NASCAR Off-Season Week 1: Focus on Reed Sorenson

Reed Sorenson speaks with crew chief Jimmy Elledge
during his stint driving for Red Bull this summer.
(Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Throughout the NASCAR off-season, I am going to be posting a weekly look at a lesser-known driver from the Cup, Nationwide and Trucks Series. For week one, we will be taking a closer look at Reed Sorenson.

Being at the track as a toddler while his father raced, it is no wonder Sorenson found a love of racing. Reed first drove a racecar when he was 6 years old, behind the wheel of a Quarter Midget. He competed in Regional Quarter Midget racing for several years, most successfully in 1997. That amazing season found Reed finishing in the top 10 in 42 of his 43 starts, taking home the National Championship, 40 top fives and 22 wins. Anyone watching back then could have guessed we would someday see Reed in the Cup Series.

Sorenson's five years in Legend Cars were just as successful; he won over half the races he started during his rookie season. Reed posts totals including 84 wins and 152 top five finishes in 183 starts. By the time Sorenson graduated from high school in 2004, he had a developmental deal with Chip Ganassi Racing. The 2004 season found Reed in ARCA and Nationwide racing. Sorenson claimed top-five finishes in all three of his 2004 ARCA starts; his first start at Charlotte Motor Speedway found him in the fourth finishing spot and his second ARCA race found him in Victory Lane. In his 2004 Nationwide starts, Reed claimed one top five finish, three top 10s and led several laps in the October race at Atlanta.

2005 brought Sorenson to the Busch Series as a full-time driver and eligible for the Rookie of the Year award. He won his first race, ended his freshman season in fourth place, and second in the ROTY competition to Carl Edwards. Reed joined the Cup ranks on a part-time basis in 2006 while also running as a full-time Busch Series driver. With five top-10 Cup finishes and 14 top 10s in the Busch Series, Reed put together a solid year in which he finished 24th in the Cup standings, 10th in the Busch Series and fourth in the Cup Series ROTY. 2007 brought Reed his first pole start in the Cup Series, a third-place finish at his home track of Atlanta, and a fourth-place finish at Charlotte.

2008 brought trouble to the Sorenson camp; his fifth-place finish at the season opener in Daytona was the highlight of his year. In a quest for owners points, Reed found himself temporarily replaced by another driver, had a short day because of a wreck at Talladega, and found himself moving to Gillette Everham Motorsports for the 2009 season. As 2009 began it was announced that there would be a merger between Gillette Everham and Richard Petty to form Richard Petty Motorsports. In order to keep the team financially able to operate, Reed raced for free for part of the 2009 season to keep his crew members employed.

Reed finished the 2010 season in the 12th place in season standings in the Nationwide Series, and 39th in the Cup Series. Sorenson ran a limited schedule for Red Bull Racing as a replacement driver for Brian Vickers and in later stages of the season for Braun Racing. Sorenson posted just one top-10 finish in his Cup season, but 21 top-10 finishes, and nine top fives in the Nationwide Series in 2010. With an 11.6 average Nationwide Series finish, Reed has shown he knows how to handle a car. With the right equipment in a Cup Series ride, he could be a title contender within a few years.



Reed plans to run a full-time Nationwide schedule with Turner Motorsports in 2011. Sorenson will be driving the #32 Dollar General Chevrolet Impala with engine support from Hendrick Motorsports in Nationwide Series racing. During the few weekends that Sorenson isn't in a racecar, Reed enjoys fishing, boating, and spending time with family and friends. He purchased his first home a few years ago on a lake so he can fish, have a boat right outside the back door, and have plenty of space for visitors. This 24-year-old has an impressive resume, has been successful at multiple levels of racing, and looks like he will have better equipment in 2011 to work with on the track. Sorenson is definitely one driver who NASCAR fans should keep an eye on in the coming years.

*Next week ... Cole Whitt

Amy McHargue

http://ellipticalcurrents.blogspot.com/

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Nationwide Pole Report: Logano and Busch Front Row Domination for Ford 300

How do you make an interesting series, even more interesting?  The answer is simple you have teammates on the front row.  Oh wait, we have seen this plenty of times in the 2010 season when it comes to the Nationwide Series.  Joey Logano wins the pole in the Game Stop Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing with a lap of 31.487 (171.499 mph.).  His teammate Kyle Busch in the NOS Energy Drink Toyota only -0.005 behind.  Is having his teammate on the front row a good or bad thing?  Only time will tell.

Other than figuring out the Owners’ Championship, why should we be watching the last Nationwide race of 2010?  How about Danica Patrick in the JR Motorsports Go Daddy No. 7 starting fifth on the grid?  Her best start ever in the series.  Will this be the race in which people realize she is good at what she does behind the wheel? 

For all the racing action, the place to be is ESPN 2 starting at 4 p.m. with the NASCAR Nationwide Countdown with the actual race starting at 4:30 with the green flag at 4:45.  Enjoy the racing!

