Roush Rewind: Price Chopper 400

The Sprint Cup Series made a stop at Kansas Speedway for the third Chase race of the 2010 season. The Price Chopper 400 was a chance for some of the Chase drivers to rebound after getting off to a bad start in the first two races. For others, it was an opportunity to build on their momentum in their run for the championship. Unlike the previous weekend at Dover, the race at Kansas was pretty much dominated by the Chase drivers.

For Roush Fenway Racing, coming to Kansas was a race that would either make or break their championship hopes. Luckily for them, it kept those hopes alive. Until Sunday, Roush Fenway only had two Cup wins at Kansas, one with Mark Martin in 2005 and with Greg Biffle in 2007. Throughout the whole weekend, including practice and qualifying, the Roush Fenway drivers looked strong. With Greg Biffle leading the way for Roush Fenway and taking the checkered flag, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth also finished inside the top-10, finished 5th and 7th respectively. David Ragan had a fast car, but handling issues had him crossing the finish line in the 16th position. All in all, a win and all four drivers inside the top 16 wasn’t a bad way to end the third race of the Chase.

David Ragan—Start: 10th. Finish: 16th

For David Ragan, things were definitely looking up at Kansas Speedway over the weekend. It was Ragan’s second weekend to work with new crew chief Drew Blickensderfer. It seems as though Blickensderfer is the change that team needed to start turning things around. They unloaded one of the best cars they have had all season. Ragan was inside the top 10 in practice throughout the three practice sessions, and even in qualifying he had a fast car, earning the 10th starting position. The No. 6 UPS Ford looked fast, but tight-handling conditions left Ragan fighting for track position throughout the race.

It wasn’t long after the green flag waved on Sunday before Ragan reported that his car was tight. The handling issues caused Ragan to drift back through the back. He was running 22nd when the first caution of the day came out on lap 42 for the No. 42 of Juan Pablo Montoya getting into the wall. Ragan pitted for four tires, fuel, front air pressure adjustments and rubber was taken out of the left-rear spring. The adjustments resulted in a long stop, putting Ragan 32nd for the restart. While the
changes did help, the tight-handling condition was still there.

The caution came out again on lap 52 for the No. 00 of David Reutimann spinning after contact with the No. 18 of Kyle Busch. Then a long green-flag run followed, under which Ragan spent time trying different lines on the track to see where his car was fastest. He had worked his way up to 18th when he made his stop under green for four tires, fuel, and a wedge adjustment. The long run continued, and so did the handling issues on the No. 6 Ford. Ragan pitted under green again for four tires, fuel, and air pressure and track bar adjustments. Shortly after his pit stop, the third caution of the day came out when Reutimann and Busch got together again, resulting in Reutimann spinning out. The caution would be a big break for Ragan, who had just gone a lap down to the leader three laps prior. Ragan was the Lucky Dog under that caution and got back on the lead lap. Ragan pitted under that caution for four tires, fuel, a track bar adjustment, and to have a shim removed from broth front shocks.

As the adjustments began to improve the handling, Ragan slowly moved his way forward. His next two pit stops were for four tires and fuel only. His final stop of the day was for four tires, fuel, and a slight track bar adjustment.
While the tight-handling condition had not completely gone away, the car’s handling had improved drastically from the beginning of the race. Ragan crossed the finish line in the 16th position and is 24th in the standings.

Matt Kenseth—Start: 8th. Finish: 7th.

Following two rough starts in the Chase, Matt Kenseth came to Kansas Speedway ready to turn his run in the Chase around. Kenseth and his crew had a good car coming into the weekend. He was 11th in the first practice session, 3rd in the second practice session, and 12th in final practice. In qualifying on Friday, Kenseth laid down a 31.052-second lap, which was good enough to earn him the 8th starting position for Sunday’s Price Chopper 400 at Kansas.

Once the green flag dropped, Kenseth wasted no time in picking up positions. He was inside the top 5 within the first 15 laps. As the opening run continued, Kenseth reported to crew chief Jimmy Fennig that the No. 17 Crown Royal Black Ford was beginning to get loose off the turns and that the nose of the car wanted to slide in the middle of the turns. Kenseth needed more front grip to be able to fight for track position and keep up with the leaders.

The first caution came out on lap 43, and Kenseth headed down pit road for four tires, fuel, and air pressure adjustments. Once the race restarted, he began to make a charge to the front, taking over the lead on lap 56. While up front and in clean air, Kenseth ran different lines to see which one helped his car run the fastest. On lap 81, Kenseth fell to 2nd, reporting his car was just a bit loose. Once the green-flag run stretched on, the No. 17 Ford became loose in and off the turns. Handling issues plagued Kenseth throughout the next few runs, despite changes to air pressure and track bar setting made whenever Kenseth had the chance to pit.

Kenseth remained toward the front for a majority of the race, but the loose-handling issues returned. He fought to stay inside the top five, but dropped back as the laps wound down. Kenseth crossed the finish line in the 7th position.

Kenseth remains 11th in the standings, 149 points behind new points leader Jimmie Johnson.

Carl Edwards—Start: 31st. Finish: 6th.

The past two races have seen Carl Edwards slowly working his way toward the top of the points standings. Sunday’s race at Kansas was no exception. Edward earned his 16th top-10 finish of the season when he crossed the finish line in the 6th position. However, at first it looked like Edwards might have a lot of work to do if he wanted to get a good finish. Despite quick practice speeds, Edwards qualified in the 31st position on Friday.

Despite starting toward the back, Edwards was able to pick up positions from the second the race started on Sunday. By the time the first 20 laps were completed, he had worked his way inside the top 20. When the first caution came out on lap 42, Edward was in the 18th position. He pitted for four tires, fuel, and air pressure and wedge adjustments. By lap 73, Edwards had cracked the top 10. The No. 99 Aflac Ford was a bit loose, and the crew made track bar and wedge adjustments during green-flag stops on laps 96 and 146. He was 8th when the caution came out on lap 156. Edwards pitted, and this time, crew chief bob Osborne called for a two-tire stop, which left Edwards restarting 9th due to a few cars not pitting.

With new right-side tires, Edwards moved up to 7th, but soon reported he felt a vibration that could be coming from a loose wheel. Just six laps after he reported the vibration, the caution came out when the No. 9 of Kasey Kahne hit the wall then had a left-front tire blow. Edwards and Osborne played it safe, and pitted under the caution. Sure enough, the driver’s instincts were right. There was indeed a loose wheel on the No. 99 Ford. With fresh right-side tires, Edwards restarted 9th. The caution came out again on lap 188 for the No. 7 of Kevin Conway losing an engine. The leaders hit pit road again, and Edwards made a four-tire stop and his crew made a wedge adjustment to in less than 13 seconds. A few laps after the restart, he was up to 4th. As the laps went on, the No. 99 Ford began to get tight in the center of the turns, loose off. The race remained under green for the remaining laps. Edwards stayed out to lead two laps to pick up crucial bonus points before making his final pit stop lap 238 for four tires, fuel, and a wedge adjustment.

Edwards took the checkered flag in the 6th position. He gained two positions in the standings, up to 4th, and is 53 points behind Jimmie Johnson.

Greg Biffle—Start: 5th. Finish: 1st.

Knowing Kansas could very well be the make or break race, Greg Biffle knew he had to be on top of his game on Sunday. The No. 16 Sherwin Williams Ford looked good in practice, and Biffle backed up his practice times by laying down the 5th fastest qualifying time. Sunday’s race was one Biffle and his team had planned on winning.

Early in the race, Biffle reported his car was tight in the center of the turns, loose off. When the first caution came out on lap 42, he was in the 8th position. A pit stop for four tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment had him restarting in that same position. On lap 91, Biffle took the 2nd position from teammate Kenseth. Green-flag pit stops began a few laps later, and Biffle pitted for four tires, fuel, and some small adjustments to fix the tight-handling condition. Biffle’s crew, the Pit Bulls, sent him right back out in the 2nd position, and he remained in that position until the third caution of the day came out on lap 156. Crew chief Greg Erwin opted for a two-tire stop, which had Biffle restarting 5th due to the front three cars not pitting. He was back up to 2nd by lap 171, just behind the No. 14 of Tony Stewart.

