist: Chris Woodward – Franklin, NH

Gas can: Scott Wood – Liberty, S.C.

Catch Can: John Eicher – London, Ky..

JGR Athletic Director: Michael Lepp – Charlotte, N.C.

NASCAR CREW MEMBERS ARE ‘UNSUNG HEROES OF OUR SPORT’

By
Official Release
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Former Crew Chief and Crew Member Robin Pemberton Attests to Importance of Crew Members

Martinsville, Va. (Oct. 20, 2010) — The 2010 TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 24 will celebrate the sports dedicated road warriors and pit crew members. For the first time in NASCAR history, TUMS® has designated all crew members as the Grand Marshals for the 500-lap event.

“NASCAR crew members are for all intents and purposes, the unsung heroes of our sport,” said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition for NASCAR. “The passion, effort and professionalism that they exhibit week in and week out are truly extraordinary. As a former crew member and crew chief, I can attest first hand just how vital this group is to the overall success of the race team.”

Each team pre-selected the crew member that represents and embodies the team spirit to give the command “Gentlemen, Start Your Engines.”  The final set of grand marshals, listed in no particular order, is outlined below and highlights the invaluable role they play within the team environment and their passion for racing.

  • LEE DODSON – No. 09 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet
    Dodson began going to short-track races around his Courtland, Va. home when he was only three years old. His dad and uncles raced, and a decade later, Dodson helped turn wrenches on Mini-stocks, Late Models and Hooters Pro Cup cars. After completing high school, he graduated from the Bobby Isaac Motorsports program at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, N.C., and began his Sprint Cup career as a general mechanic with Wood Brothers Racing in 2005. He joined his present team, Phoenix Racing, in March of 2010.

 “It’s very cool to be working in Sprint Cup,” Dodson says. “With our team, we don’t have a designated driver, so I get to work with several and I enjoy that. Since we are so short staffed, I get to learn more which is a good thing. I love setting up cars and working with suspensions. That’s what I like the most.”  

 

  • ERIC GROEN – No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
    A native of Sioux Center, Iowa, Groen raced go-karts as a child while following NASCAR through newspapers, radio and TV. After high school, he chose a college that would allow him to be closer to NASCAR in hopes of working for a team. Groen graduated from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., with a degree in business and in 2004 found an opportunity to work as a general mechanic and tire carrier with the former Petty Enterprises. Groen did the same for Red Bull Racing before his present role as sponsor manager with Joey Logano and the Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Home Depot team. He is a liaison between team and sponsor during the week and works as a rear tire carrier for Kyle Busch during Nationwide races and does the same for Logano on Sprint Cup race day.    �
    �
    “My background is on the mechanical side of things, so that’s a little more natural for me, but when I went to Gibbs, they had a position open on the office side,” Groen says. “My roles with the team are diverse.  I enjoy doing both very much. Joe and J.D. Gibbs are upstanding guys and the leadership at Joe Gibbs Racing is the best I’ve seen in my career.” 

 

  • JONATHAN SALMONS – No. 38 Front Row Racing Ford
    A native of Bassett, Va., Salmons moved from working as a mechanic at a local car dealership in 2004 to turning wrenches on Late Model stock cars with some hometown friends. A year later, he joined Craftsman Truck Series driver and team owner Bobby Dotter and moved on to Roush-Yates Engines in 2006. His first Sprint Cup opportunity came in 2010 with Front Row Racing and driver David Gilliland. The graduate of Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, Va., presently tunes engines for the team and loves every minute of it.
    �
    “In Sprint Cup, you’re at the top level as far as NASCAR goes,” Salmons says. “You’re the best of the best and that means a lot. I started at the very bottom you might say, working on race cars and engines and have been able to work my way to the top. It’s an honor to be a part of NASCAR and a crew member in Sprint Cup.”   

 

  • JEREMY DYER – No. 99 Roush-Fenway Racing Ford
    Saturday nights for Dyer always meant going to watch his family race around local short tracks in his native state of California. Throughout his life, he watched his grandfather, father and uncle, Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday, work on and race the cars that sat in the family race shop. Over the years, Dyer followed the racing path and like his famous uncle, moved to the east coast to follow his passion as a NASCAR crewman. He steadily progressed through each of NASCAR’s premier divisions and now sets up race car chassis during the week and carries front tires for Carl Edwards’ No. 99 Roush-Fenway Racing Fords.

