An unforgettable NASCAR experience

To my NASCAR Friends:

I have been taking a break from my Women in NASCAR/Motorsports column in light of personal issues that have needed my full attention. The column will resume tomorrow. It is my hope that you will find the future interviews both interesting and informative to read.

I would love, in the mean time, to share with you my recent visit to Infineon Raceway for the Toyota Save Mart 350 over Father's Day Weekend. It was actually a huge day for my husband and I - our 25th wedding anniversary. Not too mention it was Father's Day weekend. Many things to celebrate and so little time.

We had purchased our tickets months in advance. This year we even busted out and bought pit and track passes as well. Normally, we spend Friday at the track. We would go to watch qualifying as well as practice and check out the entire place to see what has changed or even remained the same. Fridays are not quite as crowded as race day, allowing you time to really move about the track. Don’t get me wrong. We love to watch the races and nothing beats hearing the smells and sounds of the engines starting and making there first lap. But the crowds are huge and it gets pretty dang hot there in Sonoma. 

But with all the things to celebrate this year, we decided to take on NASCAR Race Day 2010. We planned to leave early in the a.m. and arrive hours before the start of the race, experiencing all that Infineon Raceway had to offer us. We also had cold pit tour passes as well as the pit and track passes. We had all our gear that we needed including items we hoped to possibly get autographed, as well as sunscreen, drinks, cameras and of course, tickets!

We were a couple of miles away from the track when that famous Sears Pt. Raceway came into view. We felt the adrenaline rush start to build. The entrance was much like the one to Disneyland. The only difference was the size of the kids waiting to get in. It probably took us just as long to get in and park as it did to get there from our house. But that was okay with us. We were breathing in the whole NASCAR experience. 

About 30 min after our first visual of the track we were just outside the front entrance. We followed the signs to the handicapped parking lot, which was quite a distance from the track. We actually got to the point where the track was in our rear view mirror. Thousands of fans were attempting to get to their place in the sun, all with a different story as to how their love of NASCAR came to be. 

I think that’s one of my favorite things to do. Just hanging out in line, doing the NASCAR meet and greet. Anticipating the time we’d actually get in view of the track. People are so funny when it comes to wearing their lucky T-shirts, hats or dare I say, underwear……. (you know you do)! Occasionally you’d hear that person who has never been to a race. The excitement in their voice can travel from person to person, through the line. Everyone chiming in about their first time and how memorable it was. 

The great thing about NASCAR fans is that they are all so very friendly. You could feel their excitement as they talk about what they went through to get there. We waited in line for our ride to the track near a family that comes together at the Sonoma race for their yearly reunion. There were several generations of fans within this family but there was someone missing this time. The one woman who started this all for them. Grandma, to many, Mom to several and wife to one, Joanne.

Joanne had passed away just after their gathering in 2008. She was the type of woman who always had things scheduled down to the sunscreen they would all forget. Grandma remembered to bring things to keep the little ones occupied; Mom remembered to bring the family favorites for them to munch on throughout the day; Joanne the wife always bought her husband a new hat and shirt to wear, supporting his favorite driver, Mark Martin.

There were many colors visible within the group. Not everyone supported the same driver. But they all would banter back and forth as to whose driver was the best, and who would be taking that checkered flag at the end of the day. Joanne may not have been there in the flesh, but she was there in spirit. They had her favorite chair with her favorite driver’s flag that would soon be draped over it. They showed me past photos of their reunions at Infineon. In 2009, each leg of the family posed with with Joanne’s track chair. The years prior were always done the same way and they felt it was a tradition. They all know that she is there with them, routing on her favorite driver, Dale Sr. Now they like to think that she sits with him, watching each race, with the spirit that she was known for. 

You might ask why didn’t I mention their names, or take a family photo. Well I opted not to because I think this family could be any one of our families. NASCAR ran and still runs deep with them. In my eyes, they are the epitome of NASCAR, making NASCAR what it is today. So different from any other sports fan or sports community out there. They will always hold a special place with me when I remember my times spent at Infineon Raceway or Sears Point Raceway.

Thank you NASCAR for giving us, the fans, a place to gather and enjoy our friends and family. The time we spend at the track is not only exciting, it strengthens the bond within our family. It gives us a chance to catch up and good times to remember.

Next time you’re at a NASCAR race, look for this family. You can’t miss them. They are the ones who have figured out what NASCAR is all about: FAMILY AND FRIENDS! 

