Monthly Archives: April 2024

Matt Kenseth celebrates with a burnout after winning the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway in 2013.  [Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images]

By Dan Margetta and John Wiedemann

After the high speed drama of Talladega, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the Heartland Saturday night as the Kansas Speedway hosts the 5 Hour Energy 400.

5-Hour Energy 400 Benefiting Special Operations Warrior Foundation Kansas Speedway 400.5 miles (267 laps) Saturday, May 10 7:30 pm ET FOX, 7 pm ET

MRN, Sirius XM Ch. 90

It’s the first event held under the lights at the Kansas Speedway and the high horsepower track should provide for some exciting competition as the Sprint Cup drivers battle for one of just seven remaining slots in the Chase for the Championship.

With eight winners so far this season earning Chase spots, expect the intensity to ramp up among those who have yet to win as the time to fill the remaining positions begins to run thin.

Here are some drivers and storylines to watch this Saturday night at Kansas…

Brad Keselowski
Dan Margetta: The Penske cars have proven to be awfully strong at the 1.5 mile tracks this season as evidenced by Brad Keselowski’s win in Las Vegas and Joey Logano’s triumph in Texas. Keselowski already owns a Kansas victory and after a dismal Talladega performance that left many of his peers questioning his abilities, expect Keselowski to be fired up for a chance at redemption. Don’t expect those most affected by his Talladega actions to cut him any breaks however, and he may have to rely on the proven Penske horsepower to keep them in his rear view mirror. Brad Keselowski should be strong Saturday night and could very well be the car to beat in the Five Hour Energy 400.

Greg Biffle
John Wiedemann: While Jimmie Johnson is the best driver statistically at Kansas, Greg Biffle is right there on his bumper. A two-time winner on the Kansas Speedway, Biffle is looking to continue where he left off last week. A second place finish at Talladega, his fourth top ten of the season, bumped him up two positions in the point standings to eighth. Of course everyone is looking for a win this season to get themselves hopefully locked into the Chase but another solid top five would be great consistency for Biffle and the 16 team to build on.

Jimmie Johnson
DM: Jimmie Johnson and the #48 team are entering uncharted territory, having gone this deep in the season without a victory and not that many dominating runs. It’s been a long time since this team didn’t scare anybody and based on some recent testy exchanges between driver and crew chief, the frustration could be creeping in. If Jimmie Johnson is still king of the block on the Sprint Cup Series, Saturday night would be a good time to show it as Johnson owns two Kansas wins to go along with six top five finishes. His 7.5 average finishing position is the best in the garage and a win Saturday night would remind everyone this is still the driver and team to beat on the tour.

Jeff Gordon
JW: Leaving Talladega with a wrecked car and 39th place finish was not desirable for Jeff Gordon, but leaving with the point lead was a bit of good news. Another two-time winner at the Kansas track, Gordon has done alright this year, if you throw out the Talladega race he hasn’t finished worse than 13th and has been in contention to win numerous races. But, getting that victory is of utmost importance for Gordon since being without a win could leave him out of the Chase. Gordon’s main competition this weekend could be his teammates which will add to the drama as well.

Kyle Busch
DM: Kyle Busch attempts to tackle his nemesis in the Kansas Speedway one more time on Saturday night. Kansas has not been kind to Busch and it’s beginning to become his kryptonite. Last season Busch crashed out of both Kansas events and severely derailed his championship hopes. He has yet to score a top five finish here and his best result to date has been a 7th place finish. This season however, Busch did run relatively well at the other 1.5 mile tracks and his California victory is significant as it came on another high horsepower track like Kansas. A win Saturday night would erase the Kansas demons and set Kyle Busch and the #18 team up for a strong summer run heading into the Chase.

Matt Kenseth
JW: I’m sure he isn’t worried about it, but the media and fans are wondering when Matt Kenseth will find victory lane this year. Well, victory just might be in the cards this weekend for the defending race champion. Before the mayhem that is Talladega, Kenseth was on a streak of five finishes between fourth and seventh. Kenseth currently is second in the point standings, just three points behind Jeff Gordon. Add that recent success to the fact that Kenseth is a two time winner at Kansas and it is plain to see that Kenseth will be a contender this weekend and likely in victory lane.

Clint Bowyer
DM: No one wants to win at Kansas more than Clint Bowyer. As the famous movie saying goes, “There’s no place like home,” and no doubt the Kansas native will have many friends and family on hand this weekend. He has yet to find victory lane here however, as his best finish has been a close 2nd. He was 8th at Texas and has had some decent runs on the 1.5 mile tracks, but this team has a reputation for running aggressive set-ups especially in the camber area. That should make Bowyer fast on the track, but tip toeing with tire issues is the trade off and how far they go Saturday night could be the difference between an extremely popular Kansas win or another disappointment in the Heartland.

