WIN Series presents: NCWTS owner/driver Jennifer Jo Cobb

One Race At A Time

No More One and Done

“I tend to be my own worst critic so there is nothing anyone can say about me I haven’t already thought. But you have to be able to turn that around and see the things that are going right. That's a learned technique, and I’ve definitely had to learn it over the years. But it's the critic in me that helps me to strive to be better, so that works.”




I recently had the opportunity to speak with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver/owner Jennifer Jo Cobb via Skype. I was extremely excited about this interview as its been a while since I’d actually spoken to a driver in a NASCAR series. I was told by many of her fans that she was an awesome person and that I would really enjoy speaking with her.



I wasn’t at all disappointed. Jen was very friendly and open to my questions. She didn’t hold back. I think you will enjoy both her sense of humor and her honesty. I’m going to give you most all of the interview. It lasted just about 20 minutes and we spoke the entire time.

Background 

Jennifer was born in Kansas City, Kan., on June 12, 1973. In 1991, she began racing in the 4-cylinder Pony Stock Division at Lakeside and I-70 Speedways in the Kansas City area. She was racing in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series (NWRS). Cobb has several victories, with finishes in the top-10 championship standings for every season she competed in NWRS. This include divisions such the Late Model and the Sportsman Late Model Division I-70 Speedway, with NWRS.

Jen pictured here with her father, Joe Cobb

Photo credited to Debbie Ross

Jennifer’s love of auto racing began with her father, Joe Cobb’s, racing career. With hundreds of victories and awards, including a track championship and MPD award, Joe continues to compete in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Premier Modified division at the 1⁄2 mile dirt oval in Kansas.



In 2002, Jennifer attended and graduated from Fast Track High Performance Racing School. She met ARCA RE/MAX Series driver guidelines, reaching speeds over 150 mph at Lowes Motor Speedway. In June 2002, she went on to debut in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, finishing 16th at the Kansas Speedway. In 2003, Jennifer became a driving instructor and ride driver for Richard Petty Driving Experience. Working at speedways from Chicagoland to California and logging in well more than 10,000 laps, giving her additional time and valuable experience behind the wheel. Jennifer continues to improve her driving techniques and skills by testing at tracks and working at the Richard Petty Driving Experience, where she logs more than 1,000 laps per weekend at many NASCAR-sanctioned racetracks.



In 2004, Cobb was invited to compete in the Busch Series finale at Homestead-Miami. Driving the #50 for Keith Coleman Racing, she finished 43rd due to a crash on lap 2. 2004 netted her three consecutive top-10 finishes in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. Jennifer has proven herself to be a tough competitor working aggressively through the ranks in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, ARCA RE/MAX Series and NASCAR Busch Series. She is now owner and driver in the NCWTS of the #10 as well as the owner of the #13 in the NNS.





Education and Career

Jennifer has 20 years of marketing and advertising experience. She holds an associate degree in pre-journalism and is currently working on her broadcasting degree. She was co-host of a televison program on Time Warner Cable’s Metro Sports TV Channel called "Inside Motorsports," now in her fourth season. She has appeared on the cover of the national racing magazine Stock Car Spectacular and has been featured on local and national radio programs as well numerous newspapers and websites.



The following is a YouTube Video of Jennifer speaking for Five Star at one of her speaking engagements. This series is available on YouTube to view. I’ve included Part 1 on teamwork. Jennifer is a nationally registered speaker with Five Star Speakers with approximately 50 speaking engagements scheduled per year.

With careers in racing, broadcasting, journalism and professional speaking, Jennifer lives her life in the public eye. Jennifer’s hopes for the future include competing full-time schedules in the NCWTS, the NNS and then of course, the NSCS. But she hasn’t tied herself down with a timeline. Her goals for the future are big, and her goals for each race are simple.



Cobb created her own line of clothing for the race fan. Driver Boutique allows her to fund her racing efforts as she attempts to qualify for various races with the Driver Boutique sponsorship. Click here to visit Driver Boutique Website





Without further ado, here is the question and answer session I had with Jennifer in its entirety. I hope you all enjoy getting to know her better. It is my intention to turn you into a Jennifer Jo Cobb Fan, if you aren’t already!



What involvement did your family have in your racing career as a young girl?

“Well I had no racing career growing up. I just had this little sparkle in my eye telling everyone I wanted to be a racecar driver, and nobody believed me. They brushed me aside. My dad started racing when I was 3 and I used to fall asleep in my dad’s racing seats. It was hard to get me out of the garage. When I tried to tell people I wanted to race, nobody took me seriously. I had this dream. Even up to my first race car, nobody believed it or even thought I would do it. So my very first racecar was outside of my family. But it didn’t take long for my dad to take me under his wing when he saw that I was serious about it.”



So how old were you when you actually started racing?

18.



Was there anyone else out there besides your father racing that inspired you?

“No not at all. Because when your family races every week, Friday night and Saturday night, and I was a pretty active kid involved in dance and gymnastics. I did it competitively. So when your family is busy racing, you're not so much a fan of the big leagues because you're busy working on your racecars and going to races. So that's what I was involved in. The TV access wasn’t like it is today. So my dad was like my one and only hero.”



When I’m watching you as of late, I see you as a safe driver, especially when you’re qualifying. Does that have anything to do because you’ve become an owner this year?

“Ya, you know, I used to not be. I used to have to really fight hard to qualify into every race. There is this video on YouTube of an interview where Michael Waltrip comments about that.” See the video below:

Jennifer went on to say,



“I’m not afraid to do what needs to be done. But this year definitely we can’t even go into qualifying trim a lot of times because we don’ t have the tires to do so. When I go out there, I’ve not practiced a qualifying run on that set of tires to know how the truck is gonna react, I do have to take it easy. Yes, so it definitely plays a part and our mission is no longer qualifying into the race; our mission is race as best we can and finish and make it through the season. Protect our equipment so that next year we can have (it to use). The more money you have, the more chances you can take.”





Looking at your stats over the last three years, it's obvious you're definitely serious about where you want to take your program……



“It's been so out of my hands in years past. This year I’ve got so much of a better opportunity to really grow and build a program. It's not like One and Done. Or I’m out there with a team every once in a while. We’ve improved results because we can actually start a program and build on it. I’m so looking forward to building an even stronger program with better results next year. But for right now what you can say is that we are consistent, we are finishing races, and if you really watch and even listen on the scanner, you can see that there are points when the truck is good, it goes through these phases, we get really really racey. So if can have some stuff on par for our competitors, we can provide some really good racing and even be in the top 10.”

How about your other racecars in JJCR?

“I have 2 NNS cars. I ran Daytona and crashed early on and that was with the Mustang. I also own a Fusion that I just ran at Kansas two weeks ago. So there are two NNS cars. The plan next year is to do the same thing we did this year, only better. We will run a full CWTS, with some NNS races. This season was all thrown together in January. So we were kind of behind right from the get-go. So going into next year we’ll be able to take what we’ve got, learn from it and improve on it. We’ve got all the people in place already. Last year at this time I had no clue if I was going to have any kind of a deal this year.”





Looking around, I don’t see or believe it's just women having issues getting sponsors: it's everyone. Do you think it's because of the economy or on your end, because you're a woman?

“No way, I’ve always said that from day one. It has nothing to do with the economy. It is tough to find sponsorship period. It always has been and probably always will be. It has absolutely nothing to do with being a woman. There are so many people out there that want to race that don’t have the talent to race. But you’ve got to have all the elements to be able to put a package together. It's not like the NFL, where you just go try out for a team. It's just not the reality of our sport. That’s part of what makes our sport so intriguing, in that business is so involved. You don’t see NFL players with sponsors on their uniforms or jerseys. But in NASCAR, the sponsors are just as much part of the sport. So a driver has to have talent, personality, you’ve got to have some sort of business sense to get the sponsors. Even drivers who act like they don’t care about he business side of it, they definitely care about it. Look at Tony Stewart, for example. He used to be like, “I don’t give a flip,” but now you see him and he’s a good, cooperate spokesperson. You’ve got to have every angle of that. I see so many people that don’t understand that. I think the biggest thing you’ve got to have is perseverance. It's not a female problem, it's not a male problem. It's a driver problem and we’re all equally up against that challenge. The ones that can persevere and overcome it will race.”