1. Joey Logano
2. Kyle Busch
3. Brad Keselowski
4. Aric Almirola
5. Danica Patrick
6. Martin Truex Jr.
7. Kevin Harvick
8. Carl Edwards
9. Trevor Bayne
10. Cole Whitt
11. Brendan Gaughan
12. Sam Hornish Jr.
13. Paul Menard
14. Kasey Kahne
15. Jeremy Clements
16. Kevin Lepage
17. Shelby Howard
18. Justin Allgaier
19. David Gilliland
20. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
21. Reed Sorensen
22. Jason Leffler
23. Parker Kligerman
24. Mark Green
25. Steve Wallace
26. Colin Braun
27. David Starr
28. Joe Nemechek
29. Eric McClure
30. Brian Scott
31. David Reutimann
32. Dennis Setzer
33. Jeff Green
34. Mike Wallace
35. Michael Arnett
36. Tony Raines
37. Kenny Wallace
38. Mike Bliss
39. Morgan Shepherd
40. Jason Keller
41. Robert Richardson Jr.
42. Chase Mattioli
43. Brian Keselowski

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Brad Keselowski: Nationwide Champion

Driver Brad Keselowski and team owner Roger Penske pose with the NASCAR Nationwide Series
Championship trophy at Texas Motor Speedway. (Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Everyone was picking Kyle Busch to win Saturday's Nationwide race at Texas. No one could foresee what this race would entail. But one driver was trying to win not only his first championship, but also his owner’s first ever NASCAR championship. Could Brad Keselowski clench the 2010 Nationwide Series Championship?

Finishing the race in third, Keselowski made it official. For Keselowski, winning this championship is a dream come true. Brad got his start with JR Motorsports back in 2007, a ride that he took pride in. That’s one thing Brad does: every ride he has been offered he takes pride in. Being a fan as long as I have, seeing him get that championship yesterday was an amazing feeling; even my eyes watered some, for it clearly was an amazing sight to see.

“I’m so very fortunate and blessed to have this opportunity with (crew chief) Paul Wolfe and Roger and everybody back at the shop, the guys that are there miss their kids’ Little League games working hard on my car,” Keselowski said as he jumped out of his racecar.

For car owner Roger Penske, it has been long due. A championship winner in IndyCar, but never a championship winner for NASCAR. But now, Roger Penske can finally have that championship.

“We’ve been in NASCAR a long, long time. To me, it’s like winning the Indy 500 for the first time. What can you say; it’s a team sport and a team effort. To me, that’s what we came here for. Paul Wolfe, the whole group, they worked their heart out and we got the results,” Penske said.

For Brad, it wasn’t an easy road. There was a point when Brad didn’t have a ride, when the family had to shut down their racing team. There were times Brad didn’t get to race, but that all changed when Brad signed with JRM and the rest is history.

Brad has gone from a Truck Series driver, to a Nationwide Series driver, to now a full-time Sprint Cup driver. Now a Nationwide champion, Brad has proven his will and talent, never backing down in any of the rides he has had. It wasn’t an easy road, but every step of the way has been worth it. Through the good and the bad, Keselowski kept his head held high, which paid off November 6, 2010, when he was crowned the Nationwide champion.

This season has been a whirlwind for sure. With the many things that happened this year, there was never a dull moment. In fact, it was a great season filled with crazy cautions and crazy rivals. But nothing can top seeing Brad Keselowski race that No. 22 to his first championship.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

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Nationwide Pole Report: Buescher Takes O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge Pole

James Buescher takes the pole at his home track at Texas Motor Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge with a lap of 28.529 (189.281 mph.) in the Wolfpack Energy Services Chevrolet for Turner Motorsports.  One the outside pole is Kevin Harvick in the Jimmy John’s Chevrolet only -0.032 behind the leader.  Great job by Buescher and Harvick with such great laps during qualifying. 

Along with the big Sadler announcement with Kevin Harvick Inc., last years Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the Nationwide Series Justin Allgaier announced that he will be driving for Turner Motorsports starting next year after being released from Penske Racing a few weeks back.  This was probably was the best news I heard all day, so happy to see Allgaier will be in a solid ride for next season. 

For all the action, the place to be is ESPN 2 starting at noon 12 p.m. EST for NNS Countdown going right into NNS race at 12:55 p.m. with green flag at 1:11 p.m.!  Your whole television schedule can be found at Skirts and Scuffs under the events schedule for the whole weekend from Texas Motor Speedway.

1. James Buescher
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Carl Edwards
4. Kyle Busch
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Martin Truex Jr.
7. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
8. David Gilliland
9. Steven Wallace
10. Joey Logano
11. Stanton Barrett
12. Paul Menard
13. Jeremy Clements
14. Trevor Bayne
15. Dennis Setzer
16. Brad Keselowski
17. Jason Leffler
18. Ricky Carmichael
19. Brian Scott
20. Justin Allgaier
21. Mike Bliss
22. Parker Kligerman
23. Reed Sorensen
24. David Reutimann
25. Aric Almirola
26. David Starr
27. Brendan Gaughan
28. Danica Patrick
29. Erik Darnell
30. Shelby Howard
31. Tim Andrews
32. Danny Efland
33. Eric McClure
34. Kevin Lepage
35. Michael Annett
36. Joe Nemechek
37. Mike Wallace
38. Jason Keller
39. Kenny Wallace
40. Tony Raines
41. Robert Richardson, Jr.
42. Alex Kennedy
43. Michael McDowell

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Nationwide Pole Report: Justin Allgaier Takes Control at Gateway

How do you prove to team owners and different sponsors you are worth the money?  You win the pole at Gateway International Speedway, Justin Allgaier who drivers the No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge did just that today with a lap of 33.301 (135.131 mph.).  To finish the front row you have Colin Braun driving the No. 98 MasterCraft Doors / Menards Ford with a lap -0.012 behind the leader. 