The final caution came out on lap 188, and the Pit Bulls made an impressive 11.9-second stop which involved putting four fresh tires on the No. 16 Ford as well as filling with fuel and making air pressure and wedge adjustments. Biffle restarted 3rd due to the first two drivers taking only two tires under the caution. However, Biffle was ahead of Stewart for the restart. On lap 207, he took the lead and set sail, never looking back.

Biffle is no stranger to Victory Lane at Kansas Speedway, having won there in 2007, and on Sunday, he got his second Kansas win in dominating fashion, crossing the finish line nearly 8 seconds ahead of the No. 48 of Jimmie Johnson. His recent victory helped him move to 8th in the standings, 85 points behind Johnson.

Race winner: Greg Biffle

By taking the checkered flag on Sunday, Biffle proved he might’ve been down the previous two Chase races, but he’s definitely not out just yet. Congratulations to
Greg Biffle and the No. 16 team on their victory!

Well, that’s three races down, seven to go. With Jimmie Johnson atop the pit standings now, will he be able to achieve the “drive for five”? Will Denny Hamlin rebound at Auto Club Speedway to reclaim the points lead? Matt Kenseth usually does well at Fontana, can he get his first Cup win of the season? Will Carl Edwards continue to climb the ranks? Those are some great questions, but with no definite answers, we’ll just have to wait and see.

The Chase continues…

Next up: Pepsi Max 400 at Auto Club Speedway, October 10, 2010.

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Chase Coverage: Kansas Wrap-Up Report

In four of the six years since the Chase format was introduced the points leader coming out of Kansas has gone on to win the title. For those who aren’t fans of Jimmie Johnson, that’s not a good sign. That’s right, four-time Champion Johnson is back at the top of the standing, but it’s still anyone’s title to win.

Our ladies are back to provide you will a comprehensive wrap-up of the 12 drivers in the title hunt.

1. Jimmie Johnson – 5503 points (leader) – Rebecca Kivak

Three races into the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Jimmie Johnson finds himself in a familiar spot: at the top of the point standings. After a hard-fought second-place finish at Kansas Speedway, the four-time champion wrestled the points lead away from Denny Hamlin. Only eight points now separate the two drivers. This is the third time in the last five years that Johnson has led the points for the first time in the Chase after Kansas.

Johnson may now lead the standings, but it was a difficult road to get there during Sunday’s Price Chopper 400. “Honestly, I drove 400 miles with my tongue hanging out just sawing at the wheel trying to get everything I could,” he said after the race.

The driver of the No. 48 Lowes/Johns Manville Chevrolet rolled off the grid 21^st and wasted little time moving through the field. By lap 12 Johnson had picked up five positions and ran as high as 15^th before the first caution came out on lap 40. The 48 team pitted but was pinned in their pit box, losing five positions and putting them back where they started, in 21^st.

After the race restarted on lap 47, Johnson quickly fell back, dropping to the 24^th position. The lack of clean air hurt the No. 48 and Johnson struggled back in traffic. When David Reutimann spun to bring out a caution on lap 52, Johnson brought the No. 48 Chevrolet into the pits, reporting a loose racecar. The crew made a chassis adjustment and took four tires. When the race restarted on lap 56, Johnson was 28^th, the lowest-running of the Chase drivers. He made some bold moves to regain position and within 20 laps he had cracked the top 15.

The No. 48 crew continued to make major adjustments, which improved the car throughout the course of the race. By the time the third caution came out for Reutimann and Kyle Busch on lap 154, Johnson had broken into the top 10. By lap 240 Johnson was running in the top 5 and with 10 laps to go he passed Tony Stewart for second place. Unable to catch Greg Biffle with a lead of 7 seconds, Johnson crossed the finish line in the runner-up spot - and as the new championship points leader.

When asked about taking over the lead three weeks into the Chase, Johnson said, “It's a great position to be in, but it's way too early to think about it, to worry about defending. You have Chase guys running so good each and every week. … Just can't put your guard down. Doesn't matter if it's qualifying, the race. Until that checkered falls in Homestead, it's anybody's championship.” Johnson insisted it was “way too early to think about” what it would mean to win a fifth title. But after notching their second top-2 finish in the first three Chase races, Johnson and the No. 48 team are on the right track to bring home a historic fifth championship.

2. Denny Hamlin – 5495 points – Holly Machuga

Denny Hamlin and the FedEx team fought hard for their 12th-place finish at Kansas this weekend. But, sadly enough, they lost their points lead because of it.

Denny and his team struggled with the car all day long. They started 12th and fell back quickly, their car way too tight to drive. He was close to falling a lap down, but brought it back up to 10th after a pit stop and a few adjustments. However, 10th was the furthest he came up in the field. He stayed back in the early teens for the rest of the race and held onto what was a clearly horrible racecar. However, this was one of his better finishes at Kansas. Multiple crashes and car difficulties have ruined his races in the past.

“That’s the thing. It’s just you’ve got to make the most of your bad days, and if this is a bad day for us, then we’re going to rebound next weekend. We’re going to just keep fighting. That’s all we can do,” said Hamlin. On top of that, he was not concerned with Johnson taking the points lead. Denny is only eight points behind Jimmie Johnson. He is only concerned with finishing well in the remaining races. With that, Denny Hamlin might just be your 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.

3. Kevin Harvick – 5473 points – Amber Arnold

What a difference a week makes for Harvick and the Shell/Penzoil team. Harvick spent the majority of his day in the top 10 at Kansas and ended up bring the car home in third place after 267 laps.

What is panning out to be the tightest Chase since its inception has Harvick now in third place, just 30 points behind new leader Jimmie Johnson. Harvick’s good day carried over into his post-race interview where he claimed the 29 team had a “good day.” Delana Harvick’s comments on Twitter after the race seemed to echo Kevin’s post-race comments. Harvick tweeted, “nice solid 3^rd place finish for 29 team. So proud of @kevinharvick!”

The 29 team showed early on in the season they are a force to be reckoned with. I have no doubt as the Chase winds down we will see nothing less from Kevin, crew chief Gil Martin and the rest of the Shell/Penzoil team.

4. Carl Edwards – 5450 points – Amanda Ebersole

Week 3 of the Chase to the Sprint Cup is now in the history books and another successful race for Carl Edwards. Edwards and the Aflac team finished the race in sixth place, an amazing feat considering he started in 31^st. And as a company, Roush Fenway Racing had a very strong showing: Greg Biffle won the race, Matt Kenseth finished seventh and David Ragan was 16^th.

Friday’s practice was a handful for Carl; he started out around 19^th on the scoring monitors and told crew chief Bob Osborne that the right front of the car was “undriveable.” After some changes the first practice concluded with Carl in sixth place. Next up on Friday was qualifying and Carl had a very early draw, going out eighth. He laid down a lap of 31.299 which, after all drivers completed their laps, left Carl starting 31^st and furthest back of all the Chase drivers. During happy hour, the team seemed to hit on something and Carl ended up in seventh and ready for the race.

Starting the race Sunday, Carl had a lot of spots to make up to be in contention for a top finish and he didn’t waste any time in doing so. By lap 45 Carl was already up to 20^th and was still headed further to the front. Around lap 110 Carl had made it all the way up into ninth place and had gained 22 positions since the green flag. On lap 164 when a caution came out for Kasey Khane’s blown tire, Carl and Bob made the decision to pit and take on two tires because of a vibration, which ended up being the right call because there was a loose wheel on the 99 Aflac Ford. On lap 237 during the final pit stops, Carl did manage to lead a lap and get those five extra bonus points in the all important Chase standings. The pit crew for the Aflac team had a great final stop, taking four tires and was out in 12.9 seconds.

In the final laps of the race, Carl was in a head-to-head battle with Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. As the checkered flag fell Carl ended up in sixth place, another top-10 finish for Edwards. (On a side note I hate to always hear about the points as we race, but found myself guilty of going on nascar.com checking Carl’s points position throughout, all the +/- was getting frustrating).

In the last 12 races, Carl’s had no worse than a 12th-place finish (Bristol) and his best was a second place at Chicagoland and Atlanta. As we pack up from Kansas, Carl is now up to fourth in the Chase standings and is 53 points behind our new Chase leader, Jimmie Johnson. California….here we come!

5. Jeff Gordon – 5445 points – Genevieve Cadorette

Jeff Gordon went to Kansas with a smile and a positive attitude. He likes to race in Kansas and has done well there in the past as he did over the weekend.