Carl Edwards
JW: Carl Edwards considers Kansas Speedway his home track and even without a win, his stats say there is no place like home. With a win in his pocket already, Edwards can let it loose at Kansas Speedway. And, I can’t think about Kansas without remembering the time he bounced the car off the wall – intentionally – in an effort to take the lead away from Jimmie Johnson. With a spot close to locked up in the Chase, we may see the same excitement from Edwards on Saturday night.

Kyle Larson
DM: The Sprint Cup Series rookies have been outstanding this season and Kyle Larson has definitely energized the #42 team. If Larson is going to find victory lane as a rookie, Kansas is the type of track for him to do it. Larson’s results on other high horsepower tracks have been very good this season with a fifth place finish at Texas and a strong second place result at California. Look for the #42 car to be hooked up in the high line this weekend and when the checkered flag falls Saturday night, the rookie with 25-1 odds to win this week, could be going home with the trophy and solidifying his place in the Chase.

Denny Hamlin
JW: last week’s winner Denny Hamlin could be ready to start a streak and go on a roll. The 2012 spring winner at Kansas Speedway has had a mixed bag of results at the track in eleven races. Averaging about a fifteenth place finish, Hamlin has two other top fives to go with his win. Hamlin started out hot at Daytona and quickly cooled, but even though last weekend was another restrictor-plate success I believe he might be heating up again for summer time. It may be going out on a limb with Hamlin, but he just might surprise everyone.

American Le Mans & Champ Car World Series Make for Unique ?Doubleheader?

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin ? For the third year in a row, Generac Power Systems is sponsoring a major auto racing event on August 9-12 at the legendary Road America race track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin?.but this weekend is extra special. For the first time in its fifty year history, Road America is hosting two of North America?s premier racing events on consecutive days for a remarkable motorsports doubleheader ? the Generac Power Weekend. This event will feature two different but equally prominent forms of racing, the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and Champ Car World Series. Generac Power Systems of Waukesha, Wisconsin ? a manufacturer of standby power products ? is primary sponsor of the event.

?We are very pleased to sponsor the biggest event ever held at Road America,? says William Treffert, Generac?s CEO. ?Seeing the finest drivers in the world on track with the latest racing technology is exciting. Because of our focus on power generation and engine design, this is a natural fit for us.? Generac is one of the premier manufacturers of standby generators for recreational vehicle (RV), residential, commercial and industrial applications. The company also designs and builds its own line of single and twin cylinder OHVI (Overhead Valve Industrial) engines.

Saturday?s schedule features a full day of qualifying and competition, including Formula BMW and Star Mazda races. The day?s premier event, the Generac 500 American Le Mans Series race, will begin at 4 PM. This 4-hour race will be run as afternoon turns into evening, with the setting sun as a dramatic backdrop to the 8 PM finish. As dusk turns to darkness, a colorful fireworks display will light up the night as a dramatic conclusion to the day?s activities.

On Sunday, Formula BMW and Champ Car Atlantic races will set the stage for the big event at 2 PM ? the Generac Champ Car Grand Prix, featuring open wheel Indy-style cars. This is the 10th race in the Champ Car World Series and all of the series? big name drivers will be there, including Sebastien Bourdais, Paul Tracy, Alex Tagliani, Oriol Servia and Graham Rahal.

The American Le Mans Series (www.americanlemans.com) is among North America?s premier racing campaigns, featuring an assortment of cars that are built to the specifications of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world?s most famous endurance race. A number of ALMS teams travel to France each June to compete in that event. Each car is shared by two drivers who take turns handling the driving duties. The Road America race will be the 8th of 12 ALMS events this season.

The Champ Car World Series (www.champcarworldseries.com) features high horsepower open wheel cars that compete on many of the world?s most famous race tracks. This event will be the 10th of the year, with 6 races remaining.

Road America (www.roadamerica.com) enjoys a reputation as one of the most driver- and fan-friendly racetracks in the world. Its four mile length makes it one of the longest road courses in North America and its setting amidst rolling, wooded hills marks it as one of the most scenic tracks anywhere. For more information on the track or the entire weekend schedule, go online to roadamerica.com

Several of the weekend races will be televised ?