Is it your goal to be in Cup one day?

“Absolutely it is. It always has been.”



How far from that goal do you think you are?

“I don’t have aspirations of being full-time Cup anytime soon. Obviously it's a huge personal goal to race in the NSCS. But not just to compete in that series, to be competitive in it. First I would like to be more competitive in the NCWTS, and then more competitive in the NNS and so it's not really a time frame. I learned a long ago time frames are ridiculous. It's really not our timing. It's God’s timing. When the time is right, it’ll happen. An opportunity could come next week and if I were to get approval through NASCAR, we’d do it. I’m not looking for that. It's not even on my radar right now. But if we had a spectacular season next year, I could see making a Cup debut by the end of the year. If it doesn’t happen next year then I’ll look for a spectacular season in 2012, and try to make a Cup debut. There is really no set dates or big goal like that. The goal is just to continue to improve, and be stronger and stronger overall in the sport. When you work hard enough at the core goal, the science of racing, which is just to be better and better and better, then the results will come.”





Where or who do you see in the final Chase?

“I lost track of it after Kansas. I was so excited about it going into Kansas and watched the race from my sponsor’s suite. I have gotten so busy and lost track of what is going on on the Cup side. I want to be a student of the sport, but when it comes down to the personalities and things of that nature, I just don’t have time. I’m offered appearances that take me away. I’m so out of tune on what’s going on back in Charlotte. In terms of Cup drivers in the Chase, I don’t have any favorites, or predictions or anything like that. It's definitely a good opportunity to learn. Like when we saw Kyle Busch basically put himself in a position to be taken out and hurt his chances drastically by driving like he typically drives.”





This is a good time for a question from someone we both know, @SummerDreyer. How do you respond when someone wrecks you intentionally?



Jennifer laughs. "It's only happened once this year with Kyle Busch, the Kyle Busch incident. You know it's like he did it the first time and I think my response was appropriate. I didn’t understand why, I was not holding him back. We hadn’t even taken a lap, and it didn’t make sense. But the world saw it. Everyone saw it, even his fans. So I honestly just kinda laughed it off. It didn’t hurt anything. But if he would have torn up one of my trucks, I might’ve had to go after some revenge. But I’ve given it a lot of thought. I’ve been asked by so many people if I was going to get him back. I know there is going to be a time and a place for that opportunity will be right. But just my setting out to do it would be irresponsible to do to my team and to the other truck teams. There is a little bit of satisfaction in seeing other people paying him back, but at the end of the day you have to focus on your program. People who drive like that will get theirs eventually. It's already happening. It is hard, especially when I interview and talk about Godly principals, and then I have to point out that I am human and a sinner, and will fail. I don’t want anyone throwing this into my face in the future. But for right now it just makes me happy to have had a three-week break, contemplating what to do about the situation at Martinsville and some of the stuff he said about me. It's like God can take care of people way better than you can. So just focus on your racing career and keep digging along.”





I was there in Fontana when Kyle’s engine went up in smoke. I was up in a sea of Kyle Busch haters. It was so overwhelming to hear the cheers from that area of the grandstands that I was in. It was amazing. There are a lot of Kyle Busch haters out there. But I think they love to hate him.

Taken at ACS in Fontana after Kyle Busch’s Car blew up. Stands were filled with fans cheering.

Jen: “Honestly I think if he would just quit wrecking people at the lower levels. That's what irritates the truckdrivers more than anything. Don’t come in here with all the money in the world, into a lower series and start your crap. Pick on people more your own size. But at the same time I think he is phenomenal for the sport. I would have mildly called myself a fan of his before the incident because I think he’s very entertaining. I get a kick to see the crowd react to him. It makes me chuckle every time. So being a victim of it all has made it fun.”

JJCRacing team surrounds her car just prior to a race. Credit to Debbie Ross

Below is a video introducing Jen’s Core Team

This and more can be seen on YouTube kcracegal

Has 2010 met your expectations?

“What I am disappointed in that we don’t have a top 10 by now and that we’re not more consistently inside the top 15. That’s my disappointment of the year. So you know I give our overall results, pass or fail, it would be failing. We need to be doing better. That's the competitor in me. But as a team and as an organization, and as individuals on that team, everyone is doing well. The fact that we are so underfunded. By the end of the year I really want to get my finances down, and open the books and make public what we spent. I think people are gonna drop their jaws when they see what little we spent this year in comparison to other teams that are running inside the top 20 in points.





"I would love, and I don’t have this much power, I just wish that this would happen. I wish that it would change the sport in a way. Like, do we really need motorcoaches to go racing or private jets to go racing? If we didn’t have those things, maybe sponsorship dollars would come down and more companies would become involved in it. So it's like, I give us a huge A+ for making it through the year, being smart, being smart with our equipment, and having the heart and the guts to want to keep getting better. Why those results are eluding us, I don’t know. So we’re looking to finish out the last five races much stronger and at the very least go into 2011 with a clean slate. I want to have the same people and the same trucks but we really need to strip everything down. Find out where all the bugs are, and make sure we make the trucks faster. But gosh we are finishing with very reliable equipment, we’re doing a lot of things right, I just want better results at the end of the day.”

Video of Jen and James Buescher in a wreck in 2010 at O’Reilly 200

A second truck was recently added to the JJCRacing Team. The #24 debuted in Martinsville on Oct. 22.

Cody Cambensy

So the crazy woman goes and jumps off the Stratosphere. What was that all about? Something you wanted to do for a long time or just a spur of the moment decision?



“Oh hell no! Shelley, the woman who does our hotel PR, came to me and said, 'The Stratosphere is going to sponsor us, and we’re gonna stay there, and you’ve got to jump off the building.' I’m like what?……she said, 'Will ya do it?' I said I’d do it for the team. The funny thing is she called me a few days before the race and said that some of the other guys had backed out, are you still gonna do it? For a moment there I thought 'What, I can back out?' (Laughing)…..But I made the commitment and I followed through with it.

Video credited to @Queers4gears

"I have to tell you, I was standing up on that ledge, and it was just a couple weeks after I had skydived with the ARMY’s Golden Knights Parachute Team. That was like overcoming, although I’ve never had a fear of skydiving or anything like that. But you know, you jump out of an airplane, you get a little fearful.





"So I am standing on top of the Stratosphere. I am just so mad at myself, I’m mad at Shelley, I'm like when I get to the bottom, she’s getting fired. I was just standing up there, about to jump off this building, just sick and hating it. I’m telling myself you’ve got to start saying no. You don’t have to do every little crazy daredevil stunt that comes along.You have to start saying NO.



"As soon as I jumped, I HAD SO MUCH FUN! I’m thinking ‘OH YA, I’d do this again in a heartbeat, and there’s no way I’m ever saying NO to another crazy daredevil thing.' This is just so fun. It was just so neat to overcome that huge fear. I’m not gonna lie. Right before I jumped out of the airplane, right before I jumped off the Stratosphere, I said to myself WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING?





But it had to have been a release in some way. Everything else is so small when you start jumping off buildings like that.



“I’m not gonna lie, it makes me feel a little more like a BAD A$$. My mom was at the bottom (of the stratosphere). She’s a kind of a worry wart. She doesn’t vocalize it. She just sits there. But when I got down, she said, “I was gonna spank your butt if you would’ve chickened out. You had to jump.” People think I get my fearlessness from my dad, but perhaps it's from my mom.”



What do you do to relax"?



“ I really like a lot of things. I really like to shop. I really like to take naps. I really like to work out. All of those things are great stress relievers. Especially the working out. There is something about the endorphins that come out when you work out and you can handle stress so much better.