One Friday, he qualified third, his first top-5 qualifying finish since Pocono. It was an exciting day for him because he knows when he qualifies in the top 5, he has a racecar he can contend with. On Saturday, he had the second-highest finish in the practice run; that gave him and his fans hope that this would be their weekend to victory lane.

On Sunday, he started off strong; moving to the second spot immediately and holding on to second until lap 28, where he went down low and passed Kasey Kahne for the lead. He led for 31 laps and was passed by Matt Kenseth. Gordon had complained that his car was loose; at first it did seem to work for him but at lap 58, he started to loose momentum and fell behind to the fourth position and continued to fall behind. With 76 laps to go, he was as far back as 15^th. That didn’t stop Gordon though; he kept on digging and moved forward until he reached the sixth spot on lap 240.

In the final lap, he passed Carl Edwards and finished fifth. Moving up three spots and now the fifth seed of the Chase, he gained 25 points and is 58 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson.

6. Kurt Busch – 5433 points – Katy Lindamood

A solid top-10 finish was what Kurt Busch and the Miller Lite team hoped to score at Kansas. Unfortunately they fell a bit short in their goal with a 13th-place finish.

After the race Busch said in reference to his ill-handling car, “I had a handful of steering wheel most of the day and just did whatever I could to stay up with the leaders. This is a tricky mile-and-a-half that’s different from most others that we race on.”

Kansas has always been a difficult track for Busch to master, but coming off the final practice session, where he was fastest, and a solid qualifying run he was confident the team would be able to run well. Though Busch finished within the top 15, it wasn’t good enough to keep his position within the points. Kurt lost one position in the points and now sits sixth, 70 points out of the lead.

7. Kyle Busch – 5423 points – Lindi Bess

This past weekend at Kansas, Kyle Busch proved to us all that not only is he a great driver, but he has really matured. While Kyle was among the fastest in qualifying on Saturday for the NNS race, with Busch holding 2nd, it sure didn’t seem to help when it came to qualifying for the Price Chopper 400, Sunday’s Cup race. With a qualifying time of 31.182, Kyle would start Sunday in the 19th position. With a qualifying speed of 173.177, the #18 M&M’s Toyota Camry was just 1.467 mph behind pole winner Kasey Kahne.

Kyle rolled into Kansas third place in points and 45 points out of first place. As the cars rolled off pit road and embarked on their pace laps, you could feel the excitement in the air. It was Kyle’s hope to end this race in the top 10 and remain within the top-5 positions when that checkered flag dropped. Busch, of all people, knows that Kansas isn’t one of his better tracks. With an average finish of 24.3,  he definitely had his work cut out for him.

It wasn’t until lap 41 that we got the first caution. Green-flag racing resumed on lap 46 with a lead change. Within a few laps we had  another caution: this time it was Kyle Busch who bumped into Reutimann, #00. Kyle got on the throttle quicker than #00, coming out of turn 2. Reutimann ended up in the wall, bringing out the second caution of the race.

Back to green flag on lap 55 and a new leader with #17, Matt Kenseth. Kyle is actually up in the seventh position by lap 79. Kevin Harvick is in front of Kyle, and brother Kurt is in sixth. Over the next 20 laps would see five more lead changes, with Patrick Carpentier up front.

Kyle fought hard and managed to get himself up in the pack, with a high of sixth place and within 11 points of the top spot. It was around then that #00 decided he was going to "have at it" and discipline Kyle for what he saw as a lack of respect earlier in the race. Reutimann clipped the backend of Busch’s car, sending #18 into the wall. But it wasn’t the smoothest payback by the #00 Aaron's Toyota as he does damage to his own car, spinning himself out of control.

As a result of this intentional hit, the M&M’s Toyota Camry sustains some major damage. In Kyle's own words:  "The car is destroyed and will take some time fix." This is where Dave Rodgers really shined as a crew chief. Kyle was ready to take the car to the garage and replace the damaged parts. Dave talked him through it, explaining to Busch that if they just stay out and work on it, they are less likely to fall back as much as they would if they went behind the wall.

Kyle backed down and by doing just what Rodgers suggested, Kyle remained on the lead lap and finished in 21st position. This is a credit to the #18 pit crew for their hard work and to Dave Rodgers for his informed decision. This team should be very proud of their accomplishments during this race.

When Kyle was interviewed after the race, he was calm. His concerns were with the hard-working crew behind him. He has no intentions to take this any further. He did say that Reutimann could have waited until next season. There are 26 races, why now? A move like that affects the entire team, not just the driver. But he went on to say, “It is what it is.” This wasn’t the same driver who had said earlier, “I have a big problem with what just happened. If NASCAR doesn’t do anything about it, there will be a meeting after the race.”

In my opinion, the original hit by #18 was not at all intentional. Kyle got back on the throttle much quicker than the #00 car and didn’t check up quick enough.  It was just racing.

Next week we move on to race #4 in the Chase. Even with the setback, Kyle is still in this thing and his best tracks are coming up!

8. Greg Biffle – 5418 points – Stacie Ball

How do you bring morale back to a team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase? The answer is simple: you win a race in which you really had no idea what was going on with the car. Greg Biffle, the driver of the Sherwin Williams 3M Ford, did just that yesterday at Kansas Speedway. As I was watching the race, I could feel the excitement in the air once he took control of the lead on lap 207 from teammate Paul Menard. Many people were saying via many different media outlets that the drivers who were ranked ninth to 12fth in the Chase pre-Kansas were definitely out of the competition. But I think Biffle and others proved them wrong in Kansas.

As soon as lap 4 of Sunday's racing action, Biffle could feel the handling on his car changing as he moved from the fifth position on the grid to ninth. The first caution came out on lap 41 and it would be four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment for the Sherwin Williams Ford. He restarted eighth on lap 46 and quickly began gaining positions. Coming onto lap 91, the No. 16 had driven all the way up to second and two laps later a round of green-flag pit stops began. The crew made a couple of minor adjustments as he had informed them that the car was getting a little too tight. On lap 154, the third caution of the day came out and crew chief Greg Erwin opted for a two-tire stop.

On Lap 171 he was back in the second position behind Tony Stewart and remained there until what would be the final caution of the race came out on lap 186. Erwin called for four tires, fuel, an air pressure adjustment and a wedge adjustment. At this point, the 3M Pit Bulls turned in what might have been their fastest stop of the season. They completed the pit stop in 11.9 seconds. Restarting third behind two drivers who had taken only two tires and ahead of Stewart, Biffle took the lead on Lap 207 and never looked back. There would be one more round of green-flag stops but with the 3M Pit Bulls on the job, that would not be a problem. Biffle extended his lead in the closing laps for his second win of the season.

“Once we got our car adjusted we were off and set sail, the thing was really fast. I didn’t think even if there were more cautions that they would catch us. We had such a great car today and I couldn’t be any prouder of my 3M Ford team today and the Pit Bulls. I was even saving a little bit out there at the end too. I knew the caution was going to come out and I would need some tire to race these guys. So was Tony though. I think those guys were all saving for the end. Thank goodness this one isn’t a controversial win. Last time people were skeptical if I kept my speed up. I think I kept up plenty of speed this time. This is such a great race track. I am so excited we will be coming here twice a year,” Greg Biffle said after the race at Kansas Speedway in the media center once done in Victory Lane.

The teamwork between Biffle, Erwin and the Pit Bulls at Kansas Speedway showed that you are not out of it. You have to prove people wrong, and this race definitely did that for the No. 16 3M Ford. With seven races left in the Chase, the team definitely has a better chance of gaining more spots if they have repeat showings of their race at Kansas. Just because you are 85 points behind does not make you out of it! Congrats to Greg Biffle, Greg Erwin, Jack Roush and everyone at Roush Fenway!

9. Jeff Burton – 5402 points – Genna Short

While Jeff Burton’s qualifying run for Kansas wasn’t promising, his statements earlier in the week showed that the 31 team was not ready to give up. In fact, his qualifying runs have proven to be less than satisfactory in two of the first three races of the Chase. If one were to look at his qualifying run against his finishing spot in Kansas, they wouldn’t notice much of a difference.

Even though he finished poorly at the 1.5 mile tri-oval, the end was not indicative of his overall run in the 400-mile race. The 31 car led two laps under green while cycling through pit stops and had managed to stay in the top 5 for a good portion of the race, but the car began to fade over the last couple of runs.