What should we be watching out for in today’s race?  I think the new face in Brandon McReynolds is the one to watch out for driving the No. 42 GtMrVctns.cm/Adptv One NAPA Brks Dodge starting 25th on the grid on his first ever Nationwide Series race. 

For all of the racing action from Gateway International Speedway you can catch it all on ESPN 2 starting at 3 p.m. EST! 

1. Justin Allgaier
2. Colin Braun
3. Matt DiBenedetto
4. Mike Bliss
5. Sean Caisse
6. Josh Wise
7. Steven Wallace
8. Trevor Bayne
9. Brad Sweet
10. Reed Sorensen
11. Erik Darnell
12. Brad Coleman
13. Drew Herring
14. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
15. Brian Scott
16. Brendan Gaughn
17. Danny O’Quinn Jr.
18. Ryan Truex
19. Kenny Wallace
20. Parker Kligerman
21. Shelby Howard
22. Kevin Lepage
23. Chase Miller
24. Jeremy Clements
25. Brandon McReynolds
26. Jason Leffler
27. Michael Annett
28. Brian Keselowski
29. Jeff Green
30. Carl Long
31. Joe Nemechek
32. Scott Wimmer
33. Kevin Hamlin
34. Antonio Perez
35. Tim Andrews
36. Johnny Chapman
37. Bobby Santos III
38. Tony Raines
39. Morgan Shepherd
40. Mike Wallace
41. Danica Patrick
42. Peyton Sellers
43. Andy Ponstein

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Top 5 MPD Votes Revealed for Nationwide and Truck Series

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 16, 2010) – Online voting has been underway since July 6 for the 2010 Most Popular Driver of the Year Awards in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Now, for the first time in the three-year history of the poll, the top five vote-getters in each series will be unveiled before voting closes in November.

The early reveal gives fans the opportunity to perhaps increase their favorite driver’s lead, or help build the numbers to move their favorite higher in either poll.

To date, nearly 30,000 fans have voted in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, while over 25,000 fans have cast votes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.


Here, in alphabetical order, are the top-five vote-getters in the NASCAR Nationwide Series through Wednesday, Sept. 15:

• · Justin Allgaier
• · Carl Edwards
• · Brad Keselowski
• · Morgan Shepherd
• · Kenny Wallace

Here are the top five thus far in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in alphabetical order, also through Wednesday, Sept. 15:

• · Aric Almirola
• · Johnny Benson
• · Ricky Carmichael
• · Austin Dillon
• · Ron Hornaday Jr.

Fans can visit www.nascarnationwideseries.com to vote for their favorite NASCAR Nationwide Series driver and www.nascar.com/news/headlines/truck/ to vote for their favorite NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver.Fans also may write in their favorite driver if he/she is not among the nominees for a specific series. Fans can send an e-mail to fanfeedback@nascar.com and submit their write-in vote.

Fans may vote or submit a write-in candidate once per day and are encouraged to vote throughout the season. Voting continues until Nov. 12 for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Nov. 13 for the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Results will be announced at the combined awards banquet for the NASCAR Nationwide and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, which will be held at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel on Monday, Nov. 22.

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Harvick Holds Off Keselowski for Nationwide Win at Richmond

Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski put on a thrilling finish with Harvick holding on to the victory at Richmond

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
(September 10, 2010)

RICHMOND, Va.—Polesitter Kevin Harvick held off Nationwide Series points leader Brad Keselowski during a 40-lap run to the finish to win Friday night's Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway.

In the first race at Richmond and third overall with NASCAR's new Nationwide car, Harvick crossed the finish line .256 seconds ahead of Keselowski, who extended his championship lead to 373 points, over Carl Edwards, who ran 10th. Trevor Bayne finished third, tying his career best. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. came home fourth, followed by Reed Sorenson.

The victory was Harvick's third of the season and 37th of his career, third all-time in the series. The owner/driver for Kevin Harvick Inc. led 170 of the 250 laps and was elated with the progress his No. 33 team had made with the new car.

"This is the future of our company, so we put a lot of effort into this program, knowing that all the other cars were going to go away, and knowing that we had to be good with this car," said Harvick, who gets his new chassis from Richard Childress Racing and his power from Earnhardt-Childress engines.


"RCR's been a big part of this as well, with the engines, the chassis and the engineering. Everybody's been working together. It's easy when you get started in the right direction to keep it going that way."
Keselowski likewise was pleased with his No. 22 Dodge team's progress with the new car, which is being phased in this year—with plans for full-time use in 2011.

"I was just glad that we were able to work on the car and make it better," Keselowski said. "That's been one of our larger struggles all year with this particular chassis. So I'm glad that we were able to do that—just a real good show for the new car on the short tracks.

"I think that's something to be proud of for the series. I think we can continue to work and make things better, but this was a great start."

Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Kyle Busch and Edwards completed the top 10. A snafu in the pits cost Busch a chance for a record 11th win this season. Under caution on Lap 205, the quick-fill nozzle on one of Busch's fuel cans broke off and remained attached to the car as Busch left pit road.

Penalized for taking equipment from the pits, Busch restarted 21st on Lap 211 and worked his way up to ninth before the race ended.

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Danica – Racing Into History or Spinning the Wheels?

I have been struggling for almost a week on this post. I wanted, very dearly, to be able to offer some real, positive facts regarding Danica and her NASCAR racing, but every time I began to check a fact or statistic, I had to reevaluate my position. As a result, it’s been difficult to determine my own feelings and opinions on the subject.

While I am certainly not the lead trumpet player on the Danica bandwagon, I like Danica. I like her focus, her competitive nature, and her desire to do well, despite the tremendous pressures. While watching the ARCA race at Daytona in February, I was extremely encouraged. Danica finished a respectable 7th, even after a free slide down the front stretch. She asked questions, improved her technique, and generally brought the car home with little damage. Not a bad day’s work in the world of stock car racing.

Her Nationwide stint has not impressed me as much, regardless of her gender, which I will be the first to admit should not be a factor. In short, she’s had 4 starts, all of which she finished in the low to mid 30’s. Twice she was involved in wrecks, whether of her own making or not, meaning she has a 50% record of finishing a race on the track. And, there’s little numerical difference between the finishes on the track and the finishes in the garage. She arguably has one of the best rides in the Nationwide series, and this is the best she can do?

I understand about learning curves. I totally ‘get’ that she’s jumping from one style of racing into another. But, at times, I can’t help but wonder if she even has a clue about NASCAR. Has she ever actually watched a race as a spectator? Furthermore, this is her JOB. When I find myself in unfamiliar waters at my job, I study, investigate, collect data, ask questions, turn to more experienced colleagues and finally, I do my freaking homework. As a driver, how can she seriously expect to be competitive if she doesn’t understand some of the more simple concepts (at least to me) of stock car racing? I have seen footage of drivers and crew chiefs watching reruns of race after race to gain information and a potential advantage. Some very prominent drivers have admitted using video games to familiarize themselves with tracks. Danica’s chatter on her radio at Louden makes me question her commitment and basic understanding. Don’t believe me? Check some of the articles out there. I suppose I should mention that she IS asking questions – relevant questions. I can’t help but wonder if a little study and prep could have eliminated the need for rudimentary questions and driving, thus allowing her to perform better. I don’t expect top 5 or top 10 finishes. I do expect someone with a racing license and incredible hype, male or female, not to perform at a level equal to pulling a random fan from the stands and throwing them in the car.

As I stated in my first paragraph, I’m having personal difficulty reconciling Danica’s performance, or lack thereof. A part of me wonders if she is perpetuating the myth that women can’t hack racing with the “big boys”, thereby bringing more harm than good. Is she honestly there because she’s petite and pretty and possesses a racing license, or because she can drive the heck out of a car? How will these impact current and future attempts by women to be taken as serious racing competitors? The current numbers don’t look good. Danica is 63rd in the points, and if you’re out there checking women drivers in the Nationwide series, the next closest (and only other) is Chrissy Wallace in the 82nd points position. Chrissy, however, has competed in only 2 races this season, more due to a lack of money and sponsorship than as a reflection of her driving abilities. Obviously, there are currently no women competing in the Sprint Cup series.

One potential bright spot is Jennifer Jo Cobb. Cobb is about to compete through a 4 race deal in the Nationwide series ride previous held by Greg Biffle, who brought the #27 car to 3 top 5s and 7 top 10s in 10 starts. Obviously, Jennifer has an amazing opportunity. This is a proven machine and garage. Respectable finishes will go a long way to bringing a different, more positive focus on women drivers in NASCAR.

Regardless of the outcomes, I’ll be watching with great interest, as I do every weekend.

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Danica Patrick – Back to NASCAR

Danica Patrick will be returning to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series on June 26 in the New England 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H. This is considered to be one of the most anticipated events to occur in the Nationwide Series because there are a lot of fans awaiting her return. Her focus has been on her Indy ride so now she will have to shift gears, which I am sure that she will do with passion and excitement.

There are constant discussions in regards to the exposure that this talented driver has been gaining even before she participated in her first NASCAR-sanctioned race. Danica has been placed under a closer microscope and I believe there are a number of reasons why she is being so closely watched this season:

1. Fans and skeptics want to see how well or not so well she will do in her quest to compete on both the IndyCar and Nationwide levels during the same season.

2. She was courted and signed to drive for the most popular NASCAR driver at JR Motorsports. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt definitely have an eye for scouting talent and utilizing their exceptional marketing skills. We know that the Earnhardt camp and their actions are always being held under public scrutiny whether good, bad or indifferent.

3. Driving talent – she is not lacking in that area; however, it is going to be an interesting process witnessing her progress throughout the remainder of her approved NASCAR events. She has held her own for the select few races that she has competed in thus far this season.

Will she successfully finish most of the remaining races? Will she be able to beat and bang with the best of them, if/when necessary? Can she keep switching gears when she has to compete in the IndyCar and Nationwide Series races back to back?

Time will tell and the proof will be on the track.