“For example I had Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off this week. I woke up at my normal time and did my normal wakeup routine. Then I did some taxes, organizing, T-shirt orders, then I took a nap. I woke up and did more taxes, then some promotion work, then a conference call, then I took a nap. Then I woke up, worked until midnight. It was all about just having a nice relaxing day to do nothing. It's about getting organized and catching up and then surrendering when the nap comes on. I had three days where I worked way more than I slept but I had no schedule. No be here at this time, be there at that time. I was up building furniture at midnight because I wanted a bookshelf in my hallway.”





I want to thank Jennifer for opening up her life to me and to the readers and fans of Skirts and Scuffs. It has been great getting to know her and I sure hope you all have enjoyed her visions and opinions. She doesn’t hold back. It's all or nothing. That’s what I liked most about her.





Thanks to Debbie Ross for photos. Michael from @Queers4gears for the Stratosphere video. Some photos were taken directly from JJCR website with Jennifer’s permission. Please visit her site to learn more about this exciting woman in the motorsports industry.





Jennifer Jo Cobb – Facebook

Jennifer Jo Cobb - Twitter

Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing - Website



LOVIN' LIFE AND ALL IT HAS TO OFFER

As always, any opinions shared by myself or the subject in this interview are our own and do not represent the site or the other contributors.

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Crown Royal to honor military service with race name

Nominations for 'Your Name Here' 400 contest for April Richmond race will be accepted through Nov. 30

Crown Royal takes pride in showcasing our country’s finest heroes, and once again, the tradition will live on. The makers of Crown Royal Canadian whisky, a subsidiary of Diageo plc (NYSE: DEO), will award naming rights to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway on April 30, 2011 to a serviceman or servicewoman.

This marks the second time throughout the five-year history of the Crown Royal “Your Name Here” 400 contest that only individuals serving our country can be nominated. Nominations will be accepted until Nov. 30 and can be submitted to www.nascar.com/crownroyal.

"Crown Royal truly takes pride in ensuring that our race entitlement shines light on all the everyday heroes who serve our country,” said Heather Boyd, senior brand manager of Crown Royal. “We believe that the experience provided to the winner is unprecedented and really transforms one deserving individual into a superstar the entire race weekend. We look forward to reading all the nominations and announcing our finalists and grand prize winner in February, at the Daytona race.”

Once nominations are received, Crown Royal will provide fans the opportunity to cast their votes for whose name they think should be incorporated into the annual spring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Richmond International Raceway. The grand prize winner will then be announced from Daytona in a patriotic ceremony among all the finalists, NASCAR’s Roush Fenway Racing driver Matt Kenseth and representatives from Crown Royal and Richmond International Raceway.
"There are no words to describe how special this is for one serviceman or servicewoman," Kenseth said.  "Crown Royal goes the extra step to ensure the individual who wins is treated like royalty throughout race weekend. I encourage all adult race fans to think about their friends and family serving our country and nominate them for this honor."

This past May the race was titled “Crown Royal Presents the Heath Calhoun 400” in honor of retired serviceman Heath Calhoun.  Calhoun was awarded the honor for his determination and ability to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest despite their injuries. Prior to his race in Richmond, Calhoun also competed on the US Paralympics Team at the 2010 Paralympics Winter Games, where he scored an 8th-place finish in the Super-G and a 10th-place finish in the Men’s Super Combined alpine skiing events.

“It is great to have a dedicated partner like Crown Royal continue to make the spring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway something special and like no other race on the circuit,” said track President Doug Fritz. “We are honored to be involved again in 2011 in showcasing one inspirational serviceman or servicewoman’s story of incredible courage and patriotism.”

Those wishing to nominate one of their fellow soldiers (21 or older) to be the next Heath Calhoun, must write a brief essay, 50 words or less, on how that individual demonstrated the core values of the military in performing a selfless act that made them a hero.

Leading up to the big day in Richmond, Crown Royal will continue to remind fans to "Please Drink Responsibly.” through its “Safe Rides Home” designated driver initiatives and other programming designed to reinforce the importance of drinking responsibly.

NASCAR returns to Richmond International Raceway April 29-30, 2011 for an action-packed doubleheader weekend. The April 30 Crown Royal Presents The Your Name Here 400 showcases the stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup series beating and banging around Richmond's 3/4-mile short track. Friday, April 29, features a full day of on-track activity, including the BUBBA burger 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race "under the lights," as well as practice and pole qualifying for the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. Tickets go on sale to the general public January 15, 2011.

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NASCAR 'giant' Jim Hunter dies

  Jim Hunter smiles at Darlington Raceway in May. (Getty Images for NASCAR)

It was hard to mistake Jim Hunter in his trademark yellow "NASCAR 1948" cap, but in a career spanning more than 40 years in motorsports, he wore many hats. Hunter knew the ins and outs of the sport, first as a journalist, then a public relations representative and finally as an executive for NASCAR itself. He was a father, friend, mentor, mediator, and fan of the sport and the people in it. His guidance was influential in shaping NASCAR to be what it is today.

The 71-year-old vice president of NASCAR's corporate communications died late Friday after a year-long battle with cancer. As the NASCAR community reacts to his death, it is certain Hunter left an indelible mark on the lives of many in its ranks. Juan Pablo Montoya, one of the drivers Hunter took under his wing, dedicated the Amp Energy 500 pole he claimed Saturday at Talladega to Hunter.

Many drivers, journalists and others in the sport turned to Twitter and Facebook to express their condolences. Hunter embraced social media, so it is only fitting that he was a trending topic in the U.S. and worldwide on Twitter today.

Here is the press release NASCAR issued upon Hunter's death, followed by a compilation of quotes from some of those whose lives he touched. We at Skirts and Scuffs offer our sympathies to the Hunter family and his extended NASCAR family.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 30, 2010) – NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter, whose career in motorsports spanned portions of six decades as both a journalist and public relations professional, died last night in Daytona Beach, Fla. following a 12-month battle with cancer. He was 71.

“Jim Hunter was one of NASCAR’s giants,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “For more than 40 years Jim was part of NASCAR and its history. He loved the sport, but loved the people even more. It seems as if everyone in the sport called him a friend. Jim will forever be missed by the NASCAR community. Our sympathies go out to his entire family.”

Added NASCAR President Mike Helton: “Jim was a uniquely talented man that cannot be replaced. He was a great friend and mentor to so many in the sport. His influence will remain with and be carried on by so many of the people he touched. This is a sad day for Jim’s family and his extended, NASCAR family.”

As a young man growing up in his native South Carolina, Hunter was a football and baseball player at the University of South Carolina. Those years preceded a future of being immersed in the sports world, primarily motorsports. Hunter learned motorsports from “both sides” by working as a newspaper reporter/editor and a public relations representative.

As a member of the media, Hunter was sports editor of the Columbia Record newspaper; he had an award-winning stint at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; he was a columnist for Stock Car Racing magazine; and he authored a number of books, including a widely-read biography on NASCAR great David Pearson, entitled “21 Forever”.

On the public relations side, Hunter broke into that business in the 1960s, with Dodge’s motorsports operation. He handled public relations for a number of top IndyCar drivers before going on to become the public relations director at his beloved Darlington Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway.

In 1983, Hunter was named to his first executive position in his first NASCAR stint, becoming NASCAR’s vice president of administration. In 1993 he was named president of Darlington Raceway and corporate vice president of the International Speedway Corporation. He remained at Darlington until 2001 when he accepted an offer from then-NASCAR Chairman and CEO Bill France Jr. to return to Daytona Beach to lead an expanded public relations effort aimed at responding to the needs of burgeoning media coverage.

Hunter won numerous awards during his career, including: the Hugh Deery Memorial Award in 1988; South Carolina Ambassador for Economic Development in 1994; South Carolina Tourism Ambassador of the Year in 1997; the National Motorsports Press Association’s Joe Littlejohn Award in 2005; and the Buddy Shuman Award in 2006.

