JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET – POINTS LEADER: “It took a while to get there (successful at Martinsville). And when I came into the sport, I had two years in ASA and thought that the short tracks would fit well for me and it was quite the opposite. It took a long time to understand the big car, the radial tire, the extra power, and how to maneuver around on a short track. But the track at Martinsville, especially when the rubber is laid down, reminds me of some of my off-road stuff where we would have barrels or tractor tires stacked up as the turn-marker, but it was that tight of a radius. And when the rubber lays down, especially the right-side rubber on corner exit at Martinsville, you have to change your line to not run through the rubber at the wrong spot. We had a really exciting finish there in the spring with the double-file restart. First and foremost, you would have to assume the front-row outside driver—the old theory of eight wheels are better than four is going to come into play—and whoever the inside car is going to lean on him pretty heavily. There we can turn people around pretty easily. It could. I’ve heard Jeff [Gordon] make those comments on how double-file restarts could affect things. I naturally think that he’s speaking more to the mile-and-a-half and two-mile tracks because the cars are really out of control in low-air situations. You have more control over your car at Martinsville than at any of the other tracks on a double-file restart. We’ll see. Who I wouldn’t want next to me? Man, I guess whoever would be second in points. We’re going to be gouging for every single point at that part of the race and the way the points are stacked up, the top-five are all guys that are really good at Martinsville. It could be exciting.”
Waterbury, VT – Thunder Road International Speedbowl sophomore Late Model driver Dylan Smith of Randolph, will take his second swing at earning a spot on the Revolution Racing team as part of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program. The Revolution team competes on the NASCAR K&N Pro East Series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. (more…)
NSCS Race Recap: Strong Restart Gives McMurray Victory At Charlotte
CONCORD, N.C.—Bring on Martinsville.
Jamie McMurray cleared Kyle Busch off Turn 2 after a restart on Lap 314 and pulled away from Busch to win Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, site of McMurray’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory in 2002.
Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup leader Jimmie Johnson and second-place Denny Hamlin, however, both dodged trouble and finished third and fourth, respectively, to set up a showdown Oct. 24 at Martinsville, a short track the two drivers have dominated the past four years.
Together, Johnson and Hamlin have won the past eight races at the .526-mile speedway, Hamlin the last two. Hamlin enters the sixth race in the Chase 41 points behind the four-time defending series champion.
McMurray won for the third time this season, the second time at Charlotte and the sixth time in his career, completing unfinished business from the Coca-Cola 600 in May, when he ran second to Kurt Busch.
Greg Biffle finished fifth, and Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, David Reutimann and David Ragan completed the top 10.
Fighting a loose handling condition, Johnson looped his No. 48 Chevrolet off Turn 4 on Lap 34. On Lap 38, he restarted 37th but gradually moved to the front. Ultimately, Johnson regained track position when he stayed out under caution on Lap 128—while most of the lead-lap cars came to the pits.
Johnson restarted fifth on Lap 132 and worked his way up to third during a long cycle of green-flag pit stops that ended on Lap 179. A caution for Marcos Ambrose’s spin off Turn 4 put all the lead-lap cars back on the same pit sequence and solidified Johnson’s position in the top five.
Hamlin dodged a Lap 2 wreck but brought his No. 11 Toyota to the pits with flat-spotted tires. Like Johnson, Hamlin restarted from the back of the field and patiently worked his way forward.
Busch, who finished 1.866 seconds behind McMurray, led 165 of the 334 laps. McMurray led 44 laps and Johnson 15.
NNS Race Recap: Track-Position Play Gives Keselowski Win At Charlotte
CONCORD, N.C.—New rubber. Old rubber. It didn’t matter to Brad Keselowski, who ran the final 56 laps of Friday night’s Dollar General 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race on his last set of tires.
Track position, however, proved far more important at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Keselowski picked up his first NASCAR Nationwide Series win at the 1.5-mile track, his fifth victory of the season and the 11th of his career. (more…)
Jeff Gordon Gets his first pole of 2010 after being 33rd in practice. Sorry I uploaded this too late. My computer wasn’t working the way it should be. Clips in This video is provided and credited to NASCAR.COM
The 2011 season of speed is fast approaching and so are ticket renewal deadlines for the most action-packed year in the history of New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series drivers will make their first of two appearances on a new date, July 17, in the LENOX Industrial Tools 301, and because of an overwhelming response from race fans the ticket renewal deadline for this event has been extended to Oct. 26.
Joining NASCAR’s elite once again next summer will be the NASCAR Nationwide Series, K&N Pro Series East and the New England favorite Whelen Modified Tour. (more…)
