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Racing Brings Forth The Wonders of ‘Creative Interpretation’

By
SM Staff
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There are roles in racing that have been distinguished since the beginning – the officials create the rules, while the crew chiefs and teams job is to discover an advantage.

At the beginning of a race season, teams, no matter the level of game, read over the rules to see what they’ve got to follow. Though, sometimes, they’re not just thinking about what’s on the surface; sometimes it’s not what’s on the surface. The geniuses of racing are always looking between the lines, trying to find what they can do, without being called a cheater. Simpler, we can call this “creative interpretation”, as per short track racer Brian Love calls it.

Throughout the racing game, the rules have been subject to this “creative interpretation” as there have been those who’ve come up with their own ideas.

Smokey Yunick was one of the most famous people for doing this as he always was looking to see what he could do within the rules. There’s a story where in tech inspection, NASCAR removed his fuel cell and Smokey turned around, asking, “Are you done yet?” and they told him. He then proceeded to drive away from the officials, but how’d he do that?

He had a fuel line of 11 foot coils of two inch diameter (equaling five gallons) and had enough fuel still in the car. He did that to therefore gain more fuel millage but most importantly, because the officials forgot to write that rule. Now if you read the rulebook, you notice there’s a length specified.

Then there was Ray Evernham, who came out with the car T-Rex at the 1997 Winston, dominating the show. After the show, Evernham was pulled aside and NASCAR specifically told him that he was not to bring that car back.

“We went through the rule book and wherever there was a real gray area or no specifics regarding certain components, we worked hard in that area with new things,” Eddie Dickerson, manager of Chassis Engineering at Hendrick Motorsports, said in an article on NASCAR.com. “There are no major changes you can make to components on these cars. So we worked hard in different little areas. It was a combination of things. … [But] we did not do anything illegal with the car.”

Now-a-days leading the charge is Chad Knaus, who has pushed the envelope to help his driver Jimmie Johnson score his four-championships in a row. Yes, Knaus has been caught and suspended. Though he said that he is doing it as that’s what he’s paid to do by Rick Hendrick – find an advantage and win races; sometimes you get caught while sometimes you don’t.

Robbie Loomis, ex-crew chief for Jeff Gordon and now a lead executive at Richard Petty Motorsports, agrees with the sediment.

“I think that’s our job, to find those areas of interpretation, the gray areas, and do just that,” Loomis said in an article. “Interpret. There is a lot less room in there to find an advantage than there used to be, but that’s part of the challenge.”

There are list of others that have pushed the envelope in the past, including NASCAR’s own employee now, Gary Nelson. That’s probably one of the reasons why Nelson was brought on.

So is it cheating? According to top NASCAR team owners, it’s not cheating unless you get caught.

“I’m going to sit here and lie to you,” Robert Yates said in an article on NASCAR.com. “I’d never cheat.”

Richard Petty is quoted in the same article as saying, “I always told my guys, ‘Cheat neat and you’ll get by with a bunch of stuff.’ I don’t particularly tell my guys to cheat. I just tell them not to get caught.”

Some would even say that those who push the rules are not rule breakers, yet they’re rule makers. After some of the antics pulled by the names mentioned above, more rules were enforced by officials to keep them more so in-line.

Some would also add that people whom do push the boundaries will always be remembered as they’ve left something that’ll always be implemented on the sport.

This same theory extends to the short track realm, where there are teams that push the rules. There are some that try to do things to the car and then some that will even bring stuff up to the officials to see if they’d be able to get away with it. Then when drivers do this and begin to gain the type of advantage, they’re purely accused of the cheating and called out for it.

Though if you look towards the NASCAR stars, they’re normally applauded for finding an advantage. Why is it different in the two different levels of competition?

Welcome to how perception works on this theory called, “Creative Interpretation”.

So, now that I’ve laid the frame work, what’s your take? Do you like “creative interpretation”? Or do you feel that it’s something that shouldn’t happen? Also, how far do you like to see the theory go?

Race One of the Chase – Lots of Surprises

By
SM Staff
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Good racing and New Hampshire are two terms that are rarely mentioned in the same breath.  But it happened on Sunday.   It was if every driver knew they had to beat Jimmie Johnson and were going for it.  Three wide a lot of the time and the result was a fuel mileage race.  Not what anyone had in mind after a race that had been fairly exciting, but that’s the way it goes at flat tracks like New Hampshire International. 

It was obvious from the get-go that Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart had the best cars.  The big surprise was that the event that everyone expected–a Jimmie Johnson beat down was not going to happen.  The talking heads on Speed and ESPN had almost anointed Johnson the champ before the race, but it was not to be on that day.  Johnson finished 25th.  Dodge’s only hope, Kurt Busch finished 13th.  The three Ford finalists floundered.  Carl Edwards finished 11th, Greg Biffle was 17th, and Matt Kenseth finished 23rd.  But Richard Childress Racing had a field day with Clint Bowyer winning the fuel mileage race (running out during his burnout), Kevin Harvick finishing 5th, and Jeff Burton ending up 15th.  The Hendrick cars faired no better with only Jeff Gordon finishing in the Top 10 in 6th.  Toyota drivers Denny Hamlin, who appears to be in the driver’s seat finished second and increased his lead over the field.  Kyle Busch’s 9th place finish was respecatable.

So we head into race two of the playoffs with Hamlin atop the standings and the champion in waiting far down the list.  Johnson has been in this situation before only to triumph.  Trouble is, this season is different.  RCR is more potent  and the Toyotas have their game in order.  Couple that with Ford’s Roush-Fenway Racing showing lots of potential down the stretch, regardless of their showing on Sunday, and it’s a more difficult task.  I think they are up to the challenge.

So where does that leave us?  No matter what happened yesterday, many fans are convinced that Johnson will prevail and I’m in their camp for several reasons.  They’ve been there, Chad Knaus is a brililant crew chief and we all know what Johnson can do, but watching what he and Jeff Gordon have done over the last part of the season leaves me wondering.  A lot will be determined at Dover.  Johnson is good there and if can get past another master at the concrete track–Greg Biffle–he may come on during the last half of the Chase.  History tells us that it’s not what happens in the first few races, but what happens over the long haul, and that seems to play into the Johnson-Knaus playbook.  So we wait and watch.

