Dillon explains penalty at Kentucky

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Rookie Austin Dillon came away from Kentucky Speedway last week with his first NASCAR Nationwide victory and what he thought was the series’ points lead.

Now, as Dillon prepares for Friday night’s Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway, he still has possession of that triumph – the first of his Nationwide career. But his lead in the standings is gone after he was penalized six points for his Chevy being too low.

The penalty – levied for what Dillon said was a loose jack bolt that made the car too low -- dropped him into second place by four points behind Richard Childress Racing-teammate Elliott Sadler.

“We thought we had the problems fixed and we just made a mistake and didn’t put the new-style fix on the back of the car,” Dillon said. “Mine had the old clamp and it came loose at the track.

“It was a bummer. You go from such a high, but it’s still a high.”

NOTES

MANDATORY COMPETITION CAUTIONS? Drivers and one very influential NASCAR official had mixed reactions to Bruton Smith’s suggestion for more competition cautions to improve racing in the Sprint Cup series.

“I think … our product … is exciting," NASCAR President Mike Helton told reporters Thursday. “Sports is a true reality show as it unfolds. You have to be careful when you think about artificially creating the outcome of that.

“We go through cycles being accused of creating cautions. It’s kind of interesting to be accused of not having enough cautions. Time will swing back (in the other direction).”

Several races this season have been run under long green-flag periods. Smith, chairman of Charlotte Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports, Inc., made his suggestion to throw some mandatory cautions to tighten fields last week at Kentucky.

Greg Biffle doesn’t think it’s a bad idea.

“I wouldn’t be against it if we see the races continue to run green the whole way with one or two cautions,” Biffle said. “Over time, (we) could lose the fans’ interest … and that's not what we want."

Said points-leader Matt Kenseth: “I think we have a good mix of long green-flag runs and some short runs. Long greens have some endings that are pretty exciting. It just depends on what you’re looking for.”

Kevin Harvick also doesn’t think much of Smith’s idea.

“Same guy who ruined Bristol,” Harvick said of Smith, who is repaving Bristol after fans complained about the racing at that SMI track.

HAMLIN SITS OUT PRACTICE: Denny Hamlin didn’t practice Thursday for Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona because of a stiff back. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch practiced the No. 11 Toyota. Hamlin also had problems with his back in May at Charlotte. -- David Scott

Regan Smith: Things could be worse

   To see performances spoiled by an overload of bad luck has been discouraging for Regan Smith in recent weeks in the Sprint Cup Series. But at the same time the Furniture Row Racing driver just needs to look outside of his mountain home near Denver, Colo., to get a crueler perspective of tough luck.

   Before leaving for Kentucky last week, Smith said he could see and smell the smoke from the raging fires that have engulfed Colorado, where more than 300 homes have gone up in flames and more than 100,000 acres torched.

   "I love this area and it tears your insides apart seeing the destruction that has taken place," said Smith, who moved to Colorado last year to be near the team's Denver race shop. "Our recent issues are minimal compared to the fire-stricken families.

   "I want Colorado residents to know that our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected and that Furniture Row Racing is very proud to represent the great state of Colorado on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit. I also want to give a team shout out to the brave firefighters and safety personnel who risk their lives daily in their continuing efforts to control and extinguish the fires."

A birthday fit for The King

   You will have to find a cake large enough to hold 75 candles if you want to celebrate the birthday of "The King" Richard Petty on Monday. 

 Petty, the seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion and owner of 200 Cup Series wins, including seven Daytona 500 victories, is celebrating his 75^th birthday in the same town he was born, Level Cross, N.C. Petty will spend time working at the current location of Petty's Garage and will later spend time with his family.

   Later this week, Petty will fly to a familiar summer spot for him in early July, Daytona Beach, Fla., where he and his family enjoy a birthday dinner in his honor. The dinner, coined "Red, White and Petty Blue," will take place at the Wyndham Ocean Walk Resort and feature guest speakers who have been a part of Petty's life. The night will conclude with a fireworks display and a birthday cake made by the TLC hit show "Cake Boss."

