Edwards, Stenhouse get new crew chiefs for 2013

   Roush Fenway Racing announced Wednesday that veteran crew chief Jimmy Fennig will lead Carl Edwards and the No. 99 Roush Fenway Sprint Cup team in 2013. Fennig currently works with driver Matt Kenseth, who is leaving RFR at the end of the season.

   In addition, Scott Graves will lead the No. 17 team and defending Nationwide Series Champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. during his rookie campaign in the Cup series next season.

 

   “We are excited about this change on both fronts,” said team owner Jack Roush. “Pairing two highly successful veterans like Carl and Jimmy should be quite a matchup and it is our expectation based on what Jimmy has been able to accomplish with many high profile drivers, that it will provide the spark to get the No. 99 program and Carl back into championship form.

 

   “However, we are particularly excited about teaming up Scott Graves and Ricky. Through his extensive research and development work, Scott has an excellent understanding of the new 2013 body style. In his short time as a crew chief he has demonstrated a cunning knack as a leader on the pit box and he is going to be a great match for Ricky as he makes his move upwards into the Sprint Cup ranks.”

   Fennig has 36 career Cup wins and won the 2004 Cup title with driver Kurt Busch. Graves won a Nationwide Series race this season with driver Carl Edwards in Graves' first race as a crew chief.

 

Mid-Ohio joins 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule

    NASCAR on Tuesday unveiled the 2013 schedule for its Nationwide Series, a lineup that includes a trip to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, for the first time in series history.

   Mid-Ohio, a 2.4-mile, 15-turn road course marks the return of NASCAR to Ohio, the home state of the series’ Columbus-based entitlement sponsor, Nationwide Insurance. Mid-Ohio’s Aug. 17 race joins the series’ lineup of road courses, including Road America (June 22) and Watkins Glen (Aug. 10).

   “This gives us the opportunity to bring the series’ signature side-by-side racing to a new fan base, and build enthusiasm among race fans that have yet to experience the unparalleled experience of attending a NASCAR event," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations.

   “This is a competitive and well-balanced schedule that challenges our drivers and teams with a variety of different tracks and distances. It’s a schedule that the fans will enjoy.”

   The balance of the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide schedule maintains a familiar feel, with a strong mix of short tracks, road courses, intermediate race tracks and superspeedways.

   Daytona International Speedway hosts the season opener on Feb. 23. That race also will feature the introduction of Chevrolet’s Camaro into the series. The series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway is set for Nov. 16. Next season’s schedule includes six “standalone” race dates: Iowa Speedway (June 8 and Aug. 3), Chicagoland Speedway (July 21), Kentucky Speedway (Sept. 21), Road America and Mid-Ohio.

 

 

2013 NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES SCHEDULE

Date Site

2/23 Daytona International Speedway

3/2 Phoenix International Raceway

3/9 Las Vegas Motor Speedway

3/16 Bristol Motor Speedway

3/23 Auto Club Speedway

4/12 Texas Motor Speedway

4/26 Richmond International Raceway

5/4 Talladega Superspeedway

5/10 Darlington Raceway

5/25 Charlotte Motor Speedway

6/1 Dover International Speedway

6/8 Iowa Speedway

6/15 Michigan International Speedway

6/22 Road America

6/28 Kentucky Speedway

7/5 Daytona International Speedway

7/13 New Hampshire Motor Speedway

7/21 Chicagoland Speedway

7/27 Indianapolis Motor Speedway

8/3 Iowa Speedway

8/10 Watkins Glen International

8/17 Mid-Ohio

8/23 Bristol Motor Speedway

8/31 Atlanta Motor Speedway

9/6 Richmond International Raceway

9/14 Chicagoland Speedway

9/21 Kentucky Speedway

9/28 Dover International Speedway

10/5 Kansas Speedway

10/11 Charlotte Motor Speedway

11/2 Texas Motor Speedway

11/9 Phoenix International Raceway

11/16 Homestead-Miami Speedway

NASCAR Truck Series headed to dirt

   The NASCAR Truck Series will race next season on the half-mile dirt track at Eldora Speedway near Rossburg, Ohio, multiple sources confirmed to The Observer and ThatsRacin.com. 

   An official announcement of the move could come any time.

