by Jay | Jan 26, 2010 | NASCAR, NASCAR K&N Pro Series, New England
All-Star Team For All-Star Showdown
Boucenna And Logano In Fadden Racing Entries
North Haverhill, N.H. (January 24, 2010): Fadden Racing will showcase an All-Star lineup when they arrive in California next week for the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown on January 29-30 at Irwindale Speedway. Joey Logano will be joined by Willy Boucenna in making up the two-car team at the post season event.
Paris, France native Willy Boucenna, the 2009 RACECAR Series Champion, has been slated to be behind the wheel of a Fadden Racing entry. The RACECAR Series is based on stock car racing in the United States, but the cars are re-engineered to meet the demands of European tracks. Similar to NASCAR, the RACECAR Series uses Dodge, Chevrolet, and Ford bodies with a 450 hp V-8 engine.
“This will be my first trip in the USA. I know that it will be very difficult to race against the best drivers in NASCAR but I will live my dream as much as I can and do my best to qualify for the main race,” said 18-year-old Boucenna. “I know that we have a very good team with Fadden Racing and (car-owner) Mike Olsen will help me a lot for this first race on a short-track.”
Boucenna is the first driver from France to ever enter the Showdown, and Olsen is determined to get him into the field.
“Willy doesn’t have a guaranteed starting position, but Fadden Racing is going to do everything they can to make sure he has the car to get into that field. It’s an exciting opportunity for Willy and we’re all very excited to be a part of it,” said Olsen, a two-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series Champion.
Earlier this month, it was also announced that Fadden Racing will field a car for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano, who will display his familiar orange and white color scheme for primary sponsor Home Depot. Logano, a previous winner of the event (2007), will have Fadden Racing’s Harry Norcross joining Logano’s Nationwide Series crew chief, Kevin Kidd, in the effort.
“Joey almost won last year and he has a very good chance of winning the Showdown this year,” said Olsen. “It’s amazing the caliber of drivers that will make up Fadden Racing next weekend. We can’t wait to get to the track and get to work with these guys.”
Logano almost won last year’s Showdown, but got tangled up with Peyton Sellers on the last lap. He’s hoping to regain the Showdown trophy this year with the help of Fadden Racing.
“We are really excited to have The Home Depot on board with us for the weekend,” Logano said. “Mike Olsen from Fadden Racing stepped up and is going to provide us a solid car for the weekend. I had a lot of fun last year and we are going try and get the trophy back this year.”
The seventh running of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, which brings together the top racers from across North America, will be highlighted by the 225-lap K&N Pro Series All-star race. Each race winner during the 2009 K&N Pro Series season is eligible for a protected starting spot, as are the 2009 champions from each of NASCAR’s six regional touring series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion.
In addition to eligible 2009 race winners and series champions, the starting lineup will be determined through time trials, limited provisionals for K&N Pro Series regulars, and the last-chance “Open” race that provides drivers one final chance to make the grid.
Both nights of racing will be televised live on SPEED and will also air live on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio.
For more information on Fadden Racing, visit www.faddenracing.net.
by Jay | Jan 14, 2010 | NASCAR, NASCAR K&N Pro Series
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A California native, and rising star in the Joe Gibbs Racing development program, Matt DiBenedetto will return to The Golden State for the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, Jan. 29-30 at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.).
Originally from Grass Valley, Calif., DiBenedetto burst onto the scene in 2009 as a consistent frontrunner in NASCAR Camping World Series East action. Although he competed in just seven of the season’s 11 events, DiBenedetto piloted the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Driven Toyota to a pair of wins, five top 10s and a 14th-place finish in the final standings. The 18-year-old rookie was also impressive in his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut last fall in Memphis when he qualified fifth and finished 14th.
The NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown will be the first time that DiBenedetto turns a lap around Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.
“I’m really looking forward to racing at Irwindale for the Showdown. It’s an awesome track and has multiple grooves which will make for some great racing,” said DiBenedetto, who will be behind the wheel of the No. 98 Toyota fielded by car owner Mike Curb. “I’ve never been there, only watched it on TV, so I’m really looking forward to turning some laps. I’m also excited to get to race in my home state, and in front of a bunch of my family members. I want to thank Mike Curb and Joe Gibbs Racing for making this race possible.”