The 31 team managed to salvage an 18^th place finish after what had been a promising day and have fallen from seventh to ninth in the Sprint Cup Series points standings.

10. Tony Stewart – 5376 points – Unique Hiram

Tony Stewart and the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet team showcased why they made it into the Chase at the completion of the Price Chopper 400 at Kansas Speedway. His starting position on the grid was 14^th; however, he was able to finish strongly in the fourth position after completing all 267 laps of the race.

Additionally, Stewart led a total of 76 laps approximately at four different times during the competition.
“We’ve known we’ve been a better team than these last two weeks have shown,” said Stewart, who opened the 10-race Chase for the Championship with back-to-back finishes outside the top-20. “We just had bad luck the first race and then just a bad day the second race. Hopefully, the upcoming weeks will be like today.”

Even though Stewart remains in the 10^th position of the Chase standings, he is only 127 points behind the new points leader Jimmie Johnson. There is sure to be some more shuffling in the points standings at the conclusion of the next few races. This team will continue to make tremendous strides as well as remain competitive if they can either finish in the top 5 and/or find themselves in victory lane over the next few weeks.

11. Matt Kenseth – 5354 points – Whitney Richards

Following two rough starts in the Chase, Matt Kenseth came to Kansas Speedway ready to turn his run in the Chase around. Kenseth and his crew had a good car coming into the weekend. He was 11th in the first practice session, third in the second practice session and 12th in final practice. In qualifying on Friday, Kenseth laid down a 31.052-second lap, which was good enough to earn him the 8th starting position for Sunday’s Price Chopper 400 at Kansas.

Once the green flag dropped, Kenseth wasted no time in picking up positions. He was inside the top 5 within the first 15 laps. As the opening run continued, Kenseth reported to crew chief Jimmy Fennig that the No. 17 Crown Royal Black Ford was beginning to get loose off the turns and that the nose of the car wanted to slide in the middle of the turns. Kenseth needed more front grip to be able to fight for track position and keep up with the leaders.

The first caution came out on lap 43, and Kenseth headed down pit road for four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments. Once the race restarted, he began to make a charge to the front, taking over the lead on lap 56. While up front and in clean air, Kenseth ran different lines to see which one helped his car run the fastest. On lap 81, Kenseth fell to second, reporting his car was just a bit loose. Once the green-flag run stretched on, the No. 17 Ford became loose in and off the turns. Handling issues plagued Kenseth throughout the next few runs, despite changes to air pressure and track bar setting made whenever Kenseth had the chance to pit.

Kenseth remained toward the front for a majority of the race, but the loose-handling issues returned. He fought to stay inside the top five, but dropped back as the laps wound down. Kenseth crossed the finish line in the seventh position.

Kenseth remains 11th in the standings, 149 points behind new points leader Jimmie Johnson. 

12. Clint Bowyer – 5251 points – Amy McHargue

Clint Bowyer came into Kansas in 12^th place in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, hoping for a good weekend. What seemed to work in the practice sessions as Clint finished the three practice sessions secenth, 11^th and ninth respectively, did not carry over into qualifying or the race. After qualifying to start the race in the 27^th position, Clint knew he had a lot of ground to make up. From the time the green flag waved, Clint was fighting for position with a mediocre car.

Bowyer said he fought his car most of the day; he credits his pit crew for trying to help him improve the car. Clint was as far down as the mid-30s near the mid-point of the race, and though he fought throughout all 267 laps, all that could be had at the end of the day was a 15^th-place finish. Clint earned 118 points in the Chase by finishing in 15^th place, but earned no valuable bonus points by leading any laps.

Clint is 252 points behind the leader and more than 100 points behind 11^th place in the Chase for the Championship. Although the #33 Richard Childress Racing Team cannot be numerically eliminated from the Chase, Clint Bowyer certainly has his work cut out for him over the next seven races.

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Nationwide Race Lineup: Logano Leads Pack for Kansas Lottery 300

With a lap of 31.098 (173.645 mph.) Joey Logano has won his sixth pole position this season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in the Sports Clips Toyota.  Joe Gibbs Racing team mate Kyle Busch right behind him in the second position on the grid only -0.066 behind in the NOS Energy Drink Toyota.  The new face for this race has to Martin Truex, Jr, who will be in Out! Pet Care Toyota replacing Trevor Bayne who is now driving for Roush Fenway Racing along with a lot of other changes in the lineup for teams including James Buescher and Brian Scott.

For all the racing action, NNS Countdown at 3 p.m. EST on ESPN 2 with the race starting at 3:30.  Enjoy the race!

 

 

1. Joey Logano
2. Kyle Busch
3. Kevin Harvick
4. Carl Edwards
5. Aric Almirola
6. Paul Menard
7. Parker Kligerman
8. Brad Keselowski
9. James Buescher
10. Justin Allgaier
11. Shelby Howard
12. Ricky Carmichael
13. Jason Leffler
14. Josh Wise
15. Reed Sorensen
16. Martin Truex, Jr.
17. Joe Nemechek
18. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
19. Brian Scott
20. Steve Wallace
21. Mike Bliss
22. Brendan Gaughn
23. David Gilliland
24. Ryan Truex
25. Tim Andrews
26. Michael Annett
27. Jason Keller
28. Drew Herring
29. Mike Wallace
30. Colin Braun
31. Tony Raines
32. Michael McDowll
33. Trevor Bayne
34. Danny O’Quinn Jr.
35. Jeff Green
36. Jeremy Clemente
37. Eric McClure
38. Kevin Lepage
39. Brian Keselowski
40. Kenny Wallace
41. Jennifer Jo Cobb
42. Andy Ponstein
43. Johnny Chapman

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Pole Report: Kahne Takes Pole for Price Chopper 400

Kasey Kahne takes the pole for the Price Chopper 400 from Kansas Speedway which takes place on Sunday, October 3rd at 1 p.m. EST on ESPN.  With a lap of 30.920 (174.644 mph.) nothing could stop Kahne along with the rest of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford from Richard Petty Motorsports to win their first race of the 2010 season.  Yet right behind him is his RPM teammate Paul Menard with a lap of 30.951 (174.469 mph.) only -0.031 behind the leader in the Zecol / Menard’s car.

The third race in the Chase for the Cup after two pretty powerful races at Loudon and Dover, what will happen this weekend to keep us at the edges of our seats at the track, or at home?  All eyes will be on Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, and Kurt Busch who top the standings, yet other eyes will be on the bottom four of Greg Biffle, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, and Clint Bowyer who have the biggest obstacles ahead of them in the race from Kansas and so on.

Good luck to each and every driver during the Price Chopper 400 from Kansas which is airing live on ESPN at 1 p.m. EST after the Countdown at 12 p.m. EST on ESPN 2!

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

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Chase Coverage: Kansas Preview

Last year's Price Chopper 400 at Kansas Speedway
gets under way. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

This weekend the 12 drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup are preparing for the third race in the playoffs at Kansas Speedway. The track has hosted a Chase race every year since the format's inception in 2004. 


Sunday's Price Chopper 400 could be a make-or-break race for some teams in the Chase, helping to distinguish the title contenders from the title pretenders. 


The top five in the standings include two Sprint Cup champions (Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch), two drivers who many consider champions-in-waiting (Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch) and the regular season points leader (Kevin Harvick). The top five are only separated by 65 points. With a battle this close, all eyes will be on Kansas Speedway to see who makes their move and inches closer to the coveted championship.


Today our team brings you the pre-race report for the 12 Chase drivers. We hope you enjoy and come back Tuesday for the post-race wrap-up report.


1. DENNY HAMLIN – 5368 POINTS (LEADER) – HOLLY MACHUGA
Going into Kansas, Denny Hamlin still dominates the points standings. He is the only driver to have this big a lead, 35 points, since the Chase started. 

He has six wins this season, the lot of them coming after his post-knee surgery after he tore his ACL playing basketball. On top of that, he has 11 top 5s, 13 top 10s and one pole. He has led in 15 of the last races and has led a total of 918 laps.

At Kansas, Denny has one top 5 and one top 10. However, he has no wins. This track has not proven to be one of Denny's better tracks. It's reflected in his average running position of 18.4. On Oct. 3, Denny hopes to change this and earn himself a win in the Chase, which would beneficial to his team and their points standing.