There were a lot of surprises on Sunday and there may be more as we go forward.  My pick is still Johnson, but I’m not counting Hamlin and Kyle Busch out just yet.  Call me silly, but I still think it will come down to Johnson and the younger Busch.  We’ll know more in a few weeks of course.  I just know this.  The gas mileage gamble probably cost  Tony Stewart the championship.  My kingdom for a gallon of gas…

HOORAHS & WAZZUPS: Winner Winner Lobster Dinner

By
SM Staff
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Over the previous weekend we watched a very happy race driver very carefully hold up a giant lobster in victory lane at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship officially began and we were amazed when the guy who should have been eating that lobster ran out of gas. One of the largest motorsports fan clubs in the country found their smile again and NASCAR’s favorite “rowdy” driver spent Saturday doing what he does best: winning. With all of these thoughts in mind let’s begin with:

HOORAH to Clint Bowyer for an outstanding driver performance that led to him winning last Sunday’s Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire. Bowyer and his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet was a major player all through this race and led 177 of 300 laps. But he was running second with two laps left when race leader Tony Stewart heard the heartbreaking sputter of an engine that had ran out of gas.

A little over a week ago we were all commenting on how Clint Bowyer slipped through the NASCAR Sprint Cup back door, following the Richmond Race, to claim the coveted 12th and final berth in the Chase line up. There was commentary that indicated that he wasn’t expected to be a major player in the Sprint Cup championship. However, Bowyer’s first win in 88 races vaulted him from 12th to second in the standings and he now has every one’s attention.

Here’s hoping that Bowyer is going to treat his pit crew to the finest steak and lobster dinner available in the state of New Hampshire. Led by crew chief Shane Wilson, that crew deserves a rarely issued double HOORAH for their flawless performance on pit road that kept their driver at the front of the field all day long.

HOORAH to the winning team’s sponsors General Mills and their Cheerios and Hamburger Helper brands. After being sponsors of NASCAR Sprint Cup teams for 14 years, General Mills scored their first ever race win at New Hampshire. A team celebration dinner featuring Cheerios, Hamburger Helper and that giant lobster actually sounds pretty good despite the fact that Bowyer admitted, on Monday afternoon, that he’s not exactly sure where the giant lobster is.

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Denny Hamlin’s second place finish earns him the HOORAH award for turning chicken do-do into chicken salad. While running fourth, with 85 laps to go, Hamlin’s Toyota was hit by a very loose Ford driven by Carl Edwards. Hamlin spun out and, amazingly, the on coming race traffic managed to avoid hitting him. Following a trip down pit road for new tires, Hamlin restarted the race in 22nd. It turned out to be a good situation. That unscheduled stop also allowed the team to pack the tank with fuel. Hamlin was one of the few front runners at the end of the race who had more than enough fuel to finish the race. When the checkers fell on the race, Hamlin had managed to cut Bowyer’s lead down to a mere 0.477 seconds.

Kevin Harvick also deserves a HOORAH for making the chicken do-do to salad transformation in his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. For someone whose nickname is “Happy”, Harvick was not feeling any joy at all during much of the Sylvania 300. Harvick became increasingly angry over the way his car was handling, how pit road adjustments didn’t seem to remedy the situation and even expressed anger over pit road calls and performance. Some of the transmissions from his in car radio were often brutal. But, true to his form all season long, this driver and team returned to reading from the same page and Harvick was able to turn a non effective day into a fifth place finish. It also allowed him to maintain his rock solid status as a bonafide Chase contender.

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WAZZUP with Chase contenders pushing the fuel mileage limits during this race? The trend started late in the race when Jeff Burton’s potential top five finish turned into a disappointing 15th place in the final running order.

Then there was the gut wrenching matter regarding Tony Stewart. This team was strong all day and the Sylvania 300 clearly belonged to them. But no one expected a long green flag run in the late stages of the race. The additional yellow flag that crew chiefs were counting on never arrived. Stewart’s tank ran dry with two laps left. He helplessly limped across the finish line to a 24th place finish while Bowyer was doing victory burn outs directly behind them.

However, Stewart more than deserves a HOORAH for being a class act after the race. After making it a point to congratulate Bowyer and saying how much fun it was racing with him, Stewart shouldered the blame for his situation by saying “I ran myself out of fuel. That’s racing; you never know who’s going to win until it’s over. That’s what makes this sport so exciting.”

Even the race winner was not immune from the stress of fuel mileage. His tank was perilously low during the final two laps of the race. But he couldn’t afford to back off of his pace because a hard charging Denny Hamlin, with plenty of fuel, had Bowyer in his sights.

Bowyer later stated that he clearly hear the nervous tone in his crew chief’s voice when they were discussing fuel issues during the final moments of the race and he did his best to heed that warning. How close did Bowyer push the fuel limits? He required the services of a wrecker to get him to victory lane.

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WAZZUP with four time Sprint Cup champion, and pre Chase favorite, Jimmie Johnson and his long day in New Hampshire? First off, there was that extremely aggressive racing with Denny Hamlin within the first five laps of the race. That action became so tight that even Chad Knaus, Johnson’s always stoic crew chief, felt compelled to get on the radio and tell his driver “there’s no need to go three wide this early.”

The next anxious moment for team #48 came with 78 laps to go. By his admission Kurt Busch came too hard into a turn and collected Jeff Burton. That in turn led to the proverbial accordion effect which saw Johnson spinning after contact with Kyle Busch.

But the WAZZUP factor concerns a very rare mistake made on pit road by this team. With 45 laps left in the race, Johnson reported that he felt one of the wheels were loose. An unscheduled green flag pit stop uncovered the fact that the problem was the right front wheel. Johnson returned to the track nearly two laps down while the team watched a strong top five finish turn into a 25th place finish.

However, Johnson does get a HOORAH for displaying the attitude of a champion prior to the Sylvania 300. The ESPN television team did a series of interviews with the 12 Chase contenders asking them who among them was the biggest threat to win the 2010 Sprint Cup. Most of the replies were vanilla soaked and diplomatic. While the #48 team was mentioned often, most of the replies were centered around the fact that any and all Chase teams were capable of winning the title. When Johnson was asked the same question he quickly replied “I am the biggest threat for the championship, I’m going down fighting while thinking that all the way through.” That, racing fans, is the true sign of a championship caliber driver and team

*************

You also have to send a WAZZUP to Matt Kenseth for the harsh luck he received during the opening race of the Chase. While fighting handling issues all race long, in his Roush Fenway Racing Ford, Kenseth got tagged, with 67 laps to go, by pole sitter Brad Keselowski. The Kenseth Ford spun and slammed backwards into the wall. The team was able to get their driver back into the race but the net result was a disappointing 23d place finish.

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A double HOORAH goes out to Dale Earnhardt Jr, crew chief Lance McGrew and the entire #88 team for their strong fourth place finish. With the disappointing results this team has seen all year long a solid run like this one had to seem like a win for them. The #88 team was actually the strongest of the four Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets and nobody remembers the last time we’ve been able to say that. During a mid race recap ESPN broadcaster Brad Daugherty actually yelled “hey, look at June Bug,” the long time nickname given the driver by his famous father. The Junior Nation will be smiling this week.