“We are thrilled with the opportunity to help Matt,” Curb said. “He is a true talent with a very bright future.”
The seventh running of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, which brings together the top racers from across North America for the ”Daytona 500 of short-track racing,” will be highlighted by the 225-lap Camping World Series all-star race. Each race winner during the 2009 Camping World Series season is eligible for a protected starting spot, as are the 2009 champions from each of NASCAR’s six regional touring series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion.
DiBenedetto’s rookie campaign was highlighted by wins at Tri-County Motor Speedway and the June race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The 18-year-old earned poles in his first road-course races at Watkins Glen International and Lime Rock Park, and shattered the series’ qualifying record in the season finale at Dover International Speedway, which earned him the season Coors Light Pole Award. Despite not competing in four races, DiBenedetto also earned the series’ Wix Lap Leader Award.
“2009 was a great season for me. I won a couple races and I was able to get my feet wet with the Joe Gibbs Racing guys,” DiBenedetto said. “It also allowed me to get my first Nationwide race under my belt. I’m really looking forward to the 2010 season in the NASCAR Camping World Series East.”
In addition to eligible 2009 race winners and series champions, the starting lineup will be determined through time trials, limited provisionals for Camping World Series regulars, and the last-chance “Open” race that provides drivers one final chance to make the grid.
The 2010 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown schedule also includes 100-lap Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model and 75-lap Late Model races. Both nights of racing will air live on SPEED.
by Jay | Dec 5, 2009 | NASCAR, NASCAR K&N Pro Series
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Following a season that saw him reach Victory Lane and finish fifth in the final standings, NASCAR Camping World Series East driver Steve Park is headed to the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, Jan. 29-30, in Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.).
Park, who returned to the Camping World Series East full-time in 2008 after competing for a decade in NASCAR’s national series, recorded seven top 10s in 11 outings in this past season to register his first top-five points effort. Park raced his way to Victory Lane in 2009 with his triumph at Adirondack International Speedway on Aug. 1 in Lowville, N.Y., which secured him a starting position in the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown.
“It was great to get that win, get those seconds, finish fifth in the points and be competitive week-in and week-out,” Park said. “We really thought coming out of the box last year that we would be closer to where we were this year, and we weren’t, so we stepped up the program a little bit.”
The seventh running of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, which brings together the top racers from across North America for the ”Daytona 500 of short-track racing,” will be highlighted by the 225-lap Camping World Series all-star race. Each race winner during the 2009 Camping World Series East and Camping World Series West seasons is eligible for a protected starting spot, as are the 2009 champions from each of NASCAR’s six regional touring series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion.
Park joins NASCAR Camping World Series champions Ryan Truex (East) and Jason Bowles (West), as well as two-time Showdown winner Matt Kobyluck, and NASCAR Camping World Series West driver Greg Pursley as early confirmed participants in the all-star race.
Park, originally from East Northport, N.Y., made his first appearance in Toyota Speedway at Irwindale in this past January’s Showdown, and came away impressed.
“I thought the track was awesome,” Park said. “It’s a great facility, and the race track itself is real racy. I think that’s why you hear a lot of guys talk about how great it is to race out there.”
Despite being relegated to a 23rd place finish in his inaugural event there, Park eagerly anticipates a return to Irwindale to compete against the elite competition.
“It’s a melting pot that brings the best of the East and the best of the West together, and shows the fans on SPEED just how competitive NASCAR racing is nationwide,” Park said.
In addition to eligible 2009 race winners and series champions, the starting lineup will be determined through time trials, limited provisionals for Camping World Series regulars, and the last-chance “Open” race that provides drivers one final chance to make the grid.
The 2010 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown schedule also includes 100-lap Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model and 75-lap Late Model races. Both nights of racing will air live on SPEED.
by Jay | Nov 17, 2009 | NASCAR, NASCAR K&N Pro Series, New England
The 2009 season for the NASCAR Camping World Series East featured arguably the best rookie class in history as four first-year drivers finished in the top 10 in the standings and nearly two-thirds of the checkered flags were captured by cars with a yellow stripe.
Heading the class was Ryan Truex, who not only earned Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, but captured the 2009 Camping World Series East championship as well. Only current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rising star Joey Logano had accomplished that feat prior to Truex.
