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Week of 8/13/06
Keys to winning Michigan
Some of the keys to winning at Michigan this weekend include: Aerodynamics - Lots of speed, lots of downforce. Finding a groove: Drivers must find the line that is most comfortable to them and their car. AND Engines: High speeds, 2 miles, and 400 miles put a strain on their power plants. August 17, 2006
DRIVER MILESTONES
Ryan Newman is looking at Cup start 175 and both Brian Vickers and Scott Wimmer are expected to make their 100th start. August 17, 2006
Who's hot going into this weekend?
No one is hotter than Kevin Harvick with a win and 6 straight top 10's
Tony Stewart has 3 straight top 10's
Points leader Jimmie Johnson has 17 top 10's in 22 races August 17, 2006
TRACK STATS | MICHIGAN
Only 4 races left until 'The Chase' starts
Distance: 2-mile oval
Up to 18 degrees of banking
Length/Frontstretch: 3,600 ft.
Length/Backstretch: 2,242 ft.
Miles/laps: 400 miles, 200 laps
Last year's polls sitter: Joe Nemechek
Last year's winner: Jeremy Mayfield who won't be in the field this year
Up for grabs: $5 Million August 17, 2006
TESTING | VEGAS | KENTUCKY
LAS VEGAS
Some truck teams were at the newly banked track this week for a Goodyear tire test in preparation for their race on September 23rd. Local Brendan Gaughan, points leader Todd Bodine, Rick Crawford, and Dennis Setzer.
KENTUCKY
Elliott Sadler already got his first taste of a Dodge Charger yesterday when drove the #19 at the track. August 17, 2006
TV Schedule - Michigan
CUP SERIES QUALIFYING @ 3pm Friday on Speed
BUSCH SERIES QUALIFYING @ 11:40am Saturday on Speed
BUSCH SERIES RACING @ 2:45pm Saturday on TNT
CUP SERIES RACING @ 2pm Sunday on TNT
All times are eastern August 17, 2006
Sadler in the #19 at Michigan
STATESVILLE, NC (August 16, 2006) – Evernham Motorsports announced today that it has named Elliott Sadler to drive the No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger beginning this weekend at Michigan International Speedway.
Sadler, who had his first win at Bristol in 2001, has three career wins, seven poles and 16 top fives in 271 starts, brings his hard-charging driving style, fun-loving personality and broad fan appeal to Evernham’s three-car NASCAR Nextel Cup program. He joins Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger and Scott Riggs, driver of the No. 10 Valvoline/Stanley Tools Dodge Charger.
The 31-year-old native of Emporia, VA, will start his career at Evernham Motorsports this weekend in the backyard of his new primary sponsors – Dodge and the Dodge Dealers – to fuel the team’s march to prominence. While the terms of his relationship with Evernham Motorsports were not announced, he does have a long term commitment to the program.
“It’s truly an honor to drive for Dodge and Ray Evernham and to be a part of this team,” said Sadler. “I admired Ray as a crew chief and now as a team owner and business leader. His operation is impressive. When you look at the engineering resources, the talented guys on the team, the marketing programs, the facilities and the way he and his directors run things, you can tell that this is a powerhouse organization that is focused on winning races and championships. I look forward to providing some of those wins and hopefully competing with Kasey and Scott for the championship next year.”
Sadler is also excited about his new relationship with Dodge.
“My family’s business has a Dodge dealership in Franklin, VA, so it will great to represent Dodge and all the dealers across the country,” he added. “They have some amazing cars and trucks, and I’ll be trading in my current truck for a Ram SRT-10 right away.”
Ray Evernham, president and CEO of Evernham Motorsports, said Sadler brings the right chemistry, personality and driving skills to round out his stable of NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers.
“So much of the success of a team depends on having the right blend of chemistry and communications,” said Evernham. “Elliott will be a great fit with our team right away and will bring the competitive drive and the ability to communicate with the team what the Dodge Charger needs to perform at its best. I think he’s the key that will place this team firmly on the path to success.”
Sadler will get his first experience in a Dodge Charger on Wednesday when his team goes to Kentucky Speedway to test.
“We’re looking forward to having Elliott join the Dodge family,” said Mike Accavitti, director of Dodge SRT and motorsports product planning and marketing. “He’s got great star power, he’s a talented driver and has excellent potential to be a champion. He’s a perfect fit for the Dodge brand.” August 16, 2006
TESTING | KENTUCKY
David Gilliland was at the track yesterday where he grabbed his first Busch Series win which put him on the radar for many teams. He was driving the #38 M&M's Ford for Robert Yates Racing, and we'll see if he's in that car on Sunday as Elliott Sadler still shows up on the entry list. Also at the track were Bill Lester, Jeff Green, and Martin Truex Jr.
UPDATE: Sadler will drive the #19 this weekend, we are awaiting on official word on who will drive the #38 August 16, 2006
Harvick a 'double champion?'