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HOORAH to Kyle Busch for winning the Race Day Raffle Series Dot Com 175 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event Saturday at New Hampshire. Busch started the race from the pole and led 156 laps while earning his fifth series win in only 11 starts this season. It was also his 80th win in a NASCAR national touring series event.

Another HOORAH goes out to Busch and Kevin Harvick for their non stop, all race long, side by side racing efforts. What we had here was two full time Sprint Cup drivers, who are also truck team owners, putting on a show that thrilled everyone who watched it.

HOORAH for James Buescher, the 20 year old Texas driver, who almost stole the show from the series veterans. With ten laps to go, Busch and Harvick were again side by side with some occasional contact between the two trucks. Meanwhile Buescher reeled them in and made a beauty of a low line pass to jump from third to the lead.

But the appearance of a first time series winner evaporated three laps later when the eighth and final caution flag came out to turn the race ending into another green-white-checker finish the series is so famous for. In those final laps, Busch performed a slide job on Buescher to reclaim the lead. But in the process of making that pass, Busch slammed hard into the backstretch wall and nearly took Buescher with him. Busch would later say that he hit was so hard that “it knocked my racing helmet sideways.” Somehow Busch managed to keep his truck under control and took the win with Buescher a mere 0.280 seconds away from his bumper.

Buescher was less than thrilled about the way the race ended and presented Busch with the one finger wave during the cool down lap. He gets a WAZZUP for that gesture. But it’s not because it was the wrong thing to to. In fact, it was pretty funny. Buescher has been in the truck series long enough to know that a hand gesture is only going to fuel Kyle Busch’s sarcastic sense of humor and the gesture isn’t going to phase him at all. That’s the reason for the WAZZUP.

Roush Fenway Advance – Dover

By
Official Release
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Roush Fenway Advance – Dover

Dover International Speedway – 1-mile

AAA 400

Sun. 9.26.10, 1:00 p.m. EDT

ESPN TV, MRN, Sirius 128

David Ragan, No. 6 UPS Ford

Greg Biffle, No. 16 3M Ford

Matt Kenseth, No. 17 Crown Royal Ford

Carl Edwards, No. 99 Aflac Ford

Dover 200

Sat. 9.25.10, 3:30 p.m. EDT

ESPN 2 TV, MRN, Sirius 128

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 6 Citi Financial Ford

Erik Darnell No. 16 3M Post -it Ford

Carl Edwards, No. 60 Copart Ford

Paul Menard, No. 98 Menard’s Ford

Roush Fenway, Chase for the Sprint Cup Rolls Into the Monster Mile

Roush Fenway will look to rebound at Dover International Speedway, after getting off to a tough start in the Chase last weekend in Loudon. One of Roush Fenway’s strongest tracks, Dover will also see the return of the Nationwide Series after a weekend off last week.

Roush Fenway Chase Report

After a tough start, Roush Fenway moves into Dover eighth (Edwards), ninth (Biffle) and 12th (Kenseth) in the points. They will have nine races remaining in the Chase to catch up to the leaders.

Roush Fenway in the Chase

Roush Fenway is no stranger to NASCAR’s Chase to the Cup, the organization has fielded at least two cars in each of its seven years of existence. In 2005, Roush Fenway occupied half of the 10-car field and in 2004 the organization won the inaugural Chase. In addition, Roush Fenway has placed more cars in the Chase field (20) than any other racing organization.

Roush Fenway at Dover

While nicknamed the “Monster Mile,” Roush Fenway Racing has experienced a great deal of success at every level of NASCAR competition at Dover. Roush Fenway started a total of 229 NASCAR races at Dover, tallying 13 wins, 68 top fives, 108 top 10s and 10 poles, while leading 4223 laps in NASCAR action.

Taming the Monster

Roush Fenway’s eight wins in the Sprint Cup Series at Dover are the third most at a track for the organization (trailing only Michigan and Bristol with 11 and 10). Dover is also top-two for Roush Fenway in the Cup series in top fives (45), top 10s (72) and poles (6).

Leading the Way

Roush Fenway has led a total of 3,571 laps in Cup action at Dover, the most the team has led at any track.

Monster Chase Effort

Roush Fenway’s top outing at Dover in the Chase came in 2008 when the organization finished first, second and third, with Biffle winning the event followed by Kenseth and Edwards. All-in-all, Roush Fenway has seven top fives, nine top 10s and two wins in 17 Chase entries at the Monster Mile.

Winner’s Circle

Roush Fenway has won in all three major NASCAR series at Dover (8 Cup, 3 Nationwide and 2 Truck). Roush Fenway won its first race at Dover in the Cup series from the pole in the fall of 1997. The organization’s last win at the “Monster Mile” came via the Sprint Cup Series in the fall of 2008.

RFR Dover Wins

1997-2 Martin Cup

1998-2 Martin Cup

2999-2 Martin Cup

2004-1 Martin Cup

2005-1 Biffle Cup

2006-1 Kenseth Cup

2007-2 Edwards Cup

2008-1 Biffle Cup

2002-1 Biffle NNS

2004-1 Biffle NNS

2007-1 Edwards NNS

2000-2 Busch Truck

2006-1 Martin Truck

Runner Up

In addition to its eight Cup wins at Dover, Roush Fenway has finished second in the Cup series at Dover on 13 occasions. In fact Roush Fenway finished second at Dover twice before breaking into the winner’s circle in 1997. Twice the company has posted one-two finishes at Dover (spring ’06 and fall ’07). In addition, Roush Fenway has five runner-up finishes at Dover in the Nationwide Series.

Roush Fenway Dover International Speedway

Races Win T5 T10 Pole Laps Led AvSt AvFn Miles

CUP 158 8 45 72 6 60966 3571 17.2 15.3 60966

NNS 50 3 16 26 2 9235 498 11.4 14 9235

Trucks 21 2 7 10 2 3602 154 14.3 14.4 3602

229 13 68 108 10 73803 4223 14.3 14.6 73803

Roush Fenway Chaser Stats at Dover

Races: 17

Breakdown: Kenseth 5, Edwards 4, Biffle 3, Martin 3, Busch 2

Wins: 2 (Edwards 2007, Biffle 2008)

Top 5: 7

Top 10: 9

2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup Standings – After 1 race, Sept. 20, 2010

Rank +/- Driver Points Behind Starts Poles Wins Top 5 Top 10

1 — Hamlin 5230 Leader 27 1 6 11 12

2 10 Bowyer 5195 -35 27 0 1 5 15

3 — Harvick 5185 -45 27 0 3 12 18

4 — Ky Busch 5168 -62 27 2 3 8 15

5 3 Gordon 5155 -75 27 0 0 10 14

6 -1 Ku Busch 5144 -86 27 2 2 8 15

7 -5 Johnson 5138 -92 27 1 5 10 14

8 1 Edwards 5135 -95 27 2 0 6 14

9 -2 Biffle 5122 -108 27 0 1 5 14

10 — Burton 5118 -112 27 0 0 5 13

11 -5 Stewart 5106 -124 27 2 1 7 14

12 -1 Kenseth 5094 -136 27 0 0 5 10

Joey Logano / No. 20 GameStop Toyota Preview – Dover 200 at Dover International Speedway