Until next time…Gear Up, Strap In For A Thrillin’ Ride

*The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer*

PHOTO FROM NASCAR MEDIA 

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Carpentier to race for MWR in Montreal Nationwide race

CORNELIUS, N.C. (June 23, 2010) - Michael Waltrip Racing announced Wednesday that Canadian driver Patrick Carpentier will race the No. 00 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota in the NAPA Auto Parts 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal on Aug. 29.

The Joliette (Quebec) native won the pole for this race in 2007, finished second in 2007 and 2008, and looked to be the fastest car on the track in 2009 before mechanical failure resulted in a 38th-place finish.


“Every race car driver wants to do well, but when you race in front of all your friends and family in your hometown it becomes something extra special,” said the 38-year-old Carpentier, who has led 14 laps on the 2.71-mile road course. “We’ve been so close in Montreal and last year I thought we were going to have a shot at the win. NAPA and Michael Waltrip Racing gave me a great car last year and I expect to contend for the victory again this year. Winning in Montreal would definitely be a highlight in my career.”

Carpentier owns 13 Nationwide and 33 Sprint Cup starts after winning five races in CART in a stellar open wheel career.

“Patrick was our first choice, and we are undoubtedly very happy with this agreement. Not only is he from the region but his name is synonymous with talent, perseverance and sportsmanship wherever he performs,” said Robert Hattem, president and COO of UAP Inc. “It was a natural fit for us to offer Patrick the wheel for this event and allow the public to witness his unique know-how.”

MWR fields full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup teams for Truex and David Reutimann as well as a K&N Pro Series entry for Ryan Truex. MWR along with Gary and Blake Bechtel co-own Diamond-Waltrip Racing that fields a full-time Nationwide entry for Trevor Bayne, who will also race in Montreal.

Press release courtesy of Michael Waltrip Racing

PHOTO FROM NASCAR MEDIA

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Penalties issued for rule infractions at Darlington Raceway

NASCAR issued penalties Wednesday to two Sprint Cup teams, the No. 7 and the No. 55, and one Nationwide team, the No. 38, for rule violations last week at Darlington Raceway.

Sprint Cup:
The No. 7 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR required specifications); and 20-18A (unapproved additional door braces) of the 2010 NASCAR rulebook. The infraction was discovered during opening day inspection on May 7.

Crew chief Samuel Stanley has been fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Robby Gordon, both driver and owner of the No. 7 car, has been penalized with the loss of 25 championship driver and 25 championship owner points.

The No. 55 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1; 12-4-J; and 20-10.6B (unapproved final drive gear; incorrect tooth count). The violation was discovered during post-qualifying inspection on May 7.

Crew chief Zachary McGowan has been fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Driver Michael McDowell and owner Randy Humphrey have been penalized with the loss of 25 championship driver and 25 championship owner points, respectively.

Nationwide:
The No. 38 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1; 12-4-J; and 20A-12.3T (unapproved left front shock absorber) of the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rule Book. The infractions were discovered during post-race inspection on May 7.

Crew chief Stewart Cooper has been fined $10,000. Team owner Ralph Braun was penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship owner points and driver Kasey Kahne was docked 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship driver points.

- From NASCAR press releases

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Severe weather postpones Nationwide race, cancels Cup qualifying

For the second week in a row, Mother Nature has halted Saturday's on-track events. Due to the threat of severe weather in the area, all activities scheduled for the day at Talladega Superspeedway have been canceled.

The Aaron's 312 Nationwide race that was originally set for Saturday has been postponed to Sunday. The race will start within an hour after the finish of the Aaron's 499 Sprint Cup race, at around 5:30 p.m. ET, and will be broadcast on ESPN2. The Aaron's 499 will start as scheduled at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.

Any ticket for the Aaron’s 312 or Aaron’s 499 will be honored at the gate Sunday.

Because Saturday's Sprint Cup qualifying session was canceled, the field for the Aaron's 499 will be set by the NASCAR rulebook using owner points.Check out the starting lineup for Sunday's race.

The Talladega area experienced a severe thunderstorm early Saturday morning. More severe storms are in the forecast for the remainder of the day, according to the National Weather Service. A tornado watch is in effect until 2 p.m. Central Time for Talladega County and 28 other counties in central Alabama.

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Busch vs. Busch: Bristol

Kyle Busch

Nationwide

Busch started sixth and by lap 19, he was battling teammate Joey Logano for the lead. By lap 23, he achieved his goal and held on to the lead. A caution came out around lap 30 when Brian Keselowski had a solo crash and upon the restart on lap 36, Busch had a great restart, jumping out about four car lengths. On lap 53 a caution came out for debris and Busch did not pit, keeping his lead. He lost the lead on lap 82 to Kasey Kahne, after getting caught up in lead traffic at the half-mile track. On lap 93, the race was red-flagged after a horrible wreck between Colin Braun and Steven Wallace (both were okay). When the race went back to yellow, Busch beat Kahne off pit road but four cars didn't pit so he restarted fifth. With the four cars in front of him on old tires, he would have to work hard to regain his lead. He caught a break when Kahne's car overheated and stayed on pit road during a caution but Busch still hadn't regained his lead by lap 133 (started fourth). On lap 146, Busch got into Kelly Bires, spinning him into the wall bringing out a caution. He remained in the top 10 for most of the race. With 90 laps left, he was in 7th place. Busch moved up to third with 25 laps to go. He stayed there until the checkered flag.