“There have been plenty of opportunities to learn in Camping World Trucks, Nationwide and Sprint Cup over the years,” Dyer says. “It’s really special to be able to turn a hobby into something where you can compete against your peers and have the ability to be considered one of the best in the world at what you do. That’s pretty awesome.”
　

 The TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway is the sixth of 10 races that will determine the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. Tickets to the TUMS Fast Relief 500 now are on sale. For more information, call 877.722.3849 or visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com. 

            For more information on TUMS, visit www.TUMS.com.

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GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world’s largest over-the-counter consumer healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well-known brands include the leading smoking cessation products, Nicorette(R)and NicoDerm(R)CQ(R), and Commit(R), as well as many medicine cabinet staples– alli(R), Aquafresh(R), Sensodyne(R), and TUMS(R) — which are trademarks owned by and/or licensed to GlaxoSmithKline Group of Companies.

JEFF GREEN PILOTING SPONSORLESS KEY MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET AT GATEWAY

By
Official Release
-

Mooresville, NC (October 20, 2010) Jeff Green will strap into the Key Motorsports Chevrolet Impala for Saturday’s 250-mile NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Gateway International Raceway, the 2000 series champion ready to get back behind the wheel of No. 40 for the fourth time this season.

Green drove the Key Motorsports Chevrolet at Talladega, Nashville and Kentucky earlier in the 2010 season, taking car No. 40 on a front-running excursion from the 42nd starting position at Talladega. The veteran driver from Owensboro, Kentucky was caught in an unavoidable late-race mishap and finished 16th on the high-banked Alabama superspeedway before posting finishes of 24th at Nashville and 20th at Kentucky.

“I am glad to be in the 40 car for Gateway,” said Green. “Key Motorsports brings good equipment to the race track and they are a pleasure to work with. They have been racing for a long time and understand what it takes to be competitive, they have a great team and are on their game. Curtis (Key, team owner) and Gary (Showalter, crew chief) are serious about racing in the Nationwide Series and we are going to do our best for them on Saturday.”

The Key Motorsports Chevrolet has finished in the top-25 22 times in 2010, also accumulating 20 top-20’s, eight top-15’s and 2 top-10’s this season including 13 top-20 finishes in the past 15 races and a top-10 at Auto Club Speedway in California two weeks ago. The independent team suffered engine failure at New Hampshire and Richmond

“Our momentum picked up after Daytona in July,” explained Gary Showalter. “We have moved the program forward with runs like we had in California a couple weeks ago but overall we haven’t been able to finish the way we have been running. This is a top-10 team and that is where we are looking to be at Gateway this weekend.”

Car 40 will appear sponsorless this weekend at Gateway unless a last minute arrangement can be assembled with a CEO or brand in need of national exposure at a bargain house discount. The Key Motorsports team have proven worthy of representing regional and national companies at venues across the country during their nearly two decades of participating in NASCAR’s highest levels of competition. The Key Motorsports staff have been instrumental in organizing several last minute programs and stand ready to be of service.

Key Motorsports enters Gateway this weekend ranked 22nd in NASCAR Nationwide Series owner points.

The 250-mile Nationwide Series race at Gateway International Raceway will be televised live on ESPN2 at 3 pm ET.

Carl Edwards, NNS Gateway Advance

By
Official Release
-

Carl Edwards – NNS ADVANCE

Team: No. 60 Copart.com Ford

Crew Chief: Mike Beam

Chassis: RK-674

QUOTES

Carl Edwards on racing at Gateway International Raceway:

“I can’t wait to get back to Gateway International Raceway. There is no other track like it. It has a long straightaway and turn 4 is a blast. I consider it my home track and I will have a lot of friends and family there and I want to give them a great show. We had a big win there earlier this year and this race is going to be spectacular. We will be flying in from Martinsville and it’s going to be close. This will be the last race at Gateway and a win there would mean the world. We are determined to get our Ford Fusion back into Victory Lane there and win Gateway’s last race!”

Crew chief Mike Beam on racing at Gateway International Raceway:

“We are bringing the car we won earlier this year at Gateway and we have the goal to repeat a win. Gateway International Raceway is close to home for Carl and he will have lots of friends and family there. That always adds a little incentive. It’s a unique and fast track and should be a fun race. It’s the last race there and this Copart team would love nothing better than to get Carl and the team into Victory Lane.”