By
Official Release
-

No. 20 GameStop Toyota News, Notes & Paint Scheme:

· BACK TO WHERE IT ALL STARTED: Joey Logano and the No. 20 GameStop Toyota team will head back to Dover International Speedway this coming weekend for the Dover 200. But the Dover event isn’t just like any other race on the schedule. In fact, Dover holds a special place in the heart of Logano and the No. 20 team. Back in 2008, it was at Dover that Logano made his first-career NASCAR Nationwide Series start, driving the No. 20 GameStop Toyota. In that event, Logano shocked and surprised many, starting ninth and finishing in sixth place, completing all 200 laps. Since that time, Logano has competed at Dover in the Nationwide Series two other times. Last season, Logano won the pole and finished second after leading 87 laps at the “Monster Mile.”

· PRACTICE MAKE PERFECT: The No. 20 team will be hitting a different track of sorts in the coming weeks. The team will test the “new” NASCAR Nationwide Series car at Rockingham Speedway in the coming weeks, in preparation for the upcoming Dollar General 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That event will mark the fourth of four events on the 2010 series schedule that will utilize the Nationwide Series “new car.” The “new car” will run the full schedule in 2011.

· KIDD DETERMINED: Although this will be Joey’s first race at Dover with Kevin Kidd as his crew chief, it isn’t Kidd’s first foray at the “Monster Mile.” Kidd has been to Dover a number of times in the past with several other teams that he has helped over the years. Kidd also took the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team to Dover earlier this year with Denny Hamlin behind the wheel. In that race, Hamlin qualified second and led 11 laps before getting involved in an accident late in the running and settling for a 12th place finish. Kidd said he is determined to win the race this weekend and knock the monkey of the No. 20 team’s back.

· CONCRETE CHASSIS!: The No. 20 GameStop/Joe Gibbs Racing team will take chassis #2083 as the primary car this weekend in Dover. The car has become the king of concrete, with two other races this year, both coming at the high-banked Bristol Motor Speedway. Logano has also used this same chassis at Bristol in 2009, as well as the event at Texas Motor Speedway, the only asphalt track the chassis has competed on.

· STAT OF THE WEEK: 17. Logano has raced his way to 17 top 10 finishes in just 18 events in 2010 while driving the No. 20 GameStop Toyota. That marks a career-high of top 10 finishes in a season for the 20-year-old. Logano scored 14 top 10 finishes in just 19 starts in the 2008 season, while in 2009, Logano earned 16 top 10s in 22 starts.

· FEATURED ON THE No. 20: GameStop store #6247, based in Waterloo, Iowa, will be the featured store on the lower rear quarter panel of the No. 20 GameStop Toyota this weekend in Dover.

Logano’s Season-To-Date NASCAR Nationwide Series Stats:

Starts

Wins

Top 5

Top 10

Poles

Laps Led

Earnings

Avg. Start

Avg. Finish

18

1

9

17

4

546

$659,005

5.5

5.3

Logano’s Career NASCAR Nationwide Series Stats:

Starts

Wins

Top 5

Top 10

Poles

Laps Led

Earnings

Avg. Start

Avg. Finish

59

7

27

47

11

1278

$2,255,984

7.7

7.5

Logano’s Career NASCAR Nationwide Series Stats at Dover International Speedway:

Starts

Wins

Top 5

Top 10

Poles

Laps Led

Earnings

Avg. Start

Avg. Finish

3

0

1

2

1

87

$85,961

6.3

7.3

Joey Logano Quotes:

“I’m ready to get back in the No. 20 GameStop Toyota, and I’m glad it’s going to be at Dover. The last time we were at the track, I was on the pole and we had a shot to win the race, but we got caught up behind our teammate Kyle Busch on the final restart when he had a tire going down and that let the guy in third pass both of us. It was a race that we should have won, but we had to settle for second.

“I think we are going to be really good this weekend. I know (Crew Chief) Kevin (Kidd) has been working really hard to improve our cars and get us better on the short runs. That is what has hurt us this year. If we had a little bit better of a car on the short runs, I think we would have three or four wins this year. But I know the guys are working hard on it and we will get better. When I talked with Kevin this week, he said he is determined. He is tired of finishing second, third, fourth and never winning the races. So I feel pretty good going into this weekend that we have a real shot at it.”

Kevin Kidd Quotes:

“I’m coming into this weekend determined to win this race. I always go into the weekend looking to be competitive and put ourselves and Joey in a position at the end with a shot to win the race, but this weekend, I’m determined to win this thing no matter what it takes. We’ve been close all year long. There should be at least three or four wins under our belt, and we just can’t close the deal. We know Joey is giving it his all, and the guys on the team are doing everything they can. We just need to put it all together, and that is what I’m ready to do in Dover.

“Dover is a tricky track. Some of it drives like a short track, some of it drives like a speedway. That means you’ve got to really watch your setup and make the right adjustments depending on what part of the track needs improving. We had a great car at Dover earlier this year with Denny (Hamlin), and I learned a lot from that race. I think that will make going back this weekend even more beneficial to us, because I can take what we learned and start from there. Denny could have won that race, and I think Joey’s got as good of chance this weekend as anyone. And we could all use another trip to Victory Lane.”

No. 20 GameStop Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing Team

Crew Chief – Kevin Kidd Car Chief – Tony Hamm Engine Builder – Mark Cronquist

Lead Engineer – Mike Lorusso Engine Specialist – Dan Bajek Spotter – Mark Robertson

Jackman – TJ Ford Front Tire Changer – Terry Spalding Front Tire Carrier – Aaron Shields

Gas Man – Chris Webb Rear Tire Changer – Chris McMullen Rear Tire Carrier – Matt Tyrell

Catch Can – Brian Larson Truck Driver – Charles Sampson Tire Specialist – Ryan Martin

Shock Specialist – Joel Weidman Mechanics – Matt Aschbrenner & Ben Chase

Carl Edwards Dover Fast Facts

By
Official Release
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Carl Edwards – NSCS DOVER ADVANCE

Team: No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion

Crew Chief: Bob Osborne

Chassis: RK-705 – This is a brand new car

Edwards, NSCS at Dover International Speedway:

Date Event S F Laps Led Status Money

5-16-10 Autism Speaks 400 9 8 400/400 0 Running $136,773

9-27-09 AAA 400 30 11 400/400 0 Running $128,106

5-31-09 Autism Speaks 400 13 7 400/400 12 Running $149,656

9-21-08 Camp. World 400 22 3 400/400 85 Running $175,150

6-1-08 Best Buy 400 14 2 400/400 64 Running $235,375

9-23-07 Dodge Dealers 400 15 1 400/400 95 Running $229,250

6-4-07 Dover 400 5 3 400/400 18 Running $190,100

9-24-06 Dover 400 6 2 400/400 21 Running $172,850

6-4-06 Neighborhood 400 25 15 400/400 2 Running $104,125

9-25-05 MBNA 400 32 9 404/404 0 Running $93,850

6-5-05 MBNA 400 8 16 398/400 0 Running $98,060

9-26-04 MBNA America 400 15 18 397/400 0 Running $97,417

Races Wins Top-5s Top-10s Poles Led Money

Cumulative 12 1 5 8 0 297 $1,810.712

Carl Edwards on racing at Dover International Speedway:

“We have nine races left in the Chase and we are going to Dover to win this race. We are going all out 100 percent. We’re taking a new car this weekend that should be fast. I’m excited to go there. It’s a great track for me and my Aflac team. We’ve had some really good runs there including a win. For me this is one of the races in the Chase where I can make a difference as a driver.”

Crew Chief Bob Osborne on racing at Dover International Speedway:

“Although we’ve got two one-mile tracks in a row, they couldn’t be more different. I’m looking forward to racing at Dover this weekend since it’s a much better track for us than New Hampshire. We typically run much better on the banked tracks than on the flat ones. We’ve got a new car for Dover that I feel will be extremely competitive. Dover is a difficult race track to drive and Carl really excels with cars that don’t necessarily handle well an entire race. It has a lot to do with getting the most out of what you have for a race car and he does that extremely well.”

Fast Facts

Carl Edwards is currently eighth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, 95 points behind the leader. To date he has six top fives, 14 top 10s and two poles this season.

FOR THE RECORD…In 12 starts at the one-mile track, Edwards has one win, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes. Edwards scored his only Cup win there in Sept. ’07. He has an average start of 16.2 and an average finish of 7.9.

LAPS…Edwards has led 297 laps at Dover. He has only led more laps at two other tracks on the NASCAR circuit – Texas (476) and Atlanta (331). He has completed 99.9 percent of his laps there (4799 of 4804 laps).

ON THE TRACK… The No. 99 team will be unloading chassis RK-705 this weekend. This is a brand new Aflac Ford Fusion.

IN THE LOOP… According to NASCAR’s Loop Statistics compiled over the last 12 races at Dover, Edwards has turned 296 of the track’s fastest laps which is fourth highest, spent 3,100 laps (70.4%) in the top 15 (seventh highest) and led a total of 297 laps (sixth highest). Edwards’ driver rating (102.2) is fourth best among active drivers.

REWIND, DOVER, September 2009… Edwards fought a loose condition much of the race with the team making adjustments on every pit stop to help him. A late-race stop under caution for fresh tires with 30 laps to go was just what he needed to work his way up to 11th place to finish the race.

JR Motorsports — NNS Dover II Preview

By
Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW

No. 88 Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet/No. 7 Go Daddy Chevrolet

EVENT – Dover 200 (200 laps / 200 miles)

TRACK – Dover International Speedway (1-mile concrete oval)

DATE – Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010

TV / RADIO – ESPN2 (coverage begins at 3 p.m. EST) / MRN (broadcast begins at 3 p.m. EST)

Elliott Sadler

No. 88 Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet

“It’s hard to believe we’re only eight races away from the end of the Nationwide Series season. I’ve had a blast racing here at JRM. It’s quickly winding down, and that gives you fewer and fewer chances to win races. I can’t tell you how exciting it would be to get a win for Dale Jr. and the 88 Realtree Outfitters team. Dale and I have been friends for a long a time, and I’d love to get Bill Jordan a win, too. It would be a pretty special victory lane if we were able to win this weekend at Dover.

“I haven’t raced a Nationwide car at Dover in a while, but fortunately it’s a place that hasn’t changed much at all. You’ll hear Dover compared to Bristol, but on a larger scale and that’s true to a point. They’re both concrete, but at Dover you really drop off into the corner. It’s very unique in that aspect. The corners are really long, so you want your car to rotate really well. You’ve got to be 100 percent focused each and every lap. Dover is a place where the slightest mistake could end your day in a heartbeat.”

Danica Patrick

No. 7 Go Daddy Chevrolet

“Dover will be a tough one for us this weekend. Again, this is a building year for me. It’s important we take the Go Daddy car out there and finish the race. That’s the biggest goal. I know I’m in for a challenge at Dover, there is no denying that. From what (crew chief) Tony (Eury) Jr. tells me, it’s a place that more than lives up to it nickname.

“I’ve heard a lot of interesting stories about that place. I’m looking forward to my first trip there, but I am a bit nervous. We have a number of things I do in preparation for tracks I’ve never raced at before. I’ve spent the weeks leading up to the race looking at a lot of video from past races there. I’m excited to run the Pro Series race, too. It’s something that I have to do. We can’t expect success in the Nationwide car if we’re not willing to put the time in on the racetrack. With only one practice in the Nationwide Series this weekend, running the Pro Series makes a lot of sense.”

Tony Eury Jr.

Crew Chief No. 7 Go Daddy Chevrolet

“Our whole Go Daddy team has been taking it one step at a time this year. Being a rookie in this series is very difficult, especially considering Danica’s open-wheel background and lack of stock car experience. At this point, we want to go out there and finish the race at Dover. I’m not going to speculate and say, hey, we need a top-20 finish to make it a good weekend. That would be nice, but we’re also realistic. It’s her first race there, and we can’t expect that. Finishing the race and bringing the Go Daddy car home with the fenders on it would be a solid weekend for us.”

JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK –

DOUBLE DUTY FOR DP – Patrick will participate in Friday’s K & N Pro East Series race, the Sunoco 150, prior to the Dover 200 Nationwide Series event on Saturday. Patrick will drive the No. 83 JRM Chevrolet in preparation for her NNS debut at the facility.

88 TEAM VS. THE MONSTER – The No. 88 Realtree Outfitters team led by crew chief Tony Eury Sr., has finished inside the top-10 in the last seven races at the Monster Mile. The streak dates back three years to the fall of 2007. In that time the team has an average finish of 4.4, and earned one win, three top-five and seven top-10 finishes.

SADLER AT DOVER – Sadler owns five career starts in the Nationwide Series at Dover. He earned two top-10 finishes and has led one lap at the facility. This weekend will be Sadler’s first NNS race at Dover since driving for Gary Bechtel in 1998.

DANICA’S SEASON – Dover is Patrick’s seventh NNS race behind the wheel of the No. 7 Go Daddy Chevrolet. She earned the best finish of her rookie year when she finished 24th at Chicagoland Speedway on July 9.