Cup

Busch, the defending champion of the race, crashed five minutes into the first practice due to a problem with the right rear tire and could never seem to get it fixed. He started 38th and wasn't making much noise, except for trying not to be lapped. On the second caution of the day, brought out by Clint Bowyer's engine blowing up, he radioed about his car being very tight. He continued to have a bad day, with no grip and bad tires. Coming off of the third caution (lap 113), he was 25th. On lap 237, after complaining all day of no grip and other issues, his tire blew and hit the wall rather hard (the same problem his teammate Denny Hamlin had earlier in the race). After “the big one” on lap 342, Busch restarted 17th. With 60 laps to go, the moved up to 11th. When the late-race caution came out for teammate Joey Logano with 18 to go, he pitted and came out 7th. With 10 to go, he finished 9th.

Kurt Busch


Read the entire article at the LV NASCAR Examiner.


Photo courtesy: Farrah Kaye

This post also appears on examiner.com and has been republished with permission from the author.

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Allgaier Earns first Career Victory in Nationwide Series

(March 20, 2010) BRISTOL, Tenn.—It wasn't a hauler chat with NASCAR that kept Brad Keselowski from knocking Justin Allgaier out of the way in the closing laps of Saturday's Scotts Turf Builder 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

 

Instead, Keselowski, the polesitter, took one for the company—Penske Racing—as Allgaier, his teammate, led all 27 laps of the final green-flag run to notch his first NASCAR Nationwide Series victory.

Keselowski earned his second pole of 2010

 The win came approximately eight hours after Keselowski, team owner Roger Penske, Carl Edwards and his team owner, Jack Roush, met with NASCAR about Edwards' retaliation against Keselowski on March 7 at Atlanta.

 

Keselowski and Edwards exit NASCAR hauler after meeting regarding incident at Atlanta

Allgaier grabbed the lead from Keselowski with an exceptional restart from the inside lane on Lap 274, and Keselowski gave his teammate room to clear Keselowski's No. 22 Dodge as the cars exited Turn 2.

 

Though Keselowski harried Allgaier through lapped traffic during the run to the finish—and on several occasions pulled alongside Allgaier's No. 12 Dodge—Allgaier ran mistake-free for the final laps and finished .178 seconds ahead of Keselowski.

 

Kyle Busch led 59 laps—second most to Keselowski's 72—and finished third. Edwards came home fourth and retained the series points lead by 26 points over Keselowski. Allgaier is third in the standings, 31 points behind Edwards.

 

Allgaier started 30th after a lackluster qualifying effort but quickly worked his way through the field. Staying out on old tires under caution on Lap 147, while many of the other lead-lap cars came to pit road for service, catapulted him to third for a restart on Lap 151, and Allgaier spent the rest of the afternoon in the top 10, finally taking the lead on Lap 274.

 

"It was pretty unbelievable," Allgaier said. "We had a great car in practice, and I screwed up qualifying and didn't get the run we really needed and had to start 30th. But (crew chief) Chad (Walter) told me, 'You'll be there all day long, and if you push it really hard, you'll be in victory lane.'

 

"I wasn't sure we were going to be able to hold off Brad there for the last couple of laps, but Brad drove a heck of a race and ran us really clean. I'm just excited to get a 1-2 for Penske Racing."

 

Keselowski, who drove for JR Motorsports last year and wrecked Allgaier at Bristol, cut his teammate some slack on the final restart.

 

"On the restart there, he ran me up pretty high, but I really had no room to be angry with him, because last year I wrecked him in a really similar instance," Keselowski said. "I lifted and let him in and lost the lead there. I thought I had a shot at getting it back, but I just didn't catch the right breaks, as far as boxing him out in lapped traffic.

 

"This (Penske) Nationwide program is really in its infancy stages. It has limitless potential, and it's important that—in order for that potential to grow—that we don't self-destruct."

 

Notes: Kevin Harvick spun Joey Logano on the final lap and finished fifth, his 123rd top five in the series, tying him for the career lead with Tommy Houston. … Allgaier's win was the first for Dodge in the NASCAR Nationwide Series since Aug. 24, 2007 at Bristol. It was the first 1-2 finish for Dodge in the series since July 30, 2005 at Gateway International Raceway.

(Release by Reid Spencer - NASCAR Sporting News Wire Service)

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Ryan Truex to run 6 Nationwide races for MWR

Happy Birthday, Ryan Truex. Welcome to the Nationwide Series.

Truex, the reigning K&N Filters Pro Series East champion, will run six Nationwide races in 2010 for Michael Waltrip Racing, the team announced this week. Truex turned 18 on Thursday, making him eligible to compete in NASCAR's top developmental series.

In addition to his Nationwide stint, Truex will run a full schedule in the East Series as he attempts to defend his title. Truex won three races in the former Camping World East Series en route to his championship last season.

“I’m a racer and the best present anyone can give me is a chance to race,” Truex said. “Now I have a full plate of racing in the East Series in 2010 and six Nationwide races. Our eye is on running full-time Nationwide in 2011, so I couldn’t be happier.”