The No. 11 FedEx Camry team and Denny Hamlin are looking to continue to dominate that Chase board, even with a few drivers not too far behind.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – (-35) – REBECCA KIVAK

At Dover, Jimmie Johnson claimed the 53rd win of his career and his sixth of the season, showing that the four-time Sprint Cup champion is determined to bring home a historic fifth title. The victory vaulted Johnson four spots in the Chase standings to second place, 35 points behind leader Denny Hamlin. This weekend at Kansas Speedway, Johnson has the opportunity to narrow down the points gap and add to the “w” column.

Kansas has been a good track for the driver of the No. 48 Lowes Chevrolet. In eight starts at the 1.5-mile oval, Johnson has one win (October 2008), two top 5s and six top 10s. He has finished outside the top 10 only twice. Johnson also has three poles here, the most of any driver. He has led 304 laps at the Kansas City track, with an average starting position of 5.6 and average finish of 10.2.

Johnson boasts the highest driver rating at Kansas, 122.6. He also leads the series in five other categories of loop data: average running position (6.3), fastest laps run (204), average green flag speed (162.394 mph), laps in the top 15 (1,189) and quality passes (217).

Last year at Kansas, Johnson started 11th and led 53 laps. Before the final restart, Johnson took two tires like eventual winner Tony Stewart. Johnson restarted third, but struggled and slid back to finish ninth.

After last week’s win at Dover, Johnson said while the victory took a “huge weight off my shoulders,” the No. 48 team still has work to do. “We have to go to Kansas and do the job again. There’s eight races left in this thing. We want to win this championship, we want to win five in a row. …Today we did win, but we need to be stronger. We need to be stronger moving forward. We’ve got to go home and get better.”

3. KYLE BUSCH – (-45) – LINDI BESS
When both NNS and NSCS converge on Kansas Speedway this weekend for the NNS Kansas Lottery 300 and the NSCS Price Chopper 400, you better believe its gonna get ROWDY!

NASCAR visits Kansas once a year and it's during the Chase for the Sprint Cup. We are looking at the third race of the Chase, and you can bet it’s gonna really get wild out there on the track. Several teams have nothing to lose at this point and will be going for the win with all they’ve got. Then there are those non-Chasers hungry for their first win this season, or perhaps they are just out there to support teammates who are in the Chase.

The excitement begins on Saturday for #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry as they race for the win in the NNS Kansas Lottery 300. Busch along with Cup contenders Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards will be pulling double duty this weekend when they follow Saturday’s race with the Sprint Cup’s Price Chopper 400 on Sunday.

Will this give the three Cup contenders an edge? As a NNS driver, Busch has raced here six times in his career, with one win, three top 5s, four top 10s and an average finish of 13th. But its his record as a Cup driver that’s nothing to write home about. With no wins or top 5s, and only one top 10, his average finish is 24.3. Let’s face it: Kansas is not one of Busch’s best tracks.

Of the 12 Chase drivers, nine finished in the top 10 in their appearance in 2009. Of all the races that Kansas has hosted for NASCAR’s Cup Series, half were won by non-Chasers. Only two have won more than one race: Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon, both with two wins at Kansas. Of the 12 Chase drivers, only six have an average of 15th or better at Kansas. Finally, the driver who is first in points going into Kansas has never gone on to win the championship.

With all of this in mind, the driver and team behind the #18 JGR Toyota Camry must remain focused on the big  picture. This race will probably eliminate the bottom four from the competition and can really distinguish between who will remain in the position to win the championship and who will fall short.

4. KURT BUSCH – (-59) – KATY LINDAMOOD
Coming in at the head of the pack during the Chase isn't always about trying to beat the guy in front of you - sometimes it's about nothing more than keeping your eyes planted firmly on the finish line. For Kurt Busch, this weekend is all about focusing on the task at hand and not letting where the other Chasers are in the field wreck havoc on his chances of being the next champion. It's not about getting into a media war with other drivers and it's not about looking for a chink in Jimmie Johnson's armor. It's simply about racing.

Kansas is a track where many of our Chasers have struggled, including Busch. In nine starts Kurt has an average finish of 19.7 and only two top-10 finishes. According to Busch, the reason Kansas is a wild card on the schedule is because it only has one date. On Tuesday Busch said, "There's a little bit of an uneasy feeling going there if you don't have a solid notebook because you only race there once a year and it's hard to find that speed."

This week a lot of attention has been placed on both Kyle and Kurt, who are in third and forth positions in the points as of now, with 14 points between. Though younger brother Kyle is often seen as the more competitive, Kurt isn't about to hand over the trophy just because they are brothers. Kurt said, "You know, we're teammates in one aspect; we're competitors in another. You know, I'm the bigger brother, so at the end of the day I want to win, and he's supposed to finish second to me." Sounds like a challenge to me!

Tune in Sunday to see which  (if either) brother tames Kansas. Me, I'm cheering for Kurt.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – (-65) – AMBER ARNOLD
There are a few things we can take away from Kevin Harvick’s weekend at Dover. First, Harvick is a team player and stands up for his teammates. Second, the 29 team, a team which seemed invincible in the regular season, does have a few flaws; and finally, "Happy" was definitely not happy with the finish on Sunday. What started off as a practice filled with fireworks for the 29 team quickly died off with the drop of the checkers. Harvick hung around mid-pack for most of the race at best after what began as a promising Chase race for the 29 team, who was plagued by handling issues which turned into a 15^th-place finish.

After the race when Harvick was asked about the improvement of RCR, it was abundantly clear he was frustrated with his day and how his equipment was handling. While the 15^th-place finish doesn’t put them out of contention for the championship, it certainly doesn’t help. Kansas will be a critical race that the 29 team must capitalize on.

Kansas is arguably the most difficult track in the Chase for the 29 team. Last year Harvick started from the 38^th position and finished a mediocre 24^th, but all Harvick fans know this year is a dramatically different year for not just Harvick, but RCR as a team. Coming off a heartbreaker at Dover where Harvick finished 15^th and dropped from second to fifth in points, the team definitely needs to rebound in Kansas to keep them in the hunt for the championship.

In nine Cup starts, Harvick has no wins, no top 5s and three top 10s at the Kansas City track. His average start is 24.3 with an average finish of 15.9 and he has one DNF for overheating in the 2004 race. While I wouldn’t make Harvick my race-winning pick this weekend, this season has taught us you can’t count the 29 team out.

6. CARL EDWARDS – (-73) – AMANDA EBERSOLE

After a good race in Dover and a fifth-place finish for Carl Edwards and the 99 team, we head to Kansas Speedway for the Price Chopper 400. Edwards, who is a native of nearby Columbia, Mo., considers Kansas his home track in the Sprint Cup series.

In the previous six races at Kansas, Carl has amounted four top-10 and two top-5 finishes, and has no wins.  The Roush Fenway team is bringing a car that has previously been raced at Michigan (which had a third-place finish) and also at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where Carl finished seventh. Edwards' driver rating for Kansas is a 94.2, which is sixth best among all active Sprint Cup drivers.

Looking back at this same race last year, Carl had a speeding penalty on pit road that left him a lap down.  Eventually receiving the Lucky Dog free pass on lap 148 and sitting in 23rd position, Carl was than able to work his way up to a 10th-place finish.

Here are some of Carl’s thoughts on racing at Kansas this week: “Kansas takes everything. It takes a good engine, good qualifying effort and pit crew. The biggest thing I think it takes is a crew chief that understands how to make that car work through a long run there. So much happens at Kansas. The cars get tight, or they get loose in and you’ve got to really have a good crew chief. Fuel mileage is going to be key, too.”

Crew chief Bob Osborne is looking to the car that has previously done well and for Carl to get a top-5 finish in every Chase race. Bob states, “We are taking the same car we ran at Indy and Michigan to Kansas. It was a new car at Indy and we’ve had success with it both times it has run this year. We hope to come out of Kansas with at least a top-5 finish. That has been our goal in the Chase is to finish top 5 in every race. So far we are only 50 percent since we didn’t get the finish in Loudon we wanted, but Dover was pretty good. It would mean a lot to Carl to get a win at his home track.”

Home track or not, Carl Edwards and the entire Aflac team will be putting 100% into this race to show that they are still in the fight for the Sprint Cup title.