   "I'm really thankful for everyone who has supported us over the years," said Petty. "I really don't think about age too much. I just keep going to the next race. I've been doing that all my life and that's what I'm going to keep doing. But, I am grateful for each day and all the fans who make this a lot of fun for us."

Hamlin agrees to contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing

   Denny Hamlin has agreed to a multi-year contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing, the driver confirmed Saturday evening. Hamlin made the announcement during TNT's broadcast of its pre-race show Saturday night. 

   Hamlin agreed to the extension even though his current deal was not set to expire until the end of the 2013 season.

   "If I'm going to win a championship, I'm going to do it with Joe Gibbs Racing," Hamlin said. "They worked hard with me to get the deal signed. I'm lucky to have a team and sponsor (Fed Ex) who want to be with me."

   Hamlin, 31, has 19 wins in the Sprint Cup Series in nearly seven full seasons with JGR. He has finished as high as second in the series standings, in the 2010 season. He also has 11 wins in the Nationwide Series and one in the Truck series.

   So far this season Hamlin has a pair of Cup wins and is eighth in the series standings entering Saturday night's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

Nationwide winner fails post-race tech

   Austin Dillon's tenure atop the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings is likely to be short lived.

   Dillon's car failed post-race inspection Friday night following his victory in the Feed the Children 300 at Kentucky Speedway - his first series win. His No. 3 Chevrolet was found to be too low in the rear.

   With the win, Dillon took over the series points lead and holds a two-point lead over Richard Childress Racing teammate Elliott Sadler.

   However, similiar penalties this season have resulted in a $10,000 fine to the crew chief and a loss of six driver points. If the same occurs here, Sadler will retake the series lead once penalties are announced by NASCAR next week.

Daytona prepares for major facelift

   Daytona International Speedway has filed a Planned Master Development application with the City of Daytona Beach, Fla. - the first step in the beginning of new redevelopment projects at the track.

   International Speedway Corp., which owns the track, needed to file the application in order for the property to be rezoned to provide the most flexibility in the track's development.

   Speedway president Joie Chitwood III said the projects could include a complete overhaul of the entire frontstretch grandstand and new suites, entry points, new fan amenities and a redesigned midway area.

   “Our filing with the City of Daytona Beach is only the first step in a long process and there are still many unanswered questions that could impact or even derail this initiative,” Chitwood said. “Multiple internal and external factors will influence the economics and project feasibility, and construction design and costs must still be determined.”

   The track recently underwent a repaving of its surface.

Harvick: "Everyone has to step up, myself included."

  Kevin Harvick didn't mince words on the radio last week and he didn't again Thursday in the media center at Kentucky Speedway.

   If he and his No. 29 Richard Childress Racing team are going to remain contenders for this year's Sprint Cup Series championship, the team needs to stop making mistakes.

   “It’s mistakes. It’s mistakes from top to bottom. There is nothing to hide on the cars run fast enough to win races. The cars run fast enough to be in the top 10 and until the mistakes stop … stuff can’t fall off the car, you can’t run out of gas for the fifth time this year," Harvick said.

   "It’s just flat out mistakes and those guys know that. I know that. It’s not something that we have set out and planned it’s just … and we talked about it very openly this week. This isn’t something that I’m getting defensive about or anything. It’s very obvious as to why this team hasn’t won a race. We are fortunate to be in the position that we are in points, but we can’t scramble. You can’t win a championship and you can’t win races on a week to week basis making the mistakes that we’ve made."

   During the road course race at Sonoma, Calif., last week, Harvick at one point over his team radio said the mistakes had to stop or "We're all going to lose our jobs."

   "You just cannot do the things that we’ve been doing and expect to win races in this garage. Everybody has to step up, myself included. On the way home and Monday you’ve got to figure out how you can lead and try to help fix the situation," he said.

   

   "That was the attitude that I went in Tuesday with was to try to help Richard (Childress) analyze and help Shane (Wilson, crew chief) analyze as to what he needed to do better to help his guys and my guys be better people on a week to week basis. They all can do the job it’s just a matter of crossing the ‘T’s’ and dotting the ‘I’s’ that is what it takes to win races in this garage. It’s tough enough to win, but when you are making the mistakes that we make it’s impossible."