Could Kevin Harvick become a "double champion" this year with titles in both the Busch and Cup Series. Here's some stats before to help you decide for yourself. In the Busch Series he leads by an insane 443 points, and in the Cup Series he has 2 wins, 10 top 5's, sits 3rd in points, and those points will be reset after Richmond, it'll be exciting to see if he can do it. August 15, 2006
Ringers get hosed by bus stop
So what happened to Boris Said and Ron Fellows top 10 finishes as you probably saw on NBC's post race. Well they went out the window when they missed the inner loop or 'bus stop' on The Final Lap and continued on their way. NASCAR's rules say you must come to a complete stop first and then blend back into traffic. Said finished 31st and Fellows 32nd after a :30 second penalty. August 15, 2006
R. Gordon to drive Busch #88
JR Motorsports announced that Robby Gordon will drive their #88 Busch series car this weekend at Michigan and again at California Speedway. After letting go of Mark McFarland, Martin Truex Jr. drove the car this past weekend to a 6th place finish for the Dale Earnhardt Jr. owned car. August 15, 2006
POINT STANDINGS | CUP SERIES
1. Jimmie Johnson Leader
2. Matt Kenseth -124
3. Kevin Harvick -323
4. Jeff Burton -362
5. Kyle Busch -370
6. Mark Martin -426
7. Tony Stewart -447
8. Denny Hamlin -459
9. Jeff Gordon -485
10. Dale Earnhard Jr. -515
after Watkins Glen August 15, 2006
Race Recap | Cup Series | Harvick Wins
Race Recap: Harvick Outduels Stewart for Road Course Win
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart are good friends off the race track, but neither one was ready to do the other any favors over the final 10 laps in the AMD at The Glen on Sunday at Watkins Glen International.
Stewart passed Harvick with just nine laps to go, then Harvick returned the favor with only three circuits remaining as the Richard Childress Racing driver bested the reigning series champion for the win before a huge throng at the New York road course.
Entering Sunday's race, Harvick had never won a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series road course race in 11 previous career starts and had led just six road course laps in his NEXTEL Cup career.
Stewart, on the other hand, had won three of the last four NEXTEL Cup races at Watkins Glen and has visited victory lane five times in his road course career. But it was Harvick who found a little extra horsepower down the front straightaway and passed Stewart as the two drivers drove wheel to wheel past the start/finish line in front of thousands of cheering fans.
"This GM Goodwrench Chevrolet was a lot of fun to drive today," said Harvick. "It was really good. Got the fenders caved in early and just never gave up. It was a lot of fun racing with Tony there. I don't know how he passed me in the chicane still, but my car was really good getting into (Turn) One and we were able to get back by him."
Harvick said that this win shows the team is ready to contend for the championship. "I think we can win it," he said. "Once we get to 10 to go, this team has been really consistent. As long as we don't have bad luck or do something that we haven't been doing, we should at least have a chance."
Kurt Busch initially looked like he might make it a weekend sweep of poles and victories. Busch, who won both NASCAR poles this weekend and the NASCAR Busch Series race on Saturday, led 38 laps and appeared to be the car to beat for much of the race.
But Busch saw his domination turn into despair on lap 54 as he headed to pit road just as a caution came out for a Joe Nemechek spin. As television replays clearly showed, the lights came on to close pit road just prior to Busch entering pit road. The pilot of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge was then sent to the tale end of the longest line on the restart as a result of his infraction for pitting while pit road was closed.
Although Busch continued to claw his way back to the front, he also suffered some right front end damage during an on-track incident on lap 61 and climbed to finish 19th.
Jamie McMurray came home third, road course veteran Robby Gordon finished fourth and Carl Edwards got the fifth spot. Rounding out the top 10 were Boris Said, Scott Pruett, Elliott Sadler, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin.
Sadler made a strong comeback from a spin into the sand on the first lap and Kyle Busch remarkably was the “beneficiary” or “lucky dog” five times en route to his top-10 finish. August 13, 2006
Race Recap | Truck Series | Ku. Busch Wins
Race Recap: Kurt Busch Wins the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen
Kurt Busch won the pole and picked up his first NASCAR victory as a married man with a win in the Zippo 200 NASCAR Busch Series event at Watkins Glen, N.Y. It was Busch’s second career series win in only the sixth start for the newlywed who tied the knot just two weeks ago. The race featured a rousing duel for the lead between Busch and Robby Gordon throughout most of the event with the two drivers “trading paint” through the inner loop on the final lap. It must have been a flashback from last year’s race for Gordon as he finished second behind the Penske No.39 Dodge at Watkins Glen for the second year in a row. Ryan Newman won the race in 2005 with Gordon finishing close behind.
A contingent of foreign drivers made the field which included Adrian Fernandez, Carlos Contreras, Michel Jourdain Jr. and open-wheel star Max Papis. The Italian-born Papis was making his NASCAR debut starting in the 43rd position and coming home a respectable 14th. Jourdain led the event for several laps around the half-way mark before dropping out of the race due to mechanical problems.