Hunter is survived by his wife of 48 years, Ann Hunter; his children, Scott Hunter and Amy McKernan and his grandchildren Dakota Hunter, and Hunter and Luke McKernan.

In lieu of flowers the family asked that donations be made to The NASCAR Foundation or Hospice of Volusia/Flagler County. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.


REMEMBERING JIM HUNTER

Tony Stewart (official statement): “When it comes to my NASCAR career, one of my biggest influences was Jim Hunter. There’s no playbook or manual when you eventually reach this level, and understanding all the things that come along with being a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series can be overwhelming. At least, it was for me when I first got here. Jim became a great friend to me because he helped me understand why things were the way they were and how I could better handle situations. Knowing that his knowledge and experience will no longer be available to other young drivers as they enter the sport is proof that Jim is irreplaceable.

“I’m proud to have known Jim Hunter, proud to have been his friend and will miss him a lot. Our thoughts are with his wife, Ann, and their family.”

In a SPEED interview during Saturday's qualifying, the two-time Sprint Cup champion credited Hunter with helping him through the "tough times when I was struggling and fighting with NASCAR." To show his respect, Stewart wore a yellow NASCAR cap like Hunter's.

Kevin Harvick: During qualifying on SPEED, the driver and team owner said, "If it wasn't for Jim Hunter, I probably would have run myself out of the sport." Harvick shared the same sentiment earlier on Twitter: "If it wasn't for Jim Hunter there is a good possibility that I might not have ever made it through my first 2 years in NASCAR....."

Kurt Busch (SPEED.com interview): “He took me under his wing early on in my career and said, ‘Hey kid, you can do things the hard way or do things the right way. He really helped me out and was a good friend of mine. It’s tough to see him go.”

Jim Hunter rides with Richard Petty at Chicagoland in 2008.

(Getty Images for NASCAR)

Juan Pablo Montoya (via Twitter). "Just woke up and find out that Jim Hunter a great friend passed away. All the prayers for his family. ... its great to see how many people really care for jim hunter!!!!!! im really gonna miss him!!!

Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose favorite memory of Hunter was talking with him at the end-of-the-year banquet dinners (Scene Daily interview): "It was people I couldn’t speak their language and he was the only guy (I could talk to). He was one of the good guys. There’s a lot of toughness in this sport and ruthlessness and he was one of the genuine good people that looked out for everybody."

Jeff Gordon (USA Today interview): He was such a quality person and so passionate for this sport. I think it's a sign of a great person and their legacy. It's how many people are going to say great things about Jim and what he meant to the sport and how dearly missed he's going to be. You're going to hear it over and over and over again for a long time. He's one of those individuals that will never be able to be replaced. I love how he approached this sport, this job, his life and his family. I really respected him a lot. He always came into a conversation open minded but yet not afraid to give his honest opinion, and you've got to have respect for someone like that."

Jimmie Johnson's official PR Twitter account: "There are a lot of big and grandiose words, and deservedly so, to describe Jim Hunter but a simple one suffices for me. He was great!"

Denny Hamlin (via Twitter): "Everyone please keep jim hunter's family in your thoughts. He will be missed"

Ron Hornaday Jr. (via Twitter): "Jim was a great Friend to me. He got me along ways in our sport. He will be Truly Missed in the Hornaday Family. RIP my Friend"

Kyle Busch (via Twitter): "Sad news w Jim Hunter. Great friend, awesome ambassador, always great story teller. Going to miss Jim:( Thoughts and prayers go out..."

Kasey Kahne (via Twitter): "jim hunter has always been one of my favorite people in nascar. always a smile and a laugh. a great influence to so many. certainly missed."

Brad Keselowski (via Twitter): "The day is off to a terrible start. RIP Jim Hunter."

Regan Smith (via Twitter): "Very sad to hear of Jim Hunters passing. Thoughts and prayers are with his family."

Brendan Gaughan (via Twitter): "Jim Hunter was the smartest n most genuine person in all of NASCAR. I will truly miss our conversations, I am a better person because of him."

Darrell Waltrip (via Twitter): "I can hear Bill (France) Jr saying "we lost a good one", Hunter loved Nascar and Nascar loved him, he will be missed in so many ways, by so many people"

Michael Waltrip (via Twitter): "God bless the Hunter family. RIP Jim."

Ray Evernham, former crew chief and ESPN analyst (via Twitter): "On way back from Mi, found out Jim Hunter passed. Jim was a great friend to me during the most difficult media times of my life. RIP"

Richard Petty (official statement): "Last night the sport lost an important family member. Jim was a good friend not only to me but to so many in the NASCAR community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Ann and their family." 

Jack Roush (official statement): "The entire NASCAR community is mourning the passing of Jim Hunter. As a new team owner from the outside joining NASCAR in 1988, I was welcomed and befriended by Jim and his wife Ann in the early days before I was settled, and as I was getting my feet wet in this sport. Past that, Jim remained a friend of whom I could seek sage advice and badly-needed sympathy on more occasions than I can recall.  His departure has diminished us all."

Ramsey Poston, NASCAR managing director of corporate communications (via Twitter): "The @NASCAR family lost a giant last night. Jim Hunter died at 71. He was a friend and leader. Rest in Peace Sir."


Josh Hamilton, NASCAR public relations representative (via Twitter): "RIP Jimbo. You were truly one of a kind. The world misses your infectious smile already. :( ... I really think Hunter holds the record for most people saying 'I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him'... a wide range of folks too."


Steve Byrnes, host of "NASCAR Race Hub on SPEED" (SPEED.com statement): “Jim Hunter was such a gentleman. He gave so much of his life to the sport, as a journalist and an executive. He always had a smile and a kind word. Jim was so instrumental in growing the sport one person and one relationship at a time. The sport has lost one its champions.”

Dave Despain, host of "Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain" (SPEED.com statement): “Jim Hunter was a ‘good 'ol boy’ in the best possible connotation of the term. Everybody liked Hunter, which is precisely why the France family so often and for so long made him their front man.”

Tom Jensen, SPEED.com editor-in-chief (SPEED.com statement): “Jim Hunter was by turns charming, funny, profane, passionate, mischievous, engaging, smart, knowledgeable and old school in the best sense. He knew everyone and damn near everything and was about as universally admired and respected as anyone in the sport. On a professional level, the sport has lost one of its biggest boosters and most important links to the past. On a personal level, all of us in the NASCAR media corps have lost a dear and valued friend. RIP, Jim. We miss you already.”

Larry McReynolds, SPEED analyst and former crew chief (SPEED.com statement): “The biggest thing with Jim Hunter was you could rest assured that when he spoke publicly about something, whether stuff running out of the intake of Michael Waltrip’s car a couple of years ago, a driver being penalized for rough driving, or something internally with NASCAR, he was going to say the right thing and help you understand what had transpired. He always had the right thing to say. Jim Hunter was one-of-a-kind and irreplaceable in the NASCAR world. I think he’s one of the reasons NASCAR has enjoyed the growth it has because he had the Bill France, Sr. and Bill France, Jr. way of thinking, even in his final months.

“Jim was a tremendous listener – not only to those of us who have been in the garage for years but also to the newcomers. If you had something bugging you about the sport, you could chat with him. He wasn’t going to blow you off or give you some ‘cockamamie’ reason NASCAR was doing things. He would intently listen to you. Jim had a really rough last 12 to 14 months, but if there is one positive in his passing, it’s the assurance he won’t have to suffer anymore.”

Randy Pemberton, SPEED analyst and reporter (SPEED.com statement): “This is a terrible loss for NASCAR. Jim Hunter was a cornerstone in the continuing growth of the sport. But even more importantly, he had that rare quality that, when you met him, you instantly felt that he was your friend.”