ALMS Saturday August 11 Delayed broadcast August 12 on NBC Sports at 1:30 pm CDT

Champ Car Sunday, August 12 Live on ABC at 2 PM CDT

Star Mazda Saturday August 11 Delayed broadcast August 18 on SPEED at 3 PM CDT

Champ Car Atlantic Sunday August 12 Delayed broadcast August 22 on ESPN2 at 4 PM CDT

Generac will be providing hospitality on both days of the weekend, hosting its dealers on Saturday and its employees and media guests on Sunday. Generac products will be on display along with the company?s 53? ?Power Trip? show truck and demonstration trailer.

For more information on the event, contact Julie Sebranek at Road America (920-893-4206) or Laura Derpinghaus at Generac Power Systems (262-544-4811, extension 2920).

Headquartered in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Generac Power Systems is a leading manufacturer of diesel and gaseous-fueled engine-driven power generation equipment, modular paralleling systems, automatic transfer switches, and small engines for recreational vehicle, commercial, telecommunications, and industrial applications. Generac?s standby power systems range in output from 3 to 7000 kilowatts. For more information on Generac or its products, visit www.generac.com.

• Daytona Beach, FL ? Juan Pablo Montoya topped the speed charts in the first of three days…

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Big crowds at St Pete. [Photo by Eddie LePine]

By Eddie LePine

Just back from the opening round of the NTT IndyCar Series race at St. Petersburg, and what an event it was. Massive crowds, much larger than I can recall in the past (and I have been coming here since the first race some 20 years ago).

Happy 86th Birthday to the Captain, Roger Penske. [Photo by Eddie LePine]

A huge field of 27 cars were on hand to contest the first race of the 2023 season, and everyone had high hopes going into the new year. After the first lap of the race, however, a number of team’s hopes were dashed as a first lap incident took out several cars, including a couple from Andretti Autosport and both cars from Meyer Shank Racing. Later incidents took several others out of contention and at the end of the day, a number of teams were looking at pretty large repair bills to get their equipment back together for the next race.

In the end Marcus Ericsson of Ganassi Racing took the win over the unlucky Pato O’Ward in the Arrow McLaren, who suffered what you might call an engine hiccup/fire with just two laps remaining in the race. It was just enough to open the door for last year’s Indy 500 winner Ericsson to make the pass and take the victory. Scott Dixon, also in a Ganassi car, took third, followed by Alexander Rossi. For others, including Andretti Autosport’s pole sitter Romain Grosjean, it was a very disappointing day. Grosjean was taken out by Scott McLaughlin while dicing for the lead of the race. All in all, a very disappointing and expensive day for Andretti Autosport.

Ericsson after the race: “I feel bad for Pato for having an issue, but that’s racing. You need to get there to the finish line. We were having such a good weekend, the car was fantastic all the way through and wer were hunting him down, putting the pressure on him and that’s when things happen. It’s a hell of a start to the season.”

It would be nice if a couple of changes could be made to the St. Petersburg street circuit, as every year cars keep getting caught out and crashed out in the same tight turns. The NTT IndyCar Series features some of the best racing and best drivers anywhere, it is a shame to see the limitations of a circuit play a large role in the outcome of an event.

The Netflix effect was quite evident at St. Pete – there were lots of fans, and from what I could tell, a lot of new fans. Speaking with a number of people, it was agreed that the Netflix ‘Drive to Survive’ Formula One series is having an effect on the fan base for IndyCar in the US as well. A lot of people were exposed to open wheel racing by watching the Netflix series, and the NTT IndyCar Series lets those new fans experience racing close up and personal.

Next up for the series, Texas Motor Speedway on April 2. Everyone’s cars will be repaired or replaced by the time the Texas race rolls around and hopefully there will be fewer on track incidents. Then it’s on to the street circuit at Long Beach, where I will be on hand to report on America’s Monaco. I’m certain those Netflix fans will show up in force in California.

See you there.

Eddie has been involved in motorsports for over 30 years as photographer, columnist, and driver. Eddie also is now a retired racer (well, retired unless a good ride pops up).

Murry is Seeking First Win in Two Different Series

ATHENS, Ga. (August 3, 2021) – With the second half of the 2021 race season looming, driver Dylan Murry is clearly anxious to notch his first victories in both the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the Porsche Carrera Cup North America series.

“This year has been going great, but I’m definitely ready to finally take that top step after four podiums and near wins this year,” said the Athens, Georgia resident as he prepared for this weekend’s IMSA Sportscar Weekend at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. “I am running two different series this year, so I’m getting a lot of seat time, which is great. I can’t wait to give it everything we have for the rest of the season.”

As he’s done previously, Murry will perform double duty at Road America in both the Riley Motorsports Ligier JS P320 (LMP3 class) and the BGB Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.