Thanks for reading! I just felt it was worth sharing, especially at a time when some may be forgetting that the value of NASCAR goes much deeper than money. Its the core of a true NASCAR fan’s existence. The feeling we experience when we share each and every moment- before, during, and after a race - with our family and friends!

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Another Piece of the Puzzle Falls into Place: Infineon to Change Date for 2011

(August 11, 2010) Infineon Raceway will return to its more traditional date for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend in 2011.

The Toyota/Save Mart 350 will take place, June 24-26, the final weekend in June. The race had been held on Father’s Day each of the last two years.

“This is a small change on the calendar, but a very positive development overall.  We’ve had lots of feedback from fans over the last two seasons that the Father’s Day date presents a conflict with their traditional family plans," said Steve Page, president and general manager of Infineon Raceway.

The raceway had hosted the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series the final weekend in June for a number of years before moving to Father’s Day in 2009.


Page is confident the move back to the final weekend in June will be welcomed by race fans.

“This is the anchor event on the Infineon Raceway schedule and we’re delighted to be back on our old date,” Page said.

This will mark the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ 23rd consecutive visit to the Sonoma Valley. Jimmie Johnson became the sixth different driver in six years to take the checkers at this past June’s Toyota/Save Mart 350. It was the first-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series road-course victory for the four-time defending NASCAR champion.

The 2011 race weekend will also boast the Thunder Valley Casino Resort 200 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West event on Saturday, June 25. Canadian Andrew Rangers took the checkers in June.

Race fans interested in getting an early start can renew their tickets or sign-up for priority pre-sale by calling 800-870-RACE today.

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Roush Rewind: Toyota/Savemart 300

Coming into the weekend, the Roush Fenway Racing drivers geared up to take on the 1.99-mile long road course known as Infineon Raceway that sits deep in the heart of wine country in Sonoma, California. With 11 turns, each one just as challenging as the other, the track can be a lot to handle for drivers not used to running on road courses. It may not be a track that the Roush Fenway Racing drivers are known for being really competitive at, but the Roush drivers still enjoy the yearly trip to the track. All four are still hungry for a win, but Infineon would prove to be just a little too much to handle as only one of them finished inside the top 15, crushing any hopes the Roush drivers had for being the one to take the checkered flag.

Matt Kenseth was the 17th driver out for qualifying on Friday. After making his qualifying lap, Kenseth reported that something didn’t feel right on the car. Once he drove the No. 17 Crown Royal Black Ford back to the garage, Kenseth and his crew discovered a flat rear tire, which they attributed to the problem with the car’s handling. Kenseth started 34th on Sunday and was up to the 27th position before the first caution came out on lap 11. Kenseth reported under that caution that his car was tight in the centers of turns 7 and 11, but it was loose everywhere else. He pitted for four tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment and restarted 24th. He was 17th when the first cycle of green-flag stops began. The car’s handling had changed during the green-flag run. It had become loose in the right-hand turns, loose in the left-hand turns. After driving up to the 5th position, Kenseth pitted on lap 34 for four tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment in the front tires. Kenseth was 17th once the stops had cycled through. He radioed to crew chief Todd Parrott that the changes had helped a little, but he still needed more rear grip. Kenseth pitted under cautions and his crew continued to make adjustments to improve the car’s handling. An accordion affect on lap 67 saw a multi-car incident on the front stretch, which caused NASCAR officials to red-flag the race for a little over 20 minutes while they cleaned up debris. Kenseth was ahead of the melee and restarted 14th. Around lap 75, green-flag stops began again, and Kenseth pitted for tires, fuel, and more adjustments to the track bar and air pressures. Unfortunately, Kenseth was too fast exiting pit road and had to serve a pass-through penalty, resulting in him dropping from 12th back to 33rd. Despite the penalty, the Crown Royal crew worked diligently to make up those lost positions. Kenseth battled his way back up to around the 19th position for the final restart of the race. However, on the last lap, it seemed the team’s bad luck only got worse. Kenseth went off track in turn 8 when battling for position and crashed into the tire barrier. He was able to drive the car to the finish line, but was 30th to take the checkered flag. Kenseth dropped from 5th to 7th in the standings. For the race at New Hampshire, Kenseth will have a different crew chief calling the shots. Todd Parrott has been replaced by Jimmy Fennig. Fennig was David Ragan’s crew chief the past couple years. It will be interesting to see if Kenseth will have the same chemistry with Fennig that he had with Parrott.

