BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Joe Gibbs Racing's three Sprint Cup teams -- Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano -- didn't submit their oil pans for approval earlier today at Michigan International Speedway.
The JGR cars changed their oil pans to something legal by 12:30 p.m., when Cup practice started for Sunday's Heluva Good 400.
NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said the oil pans will be looked at early next week at the R&D center in Concord and that the teams could face penalties. -- David Scott
Friday, June 17, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Kyle Busch the center of attention?
Is this a surprise? Kyle Busch had been the center of attention during this year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series broadcasts.
Interviewed longer and mentioned more frequently than any other driver on the circuit during the first 12 event telecasts of 2011, Busch parlayed the spotlight into $28.4 million of exposure value for his sponsors, $6.5 million more than the next most sponsor-potent driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. -- which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 27 seasons -- Busch’s sponsors were monitored for eight hours, 30 minutes, 39 seconds (8:30:39) during live and replayed coverage of NASCAR’s Daytona 500 through last month’s Coca-Cola 600. Additionally, Busch and the Fox TV crew verbally mentioned his sponsors on 95 occasions.
Interviewed longer and mentioned more frequently than any other driver on the circuit during the first 12 event telecasts of 2011, Busch parlayed the spotlight into $28.4 million of exposure value for his sponsors, $6.5 million more than the next most sponsor-potent driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. -- which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 27 seasons -- Busch’s sponsors were monitored for eight hours, 30 minutes, 39 seconds (8:30:39) during live and replayed coverage of NASCAR’s Daytona 500 through last month’s Coca-Cola 600. Additionally, Busch and the Fox TV crew verbally mentioned his sponsors on 95 occasions.
Driver, Sponsor Exp., Driver Interviews, Value
1) Ky. Busch | 8:30:39 | 95 | $28,447,545 | |||
2) Earnhardt Jr. | 5:36:54 | 18 | $21,835,475 | |||
3) J. Johnson | 8:09:27 | 41 | $20,332,440 | |||
4) K. Harvick | 5:25:07 | 120 | $17,256,695 | |||
5) J. Gordon | 5:26:12 | 31 | $16,439,475 | |||
6) C. Edwards | 5:32:30 | 72 | $15,229,945 | |||
7) T. Bayne | 2:16:48 | 23 | $12,312,365 | |||
8) T. Stewart | 4:39:04 | 8 | $12,128,595 | |||
9) M. Kenseth | 4:03:45 | 37 | $11,314,500 | |||
10) C. Bowyer | 4:28:44 | 39 | $11,293,260 |
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Yarborough, DW highlight '12 HOF class
Cup Drivers Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip, modified driver Richie Evans, owner Glen Wood and crew chief Dale Inman will make up the NASCAR Hall of Fame's classic '12.
Yarborough was the first driver to win three straight Cup titles and finished his career with 83 victories.
Waltrip won 84 races and three titles.
Inman was Richard Petty's long-time crew chief and had 193 victories and eight titles, both records for a crew chief.
Evans won nine NASCAR modified titles in 13 years and eight consecutively from 1978-85.
Wood, part of the Wood Brothers Racing team, which has 98 victories.
Yarborough was the first driver to win three straight Cup titles and finished his career with 83 victories.
Waltrip won 84 races and three titles.
Inman was Richard Petty's long-time crew chief and had 193 victories and eight titles, both records for a crew chief.
Evans won nine NASCAR modified titles in 13 years and eight consecutively from 1978-85.
Wood, part of the Wood Brothers Racing team, which has 98 victories.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Guess what? Probation's over!
NASCAR had to issue a warning to drivers Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch early in Sunday’s 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway when the two couldn’t seem to get out of each other’s way battling for position.
The two were on probation through this weekend for a post-race incident on pit road last month at Darlington, S.C.
“It seemed like he was trying to make it awfully difficult on me,” Busch said of Harvick. “There’s a couple times where I just had to back off and wait, got back to him and tried to pass him again.
“Maybe that shows his character and who he is, how he feels he needs to race on the race track. It’s not my fight. He’s trying to turn it into one.”
"He knows he's got one coming," Harvick said when he was asked about the run-in. "I just wanted him to think about it."
Did Harvick think Busch had?
"Of course he did. It's all a free game now. Probation's over," he said.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Three straight poles for Penske Racing
LONG POND, Pa. - Is the key to qualifying well spinning out in practice?
Kurt Busch seems to be setting a trend. For the second consecutive week, Busch spun in practice on Friday and ended up winning the pole during Saturday qualifying.