Krista Voda, host of "Trackside" and "NCWTS Setup" (SPEED.com statement): “Hunter was a character with a larger-than-life spirit. He taught me to never take myself too seriously and always had a story or a joke at the ready. He represented ‘old school’ but embraced the new guard. I will miss seeing his golf pullover and golf shoes and I will miss hearing his laugh in the media center.”

Grant Lynch, chairman of Talladega Superspeedway (official statement): "The past few weeks have been some of the saddest I can remember. Quite honestly, I don't know what to say about Jim Hunter that would even begin to describe him. He was just a larger than life figure in our sport.  It wasn’t because he sought the spotlight either, but because he was genuine and real. He was someone that people wanted to gravitate to, even if for only a moment.  He was a great friend to Talladega dating back to before his time as our Public Relations Director. Our thoughts are with our friends at Darlington Raceway where Jim spent much of his career strengthening the bond between track and community.  It's because of those experiences I know he'd want us to put our best foot forward and provide a great experience for our fans this weekend. It's going to be with incredibly heavy hearts that we move forward with our race preparations, but I know it's what Jim would want and expect. Our deepest sympathies go out to his wife Ann, his son Scott, daughter Amy and the entire NASCAR community as we all cope with the loss of a great man."

Chris Browning, president of Darlington Raceway (official statement): “Jim Hunter was one of the most charismatic people in NASCAR. I always enjoyed seeing Hunter at the track and particularly enjoyed his participation in our 2009 historic racing festival. It was great seeing Jim joke and swap old stories with some of the true pioneers of NASCAR. Everyone at Darlington Raceway will certainly miss Jim’s smile, stories and laugh. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time.”

David Beasley, former South Carolina governor who worked with Hunter during his time as Darlington Raceway president (official statement): “Jim Hunter is going to be missed. I don’t know of anyone who loved God, his family, NASCAR, his hometown Darlington, his state and country more. He taught me you only go around the track of life once, so give it your best.”

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Cup Pole Report: Montoya on Target for AMP Energy 500 Pole

Juan Pablo Montoya, the driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, claimed the pole for Sunday's AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway with a lap of 51.863 (184.640 mph.) in the all-Chevy front row.  Clint Bowyer was only 0.040 of a second behind Montoya in the No. 33 BB&T for Richard Childress Racing during Saturday's qualifying session. Six out of the top 10 on the grid are Chevrolets. Could this mean a good weekend for Chevrolet once again at Talladega after Kevin Harvick won the race in the spring? 

A few new paint schemes will grace the track for the Halloween weekend. The one to be watching for in my eyes is Jamie McMurray's, who will being driving the Bass Pro Shops Dale Earnhardt Sr. Tribute car, which was announced back in May during the weekend of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class. Other ones to watch out for are Michael Waltrip back in the No. 55 in the Aaron’s 55th Anniversary Toyota and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in "The Legend of Hallowdega" Amp Energy Juice / National Guard Chevrolet. All of the schemes are definitely eye-catching!

For all the racing action, I would set your television on ESPN for 1 p.m. EST race! Happy Halloween to all of the race fans!

Starting lineup:

1. Juan Montoya
2. Clint Bowyer
3. Kurt Busch
4. Joe Nemechek
5. Jeff Burton
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
7. Dave Blaney
8. Ryan Newman
9. Casey Mears
10. Sam Hornish Jr.
11. Brad Keselowski
12. Jamie McMurray
13. Jeff Fuller
14. Kevin Harvick
15. Michael McDowell
16. Kasey Kahne
17. Denny Hamlin
18. Martin Truex Jr.
19. Jimmie Johnson
20. Michael Waltrip
21. David Reutimann
22. Chad McCumbee
23. Carl Edwards
24. Bobby Labonte
25. Joey Logano
26. Tony Stewart
27. Matt Kenseth
28. David Ragan
29. Scott Speed
30. Mark Martin
31. Jeff Gordon
32. Kyle Busch
33. Elliott Sadler
34. Greg Biffle
35. Marcos Ambrose
36. A.J. Allmendinger
37. Aric Almirola
38. Paul Menard
39. Regan Smith
40. David Gilliland
41. Robert Richardson Jr.
42. Robby Gordon
43. Bill Elliott

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Trucks Pole Report: Hornaday Wins Pole for Mountain Dew 250

Ron Hornaday takes the pole for the Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega Superspeedway with a lap of 52.839 (181.230 mph.) in his No. 33 E-Z-Go 2Five Street Legal Vehicle Chevrolet for KHI.  Just behind Hornaday on the grid is Jason White -0.093 behind in the No. 23 GunBroker.com / Pursuit Channel Toyota. 

"People say that Ron Hornaday is a short-track driver, and to come to Talladega and sit on the pole is so cool," Hornaday said. "There are only four tracks I haven't won at, and Talladega is one of them. I want to get that off my check list, just like I got this one off my list with the pole here. It's pretty awesome."

For all of the race coverage you can head on over to SPEED at 3 p.m. EST with the Set Up at 2:30, after last years Halloween spectacular you just never know what you will get this year!  Happy Halloween from Talladega and enjoy the race!

1. Ron Hornaday
2. Jason White
3. Austin Dillon
4. Ken Schrader
5. Aric Almirola
6. Chris Fontaine
7. Ricky Carmichael
8. Johnny Sauter
9. James Buescher
10. Todd Bodine
11. Matt Crafton
12. Grant Enfinger
13. David Starr
14. Narain Karthikeyan
15. Timothy Peters
16. Mike Skinner
17. Justin Lofton
18. Kyle Busch
19. Craig Goess
20. Max Papis
21. Jennifer Jo Cobb
22. Mario Gosselin
23. Donnie Neuenberger
24. Jeffrey Earnhardt
25. Tony Jackson Jr.
26. Ryan Sieg
27. Mike Garvey
28. Justin Hobgood
29. Norman Benning
30. Mike Harmon
31. Brent Rayner
32. Andy Lally
33. John Jackson
34. Bryan Silas
35. Dominick Casola
36. Jerick Johnson

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IndyCar Honors ………………

Danica Patrick and Pippa Mann

2010 MOST POPULAR DRIVER AWARD WINNERS

During the 2010 INDY DownForce Banquet, two women were honored with the 2010 MPD Awards. Danica Patrick was recognized in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Pippa Mann in the Firestone Indy Lights Series.

Danica’s season in the IZOD IndyCar Series ended with her placing 10th in the overall standings. With 2nd-place finishes in Texas and Homestead, she ran 2,408 laps for the season.

Although this was Danica’s sixth consecutive MPDA, she stated, “I’m very flattered that I’ve received this award once, let alone six times. Every person has the ability to pick their favorite driver, and it can change so it's a real honor to receive an award from the fans.”

Pippa Mann has two seasons under her belt in the Firestone Indy Lights Series. Pippa led all 67 laps at Kentucky, winning her first race driving for Sam Schmidt Motorsports in 2010. She also managed to finish in the top 10 while driving with a broken hand when she competed in Toronto.

Mann missed one race during the 2010 Season due to surgery on a broken hand, but still came out with a 5th-place finish overall in the Firestone Indy Light Series.

Upon receipt of the MPDA, Pippa felt it was an honor and a “flattering and fantastic feeling.” Perhaps one of the most memorable achievements for Pippa was being the first woman to win a pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The MPDAs are determined through a fan vote during all IndyCar racing events during the season. Voting is also done via their website and at Indycar.com as well.

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Chase Coverage: Talladega Preview

A pack during the spring race at Talladega. (John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)

After six races, we have the tightest points battle in the history of the Chase. And where better to go next than perhaps the most unpredictable of tracks on the NASCAR circuit - Talladega - on the spookiest day of the year - Halloween.

The 2.66-mile superspeedway is a favorite among fans, but maybe not so much among the Chase drivers. You have as much of a chance of finishing in the top 5 as you do bringing your racecar home in an unrecognizable heap of sheet metal.