The son of former sports car world champion, David Murry, he’s currently tied for third in the LMP3 driver standings with co-driver Jim Cox and is seventh in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America Pro driver standings.

“We have been increasing our performance throughout the year,” said Murry of his season thus far. “We get stronger each race. We haven’t had the best of luck for some of the races this year, but all in all, we have been extremely strong and have been proving our speed.”

Murry has dealt with the vast performance differences that both the LMP3 car and the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car present, while managing his time between the two series.

“It definitely has been a little challenging going back and forth between the cars,” said Murry. “I have been trying to separate my time equally between the cars. The good thing is that there are multiple drivers with the LMP3, so if my sessions are back-to-back, my co-driver can start or finish the practice sessions in WeatherTech.

“It’s definitely different between the Porsche and Liger. They both have the same acceleration, but the side G forces are much more in the Ligier. It doesn’t take a lot of time to get used to each car again, but there are some tracks that are more different than others. Going into Road America, I think that track will be a lot different between the two cars. Going through the kink, we are full throttle at over 150 mph in the LMP3, but in the Porsche, we’re going to have to be using the brakes for that corner. It will definitely take some time to get used to that specific corner in each car.”

While the emphasis is on finishing the 2021 campaign strong, Murry already has his sights set on the 2022 season.

“I hope next year will be even more exciting than this year, which is pretty hard to do,” he said. “I am really hoping to get my first factory drive for next year. I’ve been working very hard to try and put something big together and we will see where it goes.

“I have my hopes up that each year will keep getting better and better, bigger and bigger. I’m so thankful for how my career is accelerating right now, and I have more drive than ever to continue that growth.”

Ryan Blaney practices for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. [Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway]

By Dan Margetta and John Wiedemann

The first Saturday night race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season kicks off this weekend as the Texas Motor Speedway hosts the Duck Commander 500. Texas marks a return to the 1.5 mile oval configuration tracks and the race under the lights on Saturday should produce some high speeds.

Duck Commander 500 Texas Motor Speedway 501 miles (334 laps) Saturday, April 9 7:30pm ET FOX, 7pm ET

PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

While Texas is similar to the other 1.5 mile tracks in size and configuration, it tends to race a bit differently characteristic wise than the others and the low downforce aerodynamic rules package could shake things up.

So far this season only Jimmie Johnson has multiple victories and statistically he is the best at Texas, but one thing we have learned this year is to never take anything for granted and there are plenty of others ready to step up and stake their claim to Johnson’s Texas reign.

Here are some drivers to watch Saturday night in the Duck Commander 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway….

Brad Keselowski (Dan Margetta)
I know everyone is on the Jimmie Johnson band wagon when it comes to Texas, but Brad Keselowski is a driver to keep your eye on this week. He has yet to win here and comes in at 8-1 odds but in the last Texas race, he led the most laps before losing the victory to Johnson who passed him with four laps to go. Then think back to Las Vegas, a track similar to Texas, where Johnson led the most laps only to see Keselowski charge late and take the win. Keselowski has four top five finishes at Texas with three of those coming in the last four races here and he has matched Jimmie Johnson on the track but unlike Johnson he hasn’t closed the deal for the victories. That could change Saturday night in Texas and I’m picking Brad Keselowski for the win.

Carl Edwards (John Wiedemann)
Carl Edwards is my pick for the win this weekend. I have been consistent that the Joe Gibbs Racing cars are going to be the ones to beat pretty much week in and week out, and this week is Edwards turn in victory lane. Edwards already has three wins at Texas and the fifth best driver ranking in the series at the mile and a half oval. Edwards has had all top ten finishes this season with the exception of Las Vegas, which I suppose should throw a wrench into my prediction being it is another 1.5 mile track. But, I am going to look at his top five at Atlanta along with past success at Texas to bolster my forecast. He will probably have to battle his teammates for the win this weekend but I believe that Edwards will prevail and notch his first victory of the season.

Matt Kenseth (DM)
If it wasn’t for his bad luck this season, I would make Matt Kenseth my first pick for the Texas win Saturday night. Kenseth has two victories at Texas and holds thirteen top five finishes and seventeen top ten results. He owns the best average finishing position at Texas and has the second best driver rating. He comes in at 7-1 odds but so far this season the Racing Gods haven’t been kind to him as each week he has performed strong only to fall victim to some form of bad luck at the end. He led the white flag lap at Daytona, had a pit error and black flag ruin Atlanta, crashed late in Vegas, and last week found himself in the weak outside groove at Martinsville despite having the best car late in the race. The good news for Kenseth is Texas is a good place to turn that luck around and after making numerous deposits in the luck bank this season he may be ready for a withdrawal on Saturday night. He should have his best finish of the season and if all goes right, maybe his first victory.