Truex, from Mayetta, N.J., won three races in his first season as a development driver for Michael Waltrip Racing. For the son of Martin Truex Sr. and younger brother of Sprint Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. – both former competitors in the Camping World Series East – the season didn’t get off to a roaring start. A stellar mid-season run and strong finish, however, was enough to edge veteran Eddie MacDonald by 34 points for the title.
Three races into the season, Truex had recorded an average finish of 21st, but the turnaround was dramatic. In the fourth race of the season, Truex captured his first 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Light at South Boston (Va.) Speedway and finished third in the race for his first career top five. That effort began a streak of seven straight podium finishes – highlighted by wins at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway and Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn. – that moved him from 12th in the standings to just one race away from the title.
Heading to the season finale at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, Truex maintained a slim 30-point margin on MacDonald, but when the checkered flag flew, the former crossed the line one position ahead of the latter and the trophy was in hand.
In the season finale at Dover, Truex wasn’t the only standout rookie celebrating. Brett Moffitt of Grimes, Iowa, dominated at the “Monster Mile” for the second win of his rookie campaign. Driving for Camping World Series East veteran Andy Santerre, Moffitt won the pole in his series debut and went on to register six top fives and nine top 10s, good enough for third place in the season standings.
Joe Gibbs Racing development driver Matt DiBenedetto made a big splash as well in 2009. The Grass Valley, Calif., native had an average finish of 6.7 in just seven starts with a win at Tri-County Motor Speedway in Hudson, N.C., and a last-lap battle with Truex in June at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., that resulted in another victory. DiBenedetto earned a series-high three 21 Means 21 Pole Awards presented by Coors Light and led more laps than any driver despite participating in just two-thirds of the races.
While Truex, Moffitt and DiBenedetto were perhaps the most prominent, the 2009 rookie class also had depth. Alan Tardiff registered eight top 10s – including a season-best third place at Tri-County – and finished seventh in points despite not competing in one race. Alex Kennedy’s respectable season resulted in a 10th-place finish in the standings with three top 10s, highlighted by a career-best finish of fourth at Lime Rock.
Matt Kurzejewski made nine starts and was 15th in the standings while Jarit Johnson, the younger brother of three-time defending Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson, finished 17th in points with seven starts.
A host of other up-and-coming racing talents also had impressive efforts in spot starts in 2009. Richard Childress Racing’s Ryan Gifford had an average finish of 6.3 in four starts while Childress’ grandson, Ty Dillon, had a pair of top 10s in three outings. Max Gresham, who split time in the JGR No. 18 with DiBenedetto, also recorded two top 10s in three events. Noted road racer Patrick Long had an average finish of ninth in four outings and nearly won at Watkins Glen while dirt racers Kevin Swindell and Josh Richards showed plenty of asphalt talent in their six combined starts.
by Jay | Sep 28, 2009 | NASCAR, NASCAR K&N Pro Series
Dover, DE (September 27, 2009): Alan Tardiff struggled with a flu bug at Dover International Speedway over the last couple of days, but was able to overcome it long enough to post a fifth place finish in the Sunoco 150 on Friday evening. Tardiff drove the No. 38 Bestway Disposal/Renton Coil Springs Chevrolet to the top-five from a 16th place starting position.
“I don’t know if I have a flu bug or something,” said Tardiff. “I got up today and I still had a headache, but I had to put everything together and just work it out. We had a fast racecar today. We raced in second place for a long while, but the 44 car was stellar and no one was touching him. We came in took fuel and tires, and the car got really loose. Our goal was to come here and get a top-five and we accomplished that so I’m really happy.”
The Sunoco 150 marked Tardiff’s track debut at Dover so patience was the name of the game until the first caution came out. Tardiff was running 14th for the restart at lap 16 and made it up to 10th before caution slowed his pace once again. He remained in the top-10 until lap 48 when a majority of the leaders headed for pit road. Tardiff elected to stay out and gain track position.
“We wanted to put ourselves off sequence,” explained Tardiff. “To be off sequence later in the run would give us fresher tires and more fuel in the car later in the run. It turned out to be beneficial for us. My guys did a really, really good job this weekend just as they have been all year.”
Tardiff restarted the race on the outside second row and moved up to third at the drop of the green. On lap 60, Tardiff went to the bottom of early leader Matt DiBenedetto and passed him for second. Moffit, however, had already stretched out a 2.2 second lead over the Bestway Disposal/Renton Coil Springs Chevrolet. Tardiff worked on closing up the distance when caution appeared at lap 80.