   The race is set for the Wednesday before the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and will feature four heat races and a 100-lap main event, sources said.

   The race would be the first on dirt for any of NASCAR’s three national series – Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Trucks - in its "modern era."

   The track, owned by Cup driver Tony Stewart, does not have energy-absorbing SAFER barriers installed and no permanent medical facility on property.

   Sources said NASCAR is expected to waive its policy – adapted beginning in 2005 – that SAFER barriers be installed at all oval tracks hosting its three national series. Why NASCAR is willing to make an exception in this case is unclear.

   Eldora Speedway, built in 1954 by Earl Baltes, has a permanent seating capacity of approximately 20,000. Stewart has hosted a charity race featuring many NASCAR drivers at the track since 2005.

Who needs to do what to win a NASCAR title

   Here are the clinching scenarios for NASCAR's three national series - Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Trucks:

   -Brad Keselowski leads five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson by 20 points going into Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Keselowski clinches his first Cup championship with a finish of 15th or better; or 16th and at least one lap led; or 17th and the most laps led, even if Johnson wins and leads the most laps. All other drivers have been eliminated from championship consideration.

   -Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who leads by 20 points over second-place Elliott Sadler, will clinch the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship with a finish of 16th or better; or 17th or better with at least one lap led; or 18th or better with most laps led at Homestead. In the owners championship battle, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota guarantees a clinch of the title with a finish of 28th or better; or 29th or better with at least one lap led; or 30th or better with the most laps led. The No. 18 currently leads the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford by 33 points.
  
   -James Buescher has an 11-point lead over Timothy Peters heading into the Camping World Truck Series finale. Buescher guarantees himself his first championship with a finish of seventh or better with no laps led; or eighth or better with one lap led; or ninth or better with the most laps led. 

Keselowski takes offense

   Brad Keselowski took the Sprint Cup Series points lead and is in prime position to win his first series championship.

   But he was no fan of how the final laps unfolded at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday. Asked about what bothered him most, Keselowski offered this up:

   "Well, it's the double‑standard that I spent a whole week being bashed by a half a dozen drivers about racing hard at Texas and how I'm out of control and have a death wish, and then I see ... that. That's (expletive). That's all you can call that," Keselowski said.
   
   "These guys just tried to kill each other. You race hard and I get called (expletive) for racing hard and called with a death wish, and I see ...  that (expletive). It's ... ridiculous, and they should be ashamed. It's embarrassing."

NASCAR K&N West champion makes history

   Dylan Kwasniewski made more history Saturday night.

 

   The 17-year-old Las Vegas driver captured the 2012 championship in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West with a second-place finish in the Casino Arizona 50 at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday.

    A year after becoming the youngest race winner and youngest rookie of the year in series history, he became the youngest series champion.

   Kwasniewski entered the event with a two-point lead over teammate and defending series champion Greg Pursley in one of the closest championship battles in the history of the series.

   “All we had to do was finish in front of Greg and that’s what we did,” Kwasniewski said. “I couldn’t be more proud of my team and my mom. My dad started all this for me and this race was for him and this championship is for him,” Kwasniewski said of his late father. “To be out here in Phoenix and to get the championship, there’s no better feeling.”

   Michael Self, who started the race on the outside of the front row, shot into the lead at the drop of the green flag and paced the entire 50 laps to score his third career win – all this season.

   At 17 years 5 months 10 days, Kwasniewski eclipsed the previous record set by Chuck Bown in 1976 at 22 years, 7 months, 11 days.

NASCAR sets 2013 Sprint Cup preseason testing dates

   NASCAR will conduct a three-day test of its 2013 model Sprint Cup Series cars at Daytona International Speedway 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 10-12.

    NASCAR's Preseason Thunder Fan Fest will also take place during that time, with the Sprint FanZone in operation 5:30-9:30 p.m. Jan. 10.

    A schedule of driver question-and-answer sessions and autograph sessions will be announced at a future date. For more information, call (800) PIT-SHOP.

    In addition, NASCAR has scheduled a pair of 2013 Cup car tests at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dec. 11-12 and Jan. 17-18. These tests will not count toward the four-test allotment teams have for the 2013 season.

    “We've put together an aggressive and extensive testing schedule for the new car and we are pleased with how things are progressing,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's Vice President of Competition.