 

Truex's Nationwide debut will be July 17 at Gateway International Raceway. He is also scheduled to compete in the events at Michigan, Richmond, Kansas, the fall Charlotte race and Homestead-Miami Speedway. MWR is seeking sponsorship for those six races and for a full-time Nationwide ride for Truex in 2011.

Team co-owner Michael Waltrip said Truex is ready for the challenge of racing in the Nationwide Series.

“Ryan Truex gave Michael Waltrip Racing its first championship last season when he won the K&N Filters Pro Series East championship so he’ll always be my hero,” Waltrip said. “He’s a fantastic young driver and we feel he is ready to step up to the Nationwide Series." 

 

The East Series 2010 season opener will be March 27 at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in South Carolina. The race will be broadcast on April 1 at 6 p.m. ET on SPEED.

Truex is the younger brother of NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr. The elder Truex pilots the No. 56 NAPA Toyota for MWR in the Sprint Cup Series.

 

Information from Michael Waltrip Racing press release 

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Harvick looking for piece of history (Nationwide Series)

When the Nationwide Series returns to action Saturday after a couple of weekends off, many eyes will surely be on Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski to see whether or not the two drivers have put their differences aside after their brush up in the Kobalt Tools 500 Sprint Cup Series event at Atlanta Motor Speedway a couple of weeks ago. Meanwhile, Kevin Harvick will attempt to quietly improve his already stellar record in Thunder Valley and maybe grab a little piece of history along the way.

Harvick is already the Nationwide Series win leader at Bristol with five trips to victory lane. If he can get number six in Saturday's Scotts Turf Builder 300, or at least finish in the top-five, he'll tie series legend Tommy Houston for all-time top-five finishes in the series at 123.


The rest of this story can be read at NASCAR Nationwide Series Examiner.

Photo of Kevin Harvick courtesy of NASCAR Media.

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TwoCents and Five Questions with Brian Vickers

Brian Vickers, driver of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota in the Sprint Cup Series and the No. 32 Dollar General Toyota in the Nationwide Series, has been racing since he was 8 and made his NASCAR Nationwide (then Busch) Series debut in 2001. In 2003, he landed a Busch series ride with Hendrick Motorsports and eventually moved up to their Cup program, driving their No. 25 car and finishing the car in the best points position in a decade. He was definitely making a name for himself and in 2007, headed over to newly-formed Red Bull Racing. It was a tough start, but in 2009, Vickers found his pace, getting his first win and making the Chase for the Sprint Cup (he ended 12th in points – last place). But the future looks bright.

When he's not driving at nearly 200 mph every weekend, he is participating in Red Bull adventures like skydiving and scuba diving and enjoys going to live sporting events. And now, I suppose, you can add acting to that list, after his guest spot on the TBS series My Boys. Vickers was nice enough to speak with TheTwoCents about his role on the show, what sports he enjoys, things he likes about Chicago and more.

Read the entire article at thetwocents.com.

This post also appears on thetwocents.com and has been republished with permission from the author.

Photo courtesy of nascarmedia.com.

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KHI announces sponsor commitments from Ollie's Bargain Outlet, Pinnacle Foods

Kevin Harvick Inc. welcomes a new sponsor, Ollie's Bargain Outlet, and the renewal of another, Pinnacle Foods LLC, for its No. 33 Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series this year.

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, the Mid-Atlantic’s largest retailer of closeouts and salvage merchandise, will be the primary sponsor of the No. 33 for the May 15 race at Dover International Speedway.

“To have Ollie’s Bargain Outlet join KHI is exciting as we continue to grow in this sport,” KHI co-owner Kevin Harvick said. “It’s always exciting to announce a new partnership and I can’t wait to get to Dover to drive their car. We haven’t gotten the finishes we wanted the last few times at Dover, but hopefully we can change that this year with Ollie’s on board and knock out my first career Nationwide Series win at the Monster Mile.”

In addition to driving the No. 33 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Chevrolet, Harvick will also make appearances at select Ollie’s Bargain Outlet new store openings this season, as the retailer of “Good Stuff Cheap” gears up to bring one-of-a-kind values to new locations in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Pinnacle Foods LLC will continue its commitment to KHI for the second consecutive year, with Armour Canned Meats serving as the No. 33's primary sponsor for two events and as an associate sponsor for the entire 2010 season. The Armour blue and gold car will be on track at Nashville Superspeedway on April 3 and Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 10, both with Harvick behind the wheel.

In their only primary event in 2009, Armour became a part of one of Harvick’s most memorable Nationwide Series races. At the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Harvick led 46 laps in the No. 33 Armour Chevrolet on his way to his first career Nationwide win in a KHI-owned car and fifth career series win at the famous short track.

“We’re excited to have Armour foods back with the Nationwide program this year,” Harvick said. “Last year they were a part of a very special weekend for me in my racing career as I got my first Nationwide Series win in a KHI car. The Pinnacle Foods brands have become a part of the KHI family in both the Nationwide and Truck Series, and I look forward to continuing our success this season both on and off the track.”

Information from Kevin Harvick Inc. press releases

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Nationwide Series-only drivers faring well

Three races into the 2010 season, the NASCAR Nationwide Series regulars find themselves with some extended time off -- two consecutive Saturdays to be exact -- to evaluate where they are and where they need to be for a successful 2010 campaign.