SADLER WITH JRM – With Sadler piloting the No. 88 Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet, the team has an average finish of 11.0 in his three races at New Hampshire, Michigan and Richmond. Sadler has led laps in each of his three starts with JRM, pacing the field for a total of 26.

PATRICK’S FINAL SIX – Patrick will return to the NNS in two weeks for the final six races of the 2010 season. She’ll compete at Auto Club Speedway (Oct. 9), Charlotte Motor Speedway (Oct. 15), Gateway International Raceway (Oct. 23), Texas Motor Speedway (Nov. 6), Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 13) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 20). It will mark the first time Patrick races in more than three consecutive events for JRM.

SADLER’S 2010 ACHIEVMENTS – In four Nationwide Series starts this season, Sadler earned one top-five and two top-10 finishes with one pole. He’s led 54 laps on the season and accumulated an average finish of 9.0.

TEAM POINTS POSITION – The No. 88 Realtree Outfitters team is ranked seventh in the 2010 owner points after Richmond. The No. 7 team gained three positions and is 14th in owner points, its highest rank of the season.

CRUISIN’ WITH DALE JR. – The Dale Jr. Foundation has announced that bids are now open for the Foundation Fast Laps, which offers a limited number of ride alongs with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday, Oct. 18th, 2010. Fans have their choice of either bidding on a ride through the NASCAR.com auctions page, or purchasing one through The Dale Jr. Foundation website. Winners are entitled to many extras, including two pre-race pit passes, and two grandstand seats for the Bank of America 500, and a walk-through tour of Dale Jr.’s Hendrick Motorsports hauler. Proceeds will benefit the Blessings in a Backpack program, which fills backpacks with food for underprivileged children. The auction page can be found here, and to purchase a ride visit http://www.thedalejrfoundation.org/_10_08_17.html

FREE JR NATION CREW FAN CLUB – Dale Jr. and JR Motorsports are welcoming race fans to join the JR Nation Crew Fan Club for free. The exclusive fan club offers fans an online hub with chat rooms, forums, and blogs from JRM personalities. Join today for your chance to win an autographed fire suit courtesy of Hellmann’s®. For more information, visit www.jrnation.com.

CHEVY NSCS AT DOVER TWO: Team Chevy Advance

By
Official Release
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TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE

AAA 400

DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

DOVER, DE

SEPTEMBER 26, 2010

DID YOU KNOW? General Motors and ABB Group will work together to develop pilot projects for re-using the batteries from the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle, examining whether the batteries may be a source for renewable energy that could improve the effectiveness of wind and solar power generation. The two companies are collaborating to determine how the Volt’s 16-kWh lithium-ion batteries can be used to provide stationary electric grid storage systems once the batteries have fulfilled their usefulness in customers’ vehicles.

The ultimate goal is to provide cost-effective, innovative solutions that will improve the efficiency of the country’s electrical grid.

CHEVY RACING AT DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY – JEFF CHEW, MARKETING MANAGER, NASCAR, CHEVY RACING: “Thousands of race fans have visited us trackside at the Team Chevy Racing Tour so far this year at races across the country, and the feedback has been tremendous. Dover International Speedway provides a unique opportunity for the fans to see Chevy’s full lineup of award-winning cars and trucks or spend some time testing their skills on one of our racing simulator games.”

· Fans can visit Chevy Racing Display and checkout great Chevrolet models including: Silverado HD, Cruze, Camaro, Corvette, Equinox, Traverse, Malibu, Silverado LD Allstar with Power Pack.

· Interactive activities including a Victory Lane “green screen” photo taken at the Team Chevy Winner’s Circle Photo Trailer

· The Chevy Display Kid Zone will feature games and prizes

· Cell Phones for Soldiers will be featured prominently in the display

· Fans are encouraged to bring old cell phones to Chevy Display and donate in drop box for Cell Phones for Soldiers program. Fans not attending the races this weekend can visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com for more information

· Fans can gather information on the “Chevrolet Salutes America’s Heroes” program. Additional information is available at www.youreverydayhero.com,

· On race day, the over-the-wall pit crew for Jamie McMurray’s No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet, will do an autograph session for the fans at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday

· The Team Chevy Racing Display will be located in the Dover FanZone located just outside Turn 4 and the front straightaway

· Hours of operation: 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. on Friday; 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. on Saturday and 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Sunday

TEAM CHEVY AT DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY – PAT SUHY, GM RACING NASCAR GROUP MANAGER: “Congratulations to Clint Bowyer, Shane Wilson, the No. 33 crew, and everyone at RCR for bringing home the win in the Chase kickoff race at Loudon this past Sunday. That win marked Team Chevy’s 14th trip to victory lane this season in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series. With nine races to go, all six of our Chevrolet drivers in the Chase still have a great chance to bring home the coveted Sprint Cup trophy. Chevy now leads the Manufacturers’ championship point standings by 32.

“Coming into round two of the Chase in Dover, the second trip to the Monster Mile on the tour this year, all of our teams will be looking to improve their performances of the last visit in May. They’ve been analyzing those results and studying how the cars responded to their initial setups and changes during practice sessions and the race itself. Since the Cup cars will be running the same Goodyear tire combination that was used then, everything they learned is applicable to this Sunday’s event. The engineers and crew chiefs will be able to fine tune their setups based on that data and hopefully come out with a better end result. Whether or not it’s one of our Chase contenders or another Team Chevy driver, I’m looking forward to celebrating another victory this weekend in Dover”.

TEAM CHEVY IN 2010 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES (NSCS) COMPETITION:

· Race wins – 14 as of race 27 of 36

· Poles – 11 as of race 27 of 36

· Laps led – 4,100 (51.4% of possible 7,976)

· Top-five finishes – 72 (53.3% of possible)

· Top-10 finishes – 136 (50.4% of possible)

· Team Chevy has six (6) drivers in the 2010 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup:

o Clint Bowyer, No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet – ranks 2nd in the standings

o Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet – is 3rd in points

o Jeff Gordon, No. 24 DuPont/Law Enforcement Museum Chevrolet – sits 5th in standings

o Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet – is 7th in points

o Jeff Burton, No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet – is in 10th place

o Tony Stewart, No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet – sits 11th in the standings

CHEVROLET ON THE TRACK-DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY:

Team Chevy drivers have won 30 of 81 previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) races at Dover International Speedway (Dover)

· Chevy has 20 poles at Dover

Team Chevy drivers have scored 158 top-five finishes and 303 top-10 finishes at Dover

A Chevrolet has led 14,799 laps (39.5% of possible 37,504) at Dover

Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet, has four (5) wins at Dover (’02, ’04 and ‘09)

