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Week of 3/12/06
Lester makes race, makes history
It’s a First…Bill Lester hopes to make his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series start this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Ricky Viers, who handles research and development at Bill Davis Racing, will serve as Lester’s crew chief for the weekend. Waste Management will sponsor Lester and the No. 23 team this weekend, then return to sponsor the team in the NEXTEL Cup race at Michigan International Speedway in June and the September event at California Speedway.
Bill Lester on Atlanta…
“I’m really looking forward to making my first NEXTEL Cup start this weekend in Atlanta. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, and I’m especially thankful that my Truck Series sponsor Waste Management is coming along for the ride. Waste Management is a great company and a great sponsor and they’ve always been behind me 100 percent. I’m honored they are supporting me in my efforts at every level of racing, and I’m hopeful we can get our No. 23 car into the show and ready to go for Sunday. I’m certainly confident in our Bill Davis Racing team and my crew chief, Ricky Viers, and I know we’ll show up with a competitive car and a great group of people on the team, plus we’ll have our teammates to lean on for support if we need it. We tested in Kentucky last week in preparation for this event, and I can’t wait to get to Atlanta. Racing the trucks at this track would be something to look forward to in itself, but your first start in the Cup Series is something you dream of your whole life and obviously only happens once. The possibilities from this point forward are endless, and I can’t wait to see what happens from here.” March 18, 2006
Bobby Hamilton to fight cancer, steps down
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. - March 17, 2006 - 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton regretfully is stepping out of his No. 18 Fastenal Dodge for the 2006 season effective after the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway due to health reasons. Hamilton has been diagnosed with cancer in the right side of his neck and will be replaced for the season by his son Bobby Hamilton Jr.
"Nobody wants to go through this and the word cancer is a stout word to hear," Hamilton said. "But I will be starting my treatment right after the race in Atlanta so I have to take care of me for awhile. The hardest thing I've done is stepping out of this truck, but I will be back by Homestead or by Daytona bext year. When I told Dodge and Fastenal that I had to do this, they were right on board with me. It says a lot for companies of this magnitude to stay with our program during such a difficult time. We have a huge family at BHR and their support will enable our program to continue to be a success."
"You never want to think about a fill-in driver for yourself, especially when you are so passionate about your racing career," Hamilton continued. "But to have my son in a position to race for me means the world to me. He'll win races for Fastenal and Dodge this year and I'm still the owner, so I plan on being there to see it all happen."
Hamilton Jr., who has won five NASCAR Busch Series races, returned to the Craftsman Truck Series this season to run part time for BHR. Starting in Martinsville on April 1st and for the remainder of the 2006 season Hamilton Jr. will pilot the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge until his father returns.
"These are not the circumstances I wanted to race in my dad's truck, but I will do it without hesitation," Hamilton Jr. said. "I'm glad that I'm available to do this for him, Fastenal and Dodge. It means a lot to me to be there right now. On top of racing he is my dad, so first and foremost I want him healed. We enjoy racing together, so if I can help him take time to heal then we'll race against each other sooner."
Hamilton Sr. continued, "I realize there are millions of Americans affected everyday by cancer and I want to help by being simply another voice in the push for a cure for this disease. If we help society, then we all win. That is the best victory lane."
Will Oberton, President and CEO of Fastenal, said, "We at Fastenal are truly saddened by the announcement of Bobby Hamilton's diagnosis. We recognize there is a difficult struggle ahead for Bobby but we know he is a true competitor and will fight to overcome this. He is a member of the Fastenal Teaam and we are there to support him. With Bobby Hamilton Jr. committed to drive the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge, we are confident our partenership with the BHR team will remain strong and is in capable hands. Bobby and his team have proven they are champions and I believe they will mee this challenge also." March 18, 2006
Lowes done paving
Lowes Motor Speedway has completed it's repaving project and the lead engineer says "it's the best of any track we've ever done" You may remember the wreck-filled races last year at Lowes. Goodyear has a tire test scheduled for March 28-29th, and almost 100 teams will test the track in early May. March 16, 2006
Who's hot going into this weekend?
Let's see a Daytona 500 win, a second at California, and a Las Vegas win, I'd say Jimmie Johnson tops this list.
Jeff Burton #31 team is 10th in points and has two top 10's a top 5, and a poll this year already
The two C(K)asey's, Kahne and Mears are 3 and 4 in points, they must be doing something right March 16, 2006
TRACK STATS | ATLANTA
Distance: 1.54 Mile Oval
Banking up to: 24
Length/Frontstretch: 2,332 ft.
Length/Backstretch: 1,800 ft.