FAST FACTS

-FLASHBACK…Last week in Charlotte, Edwards finished 13th after qualifying 11th.

-CARL EDWARDS…will make his eighth Nationwide Series start at Gateway International Raceway Saturday. In June’s start, Edwards won after starting eighth.

-FOR THE RECORD… Edwards’ average start in Gateway is 8.6 and his average finish is 7.6. He has three Nationwide Series wins at Gateway. Oddly enough, he has achieved one win every even year of his Nationwide Series competition; 2006, 2008 and 2010.

-THE CAR…The No. 60 team will take chassis – RK 674 to Gateway. This is the same chassis that Edwards won in at Gateway earlier this season.

-ON THE TRACK…This weekend Copart.com will serve as the primary sponsor on the No. 60. To sell your cars fast, visit the Online Vehicle Auction at Copart.com.

-IN THE NATIONWIDE SERIES…Roush Fenway Racing has four wins, nine top-five and 16 top-10s in 21 Nationwide Series starts at Gateway International Raceway.

2010 No. 60 Racing Team

Name Hometown

Mike Beam Hickory, NC

Hal Ralston Staunton, VA

Heath Landis Forest City, NC

EC Nichols Detroit, TX

Brett Ragan Unadilla, GA

Kenny DeGuisto Garland, TX

Jay Maybry Camp Bello, SC

Bennie Stevens Hampton, TN

Justin Edgell Salisbury, NC

Troy Cupples Normal, IL

Jason Hedlesky Clinton, MI

Tom Hatcher Middleburg, FL

Frank Brassfield Fort Walton Beach, FL

Jeremy Neeley Trenton, GA

Michael Smith Hiddenite, NC

Dale Hoffman Allentown, PA

Jon Moore Gainesville, GA

Darren Beach New Franklin, MO

Kahne booted from No. 9 car, will race the 83 car

By
SM Staff
-

Richard Petty Motorsports announced late Wednesday evening that Kasey Kahne would be released from the team effective immediately. Aric Almirola will take over the No. 9 ride at Martinsville this weekend with a driver to be named replacing Kahne for the remainder of the schedule.
Almirola was originally scheduled to race the No. 83 Red Bull Racing Toyota for Reed Sorenson, who is in Gateway for the Nationwide Series race with Braun Racing. Red Bull Racing officials confirmed Thursday afternoon that Kahne will finish the season with the No. 83 team.

“With our agreement only being for one year, there is a great sense of urgency to get started on 2011,” Jay Frye, Red Bull Racing Team’s vice president and general manager, said. “With Kasey coming earlier than planned, we are excited to have a five-race head start.”

While no reason was given in the two-sentence press release from RPM, it is believed that last weekend’s incident between Kahne and an unnamed team official sparked the decision. The team’s bad chemistry surfaced when Kahne said that a team official told him he was laying down on his team when the Washington-native did not return to race the damaged No. 9 car, complaining of an illness. Kahne said he vomited once after exiting his car after a late-race crash but did run in a 5K charity run the next day.

Kahne became frustrated when his brakes failed for the second consecutive race last weekend at Charlotte and third time this year.

“I lost it,” Kahne said. “I was just mad. I came into the race thinking we had a shot to win, thinking we had a good car in practice, we had a good shot. It went green. We were a little bit tight, but still actually passed cars and really felt good and then boom, my brakes are gone.

“It’s not like you have half-brakes, like you can pump them. Your foot goes to the floor. It bottoms out. It’s a joke.”

Kahne has gone winless so far this season and sits 21st in the Sprint Cup Series driver points standings. Kahne’s struggles come a year after he won two races and made the Chase despite the financial issues of the George Gillett Jr. and RPM’s communications within the race teams.

Kahne announced this summer that he would leave Richard Petty Motorsports and move over to Red Bull Racing for 2011 and then to Hendrick Motorsports for 2012.