Busch’s lap at 171.578 mph was good enough to hold off Paul Menard for his second pole this season and first at Pocono Raceway in Sunday's 5-Hour Energy 500.
“To go out there today, if it was raining, we’d be starting last in a backup car. Instead, we’re starting on the pole,” Busch said.
Jeff Gordon qualified third, Denny Hamlin third and Regan Smith fifth.
Kurt Busch seems to be setting a trend. For the second consecutive week, Busch spun in practice on Friday and ended up winning the pole during Saturday qualifying.
Busch’s lap at 171.578 mph was good enough to hold off Paul Menard for his second pole this season and first at Pocono Raceway in Sunday's 5-Hour Energy 500.
“To go out there today, if it was raining, we’d be starting last in a backup car. Instead, we’re starting on the pole,” Busch said.
“It’s a matter of knowing where the edge is and not stepping over it. It bit me. But today I went right back out there to get after it.”
Sunday’s race will also mark the third straight week a Penske Racing driver has started the Cup race from the pole. Busch started from the pole last week and his teammate Brad Keselowski won the pole at Charlotte.Jeff Gordon qualified third, Denny Hamlin third and Regan Smith fifth.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Stewart pleased with Eldora race
Clint Bowyer won Tony Stewart's annual dirt track charity race at Eldora Speedway this week - an event which once again raised funds for four children's hospitals across the country.
Stewart was asked Friday at Pocono Raceway to give an update on how the race went and the response from the drivers involved this season.
Q: TALK ABOUT THE PRELUDE, HOW WAS IT FOR YOU?
Stewart: I thought it was good. I wish I would have ran a little better but its good seeing another first-time winner there and everybody had a good time. That’s what it’s all about.
Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW SUCCESSFUL IT WAS AS A FUNDRAISER FOR YOUR CAUSES? “
Stewart: The hard thing is with the HBO/Pay-Per-View side it takes months to get those numbers in. That’s the hard part because we never know right away. I checked with everybody I knew and they all ordered it. There were people that ordered it and went and watched it somewhere else too. I think everybody was trying to do everything they could to do their part.
Q: YOU FINALLY SAW A BREAK WITH THE WEATHER FOR YOU I KNOW THAT’S A FIRST ALMOST WITH THE YEARS PAST, THE GUYS SAID THEY HAD A GREAT TIME, WHAT WAS YOUR SENSE OF HOW GOOD OF A TIME ALL THE CUP GUYS HAD?
Stewart: “I was still getting text messages this morning from drivers. They’re the ones that make it so big. It’s hard to get that many guys together and get their schedules all coordinated like that. They’ve always done a great job for us there. That’s the best part and highlight to me, giving a lot of money away to kids and making sure that these guys are having a good time. When I know they’ve had fun then it’s all worthwhile.
Richard Childress Statement No. 2
Richard Childress gave a public statement on Friday morning at Pocono Raceway regarding his fine and probation for striking driver Kyle Busch in the garage area last weekend following the Truck race at Kansas Speedway.
According to the press release announcing the media availability, Childress was also supposed to take questions and answers but elected not to at the last minute.
Here is his complete statement:
Childress: “Here is the deal. I am going to make one statement on this deal. I appreciate everyone’s patience during the last week when I couldn’t talk to everyone. The main thing is I take all the responsibility for my actions last week. I am very passionate about this sport. I am passionate about my race teams, our fans and I let my emotions get…come in front of my passion. But that is behind us.
“Hopefully Kyle (Busch) and myself will both end up learning something from this. Thank you all very much. Talk to you later. That’s it.”
According to the press release announcing the media availability, Childress was also supposed to take questions and answers but elected not to at the last minute.
Here is his complete statement:
Childress: “Here is the deal. I am going to make one statement on this deal. I appreciate everyone’s patience during the last week when I couldn’t talk to everyone. The main thing is I take all the responsibility for my actions last week. I am very passionate about this sport. I am passionate about my race teams, our fans and I let my emotions get…come in front of my passion. But that is behind us.
“I guess the next thing is the fine that was levied against me, I’m going to pay it personal. I agree that NASCAR should have done something with me. I don’t agree that they didn’t handle the situation that happened on the cool-down lap.
“With that said, we had a lot of fans to send in donations last week toward our fine, I am going to pay it personally. All that money that has been sent in, that is still coming in, we’re going to take and donate to the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. At least in every bad situation, something good will come out of it.
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