Jimmie Johnson (JW)
Yup, we definitely need to include Jimmie Johnson as a driver to watch this weekend as he looks to win his fourth race in a row at Texas. It may be jumping on the bandwagon but it is a pretty big wagon built on the fact that Texas is another track that Johnson is dominant at. It didn’t work for him last week at Martinsville but I believe his Texas dominance is a little different. Johnson has six wins at Texas, double the next closest driver, including victories in five of the last seven races at TMS. Next, look at this season with his victory at Atlanta and third place finish at Las Vegas, where he led the most laps, and his intermediate oval program is obviously at the top of the charts. I already picked Edwards for the win this weekend, but looking at the stats – maybe I should have picked Johnson.

Martin Truex Jr. (DM)
Martin Truex Jr. is another driver who has raced up front all season without any victories to show for it. His Texas record isn’t bad as he has two top five finishes and ten finishes in the top ten. He’s listed at 15-1 odds this week and he did put up top ten finishes in both Texas races last year. This season with technical help from Joe Gibbs Racing, Truex has improved even more and he could surprise some people on Saturday night. The Gibbs cars have run well at Texas and Truex should benefit from the alliance. It also helps to have crew chief Cole Pearn on top the pit box. If you are looking for a driver coming in under the radar this weekend at Texas, Martin Truex Jr. is your guy.

Joey Logano (JW)
Besides being NASCAR’s most popular gremlin, Joey Logano is a pretty awesome driver on 1.5 mile tracks. Looking at the last couple years, Logano is at the top of the field in results at the “cookie cutter” tracks. In the last five races at Texas Motor Speedway, Logano is the only driver to get a victory other than Jimmie Johnson when Joey took the win in the 2014 spring race. Team Penske hasn’t been consistent lately and Logano has been in and out of the top ten, switching each week. Staying with the pattern, this is his week to be in the top ten plus Logano has a streak of top five finishes in his last three Texas spring races. Look for a run at the pole as well as Logano being in contention for the victory this weekend.

Austin Dillon (DM)
With generous 30-1 odds this weekend, make sure you take a serious look at Austin Dillon as your long shot pick. Dillon does not have a good record at Texas as his average finishing position is 21st, but those stats do not reflect the huge improvement Dillon and the #3 team have undertaken this season. Dillon has worked well with crew chief Slugger Labbe and that chemistry is very close to paying off with a victory. Dillon finished fifth at Las Vegas, a track very similar to Texas, and he is coming off another top five performance last week at Martinsville. It is becoming a matter of “when” and not “if” Austin Dillon will win a race and there is a strong chance that first victory could come at Texas on Saturday night.

Ryan Blaney (JW)
There is a really good race going on to see who will be the next first time winner on the Sprint Cup Series with drivers like Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott looking to make their mark in the series. These drivers are the future start of the sport and any one of them could drive to victory this weekend. Blaney is the driver that stands out to me. While Blaney ran a partial schedule last season, he showed good speed and the final results didn’t necessarily show how well he raced. The same is true this season as he embarks on his first full Sprint Cup Series season of racing, although the final results are starting to show. Last season at Texas was a good example as Blaney lost an engine early in the spring race and was knocked out of the fall race by an early accident. Look for big things from this driver and I think he will be the first of the “young gun” group to find victory lane.

THE RACE: Wonderful Pistachios 400 THE PLACE: Richmond International Raceway

GREEN FLAG: Saturday, September 10, 2011 – 7:43pm/et, 6:43/ct

It’s back to old-fashioned Saturday night at the races this weekend as Sprint Cup drivers head to Richmond Virginia for the second and final time this season. Drivers will make 400 circuits around this low-banked (14 degrees), 3/4-mile D-shaped oval. This is the final race for drivers to qualify for the 12-driver, 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. With multiple teams either on the bubble or still in contention for a Chase birth, fans have reason to be keyed up.

The following drivers have the best odds of pulling out a top finish this weekend. The rankings are based on drivers’ history at this track including practice & qualifying runs, key in-race stats and final results. Drivers’ history at tracks of similar size and layout are included. Then by factoring in results from the last month of racing, the ever-powerful momentum is captured. Finally, drivers get a mulligan. The occasional “off” race won’t unduly harm them in the rankings.