Miles/Laps: 500.5 mi. = 325 laps
Last year's poll sitter: Ryan Newman (he's actually won the last 6 Bud Poll's)
Last year's winner: Carl Edwards first Cup win
Up for grabs: $4.8 million March 16, 2006
DW will drive 'Dream Machine'
Ol' D.W. Darrell Waltrip is getting his long time wish (at least according to the TV commercials) he will finally drive the Aaron's Dream Machine for Michael. He will take the wheel of the #99 Busch Series car at Martinsville on July 22nd. His wife Stevie actually handed him an Aarons helmet and gloves at a charity benefit and gave her permission to race. Waltrip has 13 previous Busch series wins. March 15, 2006
Atlanta TV Schedule
ON TV
TRUCK SERIES QUALIFYING @ 5pm Friday on Speed
CUP SERIES QUALIFYING @ 7pm Friday on Speed
TRUCK SERIES RACING @ 9pm Friday on Speed
BUSCH SERIES QUALIFYING @ 1pm Saturday on Speed, and they race @ 3pm on FX
NEXTEL CUP RACING @ 1pm Sunday on Fox
All from Atlanta Motor Speedway, and all times are eastern. March 15, 2006
Bill Lester to make history this weekend
Bill Lester will attempt to make is Cup Series debut this weekend in Atlanta. Bill will be driving the Bill Davis #23 car and if he makes the show, Lester will become the first African American driver in 20 years to run in a Cup race. Bill currently runs in the Truck Series full time, and also has run in the Busch Series as well. March 14, 2006
Edwards tries for Atlanta 3-peat
Carl Edwards swept both Atlanta races last year, including his first career Cup win and will try for his 3rd in a row this weekend. If he is able to pull off a back-flip in Victory Lane it's one for the record books to get 3 consecutive wins at AMS. March 14, 2006
Johnson has scorching start to 2006
Jimmie Johnson has had a scorching hot start to the 2006 season, posting a win at The Daytona 500, second place in California, and win #2 in Las Vegas this past weekend. It's Jimmie's 20th career win, and he has also been a top 10 driver for 72 straight weeks now dating back to Atlanta 2004. March 14, 2006
POINT STANDINGS | BUSCH SERIES
5 Clint Bowyer
4 Jamie McMurray
3 J.J. Yeley
2 Denny Hamlin
1 Kevin Harvick leads by 42 points March 14, 2006
POINT STANDINGS | CUP SERIES
Still early in the season, but here's how thing look...
1. Jimmie Johnson?2. Matt Kenseth -52?3. Kasey Kahne -85?4. Casey Mears -86 3 top 10 finishes to start the year?5. Mark Martin -110?6. Kyle Busch -137?7. Clint Bowyer -151 the top rookie of the year contender?8. Elliott Sadler -155?9. Jeff Gordon -166?10. Jeff Burton -167 back in the top 10 for the first time since July 2003?after Las Vegas March 14, 2006
Johnson wins back to back at Vegas
RACE RECAP | LAS VEGAS
10 Denny Hamlin
9 Casey Mears
8 Greg Biffle
7 Jeff Burton
6 Mark Martin
5 Jeff Gordon
4 Kasey Kahne
3 Kyle Busch 2nd top 5 this season, second year in a row finishing 3rd
2 Matt Kenseth led the most laps
VICTORY LANE
It's his second Vegas win in a row, he led only one lap, the one that counts, The Final Lap, and grabs his 20th career win....the 48 car of Jimmie Johnson!
OTHER STORIES ON THE DAY
-Reed Sorenson and Ryan Newman both blew right front tires, Sorenson finished 40th Newman finished dead last in 43rd.
-Joe Nemechek spun on his own coming off turn 4, no damage
-Late in the race Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart rubbed each other the wrong way, Stewart ended up hitting the wall, and then had a flat tire. Tony led a bunch of laps but finished 21st and Kyle finished 3rd. March 12, 2006
Race Recap | Las Vegas | Busch Series
With the threat of weather hanging over the race, Kasey Kahne battled Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick all day for his fourth career NASCAR Busch Series win. Harvick, Kenseth and Kahne traded the lead throughout the afternoon, but it was ultimately Kahne who took the lead on lap 177 and never relinquished it.
Kenseth won the Busch Pole earlier in the day and was trying to become only the fourth driver to win the race from the pole. Leading most of the first 100 laps, Kenseth looked to be in control of the race. After a round of green flag pit stops, Kahne became the leader after stopping earlier than Harvick and Kenseth. The final 100 laps saw the potential of another green flag pit stop, but a caution came out with 51 laps to go. Harvick was the leader after this round of pit stops but just 18 laps later is when Kahne took the final lead change of the day.
With a late race caution, only three of the 16 drivers on the lead lap decided to gamble and take fresh tires. Jason Leffler, Tony Stewart and Ashton Lewis Jr. restarted the final three laps in 14th, 15th and 16th, respectively. They finished 11th, 12th and 13th.
Kahne’s win was the first for Dodge at Las Vegas. Kenseth finished second, followed by Harvick, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards. Only one driver, Jason Keller, has competed in every Las Vegas race.
Harvick continues to lead the series points, with Denny Hamlin, J.J. Yeley, Jamie McMurray and Clint Bowyer rounding out the top five.
The NASCAR Busch Series returns to action next Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. March 12, 2006
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