Carl Edwards kicked the weekend off by winning the inaugural race at Road America on Saturday. Edwards hoped to sweep the weekend by winning at Infineon on Sunday. Edwards’s No. 99 Aflac Ford had characters from the latest Disney-Pixar movie Toy Story 3 on the hood
for the race at Infineon. Edwards started 19th on Sunday, and early on he informed crew chief Bob Osborne that the car was just hard to drive and definitely needed adjustments. He pitted under the caution that came out on lap 11 for tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment. He restarted 23rd, but his car was still too free. He had to hang on until green-flag stops began so his crew could make adjustments. He was running 2nd as he pitted for tires, fuel, and a track bar adjustment. Once the stops cycled through, Edwards was running in the 18th position. He was 16th at the halfway mark, but his car still lacked the grip he needed to challenge for position. When the caution flag waved on lap 58, Edwards pitted so his crew could make an air pressure adjustment. He was 21st on the restart and was able to avoid the multi-car incident on the front stretch. Edwards restarted 15th after that. As the team prepared for their final pit stop, Edwards reported his car was still too loose in the right-hand turns. Edwards pitted for four tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment on lap 77. Once the green-flag stops cycled through, Edwards was 16th. With 10 laps remaining, Edwards was 14th and being cautious about how he was racing. A caution came out on lap 103, but Edwards remained 14th. Edwards was concerned about Jan Magnussen, in the No. 9, restarting behind him. Edwards asked his spotter Jason Hedlesky to talk to Magnussen’s spotter about being cautious on the restart. However, in the final laps, Edwards was spun by Magnussen. The caution didn’t come out, and Edwards fell back to 32nd. Edwards was able to gain a few more positions to finish 29th on Sunday. Edwards fell to 12th in the standings.

David Ragan was one of the few drivers who tested at Infineon the week prior to the race. He hoped those extra laps would help him prepare for Sunday’s race. And it seemed as if they did. Ragan was one of the fastest Ford drivers in practice on Friday. Just when it seemed Ragan and his crew was shaking off the bad luck that’s been following them all season, things once again went downhill. It was as if anything that could go wrong, did go wrong for the UPS crew. During his qualifying run, Ragan looked to have a really fast racecar, one the was possibly capable of qualifying inside the top 10. However, Ragan got loose in turn 8 and crashed into the tire barrier. The damage was too much to repair, resulting in his crew having to get the backup car out. Luckily for Ragan and his team, the backup No. 6 UPS Ford was just as good as the primary. Ragan would start 42nd due to having to go to the backup. Once the green flag waved on Sunday, Ragan picked up a few spots, but was reporting a ‘miss’ in the car. Ragan pitted under the caution on lap 11 for tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment to help give him more grip. Over the following green-flag run, the ‘miss’ in the No. 6 Ford continued. Plagued with handling issues, Ragan pitted for more adjustments on lap 36. The caution came out on lap 57, and crew chief Donnie Wingo opted to stay out to gain track position. Ragan would restart 6th. On the following lap, Ragan was up to 4th when Jeff Gordon got under Mattias Ekstrom, who was in the No. 83. Ekstrom slid into Ragan who then spun out. The spin didn’t cause any damage, but resulted in a major loss of track position. The caution came out on lap 64, and Ragan was in the 31st position. Ragan, with nothing to lose, pitted for four tires, fuel, and another air pressure adjustment. The team also used the stop to raise the hood and see if they could resolve the ‘miss’ Ragan had been reporting during the race. During that stop, a rear tire from the No. 56 team’s pit stall rolled into Ragan’s pit stall and tripped up Ragan’s jackman, who fell in front of the UPS Ford. Ragan slammed his brakes to avoid hitting him. Fortunately, Ragan’s jackman was not injured and completed the stop. During the mulit-car incident on the lap 67, Ragan almost avoided it, but the No. 77 of Sam Hornish Jr got into the right-rear of the No. 6. After the red flag was lifted, Ragan pitted for four tires, fuel, and to let his crew get a look at the damage. From that point on, Ragan did all he could with a damaged car with an engine that wasn’t working efficiently. Despite all the trouble he had, Ragan held on to finish 25th. He is 25th in the standings.