Some Chasers see Dega as an opportunity to catch up in points, while others hope to avoid "the big one" and simply survive. With only three races following it in the Chase, Talladega has the potential to make or break any of the top 3's chances for a title run.

Twelve of our contributors look at the Chase drivers' odds at Talladega and how they may fare in Sunday's lottery. Come back Tuesday to find out which drivers were "tricked" and which were "treated."

1. Jimmie Johnson - (Leader) - Rebecca Kivak

Out of all the tracks in the Chase, Talladega is probably the only one that gives points leader Jimmie Johnson heartburn. The wild nature of the 2.66-mile restrictor plate track is more a game of survival than smarts, and the four-time Sprint Cup champion has seen what it’s like to be on the losing end of this lottery. Seven out of his 17 starts here have ended in DNFs. This includes his last visit in the spring, when he wrecked with six laps to go, relegating him to a 31^st-place finish.

Johnson’s average finish of 17.8 at the superspeedway is his lowest of the last four tracks in the Chase. His driver rating of 83.6 is the sixth-highest among the Chase field, unusual for a driver whom I’m used to writing leads all drivers in that area of loop data. He has four top-5 and seven top-10 finishes at the Alabama track.

While Talladega is not considered one of Johnson’s best tracks, the driver of the No. 48 Lowes Chevrolet has one win (spring 2006) and four poles to his credit. Also worth noting is that in the past two years, Johnson has finished higher in the fall events than those in the spring: he crossed the finish line 6^th in last year’s event and 9^th in 2008. In 2007 Johnson brought home a pair of second-place finishes. In the fall 2006 race, Johnson was on his way to a top-2 finish when Brian Vickers attempted to bump-draft the No. 48 and instead spun him out, along with race leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. As a result, Johnson finished the race 24^th.

Johnson has experienced the best and the worst at Dega, and he knows how fast things can change at the superspeedway. After Denny Hamlin sliced Johnson’s lead down to just 6 points after Martinsville, Johnson said, “You hate to see it vanish. I'm really trying to not be emotionally attached to things until we get out of Talladega. So much can happen at Talladega.”

Despite the unpredictability of Talladega, you can be sure the 48 team will do its best to stay out of trouble and preserve its points lead. I can’t help but remember when Johnson said on the radio toward the end of last year’s race, “We survived!” And if trouble does befall the 48, prepare to see Johnson “race like hell” in the final three races. 

2. Denny Hamlin - (-6) - Holly Machuga

After winning at Martinsville, Denny Hamlin heads to Talladega second in points and only six points behind Jimmie Johnson. He has seven wins as of Sunday, 13 top-fives, 16 top-10s and two poles so far this season.

Martinsville began the final five races of the season, and also began the better of the tracks for Hamlin. He has three top-fives and three top-10s with an average finish of 19.3 in nine races. He has a series-best running position of 13.8 and a series-best driver rating of 95.9. With the excellent finishes seen by the No. 11 team, I would not be surprised by a top-five this weekend.

Denny's strategy of getting top-10s the first five races and racing for the win in the last five has paid off so far. As long as he and the FedEx team keep up the momentum, you will see that team in victory lane more than once before the end of the season.

At this point, Jimmie Johnson should watch his back because Denny Hamlin is out to steal the points lead back. 

3. Kevin Harvick - (-62) - Amber Arnold

Kevin Harvick’s first Talledega wincame in this year’s spring race. That finish was a much betterfinish than what happened to him at the previous Talledega race whereRyan Newman got airborne and landed upside down across Harvick’shood.

It would be hard to say that Talledega is a good track foranyone being that it is such a wildcard, but in Harvick’s 19 raceson the Alabama track he has an average finish of 15.5. Harvick iscredited with one pole, four tops fives, eight top tens and animpressive zero DNF’s. Harvick has an 18^th-best driverrating of 75.3. 

While his numbers are impressive, his competitors inthe Chase are already a step ahead. Having a 62 point deficit goinginto Talledega Harvick has the best record on the 2.66 mile track.That is definitely something to be “Happy” about.   

4. Kyle Busch - (-172) - Lindi Bess

The #18 M&M’s Toyota Camry heads to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend with 42 other cars. 11 of which he shares the same dream. To become the NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion. Things don’t always work out the way you hoped but that doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel.

Kyle enters ‘Dega in 4th position, 172 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson. Its improbable that Kyle can recover from the hits he’s taken during the first half of the Chase. However, its not impossible. It would require the #48, #11 and the #29 to really have a bad finishes. Since the 3 usually run together, you never know. Kyle would have to do somewhat better than in his last visit to the Superspeedway earlier this year, having qualified and finished in the top 10.

Historically, ‘Dega isn’t one of Kyle’s stronger tracks. With 1 win, 1 top 5 and 2 top 10’s. An Average running pos of 18.7, and Average finish of 23.2. He’s rated the 16th best driver with a rating of 79.7. He does carry with him 4 DNF’s,3 of which were crashes.

When asked if being a former race winner at Talladega offered any sort of advantage over the competition Busch said, "It doesn't matter at all. It's such a crapshot there in the last 20, 30, or 40 laps that you never really know who is going to win, what's going to happen, and where the wreck is going to come from."

Check out what Kyle had to say at NASCAR.com on Friday's Sound off

5. Jeff Gordon - (-203) - Genevieve Cadorette

Jeff Gordon was busy promoting his new sponsor AARP Drive for Hunger this week he also found out that DuPont will extend its sponsorship with him for a 19th season. DuPont has signed to be a primary sponsor for 14 Cup races in 2011.

His Talladega history includes six wins, the most of any active driver, as well as one pole, 13 top 5s and 16 top 10s. He leads his Chase competitors with 35 starts at the restrictor-plate track and has the fourth-highest driver rating of the field. Gordon is the most recent competitor to win the from the pole (spring 2007) as well as starting from the furthest back in the field to win a race (36th in 2000). He’s going to Talladega’s Amp Energy Juice 500 in 5th position for the Sprint Cup Chase, trailing the leader by 203 points.

He’ll need to finish the race with big points to stay in the 5th spot and to stay in contention for the chance to win. His hopes have diminished and even though he thinks his chances are over, there’s still a possibility he could win his 5th Cup of his career.

6. Carl Edwards - (-213) - Amanda Ebersole

Talladega ... wreckers or checkers is usually the only two ways to survive this track! Stats for drivers are rather scattered and even drivers who have ran well for many races seem to not escape the carnage on the track. Then we have strategy play, where drivers drop to the back of the field to be behind the crashes, and sometimes this works but other times it can bite them if they can’t make it through a pileup! The only good strategy is go hard, go for the win! No one remembers who finished 22nd at Talladega by trying to play it safe, but we do remember the great finishers!

OK, so with all that said, now onto Carl Edwards and his history at Dega! In his 12 races at Dega, Carl has seven top-five finishes, 17 top-10 finishes and no wins. Carl has led 15 laps at Talladega and has an average finish of 22nd. 

Crew chief Bob Osborne is taking the same car that was just raced in Daytona and finished sixth. The car will be spotting the Subway paint scheme this weekend. Bob’s thoughts on Talladega: “Talladega is challenging for a crew chief because so much of it is out of our control. We do the best we can to get the car handling well and create a smart pit strategy, but most of this race depends on the driver and the spotter. It’s always a tense race for everyone involved. We just have to hope to avoid the inevitable wrecks to be there at the end to contend for the win.”

Carl’s thoughts on heading to Dega, “I was a little nervous about Talladega while we were up there real close to the point lead, but now I’m really excited about it. I think in that race you could see a huge swing there. If we could go win the thing, or run top three and a couple of guys could be caught up in wrecks, the Chase could look a lot different. That’s Talladega and anything can happen. Man, I have a love-hate relationship with that place, but I am looking forward to it now and I hope that we can come out of there with a good finish."