Jeff Gordon, No. 24 DuPont/Law Enforcement Museum Chevrolet, has scored four (4) Dover race wins (’95, ’96 and ’01)

Mark Martin, No. 5 Delphi/GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, also has four (4) victories at the Monster Mile (’97, ’98, ’99 and ’04)

Ryan Newman, No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet, has three (3) Dover wins (’03 and ’04)

Tony Stewart, No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet, has won twice (2) at Dover (won both races in ’00)

Jeff Burton, No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet, has one (1) victory at Dover (’06)

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., No. 88 National Guard/ AMP Energy Chevrolet won once (1) at Dover in 2001

Bobby Labonte, No. 09 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet, has one (1) win at Dover (’99)

TEAM CHEVY FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT:

CLINT BOWYER, NO. 33 CHEERIOS/HAMBURGER HELPER CHEVROLET – 2ND IN STANDINGS: “Confidence and momentum is everything in any sport I think. They both feed off of each other. The last month has been a lot of momentum and has brought a lot of confidence to our race team. I think, hopefully, we can continue to ride that wave as long as we can. If we could carry that throughout the Chase, we can be a force to be reckoned with, just like we were in 2007. That is the thing about my Chase, in my opinion, that is different from any other years. You don’t have that dominate organization. You have got every organization in it that is very strong, very capable of winning racing and we have seen it all year long. Everybody has had their time in the sun. I think it is going to be the same thing. I think you are going to go into Homestead with anywhere from three to six cars with a shot at winning the championship. I think that is going to be big for our sport. Look at my races last year, we were good enough to run, as bad as our cars were, if we were in it, we would have finished fifth or sixth. You know, these are good racetracks for us. Dover is another one I’ve won twice in the Nationwide Series, but haven’t always got the finish. And that’s the thing about a race team, if we can get the finish like we run during the race, then we can win this championship.”

KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 29 SHELL/PENNZOIL CHEVROLET – 3RD IN STANDINGS: “Dover is a cool race track. It’s fast. But there can be a wreck off of Turn 2 that will swallow up 10 or 15 cars. We’ve been on both sides of that fence. We did run well there at the beginning of the year. Hopefully we can do the same thing when we go back. It’s one of those race tracks that lets you know how fast you’re going, not only when you’re going around the race track, but if you happen to hit something. It’s a fun race track but it can eat you up pretty fast.”

JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DUPONT/LAW ENFORCEMENT MUSEUM CHEVROLET – 5TH IN STANDINGS: “Right now, I’m only focused on making sure that we are a part of that factor when we get down to Homestead. Right now, it’s kind of hard to get excited about that when you are sitting here being eighth after being seeded second all year long. The only way we are going to go see what we have got is get through the first three or four races. You know, there’s a lot of tracks that I think we are really good at and there’s a couple that we have to get better at. You know, I think that we’ll just have to wait and see. You want to try to get a few races in. You know that you’re going to have a bad week. It seems like everybody always does. But you don’t want to start it off that way because then that means you have to put nine really good ones together.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S/KOBALT TOOLS CHEVROLET – 7TH IN STANDINGS: “Dover is one of my favorite race tracks so I’m excited to get back after last weekend’s finish. We definitely need to get some points and get some things going. We couldn’t pick a better track for the Lowe’s team to go to in order to get some points. We’re excited for it and looking forward to this weekend. Dover has been such a good track for us, it gets us really excited that we can hopefully run where we should and run up front and collect a lot of points; lead a lap or lead some laps. I’m going with what I know and going to continue to drive the car as I always have and Dover is a track that I just love driving. It’s a really fast track with a lot of banking. The transitions from the straightaway to the corners are pretty crazy and actually a lot of fun to drive. It’s like a grown up Bristol in a way where the intensity needed to drive the car is just like Bristol, but on a larger scale. Really demanding on the equipment, the driver and when something goes wrong there, you’re not going to save it, you’re going to hit something. It’s a track where you have to take a lot of risks to run fast and that can come back and bite you.”

JEFF BURTON, NO. 31 CATERPILLAR CHEVROLET – 10TH IN STANDINGS: “I think mental toughness is always important (to the Chase). It’s easy when things are going well. You know what I mean? When things are going well, it’s easy to be mentally tough. The question is when the chips are down, who is going to be mentally tough? The chips are going to be down for everybody at some point in this Chase and those will be the defining moments in this Chase and who can come through those……..that’s going to determine who the winner is. So I think mental toughness is real important and I think attitude is real important and not for only the drivers but for everybody on the team. There has got to be a desire to win it. You know, everybody wants to win it but the question is who is going to sacrifice to win it and what are you willing to sacrifice and be willing to give up? And I feel like my group of people will give up just about anything to win this thing and I feel like I will too. Short of our integrity…….we are not going to give up our integrity. But short of that we are willing to make a lot of sacrifices to do what needs to happen.”

TONY STEWART, NO. 14 OFFICE DEPOT/OLD SPICE CHEVROLET – 11TH IN STANDINGS: “Dover is a track that is kind of a two-phase deal. It is easy to get your car too tight in the center trying to get it to drive up off the corner nice and it seems like if you get it to rotate through the corner then it is way loose off. That’s the two things that you really battle there. It is the sacrifice of which one do you want to be a little bit off to accomplish having a balanced car. (Getting out of Dover clean) is as important as the other nine that aren’t Dover. It is one of 10. It is one-tenth of the equation. There’s not going to be emphasis on one track versus another. We have to be setup for 10 races at 10 tracks. So, that is what we are doing.”

RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 39 HAAS AUTOMATION CHEVROLET – 13TH IN STANDINGS: “I’ve always liked Dover. It’s just a track that driver’s like, well that I like. It’s absolutely one of my favorite tracks if not my favorite. I like the banking; I like the elevation changes. The concrete provides a different type of racing for us, because the track doesn’t change a whole lot. Once you get your car right you can keep it right for the rest of the race. And for me, for whatever reason, I’ve always adapted well to racing on concrete. To me, the characteristics of the track make it both demanding and fun. It’s really unique how you drop off into the corners and then climb up the hills onto the straightaways. At Dover, the entry into the corners is the toughest part. If you don’t get a good entry, you’re not going to have a good middle or a good exit. You have narrow straightaways and then the track opens a lot in the corners, so there is a good bit of give and take. To me as a driver, it is just a track that is a lot of fun and one that I look forward to going to each year.”

JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 MCDONALD’S CHEVROLET – 14TH IN STANDINGS: “Dover is probably the race that I’m most looking forward to, honestly. We ran really well there. We had some track bar mount issues. They broke off of both of our cars. But we ran really well at Bristol and Dover is one of my favorite race tracks and it’s been a place I’ve been to winning more than once and if I were to pick one, that’s my race, yeah.”