The yellow flag conditions gave Tardiff the opportunity he needed to come down pit road for fuel and tires. He returned to the track in eighth for the restart at lap 86. Tardiff gained two spots on the initial drop, but experienced a loose condition in the Bestway Disposal Chevrolet that hadn’t existed before.
Caution tightened the field up once again at lap 97 with Tardiff maintaining his position over the next 15 laps. He was able to move up to fifth by passing Ryan Truex on lap 116.
The race went green for the remainder of the distance and Tardiff was able to close out the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Series East with a fifth place finish. It was his third top-five and eighth top-10 of the season. Tardiff earned a seventh place position in the final point standings.
“I didn’t have high expectations coming to this racetrack since I had never been here before. A top-five is a win. I was running second and I was smiling ear to ear,” Tardiff said.
by Jay | Sep 27, 2009 | NASCAR, NASCAR K&N Pro Series
Dover, DE (September 26, 2009): Brett Moffitt used lapped traffic to take the lead for the fourth and final time in the Sunoco 150 at Dover International Speedway Friday evening and convincingly score his second win of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Series East season. Moffitt, behind the wheel of the No. 44 Red Line Oil Chevrolet, took the checkers two-and-a-half seconds over Ryan Gifford. The finish catapulted Moffitt and Andy Santerre Motorsports into third in the final point standings.
“The Red Line Oil car was just really good,” said Moffitt. “This is amazing with all these Cup guys here. This track is always talked about as that crazy place so it’s really cool to win here.”
Moffitt started the race from the fourth position after posting a qualifying lap of 23.569 seconds (152.743 mph) earlier in the day. At the drop of the green, Moffitt was on a tear. He dropped to the bottom groove and easily drove into third before challenging Eddie MacDonald for second. After passing him on lap three, Moffitt set his sights on then-leader Matt DiBenedetto, who had already pulled away by nearly half a straightaway. Moffitt closed in to five carlengths on the leader when the caution flew at lap 13.
When racing resumed at lap 16, Moffitt blew by DiBenedetto to take the lead. Caution flew immediately for a blown engine further back in the field, but Moffitt was able to repeat his earlier performance on the restart at lap 18. Moffitt continued to lead until a restart at lap 18 saw DiBenedetto take the lead.
Moffitt stayed glued to DiBenedetto’s bumper over the next several laps, and made a challenge on lap 39 for the position. Lapped traffic forced Moffitt to back out of it, but on lap 40, Moffitt repeated the challenge and took the lead for the second time.
A caution at lap 47 saw some cars opt to pit, but Moffitt elected to keep the No. 44 Red Line Oil Chevrolet out on track. They went back to green flag racing at lap 51 with Moffitt and DiBenedetto side by side heading into turn one. Coming out of turn two, Moffitt comfortably took the lead and remained there for the next 30 laps. Moffitt gave up the lead on lap 82 to come in for fuel and tires.
Moffitt took the green at lap 86 in sixth place. A caution period slowed his progress, but Moffitt was up to fourth for the restart at lap 97. The 17-year-old driver showed a lot of maturity as he patiently waited for things to settle up front before really making the push back to the front. By lap 110 Moffitt was in second place and chasing then-leader Ryan Gifford down. Lapped traffic worked to Moffitt’s advantage and he was able to take the lead for the final time on lap 116.
“I was catching him and the car was a little bit too tight. We caught those lapped cars and I used them. Ryan was able to hang with me for a little while, but as soon as we got into clean air I was able to go. My car was awesome,” he said.
Only six cars remained on the lead lap when Moffitt took the checkers.
The Sunoco 150 at Dover International Speedway marked the final race for Andy Santerre Motorsports, who sold off the team to the 909 Group last week. The race also marked the last time car owner Andy Santerre and driver Brett Moffitt would work together.
“This is our last race together unless we go to the Showdown. I really wanted Brett to win here. The kid has a bright future and I’m glad we could be a part of it,” said car owner Andy Santerre. “I wish him the best of luck. He and his Dad are great people and we’ve had a good relationship this year. I’m moving on to different things and I wish them the best. To end the ASM era here at Dover with a win is pretty awesome.”