For a side note: After the horrible, terrifying wreck in April 2009, when Carl was leading the race, I have to admit I get super anxious for this race. All I remember of that day was seeing Carl go spinning and screaming out loud, and that was my first fan moment that left me shattered! The horrific last-lap crash left Carl spinning in mid-air and crashing into the retaining fence, pieces of his car flying into the stands and injuring fans. Then to see Carl emerge from the car and run across the finish line, I cried, part happiness that he was OK and part sadness of the crash and that he did not win the race. I know Talladega is a great race, full of lead changes and excitement, but part of me will be on the edge of my seat just hoping for some small miracle that all drivers avoid any wrecks! 

7. Tony Stewart - (-236) - Unique Hiram

"The Big One" may become the changing of the guard for some of the Sprint Cup Chase contenders. After dropping to 7th in the points standings at the conclusion of last week's race in Martinsville, Tony Stewart and his race team are looking to rebound by having a better finishing spot once the checkered flag waves in Talladega on Sunday.

The #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet race team and Stewart are headed to the track where he has captured one win, nine top 5s, 12 top 10s, an average finish of 14.8 in 23 races and holds the fifth-best average running position of 14.6. Additionally, he has the fifth-best driver rating of 89.0 and holds the fourth position of running the 49 fastest laps at this track.

Stewart was asked to rate himself as a restrictor-plate racer and his response was as follows: “Well, I’m not any happier about it than I’ve always been, but we’ve had a lot of success at restrictor-plate tracks, especially Talladega. We’ve run in the top-two there a gazillion times. I’m glad we’re halfway decent at it, but it’s still
always frustrating when you have to rely on what everybody else does. It’s not what you do. It’s what you do along with somebody else who decides that they’re going to follow you and help you. That’s the part that frustrates you as a driver.”

There is no doubt that the AMP Energy Juice 500 in Talladega, Ala., will be one of the most watched events this weekend because it is sure to be huge deal in who will be the top three drivers statistically fighting down to the finish in the last three races of the Sprint Cup Chase Series.

8. Jeff Burton - (-246) - Genna Short

By the numbers, Talladega seems to be one of the better tracks for Jeff Burton. Although the seasoned veteran has never had a win at the superspeedway in 33 starts, he has had four top 5s and 13 top 10s. His average running position is 17.1, the 12th best among active drivers, and though that may not seem like much, he still holds some impressive records at the 2.66-mile tri-oval.

For instance, he has 1,163 laps in the Top 15 (55.5%), which is the fifth-most, and holds the series record for green-lap passes at 4,322. So don’t think you’ll be catching the 31 car running near the back of the pack.

“I've run in the back and tried that but the two times I did it, I got into wrecks so I'm much more prone to try to lead some laps and run in the front pack,” says Burton about staying up front.

Quite a statement from a driver about a place where most of them just want to make it through the race relatively untouched and not be caught in “the big one,” but Jeff Burton doesn’t fear this beast. In fact, he sees it as an opportunity to advance in the standings.

“I look at it as an opportunity to go out and gain points you know, we're behind in points so I look at that as an opportunity. You know, when you're behind a little bit, you're looking for odd things to happen and Talladega's a place where odd things can happen.”

It is clear that he is not planning on letting Talladega get the best of him this weekend.

9. Kurt Busch - (-277) - Katy Lindamood

The 2004 Nextel Cup Champion has never won a restrictor plate race. He has come close a couple of times but has never been able to take home that checkered flag. Could Sunday's race a Talladega Superspeedway be his first restrictor plate win? You'll have to tune in to find out.

Heading into the Amp Energy Juice 500 Kurt Busch sits ninth in the points standings 277 behind leader Jimmie Johnson and though his chances of winning the Cup are slim at this point he still has a positive outlook. Earlier this week Busch said, "In every one of these races, I'm out there trying to learn something new. That's especially true every time the rules are tweaked and we change to a different package. The goal always remains the same, though, and that's to be there at the end of the race and positioned for a shot at it."

While the elder Busch does not have a Dega win to his credit Busch has performed well at the Alabama track in the past. In 19 starts Busch has an average finish of 12.8 and has recorded six top five finishes. Don't count him out this weekend as he looks to win his final restrictor plate race as driver as the "Blue Deuce."

10. Matt Kenseth - (-293) - Whitney Richards

Coming off a 15^th place finish last weekend at Martinsville, Matt Kenseth and the Crown Royal Black Team head to Talladega Superspeedway in hopes of avoiding the ‘Big One’ and getting a good finish. In his 21 starts, Kenseth has three top-5’s and six top-10’s. He has an average starting position of 22.3 and an average finishing position of 18.7 at Talladega. He has had three DNFs (September 2003, April 2004, and October 2008) at the track. His best starting position is 2^nd (April 2010), and his best finish is 3^rd(October 2005). Kenseth has completed 3,733 or 3,977 laps and has led a total of 146 laps in his 21 starts. Kenseth comes to Talladega 10^th in the standings, 293 points behind leader Johnson.

11. Greg Biffle - (-316) - Stacie Ball

“We started the season this year with a good run at Daytona and although Talladega is certainly different than Daytona despite them both being superspeedways, I am hoping that we can have that same sort of performance this weekend. We haven’t had a lot of luck at Talladega, but last year we had two top-10s there so it looks like we’re doing something right. If we can just get out of there with a top-10 finish I will be happy.” That's what Greg Biffle said of the race at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend on Halloween, in which he will be celebrating behind the wheel of the No. 16 3M/Manheim Ford Fusion.

After the race of doom at Martinsville Speedway, how do you come back from it? That is definitely the magical question for the 3M Ford this week. For someone who has driven 16 races at Talladega and has only one top 5 and two top 10s, you can see luck is really not on the side of the team. Yet we can hope the next four races we will see a big improvement.

“The superspeedway races are obviously unique races in that even if you have the best driver, the best pit crew and the fastest racecar, you can very easily get caught up in someone else’s accident and take the car home in pieces. Qualifying is not as important as it is at other tracks just because pit selection isn’t that crucial because the pit stalls are so big and no matter where you start you could have the lead one lap and be 20th the next lap. We had a couple of good finishes at Talladega last year so we’ll just go out there and do what we did then to try to get out of there with a top-10 finish.”

Last week when I got home and saw that Biffle was third on the grid, I was really hoping that start would bring some luck to the team. Maybe it was not the best of luck, yet it honestly showed me even the best of hope cannot bring the wins to the driver of my choice. I am a fan of my drivers, as people know. After seeing the great win a few weeks back at Kansas Speedway, I can't help but hope another win is in the future for Greg Biffle and the entire 3M team!

12. Clint Bowyer - (-406) - Amy McHargue

Coming into Talladega, Clint Bowyer's Chase dreams are done. Bowyer is 406 points off the lead, holding down 12^th place in the Chase standings. Still 90 points back from 11^th-place Greg Biffle, Clint has a lot of work to do this weekend to move up in the points.Bowyer will be looking for win number one at Talladega for his team this weekend – and what a season morale booster that would be! Clint has not yet won at Talladega but claims three top-10 finishes in his nine Cup Series starts at this venue.

When one looks at Clint's past performance at this track, it is evident that his performance has improved over his Cup career. His first four starts at Talladega resulted in no better than an 11^th-place finish, whereas his last five Cup starts here have brought Bowyer three top 10s. With an average finish of 21.4, Clint has his work cut out for him and the #33 Richard Childress Racing Team. Working in his favor is his average finish on superspeedway tracks in general. He claims a 15.4 average finish at this kind of track ... maybe it just took Clint a few years to settle in here at 'Dega.

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Roush Rewind: Tums Fast Relief 500

The Sprint Cup series made its second stop of the season at Martinsville Speedway this past weekend. The half-mile track is known for its close-quarter racing and the flaring tempers among the drivers. The Tums Fast Relief 500 marked the 6th race in the Chase. The race had no shortage of great racing and exciting battles for position. With all eyes on Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson, every fan watched to see if Johnson’s lead over Hamlin in the standings would increase or diminish. Just as he said he would, Virginia native Hamlin took home the win on Sunday.