For Greg Biffle, the yearly trip to Infineon is one he enjoys. Biffle was 27th out for qualifying and would start 9th on Sunday in the No. 16 3M Ford. He had worked his way up to 7th when the first caution came out on lap 11. Crew chief Greg Erwin opted to not pit. Biffle made his first stop under green on lap 30 while Biffle was running 9th. Happy with the handling of his racecar, Biffle told his crew to make no changes, but bad luck struck on that stop. Biffle was too fast exiting pit road, and after serving the pass-through penalty, he fell back to the 40th position. The 3M team knew it would take luck, pit strategy, and Biffle’s own talent to make up enough positions to get a good finish. Biffle was up to 27th when the caution came out on lap 57 and opted to stay out to gain track position. He restarted 6th, but quickly lost positions to the drivers who had fresher tires. He was 23rd for the restart on lap 67 and narrowly missed the multi-car crash on the front stretch. The team would need a few more cautions laps if they were to make it on fuel, and luckily for them, the cautions fell when they needed them. Biffle continued to stay out and gain track position. He was 4th when the final caution came out, but restarted 3rd after Marcos Ambrose stalled under caution. Biffle fell back on the restart, but he was able to finish 7th. He is 9th in the standings.

After having one of the best races of his NASCAR career, Marcos Ambrose looked to be the one to bring home the win on Sunday. However, Ambrose stalled under the final caution, and per the NASCAR rules, could not reclaim the lead. Jimmie Johnson took advantage of Ambrose's costly mistake to get his first career win at a road course. Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 crew!

Next up: Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

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Note: I apologize for posting the Rewind so late this week. Life got in the way. Anyway, I will be on vacation this weekend and probably won’t be able to watch the race so there will not be a Roush Rewind for New Hampshire.

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Busch vs. Busch: Infineon

Kyle Busch

Nationwide: Brad Coleman again was in the seat of No. 18. He finished sixth after qualifying fourth. He finished third, third and first in three of the four practices and led one time for seven laps.

Cup: Busch had a horrible weekend at Sonoma, one he probably wants to forget. After finishing ninth, 11th and 24th in practices, he started 27th. On the 11th lap, he was involved in an accident with Jamie McMurray, A.J. Allmendinger, Elliot Sadler and Clint Bowyer. While the others were able to get back on the track, Busch wasn't so lucky and went behind the wall for 33 laps. Upon returning, he received a penalty on lap 87 for pulling up to pit. The race finally ended and Busch finished 39th, 34 laps down. He lost the second spot in the standings, falling to third, being replaced by race winner Jimmie Johnson.




Kurt Busch

The elder Busch was on track to have a great race...



The remainder of this article can be read at examiner.com.

Article originally published at LV NASCAR Examiner and republished with permission of author.

Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images for NASCAR

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Toyota/Savemart 300 results

Jimmie Johnson was the recipient of Marcos Ambrose's costly mistake, winning his first road course race Sunday at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

The following are the results from the Toyota/Savemart 300:

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF NASCAR MEDIA

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Johnson Wins, Rough Day For JGR

Jimmie Johnson has officially grabbed his first road course victory at Infineon Raceway, after a late-race mistake by Marcos Ambrose. Ambrose did not maintain his pace during the very last caution so NASCAR ordered him back to seventh position for the restart. Then Jimmie Johnson sailed his way to victory.

Joe Gibbs Racing has been so far a very dominant team thus far in the 2010 NASCAR season, with Denny Hamlin pulling off back-to back-wins. Trouble started early for this team when Kyle Busch spun earlier in the race, leaving some damage to his car.


Denny Hamlin also had some trouble early on by getting shuffled back in the pack and getting his car beaten and banged up. It all started for him when he made contact with some cars, sustaining damage. Then the hood of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota flew up in the middle of the race, blocking Hamlin's view of the racetrack. Hamlin was also involved in a big pileup at the start/finish line causing a red flag. The drivers involved were Hamlin, Max Papis, Sam Hornish Jr. and Martin Truex Jr.

The day also grew worse when Joey Logano spun, bringing out the caution later in the race.

JGR finished the race with Denny Hamlin in 33rd, Joey Logano in 34th and Kyle Busch in 29th.

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Kahne Captures Pole at Infineon

With a time of 76.300 seconds (93.893 MPH) Kasey Kahne will start from the pole position in Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. The pole is Kahne’s 17th of his Sprint Cup Series career and his first at the California road course and his first of 2010. Starting alongside Kahne will be Jimmie Johnson.