Road course ace Ron Fellows and Greg Biffle had to drop to the rear of the field at the start due to unapproved changes. Both drivers went on to finish in the Top 10. John Andretti had his best finish of the year with a fifth place run and crowd-favorite Boris Said, complete with 450 of his fans sporting “Said Head” wigs, came home in eighth place after a miscue in the inner loop area of the track early in the race. Said was also assessed a pass-through penalty for failing to stop following his inner loop incident.
Jamie McMurray did a great job bringing his overheating Dodge home third with Biffle, Andretti, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Boris Said, Ron Fellows and Scott Pruett making up the Top 10 finishers. It was Truex’s first start in the JR Racing No. 88 since taking over the ride for a departing Matt McFarland.
Kevin Harvick continues to stretch out his point lead. Second place point contender Carl Edwards finished 27th giving Harvick a 443 point advantage over his fellow competitors.Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer and J.J. Yeley round out the top 5 in points.The race was slowed five times for caution. The lead changed hands eight times among seven drivers.
The series moves to the 2-mile Michigan International Speedway for next Saturday’s Carfax 250. The green flag drops at 2:55 pm eastern with TNT broadcasting the event. August 13, 2006
Race Recap | Truck Series | Benson Wins
Race Recap: Benson NCTS Winner in Nashville
Johnny Benson was in the right place at the right time to win Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Toyota Tundra 200 when leaders Todd Bodine and Mike Skinner took themselves out on the final lap around Nashville Superspeedway.
Benson, driving Gail Davis’ Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota, was fourth at the beginning of a two-lap shootout following the record-matching ninth caution of the afternoon.
Skinner, the 1995 series champion, held the lead but pushed up the track in the first turn after being tagged in his Lumber Liquidators Toyota’s left rear corner by second-place Todd Bodine.
Bodine held the advantage as the white flag waved but Skinner – Benson’s teammate – returned the favor in the 1.333-mile track’s final serial. Both trucks slewed sideways, nearly hitting the outside wall, just as Benson dove under Jack Sprague’s Con-way Freight Toyota for what he thought would be a third-place effort.
Benson, however, was the winner a few seconds later with Sprague and Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender Marcos Ambrose crossing the line second and third.
Bodine slipped to eighth and Skinner 17th after the latter slammed into the Turn 3 wall and limped to the checkered flag.
The victory, worth $55,675, was Benson’s third of the season and first since late June when he won back-to-back at Michigan and The Milwaukee Mile. The 43-year-old Michigan native averaged 108.704 mph as a record 37 laps of caution slowed the race that was extended from 150 to 151 laps by the final yellow flag.
“We had a top-five truck and we were just fortunate to come out of here with this guitar,” said Benson, hoisting the traditional Sam Bass-signature Gibson guitar. “We were in the right place at the right time.”
Benson, one of six drivers to trade the lead seven times, led only the final lap. Skinner headed the most laps – 50. Sprague, Ambrose, Bodine and Ron Hornaday Jr. also headed the field.
Ted Musgrave took the No. 4 position in his Team ASE Toyota, the 2005 champion’s best finish and first top five since mid-May at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Brendan Gaughan’s SouthCoast Hotel Dodge claimed the fifth position.
Defending race winner David Reutimann was sixth followed by outside front row starter Chad McCumbee, Bodine, Matt Crafton and Terry Cook.
Seventeen drivers among 29 finishers completed all 151 laps.
Bodine’s unofficial championship lead, 182 points entering the season’s 16th of 25 races, dipped to 144 over Benson.
Next event is the Aug. 23 O’Reilly 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway where Skinner was the 2005 winner. Benson’s victory marked the fifth consecutive win for Toyota in races held in the state of Tennessee dating to July 2005. August 13, 2006
Quick Cap - Watkins Glen
RACE RECAP | WATKINS GLEN
10 Denny Hamlin
9 Kyle Busch
8 Ryan Newman
7 Elliott Sadler
6 Scott Pruett
5 Carl Edwards
4 Robby Gordon
3 Jamie McMurray
2 Tony Stewart
VICTORY LANE
Kevin Harvick grabs his second win of the season, 5th top 5 in a row and unseats Tony Stewart from his 2 reign as king of the Watkins Glen Road.
OTEHR STORIES ON THE DAY
-Kurt Busch started on the poll and was the class of the field early leading 31 of the first 54 laps. On lap 54 just before hitting the pit road commitment line the lights closing pit road came on send him to the back. Ultimately he wrecked back there sending him to a 19th place finish
-Second in points Matt Kenseth was also involved in the same wreck as Kurt Busch and the 17 ends up 21st.
-Greg Biffle's #16 found it's way into the guard rail and he finishes 38th and takes a hit in the points August 13, 2006
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