7. JEFF BURTON – (-80) – GENNA SHORT 

In nine starts at Kansas Speedway, Jeff Burton has an average finish of 18.6, his second worst at an active oval track. With only one top-5 and two top-10 finishes at the 1.5 mile tri-oval, the odds seem to be against him. However, Burton is coming off a second-place finish at Dover and has gained plenty of momentum. Still, Burton only has five lead-lap finishes at Kansas, a grand total of five laps led and has started 30th or worse in five of nine starts here.

Outside of the Sprint Cup series, Burton won the 2002 Nationwide race at Kansas.

Burton seems confident going into this race. “My focus is just to go there and be as prepared as we can be,” he said in a statement posted on RCRRacing.com.

“It’s one of our newer tracks, although it’s not new, but it’s one of our newer tracks. You know, sometimes people adapt to things quicker than others and it may be a track that I hadn’t really just got the handle of. I feel like this will be our best chance to run well there.”

It still seems that Burton is edging closer to a win. He currently sits 80 points out of the points lead, but it has been 69 races since his last win (Charlotte in fall 2008). This could be the weekend that he breaks his winless drought, so be on the lookout for the 31 car at the front of the pack.

8. JEFF GORDON – (-83) – GENEVIEVE CADORETTE
Jeff Gordon is on a dry spell; this is the longest he’s gone without winning a pole or a race in a season since 1991. Since the Chase started, he’s gone from eighth in points to fourth and back to eighth.

The media pays less attention to Gordon these days, mostly because of the Bowyer and Hamlin incidents and probably because the #48 team is showing signs that they are here to stay. 

Gordon has already expressed that he’s excited to race in Kansas. Actually, he said and I quote, “I can’t wait to get to Kansas. When I look at the 10 races in the ‘Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup,’ Kansas is the one that stands out to us. We won the first two races here and that certainly gives us confidence each time we come back.”

When NASCAR's Winston Cup Series first ran at Kansas in 2001, Gordon led 53 laps and won the race; a year later, he visited victory lane after leading 116 laps. 

He’s had three top-5 finishes in a row at Kansas and he believes that this year they are a much better team. In total, he’s had six top 5s and seven top 10s in only nine career starts.

In last year's Kansas race, Gordon finished second within a second of Tony Stewart.

This season, he’s had 10 top 5s and 14 top 10s and has led 815 laps in the last 15 races. Gordon and the #24 Dupont team are confident that they’ll drive into victory lane this weekend. 

9. GREG BIFFLE – (-140) – STACIE BALL
“Kansas is a unique track that I have always enjoyed racing at. I think I enjoy it because I’ve run well there. We finished third there the last two years and had a win there in 2007 so we know we can get to victory lane there. The last two weekends have not been a great start to the Chase for us so we really need to get to victory lane to try to make up some of the points. This is a resilient team though and we are definitely going to give it all we have until the checkered flag drops at Homestead.”

This is what Greg Biffle said of racing at Kansas Speedway along with his chances at getting back up in the rankings of the 2010 Chase after not having great performances at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Dover International Speedway the last two weeks. The mixture of the Magic Mile of Loudon and the Monster Mile of Dover really have not been nice, so I definitely see a new direction coming from the team.

Biffle has led 263 laps and won one race along with four top 5s at Kansas Speedway. He's only 140 points behind the leader of the Chase, but will taking a new car change things for the 3M Sherwin Williams Ford team? Crew chief Greg Erwin says, “We’re taking a brand new car to Kansas this weekend based on what we’ve learned at tests and races throughout this season. We’re definitely glad to get back to a mile-and-a-half race track. Kansas is a fast track that allows for a lot of good racing and we’ve had a lot of success there. My first win with this team was at Kansas in 2007 so it would be great to repeat that success there this weekend. Kansas is easy on tire wear so that allows for flexibility in pit strategy as far as taking two tires or fuel only. Hopefully that will play into our hands and we’ll have a solid run this weekend.”

With an average finish of 9.0 along with a green flag speed of 162.152 mph, the second fastest among the series' drivers, what does this truly say for the No. 16? It gives them hope: they know what challenges are facing them for this race along with the rest of the Chase. One step at a time, will this be the race in which things turn around for the team and will they chop down the competition in the Price Chopper 400?

10. TONY STEWART – (-162) – UNIQUE HIRAM 

Kansas Speedway will play host to the third Chase race where Tony Stewart has seen both success as well as disaster strike in the blink of an eye. In the 2007 race, Stewart was on his way to victory lane; however, he suffered fuel mileage issues. As a result, instead of capturing the checkered flag he had to settle for a 39th-place finish. The statistics for this driver at this particular race track include the following: two wins, four top 5s, six top 10s and one DNF.

Stewart was posed with the question about how to handle competing with not only the Chase guys but the other drivers out on the field, and this was his response: “For the 12 that are competing, we’re still racing against 31 other guys just like we’ve been since the beginning of the year. Probably for the first three or four weeks, I don’t think we’ll be too conscious of where we are on the racetrack. It’s still going to be business as usual. But as we get closer to the end of the season – probably with two or three races to go – you’re going to be singling out guys a little bit more and paying closer attention to where they are on the racetrack, what position they’re in, and how many laps they’ve led. The further we get into it, the more the points are going to separate the field, and you’re going to see exactly who you’re racing against for the championship. There probably won’t be 12 guys with two or three races left. It’ll be down to four or five guys who have a shot at it.”

This will definitely be a race to watch closely and see how the points standings shuffle before heading to Fontana next week. 

11. MATT KENSETH – (165) – WHITNEY RICHARDS

Matt Kenseth went to Dover last weekend looking to get a great finish at one of his best tracks on the circuit. However, a cut tire nearly halfway through the race caused him to go a lap down to the leaders, derailing his chances for getting the better finish he may have been capable of. The 18th-place finish did not help him gain any ground in the standings.

This week, the Sprint Cup Series heads to Kansas Speedway for the third race of the Chase. In the nine races that Kenseth has run at Kansas, he has acquired one pole, three top-10 finishes and two top-5 finishes. His only pole at the speedway came in October 2005. He finished fifth that race, which is his best finish at Kansas. Kenseth has an average starting position of 14.3 and an average finished position of 22.1 at the 1.5-mile track. This weekend Kenseth will be driving the No. 17 Crown Royal Black Ford. The team is bringing chassis RK-698, which was last run at Richmond, as their primary car.

Kenseth is currently 11th in the standings, 165 points behind leader Denny Hamlin.

12. CLINT BOWYER – (-235) – AMY MCHARGUE

When Richard Childress came out of Wednesday's five-hour long NASCAR appeals hearing to say that the RCR #33 Team's appeal provided no relief and all original penalties will stand, Childress said, “I'm very disappointed.” Childress echoed the feelings of the entire RCR #33 team, Clint Bowyer, and the many fans of the RCR organization. Going into the Kansas Speedway Price Chopper 400, Clint and his team have surely hoped for at least some relief from the fines to take away some of the pressure he and his team have been feeling.

After the 150-point fine stemming from a failed post-race inspection at New Hampshire and a poor finish last weekend at Dover, Bowyer is quickly dropping out of contention for the Chase. Kansas may be his saving grace, however. The #33 driver does post an 11^th-place average finish at the track. In Clint's four Cup Series starts at Kansas, he has finished in the top 10 on two of those occasions, one of those being his second-place finish in 2007. A strong top-10 finish will likely keep Bowyer from being virtually eliminated from the Chase for the Championship, but Clint will have to lead laps and finish at least in the top 5 to keep his Chase hopes alive.

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TV Schedule Oct. 1-3

Tony Stewart wins the 2009 Price Chopper 400 at Kansas
Speedway. (Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)

The Sprint Cup Series heads to the Midwest for Chase race #3 at Kansas Speedway. The 1.5-mile track in Kansas City has hosted one Cup event every year since 2001, but that will change next year when the speedway hosts spring and fall dates.

The track's unusual characteristics - it is half-flat and half-banked - makes Kansas quite tricky to set up for. The D-shaped oval has a banking of 15 degrees in the turns, 10.4 degrees on the frontstretch and 5 degrees on the backstretch. Kansas has also seen its fair share of fuel mileage victories, so don't be surprised if fuel mileage factors into Sunday's Price Chopper 400.