TOP TWENTYFIVE 1) 18 Kyle Busch 2) 24 Jeff Gordon 3) 48 Jimmie Johnson 4) 11 Denny Hamlin 5) 39 Ryan Newman 6) 33 Clint Bowyer 7) 29 Kevin Harvick 8) 99 Carl Edwards 9) 14 Tony Stewart 10) 2 Brad Keselowski 11) 43 A.J. Allmendinger 12) 5 Mark Martin 13) 56 Martin Truex Jr. 14) 17 Matt Kenseth 15) 31 Jeff Burton 16) 4 Kasey Kahne 17) 20 Joey Logano 18) 42 Juan Pablo Montoya 19) 22 Kurt Busch 20) 9 Marcos Ambrose 21) 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 22) 1 Jamie McMurray 23) 83 Brian Vickers 24) 16 Greg Biffle

25) 6 David Ragan

RICHMOND DRIVER STATS Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet) • One win, one top five, six top 10s • Average finish of 9.5 • Average Running Position of 10.5, fourth-best • Driver Rating of 97.9, fourth-best • Average Green Flag Speed of 116.499 mph, seventh-fastest • 3,471 Laps in the Top 15 (78.7%), seventh-most

• 345 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fourth-most

Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet) • One win, nine top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 14.4 • Average Running Position of 15.2, 10th-best • Driver Rating of 86.6, 12th-best • 613 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most • 3,267 Laps in the Top 15 (62.7%), eighth-most

• 298 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Kurt Busch (No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge) • One win, three top fives, six top 10s • Average finish of 18.0 • Average Running Position of 14.6, ninth-best • Driver Rating of 91.2, ninth-best • 272 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 116.527 mph, fifth-fastest • 3,114 Laps in the Top 15 (59.8%), 10th-most

• 323 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota) • Three wins, 11 top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 4.9 • Average Running Position of 7.1, second-best • Driver Rating of 116.0, second-best • 440 Fastest Laps Run, second-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 116.938 mph, second-fastest • 4,641 Laps in the Top 15 (89.1%), second-most

• 369 Quality Passes, second-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet) • Three wins, eight top fives, 10 top 10s • Average finish of 14.3 • Average Running Position of 15.8, 11th-best • Driver Rating of 84.2, 13th-best • 265 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most • 678 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most

• 275 Quality Passes, 13th-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet) • Two wins, 14 top fives, 23 top 10s; five poles • Average finish of 14.8 • Average Running Position of 13.1, seventh-best • Driver Rating of 97.8, fifth-best • 269 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 116.516 mph, sixth-fastest • 3,492 Laps in the Top 15 (67.0%), sixth-most

• 282 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota) • Two wins, six top fives, seven top 10s; two poles • Average finish of 7.5 • Series-best Average Running Position of 5.2 • Series-best Driver Rating of 120.4 • Series-high 493 Fastest Laps Run • Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 117.024 mph • 4,215 Laps in the Top 15 (95.6%), third-most

• 317 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet) • One win, five top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 12.0 • Average Running Position of 7.7, third-best • Driver Rating of 110.2, third-best • 358 Fastest Laps Run, third-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 116.801 mph, third-fastest • Series-high 4,768 Laps in the Top 15 (91.5%)

• Series-high 420 Quality Passes

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Power of Pride Chevrolet) • Three wins, five top fives, seven top 10s; two poles • Average finish of 16.5 • Average Running Position of 16.2, 12th-best • Driver Rating of 88.7, 10th-best • 173 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 116.332 mph, 11th-fastest • 2,843 Laps in the Top 15 (54.6%), 12th-most

• 285 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 4 Red Bull Toyota) • One win, three top fives, six top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 17.9 • Driver Rating of 88.2, 11th-best • 258 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most • 617 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 116.365 mph, 10th-fastest • 2,978 Laps in the Top 15 (57.2%), 11th-most

• 291 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Mark Martin (No. 5 Quaker State/GoDaddy.com Chevrolet) • One win, 17 top fives, 27 top 10s; four poles • Average finish of 12.2 • Average Running Position of 13.4, eighth-best • Driver Rating of 92.2, eighth-best • 149 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 116.482 mph, eighth-fastest

• 3,169 Laps in the Top 15 (60.8%), ninth-most

Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet) • One win, five top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 11.8 • Average Running Position of 11.1, fifth-best • Driver Rating of 92.6, seventh-best • 586 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 116.415 mph, ninth-fastest • 4,177 Laps in the Top 15 (80.2%), fourth-most

• 362 Quality Passes, third-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet) • Three wins, nine top fives, 16 top 10s • Average finish of 11.0 • Average Running Position of 12.2, sixth-best • Driver Rating of 95.9, sixth-best • 197 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most • 627 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 116.612 mph, fourth-fastest • 3,637 Laps in the Top 15 (69.8%), fifth-most

• 343 Quality Passes, fifth-most

RICHMOND HIGHLIGHTS • Lee Petty won the first race in April 1953. • Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with five poles. • Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Terry Labonte and Jimmie Johnson lead active race winners with three wins. • 63 of 110 races have been won from the top five starting positions, including 22 from the pole. • The last driver to win from the pole was Kyle Busch in 2010. • The furthest back in the field a race winner has started was 31st, by Clint Bowyer in the 2008 spring race. • Kyle Busch (4.9), Denny Hamlin (7.5) and Clint Bowyer (9.5) are the only active drivers with an average finish in the top 10. • Three of the last four races have had a margin of victory less than one second.