The Roush Fenway Racing drivers came to Martinsville hoping to run the race as successfully if not better than they had run at Charlotte the week before when all four of the Roush Fenway drivers finished inside the top twelve. On Sunday, three of the Roush Fenway drivers finished inside the top 20, while one was left with a disappointing finish toward the back after he had to go to the garage for repairs during the race.
Greg Biffle – Start: 3rd. Finish: 33rd.
On Friday, Greg Biffle qualified 3rd, which was his best qualifying effort at Martinsville. Then final practice saw the No. 16 3M Ford atop the board. It looked as though Biffle was going to have his best run at the half-mile speedway. However, two pit road penalties and a trip to the garage for repairs, sidelined all chances Biffle had of getting a good finish.

Taking the green flag from the 3rd position on Sunday, Biffle ran as high as second in the early laps and held onto a top-5 position until the first caution of the day came out on lap 48. The 3M Ford was tight in the center of the turns, so Biffle’s pit crew made air pressure and wedge adjustments during the pit stop. Biffle restarted 5th, but the handling of the car didn’t improve. He began to drop back and was running 11th when the caution came out again on lap 110.

Biffle pitted for four tires, fuel, air pressure and wedge adjustments. The 3M Pit Bulls were flawless during the stop, helping Biffle gain 6 positions on pit road. Once the green flag waved again, Biffle soon realized that the changes had made the car too loose. He once again found himself drifting back through the field. A caution on lap 172 gave Biffle the opportunity to pit for a track bar adjustment. However, crew chief Greg Erwin had to call Biffle back down pit road due to loose lug nuts on one of the tires. The penalty had Biffle restating 32nd. He fought his way back through the field only to have another penalty under a pit stop on lap 211. His crew had gone over the wall too soon. Biffle found himself having to fight back toward the front again.

Just as he was beginning to crack the top 20, a cut tire on the No. 16 Ford brought the caution out. A sway bar arm broke as the tire went down, forcing Biffle to make the hard left to the garage. The 3M crew refused to let it keep Biffle from finishing the race. On lap 419, Biffle returned to the track in the 36th position. He was 67 laps down, but did all he could to gain any positions he could. In the end, he was able to pick up three positions to finish 33rd. Biffle dropped to 11th in the standings, 316 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson.

David Ragan – Start: 10th. Finish: 17th.

After running top 10 times in practice, David Ragan was able to qualify 10th on Friday. The No. 6 UPS Ford looked fast, and Ragan was looking forward to racing on Sunday. After running inside the top 10 for much of the opening laps, Ragan pitted under the caution on lap 48, but was told by officials he had been speeding while exiting pit road. The penalty sent Ragan to the back of the pack for the restart. From then on, Ragan fought an ill-handling to car cross the line in the 17th position.

Once the green flag waved, it didn’t take Ragan long to report that his car was tight through the center of the turns and up off the corners. He was still able to maintain his position until the first caution came out on lap 48. Ragan pitted for four tires, fuel, and a track bar adjustment. However, Ragan was informed he had been speeding on pit road. The penalty was that Ragan had to go to the rear of the field. He dropped from 10th to 34th for the restart.

The changes made during the pit stop helped the handling, but still left Ragan asking for more grip as he slowly worked his way through the field. He was 29th when the caution came out on lap 110, giving him the chance to pit for four tires, fuel, and another track bar adjustment. The handling did improve, but Ragan still needed more if he was to gain any more positions. The middle of the race was full of cautions, giving Ragan plenty of opportunities to pit for adjustments. A pit stop on lap 290 under caution had crew chief Drew Blickensderfer telling the for the track bar to be raised as high as it would go. Ragan restarted 15th, but the No. 6 Ford still didn’t handle the way Ragan needed it to. In the closing laps, Ragan lost a couple positions and eventually did go a lap down to the leader to finish 17th.

Matt Kenseth - Start: 32nd. Finish 15th.

Earlier this year, Matt Kenseth was battling for the lead at Martinsville Speedway in the closing laps when contact from Jeff Gordon knocked him out of contention for the win, and he fnished 18th. This past weekend, Kenseth returned to Martinsville looking to better those results. However, a pit road speeding penalty cost the team the good finish they might have been able to get.

After qualifying in the 32nd position on Friday, Kenseth knew it was going to take a lot of work to make his way through the field at the half-mile speedway on Sunday. When the first caution of the day came out on lap 48, Kenseth told crew chief Jimmy Fennig that the No. 17 Crown Royal Black Ford was loose off the turns and that the front tires were sliding in the turns. Kenseth pitted for four tires, fuel, and air pressure and track bar adjustments. He restarted 27th, and soon worked his way to 23rd. However, the front tires were still sliding in the center of the turns. Under the cautions in the first stretch of the 500-lap race, Kenseth’s crew continued to make adjustments to the No. 17 Ford. Around lap 200, the caution came out again. Kenseth and Fennig discussed what else they could do to correct the car’s handling issues. Fennig called for air pressure adjustments as well as adjustments to the rubbers. Kenseth restarted 25 and soon found himself running in the 19th position. When the caution came out on lap 226, Fennig told Kenseth to stay out to gain track position.

The pit strategy had Kenseth sitting 7th for the restart. Over the next run, Kenseth remained inside the top 10, until the caution came out on lap 384. Kenseth pitted under that caution for tires, fuel, and air pressure adjustments, but he was told by NASCAR that he had been speeding while exiting pit road. The penalty left Kenseth restarting 20th, instead of 7th where he would have been. Despite his best efforts to get back inside the top 10, Kenseth was only able to pick up five more positions to finish 15th when the checkered flag waved. The finish, and the fact Kenseth’s teammate Greg Biffle had issues during the race, has bumped Kenseth to 10th in the standings, 283 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson.

Carl Edwards – Start: 7th. Finish: 8th.

Carl Edwards qualified in the seventh position on Friday. In the early laps on Sunday, Edwards dropped back due to the loose-handling conditions of the No. 99 Aflac Ford. However, he knew that patience would be the key to getting a good finish. Edwards kept his cool, and due to pit strategy, was able to finish 8th.

Edwards began to lose positions when the race started. The No. 99 Ford was loose off the corners. In the first 100 laps, Edwards fought to stay inside the top 10. A caution on lap 110 found Edwards running in the 13th position. He pitted for adjustments, and as the race progressed, the car became tight in the center of the turns and loose off. A caution around lap 227 had some of the drivers heading for pit road since they had not stopped under the caution that had come out about 15 laps before. Crew chief Bob Osborne decided Edwards should stay out to gain track position. Edwards was 5th for the restart, but the car had now become loose off the turns again. Eventually, Edwards settled in around the 9th position. A caution on lap 290 had Edwards pitting for four tires and fuel as well as air pressure, track bar, and wedge adjustments.

While fellow Chase drivers had altercations on the track, Edwards knew that driving aggressively could be disaster for him. Edwards was able to avoid trouble, and after a pit stop under caution on lap 386 for four tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment, he was in the 8th position. Edwards lost one position with about 60 laps remaining. He was able to pass Jeff Burton on the last lap to finish 8th.

Edwards moved up to 6th in the standings, 213 points behind Johnson.

Race winner: Denny Hamlin

Coming into the weekend, Denny Hamlin said he was going to win the race on Sunday. Some fans may have thought he was being cocky, but Hamlin definitely knows his way around Martinsville and was able to back it up. He took the checkered flag and is now just 6 points behind leader Johnson. Congratulations to Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team on their victory!

With four races remaining, can Denny Hamlin knock Jimmie Johnson off the top spot? Has the Chase really come down to just a two-man battle between Hamlin and Johnson? Just how will the inevitable ‘Big One’ at Talladega this coming weekend shake up things in the Chase? There’s four races left…Who will be the Sprint Cup champion?

The Chase continues….

Next up: Amp Energy Juice 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, October 31, 2010.

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