At least three Nationwide Series-only drivers find themselves in pretty good position. After three races that were all filled with Sprint Cup Series regulars, three Nationwide-only drivers find themselves among the top-10 in points prior to any stand-alone events and among Sprint Cup regulars who do not plan to run the entire Nationwide schedule and will surely drop out of the top-10 after a few stand-alone events.

Read the rest of this article at Nationwide Series News, Notes & Rumors.

Photo of Justin Allgaier by Amanda Vincent.

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Lady Luck on Harvick’s Side in Vegas

LAS VEGAS — The best car in the Sam's Town 300 finally got to the front — just in time to win the race.

Frustrated by slow stops on pit road and a variety of different tire strategies on the part of his competitors, Harvick passed Denny Hamlin for the lead with 25 laps left in Saturday's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and pulled away to beat Hamlin by 1.361 seconds.

Though he won the race his pit crew didn’t perform up to Harvick’s standards on Saturday (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)

The victory was Harvick's first of the season and the 35th of his career, second best all-time in NASCAR's Nationwide Series.

Carl Edwards ran third, polesitter Brad Keselowski fourth and Brian Vickers fifth. Trevor Bayne, Justin Allgaier, Paul Menard, Greg Biffle and Steve Wallace completed the top 10. Danica Patrick fell out of the race after a crash on Lap 83 and finished 36th in her final NASCAR race before returning full-time to the IndyCar Series.

Fortunately for Harvick, his No. 33 Chevrolet had enough muscle to overcome what crew chief Ernie Cope termed the team's "worst day ever" on pit road. Harvick lost spots on every exchange of pit stops.

Harvick crosses the finish line ahead of Denny Hamlin (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)

"The car was really fast," said Harvick, who led a race-high 82 laps, most of them early in the race before getting burned by the lackluster work in the pits. "We've definitely got some work to do on pit road, but, fortunately, the car was fast enough.

"I get mad, and they (the crew) know how I am and what I expect of them. … But you can only gripe about it so long, and then you have to go back and drive the car."

Kyle Busch led 43 laps and was chasing Harvick and Hamlin during the final 25-lap green-flag run before contact with the wall in Turn 2 slowed his progress and dropped him to 16th at the finish. Busch, however, had the strongest car at the midpoint of the 200-lap race and led Vickers by 3.537 seconds when NASCAR yellow-flagged the race for the fourth time on Lap 104 because of a light rain shower.

Harvick leads the pack in Satuday’s NNS race from Las Vegas 

That caution came 21 laps after Patrick's No. 7 Chevrolet slammed into the outside wall, thanks to contact from Michael McDowell's Dodge. Patrick, who pitted for fuel on Lap 17 and ran as high as third during a cycle of green-flag stops, had returned to the track with fresh tires and was closing quickly on McDowell, who was logging laps after blowing a tire and hitting the wall on Lap 16.

Danica Patrick and Michael McDowell tangle to end both driver’s days

As Patrick ducked to the inside to make the pass, McDowell turned down and took away her line.

"Holy (expletive)! He (expletive) turned down," Patrick fumed on the radio right after the wreck. "He's got a broken rear bumper, and he's (expletive) trying to race!"

McDowell took full responsibility for the incident, which relegated Patrick to a 36th-place finish in her final Nationwide race before her scheduled return to the series at New Hampshire in June.

"It was completely 100-percent my fault," McDowell said. "The closing rate was so much, there just wasn't much time to make a decision."


Note: Edwards retained the series points lead by 41 over second-place Keselowski, 48 over Vickers in third and 56 over Allgaier in fourth.


(Recap courtesy of Reid Spencer – Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service)


Here are the final standings for the Sam’s Town 300 from LVMS

1. Kevin Harvick
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Carl Edwards
4. Brad Keselowski
5. Brian VIckers
6. Trevor Bayne
7. Justin Allgaier
8. Paul Menard
9. Greg Biffle
10. Steve Wallace
11. Mike Wallace
12. Jason Leffler
13. Brendan Gaughan
14. Scott Riggs
15. John Wes Townley
16. Kyle Busch
17. Scott Lagasse Jr.
18. Joe Nemechek
19. Josh Wise
20. Shelby Howard
21. Eric McClure
22. Tony Raines
23. Danny Efland
24. Stanton Barrett
25. Willie Allen
26. Robert Richarson Jr.
27. Mike Bliss
28. Colin Braun
29. James Buescher
30. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
31. Brian Scott
32. Brian Keseloski
33. Michael Annett
34. Kenny Wallace
35. Parker Kligerman
36. Danica Patrick
37. Kevin Lepage
38. Danny O’Quinn Jr.
39. Michael McDowell
40. Chad Blount
41. Mark Green
42. Kelly Bires
43. Dennis Setzer

Top 10 Points

1. Carl Edwards (505)
2. Brad Keselowski (464)
3. Brian Vickers (457)
4. Justin Allgaier (449)
5. Kyle Busch (424)
6. Steve Wallace (423)
7. Kevin Harvick (414)
8. Greg Biffle (408)
9. Paul Menard (398)
10. Scott Riggs (359)

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