Defending Sprint Cup race winner is Tony Stewart. Can Stewart rebound from disappointing finishes in the first two Chase races to put himself back in contention for the championship?

The Nationwide Series also makes its annual stop at Kansas. Joey Logano will try to defend his 2009 victory. Can he outrun history-making teammate Kyle Busch? Or will points leader Brad Keselowski make up for last week's 17th place finish at Dover with a trip to Victory Lane?

The Camping World Truck Series is on hiatus until Oct. 23, when it returns to the short-track action of Martinsville.

The following is a handy guide to track events and TV coverage this weekend at Kansas. All times are in Eastern Standard Time (events without a channel listed will not be televised):

Friday, Oct. 1:
1 p.m. NSCS Practice, SPEED (reruns at 8 p.m.)
2:30 p.m. NASCAR Live, SPEED
3 p.m. NNS Practice, SPEED
4:30 p.m. NSCS Qualifying, SPEED (reruns at 9:30 p.m. and 2 a.m.)
6 p.m. NNS Final Practice, SPEED (reruns at 3:30 a.m.)
7 p.m. Trackside at Kansas, SPEED. Guests: Jimmie Johnson and AJ Allmendinger. (reruns at 11 p.m.)
1 a.m. NASCAR Now, ESPN2

Saturday, Oct. 2:
10 a.m. NNS Qualifying
12:30 NSCS Practice
3 p.m. NNS Countdown, ESPN2
3:30 p.m. NNS: Kansas Lottery 300, ESPN2. Green flag: 3:46 p.m. (reruns at 3 a.m.)
6:30 p.m. NSCS Final Practice, ESPN2 (tape-delayed - recorded at 1:50 p.m.)
11 p.m. NASCAR Performance, SPEED
11:30 p.m. NASCAR Smarts, SPEED

Sunday, Oct. 3:
8:30 a.m. NASCAR Performance, SPEED
9 a.m. NASCAR Smarts, SPEED
9 a.m. NASCAR Now, ESPN2
9:30 a.m. NASCAR in A Hurry, SPEED
10 a.m. NASCAR RaceDay, SPEED
12 noon NSCS Countdown, ESPN2
1 p.m. NSCS: Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods, ESPN. Green flag: 1:16 p.m. (reruns at 2 a.m. on ESPN2)
8 p.m. NASCAR Victory Lane, SPEED (reruns at 2 a.m. and 9 a.m. Monday)
10 p.m. NASCAR Now, ESPN2
11 p.m. NASCAR Whelen Modified Race (taped Sept. 25), VS

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5 Things to Do and See in Kansas City, Kansas

Home of Kansas Speedway

A lot of NASCAR fans tend to get caught up in raceday excitement and forget that there are other things to do around the tracks. Sometimes, race fans don't always want to just hang around the track. I have not been to or visited all of these places but many of these have been suggested by fans or natives of the towns and states or even by folks in the NASCAR industry themselves! Others have come from websites or the chambers of commerce. So sit back and take an armchair road trip with me across the circuit...

Author’s note: This week I’m focusing on things to do free in Kansas City and the surrounding area! We all know many NASCAR fans in this economy are traveling on a budget and may not be able to afford admission into things they might want to see in the cities they visit. So this week, every one of my five things are free!

The Frontier Army Museum

The museum has collected and preserved artifacts that tell the tale of the Frontier Army from 1804 to 1916 and of Fort Leavenworth. The fort is the oldest active military post west of the Mississippi. Leavenworth has served as a military post since 1827. The museum provides wonderful insights into army life on the frontier during the Civil War. Of the Fort’s 5,634 acres, 214 of them are dedicated to a National Historic Landmark District.

If you want to honor and remember those who’ve died fighting for our country, the Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery is located nearby. Buried here are Medal of Honor recipients, Operation Desert Storm soldiers, and even some Confederate prisoners of war.

If you have a taste for our nation’s history, be sure to check out the museum, fort, and cemetery. Best of all, it’s all free! Visit the Frontier Army Museum’s website or this Fort Leavenworth information site for hours of operation.

Hallmark Visitor’s Center

“If you switch the R and the C in racing, you get caring.” Mark Martin said it on the Letterman show in 2007 and today, if you’re visiting Kansas City, you can see how it rings true.

Located on the Missouri side of Kansas City, the Hallmark Visitor’s Center is dedicated to those little “chicken soup for the soul” moments that awe and inspire. The center has many permanent exhibits to visit as well as occasional special exhibits.

Parking and admission are FREE! And at the end, stop by the reception desk for your free souvenir! Visit their website for more information and virtual tours.

Harley Davidson Vehicle and Powertrain Operations Tours

From Hallmark to Harley Davidson, the Missouri end of Kansas City offers a variety of sightseeing opportunities for everyone. If sweet and sentimental isn’t your thing, you might want to check out this destination geared toward enthusiasts of the popular motorcycle manufacturer.

You will have the opportunity to take a guided tour through the 358,000-square-foot facility and watch the birth of one of these highly popular American-made machines. From gas tanks to fresh painted frames and highly sophisticated welding technology, fulfill all your testosterone powered dreams.

Tours of the operations plant are FREE but on a first come, first serve basis. Check out their website for hours of operation and tour schedules.

Kaleidoscope

Travelling with children? Kids can get restless and all that pent up energy might be driving you crazy. Kaleidoscope by Hallmark is a children’s art studio where your kids can participate in independent art sessions geared toward their young and creative minds and to keep yours sane while you relax and take a break. If you want to participate, however, there are also family-oriented sessions so you can bond with your little ones.

The art studio is conveniently situated near the Hallmark visitor’s center. Admission is FREE and on a first come, first serve basis. Visit their website for more information and hours of operation.

Bizarre: Roadside Attractions

Every state and many towns have them. You’ve seen them. You probably wondered “what the #*%^@?” while driving past them. yeah, I’m talking about roadside attractions.

Everything’s up to date in Kansas City but for the domestic housewife, she might be happy to see this sculpture of a primitive iron to appreciate the modern conveniences of dry cleaning. It may not be a skyscraper but this T-rex statue stands more than seven stories high! At the end of your journey through Kansas City, you can have your meal delivered by train.

I’d say they’ve gone about as fur as they can go but if you’re itching for more, be sure to check out www.RoadsideAmerica.com for some more bizarre, offbeat, and fun destinations.

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People of Kansas Rejoice: Second Sprint Cup Series Race Coming in 2011

(July 10, 2010) Kansas Speedway and International Speedway Corporation (ISC) announced today that NASCAR has approved ISC’s request for realignment and beginning in 2011, Kansas Speedway will host two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends.

The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend will be held June 4-5 and the second event weekend will be the fourth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Oct. 8-9.

2010 Kansas Speedway ticketholders will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets for the new June race. Tickets for the 2011 events will go on sale after Kansas Speedway’s 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend in October.

“This is an exciting announcement for Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas, and the state of Kansas,” said Kansas Speedway President Pat Warren. “Our fan support for the past 10 years has been tremendous and as a result of that support and the new Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, we are fortunate enough to gain an additional NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race starting in 2011. We will continue to offer our fans the best guest experience in motorsports.”


ISC Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy stated, “The Kansas City region is an important one for the NASCAR racing teams and marketing partners, and the Hollywood Casino project will make Kansas Speedway two of the most anticipated stops on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule.”

The complete 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule is expected to be released later this year.

Kansas Speedway tickets for Sept. 30 – Oct. 3, 2010 events are on sale now by calling 866.460.RACE(7223) or logging onto www.kansasspeedway.com, including weekend tickets for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods on Oct. 3, 2010 and the NASCAR Nationwide Series Kansas Lottery 300 on Oct. 2, 2010 are available.
Tickets for O’Reilly Auto Parts Qualifying Day on Oct. 1, 2010 are also on sale.

The Kansas Lottery 150 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards is set for Thursday, Sept. 30. Fans can bring a non-winning Kansas Lottery ticket for free admission. Fans 18 and under are free.

Parking is always free at Kansas Speedway and fans can bring one 6x6x12-inch soft-sided cooler into the grandstands with their favorite food and beverages.

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Chicagoland to kick off Chase as 2011 Cup schedule takes shape

For weeks we've been hearing NASCAR would be revamping the 2011 Sprint Cup schedule. Last week's announcement about Atlanta dropping down to one race weekend got the ball rolling and started to paint a picture of how the schedule might look for next season.