The Toyota/Save Mart 350 will air Sunday June 20, 2010 on TNT at 3pm Eastern with Green Flag at 3:19pm





The full starting lineup is as follows:

1. Kasey Kahne
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Kurt Busch
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Jeff Gordon
6. Marcos Ambrose
7. Tony Stewart
8. Bobby Labonte
9. Greg Biffle
10. Martin Truex Jr.
11. Mark Martin
12. Denny Hamlin
13. Ryan Newman
14. Juan Pablo Montoya
15. AJ Allmendinger
16. Robby Gordon
17. Boris Said
18. Paul Menard
19. Carl Edwards
20. Joey Logano
21. Elliott Sadler
22. Clint Bowyer
23. Scott Speed
24. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
25. Jamie McMurray
26. David Gilliland
27. Kyle Busch
28. Joe Nemechek
29. Max Papis
30. Jeff Burton
31. Regan Smitth
32. Jan Magnussen
33. David Reutimann
34. Matt Kenseht
35. PJ Jones
36. Brad Keselowski
37. JJ Yeley
38. Mattias Ekstrom
39. Sam Hornish Jr.
40. Travis Kvapil
41. Kevin Conway
42. David Ragan
43. Dave Blaney

Failed to qualify: Brandon Ash, Brian Simo, Michael Waltrip

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Busch and Ragan to Take Part in Pre-Game Ceremonies at SF Giants Game

SONOMA, Calif. (June 10, 2010) — NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Kurt Busch and David Ragan will headline NASCAR Night with the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 15.

Busch (Miller Lite Dodge) and Ragan (UPS Ford) will be honorary guests at the Giants’ ballpark for their game against the Baltimore Orioles (7:15 p.m. PT). The drivers will take part in a number of pre-game festivities, including taking a ceremonial ride around the park and giving the official command to “Play Ball.”

Busch and Ragan will also lead the crowd in a rendition of, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch.

The event, which is a co-promotion between NASCAR, the San Francisco Giants and Infineon Raceway, will help kick-off festivities during the week, leading up to the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series weekend at Infineon Raceway (June 18-20).

Those taking in the game that night will be greeted at Willie Mays Plaza, which serves as the main entrance into the ballpark, by the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota Camry. The stock car will be the centerpiece of an Infineon Raceway display booth, featuring giveaways and more.

The car will also be driven on the outfield warning track, from left field to right field, during pre-game ceremonies, just to rev up the crowd.

The raceway is also offering guests at the ballpark that night a GIANT NASCAR ticket offer to the Toyota /Save Mart 350 on Sunday, June 20: two tickets for $99. Call 800-870-RACE for details or visit www.infineonraceway.com.

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Race Fans Treated to Special Q&A in Turn 11 with Jeff Gordon in Sonoma

(March 22, 2010) Vallejo native Jeff Gordon, who holds the track record for wins at Infineon Raceway, will be front-and-center for race fans on Sunday, June 20 (Father's Day), with a special chalk-talk session just hours before the drop of the green flag for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

Race fans can secure preferred access for this special Q&A by purchasing the "24 Special" ticket package, which gets you one ticket to the race at the regular price, plus a second for just $24 (total price, $119). That's a savings of $70.


"I enjoyed this question and answer session with the fans last year, and I'm looking forward to it again this summer," said Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet and five-time winner in Sonoma. "We had a great turnout in 2009 - a turnout I hope we exceed this year."

The chalk-talk session will be open to the public, but to get preferred access, you'll need the "24 Special." The Q&A will take place on the road course at Turn 11, one of the most exciting turns on the circuit.

"Last year's event left no doubt that Sonoma is Jeff Gordon country," said Steve Page, president and general manager of Infineon Raceway. "The turnout was phenomenal and Jeff makes such a terrific connection with the fans.  We're very grateful he's decided to join us for another session this year."

The raceway has also teamed with the Courtyard by Marriott, Vallejo - Napa Valley on the "24 Special." The property is offering discounted hotel room rates for those who purchase the "24 Special." Call 800-228-9290 and ask for promotional code SPE, or visit www.marriott.com/sfovl and enter SPE in the Corporate or Promotional Code box under the Special Rates & Awards heading.

Race fans can purchase the "24 Special" by calling 800-870-RACE, infineonraceway.com or ticketmaster.com. The Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR weekend is scheduled for June 18-20.

Release via Infineon Raceway

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