RUSTY WALLACE RACING FAST FACTS: GATEWAY II

By
Official Release
-

The Event: 5-Hour Energy 250 (Round 32 of 35 in the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series)

· Venue: Gateway International Raceway, Madison, IL (1.25-mile oval)

· Date / Time: Sat. October 23, 2010 / 3:30 PM ET

· Distance: 250 miles / 200 laps

· TV / Radio: ESPN2 (live at 3:00 PM ET) / MRN and Sirius NASCAR Radio (live)

Steve Wallace—No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry

· Steve Wallace heads to Gateway on the heels of a top-five finish and top-ten start there earlier this year. In five attempts at Gateway, Wallace’s record includes three top-ten starts overall.

· The final event at Gateway is bittersweet for Steve Wallace; father and team owner Rusty, is one of St. Louis’s favorite sons and a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

· No. 66 primary sponsor, 5-Hour Energy is the title sponsor of this weekend’s event. Wallace’s only prior start at Gateway with 5-Hour Energy livery on his No. 66 resulted in a top-five effort (2010).

· Wallace’s 11 top-ten finishes in 2010 mark a career high. He is the third RWR driver to post a double-digit top-ten total in a single season. Prior: Kenny Wallace (1989-1992), David Stremme (2008)

· The primary chassis for Wallace this weekend in RWR-036, the same car which he piloted to a fifth-place effort earlier this year at Gateway.

Brendan Gaughan—No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Toyota Camry

· With Gaughan’s wife, Tatum, set to deliver their first child any day now, former RWR pilot David Stremme, will be on site this weekend to substitute for Gaughan if necessary.

· Gaughan is a prior winner at Gateway, having been victorious in the 2003 Truck Series event there. He posted a top-five start in this year’s first Nationwide Series race at Gateway.

· His effort buoyed by new crew chief Jason Overstreet, Gaughan enters Gateway with top-15 finishes in two of his last three starts; the last time he accomplished this was entering the July Chicago event. Gaughan ran among the top-ten in the other of those three starts (California II), before becoming the victim of an accident with Michael Annett.

· Gaughan’s primary chassis for Gateway is RWR-037, which he has piloted to three top-ten finishes this year (Phoenix I, Richmond I and Loudon). Gaughan drove chassis 037 in this year’s first event at Gateway, in which transmission issues relegated him to 17th-place finish, after starting fourth.

Kenny Wallace—No. 28 Illinois Corn Farmers Toyota Camry

· For the first time in team history, RWR will provide three teams with technical support for this weekend’s event at Gateway, as it supports Kenny Wallace and his No. 28 team.

· Wallace’s car features a new primary sponsor for this weekend’s event, the Illinois Corn Growers Association and its Illinois Corn Marketing Board. This group represents the hard-working corn farmers of Illinois, one of America’s top corn-producing states.

· RWR competition director Wes Ward will serve in a consulting role for Wallace this weekend. Ward served as Wallace’s crew chief at PPC Racing in 2004 and 2005, seasons which produced a total of 21 top-ten finishes for Wallace, en route to overall driver rankings of ninth and seventh, respectively.

· On race day, Wallace’s No. 28 car is scheduled to be serviced by a developmental pit crew compiled by RWR, with assistance from Joe Gibbs Racing.

· Kenny Wallace remains RWR’s most successful driver to date. Driving Rusty Wallace-owned cars from 1989-1992, Kenny compiled three wins, 26 top-fives, 62 top-tens, seven poles and a runner-up finish in the 1991 standings.

· Despite his older brother’s superstition, Kenny Wallace’s Illinois Corn Farmers Camry features green as one of its main colors. This is the first time since February 1992—with Wallace at the helm—that a car built by a Rusty Wallace-owned team has featured the color green.

· Wallace’s primary chassis for this weekend is RWR-018. Chassis 018 has made a total of five starts in 2010, all with Brendan Gaughan at the helm.

· Wallace is also a St. Louis native and is well-known as an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Additional Notes of Interest:

· Rusty, Steve, Kenny and Mike Wallace will be featured in one of two NASCAR press conferences this weekend at Gateway, to discuss the final race at their “home track.” The press conference will be held on Friday at 12:30 in the infield media center. Tentatively, one on ones will be available afterwards.

· Please vote for RWR’s entry in the Toyota Racing Challenge, a special charity round of Toyota’s “Sponsafier.” RWR’s entry, “Beaumobile,” promotes pet adoption and features Beau, Greg Wallace’s cocker spaniel that was rescued literally just minutes from being put down. Visit the following link and vote each day through November 1: !

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