Today's news regarding Chicagoland Speedway has been the most significant change confirmed so far. NASCAR and track officials announced Monday the 1.5-mile track will kick off the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Chicagoland will replace Auto Club Speedway in the Chase, thereby bumping the New Hampshire, Dover and Kansas races back a week.

The track in Joliet, Ill., will host the first of NASCAR's 10-race playoffs during the Sept. 16-18 race weekend. Chicagoland traditionally held its lone NASCAR race weekend in mid-July. After hosting its third annual night race this year, the 2011 event will be run during the day Sunday. The weekend will also include a Nationwide race on Saturday.

The move allows NASCAR to fire up the Chase in the second-biggest media market on the Sprint Cup circuit, looking to make the most of the increased exposure.

“We could not be more excited,” Chicagoland Speedway president Craig Rust said in a press release. “I don’t think there’s a better location to kick off the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup than in Chicago. It’s the best sports town in the country. Every race in the Chase plays a key role in determining the championship and we’re thrilled that our fans can be part of the excitement.”

NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Steve O’Donnell said the decision to strip Auto Club Speedway of its fall Chase race left the track with "a much better date for them, kind of back to their traditional date they used to have in the California marketplace that worked well for them.”

Auto Club Speedway used to sell out its spring race weekend from 1997 to 2006 before a second date was added. The track has struggled to sell tickets since.

The Fontana, Calif., track looks likely to return to one race weekend as its owner International Speedway Corp., which also owns Chicagoland and Kansas, is expected to add a second Cup date to Kansas Speedway. The Midwest track received approval in February to build a casino on its grounds.

As a result of moving the Chase kickoff to Chicagoland, New Hampshire Motor Speedway will not open the Chase for the first time since the format's inception in 2004. New Hampshire is scheduled to hold a press conference Wednesday, where it is expected to announce the track will host the second race in the Chase.

O'Donnell said there would be no other changes to the Chase tracks. The Chase schedule would appear to be: Chicagoland, New Hampshire, Dover, Kansas, Charlotte, Martinsville, Talladega, Texas, Phoenix and Homestead.

Other reported changes to the 2011 Sprint Cup schedule include Kentucky Speedway gaining a Cup date (a result of Atlanta losing a race) and Phoenix International Raceway moving up its spring event to the second race of the season, after Daytona. Along with Kansas, Kentucky and Phoenix are set to hold press conferences Tuesday.

Texas Motor Speedway has scheduled a press conference for Aug. 17, during which it is expected to announce one of its two Cup events will be a night race.

NASCAR will unveil the complete 2011 season schedule Aug. 18.

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Photo: Green flag waves at the Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland in July. (Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR)

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Sauter slips & sides to win at Kansas

By Jim Pedley
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (May 2, 2010) -- What simply had to be the two best saves of the Camping World Truck Series season occurred at exactly the same time and within inches of each other Sunday afternoon at Kansas Speedway.

When the two trucks involved finally got pointed back in the proper direction, it was the one driven by Johnny Sauter that had the lead and would go on to win the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250.

Johnny Sauter celebrates his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck
Series victory on Sunday at Kansas Speedway. (Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images)

The other truck involved, that of Ron Hornaday Jr., finished second but left its driver buzzing like a radio with a bad tube.

“You can’t tell me that Kansas didn’t like that one,” Hornaday, not generally known to be all that excited about a second-place finish, shouted as he entered the postrace interview room.

Sauter, wearing a very large and sticky smear of birthday cake on his fire suit, was equally excited. As well he should be.

“I bet it looked pretty cool on TV,” said Sauter, who turned 32 on Saturday.

With 13 laps to go, Sauter had the lead heading down the backstretch, but Hornaday pulled even on his low side. Hornaday’s truck suddenly hooked right—right into Sauter. Both spun simultaneously. With smoke pouring from the wheel wells of both trucks, they turned 60 degrees sideways.

Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33) makes contact with Johnny Sauter and
both slide in Turn 4 with 10 laps to go. (Rick Dole / Getty Images)

The two drivers, who have a history of roughing each other up on the track and in the pits afterward, cranked the steering wheels and both executed highlight-clip saves.

“He got into me,” Sauter said. “I couldn’t help but sit there and think as I was trying to save it … that darn Hornaday got me again within a month’s time. But it all worked out. That was good. That was good for the fans.”

The victory was the first of the year for Sauter and moved him from 14th to fifth in the points standings.

Sauter said he felt good about his truck before it even arrived at Kansas. It was the same truck he used to win his first truck race last September in Las Vegas and finish 11th at Nashville the last time out.

Rain and hail caused a 1 hour, 30 minute delay in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250
at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. (Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images)

Todd Bodine finished third and moved into second in the standings, 22 points behind Timothy Peters, who finished 23rd, six laps back.

Notes: Brian Ickler finished fourth and now has two top-five finishes in both of his starts for Kyle Busch Motorsports. … Rookie Austin Dillon had his best finish, sixth. … The race was stopped after 114 laps for more than 90 minutes by rain and hail.

O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 results:

1. Johnny Sauter
2. Ron Hornaday   
3. Todd Bodine    
4. Brian Ickler    
5. Johnny Benson    
6. Austin Dillon*    
7. Aric Almirola    
8. Mike Skinner    
9. Ken Schrader    
10. David Starr    
11. Jason White    
12. Ricky Carmichael    
13. Justin Lofton*    
14. Jack Smith     Ford   
15. Tony Jackson Jr.    
16. James Buescher    
17. Mario Gosselin        
18. Terry Jones    
19. Ryan Sieg    
20. Jamie Dick
21. Brent Raymer    
22. Tayler Malsam    
23. Timothy Peters    
24. Norm Benning    
25. Matt Crafton
26. Brett Butler*
27. Carl Long        
28. Jennifer Jo Cobb*    
29. Jesse Smith    
30. Chris Eggleston*    
31. Rick Crawford    
32. Brian Rose    
33. Mike Harmon    
34. Shane Sieg    
35. Wes Burton    
36. Narain Karthikeyan    

*Rookie

TEXT FROM NASCAR MEDIA

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Hornaday to start from pole at Kansas

Defending Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. won the pole for Sunday’s O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway. Hornaday ran a lap of 31.916 seconds (169.194 mph) during Saturday’s qualifying session.

This is Hornaday’s 25th pole in 255 Truck Series starts. He is the third driver to win 25 or more poles, joining Mike Skinner (50) and Jack Sprague (32). This is his second pole in 2010. This is his third pole in six races at Kansas and third in a row. This marks the first time Hornaday has won three poles at the same track.

Matt Crafton will start on the outside pole. This is his fourth top-10 start this year and his third in 10 races at Kansas.

Austin Dillon, qualifying fifth, was the fastest rookie.

The Truck Series returns this weekend after a monthlong break for its fifth race of the 2010 season. The O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 will be broadcast live Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on SPEED. Pre-race show starts at 12:30 p.m. ET and green flag is scheduled to wave at 1:19 p.m. ET.

Starting lineup:

1. Ron Hornaday   
2. Matt Crafton   
3. Johnny Sauter   
4. Aric Almirola   
5. Austin Dillon*   
6. Todd Bodine   
7. Ricky Carmichael   
8. Mike Skinner       
9. Brian Ickler   
10. Timothy Peters   
11. James Buescher   
12. Ken Schrader   
13. Johnny Benson   
14. Justin Lofton*   
15. Rick Crawford   
16. Wes Burton    Chevrolet   
17. Mario Gosselin       
18. Chris Eggleston*   
19. Jesse Smith    
20. Tayler Malsam   
21. Jennifer Jo Cobb*   
22. Narain Karthikeyan   
23. Jason White   
24. Brent Raymer   
25. David Starr   
26. Jamie Dick   
27. Ryan Sieg   
28. Tony Jackson Jr.
29. Shane Sieg   
30. Jack Smith   
31. Mike Harmon   
32. Terry Jones    
33. Brett Butler*   
34. Brian Rose   
35. Carl Long+   
36. Norm Benning

*Rookie
+Owner points

Did Not Qualify:
Tim Andrews   
Chris Jones   
G.R. Smith    
Derek White

PHOTO AND TEXT FROM NASCAR MEDIA

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