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET – 16TH IN STANDINGS: “Dover is always fun. Last time we were there, we ran horrible then something broke on the car so we are assuming something was wrong. Normally we run really good there. It is quite a challenge. It is fun. It is really a fast place and very interesting.”

MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 DELPHI/GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET – 17TH IN STANDINGS: “I have always been a big fan of Dover. From the first time I raced there, it naturally fit with my driving style. I’ve had a lot of success on that track. A lot of good race cars. A lot of Victory Lane memories. The racing is always so competitive and so exciting. The fans will see a great show on Sunday for sure. I know all the drivers love racing at Dover so it will be a good race. Not even a concrete racing surface can ruin Dover (laughs). Seriously, it’s very different from the asphalt we are used to racing on. Concrete doesn’t react to heat or the sun like asphalt does. They’re incredibly different. I will say that when you lose your grip on a concrete track, the car will just snap incredibly loose. This is a track that takes all of your energy, all of your manpower. You have to manhandle that race car for 400 laps. It’s a good time but you have to be ready for it.”

DALE EARNHARDT JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD/AMP ENERGY CHEVROLET – 18th IN STANDINGS: “The team is coming off a good run, and we want to build on that. It’s been awhile since we’ve had a good run at Dover, but it’s a tough track. Dover is a rough track and that concrete is bumpy.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships

Total (1949 – 2009): 33

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 9 (1983 – 91)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Drivers Championships

Total (1949 – 2009): 26

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 6 (1993 – 98)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Event Victories

2010 Race Wins: 14

Total Chevrolet race wins: 665 (1949 – to date) (2,272 possible = 29.3%)

Record for total race wins in single season: 26 – 2007

Poles Won to Date: 605

Laps Lead to Date: 199,181

Top-Five Finishes to Date: 3,344

Top-10 Finishes to Date: 6,841

Total NASCAR Cup wins by Corporation, 1949 – To-Date

GM: 1,000

Chevrolet: 665

Pontiac: 155

Oldsmobile: 115

Buick: 65

Ford: 696

Ford: 596

Mercury: 96

Lincoln: 4

Chrysler: 456

Dodge: 207

Plymouth: 190

Chrysler: 59

Toyota: 31

About Chevrolet: Chevrolet is a global automotive brand, with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. In the U.S., the Chevrolet portfolio includes: iconic performance cars, such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long lasting pickups and SUVs, such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers, such as Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly to gas-free” solutions including the Cruze Eco and Volt, both arriving in late 2010. Cruze Eco will offer up to 40 mpg highway while the Chevrolet Volt will offer up to 40 miles of electric, gas-free driving and an additional 300 miles of extended range (based on GM testing; official EPA estimates not yet available). Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security, and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response, and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models, fuel solutions, and OnStar availability can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Greg Biffle Dover Notes and Quotes

By
Official Release
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Biffle on Dover: “I am definitely ready to get to Dover this weekend. I think it should be the start of a few good finishes for us. We’ve been running well at the faster tracks and I think that will carry over to Dover, Kansas, California and Charlotte. We need to get solid top-five finishes at each of those tracks because we consider Martinsville and Phoenix to be weaker tracks for us and you just never know what might happen at Talladega. We didn’t have the start to the Chase last weekend at New Hampshire that we were looking for but this team is resilient and we’re already looking ahead.”

Erwin on Dover: “We are looking forward to getting back to the faster, banked racetracks that we have coming up starting with this weekend at Dover. We’ve had really strong runs at those type of tracks since the midpoint of this season. Greg has two wins at Dover so we know he knows how to win there. The important things at Dover are obviously getting the car to turn through the corners and also tire management. It seems that as that track ages, it becomes harder and harder on tires, so we just have to be mindful of that.”

Dover Notes

• Biffle and the 3M team are currently ninth in the standings; they are 108 points behind leader Denny Hamlin but only 33 points out of fifth.

• Biffle’s average finish at Dover is 10.5 from an average starting position of 12.8.

• This weekend the rear bumper of the 3M Ford will feature the logo of Pagano Photo which is one of two finalists in the Official Small Business of NASCAR Sweepstakes. The logo of the other finalist will be featured on Tony Stewart’s Office Depot rear bumper and if either driver wins the race then the finalist on their car will receive one million dollars.

David Ragan – Dover Advance

By
Official Release
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David Ragan – NSCS ADVANCE

Team: No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion

Crew Chief: Donnie Wingo

Chassis: Primary: RK-638 Last ran Darlington – finished 14th

Backup: RK-620 Last ran Vegas – finished 23rd

Ragan, NSCS at Dover International Speedway:

Date Event S F Laps Led Status Money

5-16-10 Autism Speaks 400 22 26 395/400 0 Running $90,275

9-27-09 AAA 400 21 24 396/400 0 Running $82,600

5-31-09 Autism Speaks 400 26 24 399/400 0 Running $93,675

9-21-08 Camping World RV 400 23 18 399/400 0 Running $82,750

5-1-08 Best Buy 400 23 15 398/400 0 Running $99,450

9-23-07 Dodge Dealers 400 35 25 394/400 0 Running $107,550

6-4-07 Autism Speaks 400 31 14 399/400 0 Running $126,225

9-24-06 Dover 400 37 42 47/400 0 Accident $63,485

Races Wins Top-5s Top-10s Poles Led Money

Spring 4 0 0 0 0 0 $492,225

Fall 4 0 0 0 0 0 $253,785

Cumulative 8 0 0 0 0 0 $746,010

Ragan on racing at Dover International Speedway:

“Dover has been a place where the Roush cars have run well at in the past. We were pretty fast there in the spring, but had a problem on pit road on a green-flag stop that put us a few laps down. I’m looking forward to getting back to a track where we have some unfinished business.”

Crew chief Donnie Wingo on racing at Dover International Speedway:

“Racing at Dover on the concrete high-banked surface can be a challenge for teams due to the fast pace and narrow track. The keys to success are: having a good-balanced race car, staying out of trouble, clean pit stops and good track position. Qualifying is really important when we go to these shorter tracks, so we’re going to do all that we can to get our UPS Ford up at the front of the pack.”

FAST FACTS

Ragan made his Sprint Cup Series debut at Dover in the fall of 2006.

Ragan has visited Dover International Speedway eight times in his Sprint Cup career. His best finish came in the fall of 2007 where he qualified 31st and finished 14th.

Ragan has competed six times in the Nationwide Series at Dover. His best finish came in the fall of 2008 where he qualified fourth and finished ninth.

UPS Maximum Center Recognition—Dover International Speedway

The Hagerstown Center (SLIC 2170) is the UPS Maximum Center for this weekend’s race in Dover. The Center has excelled in reducing hours, dispatch, and production improvement. For the month of August, they finished at the top for all customer service elements.

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