• Four drivers have come from outside the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup cut-off to make the Chase at Richmond: Jeremy Mayfield in 2004, Ryan Newman in 2005, Kasey Kahne in 2006, and Brian Vickers in 2009.

Cup CornerNASCARRon Engel

When the legendary Jim Hurtubise first appeared at Wisconsin State Fair Park (a.k.a. The Milwaukee Mile), on June 5, 1960, a mere 45 plus years ago, no one was quite sure what to expect. Only a few weeks earlier, the virtually unknown little dynamo from North Tonawanda, NY had electrified the racing world by smashing the track record during qualifying for his rookie appearance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Then, in his first 500, ‘Herk’ charged into the top ten early, running as high as fifth before running out of oil near the end. How would this new “wild man” handle the challenge of Milwaukee’s flat oval?

On June 5, 1960, at the annual Rex Mays Classic, the answer came quickly. As Herk roared past Bill Vandewater’s green flag to begin his qualification run, it became obvious that his plans for the day included another New Track Record! Unfortunately, the four Firestone tires on the beautiful #56 Travelon Trailer Watson designed Offy roadster didn’t agree. Following the resulting spin and wall-brushing in turn one, the USAC officials sat the hot rookie down for a serious heart-to-heart. Basically, Hurtubise was told he would be allowed to take his remaining qualifying lap ONLY if he would agree to be considerably more . mmm,’reserved’ in his driving technique

After repairing minor nose damage, an apparently subdued Jim Hurtubise completed his qualifying lap in an ultra conservative manner, lifting at the starting line and coasting into the first turn; repeating the process on the back straight. Somehow, employing this feather-footed approach, Herk qualified for the seventh starting position, four spots ahead of eventual winner Rodger Ward!

In the Rex Mays 100 that day, weak brakes from the start held the Travelon Trailer Spl. back. Herk remained on the lead lap all day, soldering on to an eleventh place finish, to earn a hefty $765 for his efforts!

The performance of Jim Hurtubise at Milwaukee that day proved to the racing world that his “Indy Magic” was not a fluke, and would continue. Just to reinforce this, Herk blew away the competition two weeks later on the frightening fast oiled dirt of Langhorne, on the day that Jimmy Bryan was killed in Puke Hollow.

Throughout the decade of the ’60’s and into the ’70’s, Jim Hurtubise would become one of the all-time favorites at Milwaukee. During his years of competition on the legendary oval, Herk would experience both victory and defeat, as well as the devastating crash and resulting burns in 1964.

But that’s another story.

John AtlasMilwaukee MileThe Dirt Guy

CORONA, CA (November 6, 2007) – Officials of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series have released their 2008 racing schedule that currently shows 39 confirmed dates in 16 states.

It will be the most ambitious schedule for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series which will begin its fourth season of sanctioning dirt late model events. In 2007 the series ran 33 events with 18 different winners as 632 drivers made at least one appearance with the series this year.

The 2008 season will kick off as usual with six nights of competition at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL for the 32nd Annual East Bay Winternationals. With nearly $470,000 in first place prize money alone up for grabs next season the series will also return to the SPEED Channel with 12 events to be televised and the year in review special will air on SPEED as well.

The series will visit six new venues in ’08 including Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, GA, Bedford Speedway in Bedford, PA, Hilltop Speedway in Millersburg, OH, Winchester Speedway in Winchester, VA, the Batesville Speedway in Batesville, AR which will see the track’s biggest event the “Topless 100” sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for the first time in August of 2008 and to Lawrenceburg Speedway in Lawrenceburg, IN who has a late August date next year.

Returning to the series schedule after a couple of years will be Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, GA, K-C Raceway in Chillicothe, OH and Cherokee Super Speedway in Gaffney, SC.

There are six events on the 2008 schedule that will pay more than $10,000 to win next season including the $12,000 to win “Winternationals” finale at East Bay, the Second Annual “Diamond Nationals” at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO will pay $40,000 to win next May, the $47,000 to win “Topless 100” at Batesville, AR on August 15th and 16th, the $40,000 to win “Hillbilly Hundred” Labor Day Weekend, the 29th Annual “Jackson 100 at Brownstown (IN) Speedway which has been moved to September 19th and 20th and will pay $20,000 to win next year and the “Dixie Shootout” at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock GA which will pay $15,000 to win next October.

A majority of the tracks that hosted events in 2007 will be on the slate again for ’08. “We are very pleased with the way the schedule has turned out for next season,” said series director Ritchie Lewis. “It just shows the strength of the series that the tracks were calling us immediately after our season was over to make sure they got a date for next year,” said Lewis. “I feel we have the best staff in all of racing and I can’t thank the drivers, car owners, fans, promoters and sponsors enough for making the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series such a popular racing series and we look forward to a tremendous 2008 season.”

“It’s really been nice to get the schedule done so soon,” commented Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Events Coordinator Rick Schwallie, who also played a hand in putting the schedule together. “With the interest the series has drawn we are becoming a series that a lot of drivers are taking a hard look at running next season and with the other bonuses that will be announced in the future it is even more enticing,” said Schwallie.

“We want the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series to be a profitable event for our promoters who are bringing us in,” said Lucas Oil Vice President Bob Patison. “With the way the schedule for next season has turned out it is apparent the promoters were happy with the product we put on the race track and the way the show was ran and with that said we are always looking at even more ways to entertain the fans and bring them the most bang for their buck.”

For the latest information and news regarding the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series you can visit their website at www.lucasdirt.com or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.

2008 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Schedule

TV – Taped for airing on SPEED Channel

Schedule is subject to change

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Red Bull Global Rallycross Season Opener Set for Fort Lauderdale, May 30-31

Los Angeles, CA (March 23, 2015) – Red Bull Global Rallycross will open its 2015 season with a brand new event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on May 30-31. The inaugural Red Bull GRC Fort Lauderdale will take place along the beachfront of the iconic city, closing down parts of historic Route A1A for one of the most unique events in Red Bull GRC history. Each lap, 600-horsepower Supercars will race past the spectacular beachfront setting, complete with palm trees, yachts, and a sport fishing fleet.

“Coming to the city of Fort Lauderdale presents us with an incredible opportunity to bring Red Bull Global Rallycross action to the city streets,” said Red Bull GRC CEO Colin Dyne. “We believe that our partnership with the city will result in a spectacular event experience that should be a staple of the Red Bull GRC schedule for years to come.”

Red Bull GRC Fort Lauderdale will see competitors racing past the iconic Bahia Mar Resort & Marina, the official hotel of the event – on a custom-built street course. This will be the first time that big-league auto racing has come to the streets of Fort Lauderdale, and the first Red Bull GRC race held on public streets since X Games Los Angeles in 2012

The event will also mark the debut of Red Bull Global Rallycross’ new partnership with Los Angeles-based Tixr, which will be the official ticket provider for a majority of 2015 Red Bull GRC events. Fans who purchase tickets for Red Bull GRC Fort Lauderdale can also follow the series for updates on future ticket releases and event information.

“Tixr’s technology was built to enhance the experience of the biggest and most innovative event brands in the world,” said Robert Davari, CEO of Tixr. “Red Bull Global Rallycross is the embodiment of such a brand and we’re excited to partner with them at a time of tremendous growth for both our companies.”

Red Bull Global Rallycross returns in 2015 for its fifth season, which is poised to be the sport’s most exciting yet.  This year’s championship features a record 12 races in major metropolitan markets, including Fort Lauderdale, Daytona, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.  The level of competition will also increase with the addition of new teams such as Chip Ganassi Racing, who will join established Red Bull GRC competitors like Ken Block, Tanner Foust, and Bucky Lasek in an attempt to dethrone defending champion Joni Wiman.

Tickets for Red Bull GRC Fort Lauderdale are now on sale and can be purchased at http://www.redbullglobalrallycross.com/tickets.

The Fort Lauderdale race will kick off the 12-race 2015 season, which features stops in eight U.S. cities as well as Barbados.  Current schedule is:

• May 31 – Fort Lauderdale, FL
• June 21 – Daytona Beach, FL
• July 5 – United States Military Base
• July 25 – Detroit, MI (I)
• July 26 – Detroit, MI (II)
• August 15 – Washington, DC
• August 30 – Seattle
• September 12 – Los Angeles, CA (I)
• September 13 – Los Angeles, CA (II)
• October 3 – Barbados (I)
• October 4 – Barbados (II)
• November 4 – Las Vegas, NV

For more information visit www.RedBullGlobalRallycross.com.