The following news articles are taken from the NASCAR portion of our On Track motorsports blog. Please visit our blog, On Track, if you wish to get the latest headlines for all types of racing.
With last night’s drawing for the Bud Shootout starting order now out of the way, look forward to seeing Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the pole, with Tony Stewart alongside him on the front row at Daytona International Speedway.
This year’s Bud Shootout features (yet again!) new entry rules for the race, which will be seeing its highest number of racers since its inception, counting in at 24.
New qualifying rules this year will allow for anyone from the following categories, should they choose to race:
- All 12 drivers from last season’s Chase for the Sprint Cup
- Any previous Budweiser Shootout winners
- Anyone who has previously won a points-paying race at Daytona (Daytona 500 or Coke Zero 400)
- All previous NASCAR Sprint Cup champions
- The last 10 racers to have won the Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Award
The full line up includes:
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2. Tony Stewart
3. Carl Edwards
4. Denny Hamlin
5. Kasey Kahne
6. Bobby Labonte
7. Clint Bowyer
8. Ryan Newman
9. Derrike Cope
10. Michael Waltrip
11. Greg Biffle
12. Jeff Gordon
13. Juan Pablo Montoya
14. Jamie McMurray
15. Jeff Burton
16. Kevin Conway
17. Kurt Busch
18. Kevin Harvick
19. Matt Kenseth
20. Mark Martin
21. Kyle Busch
22. Joey Logano
23. Jimmie Johnson
24. Regan Smith
This week’s NASCAR was full of rain delays (or should I say rain cancellations?). Several practices were cancelled because of the rain, and the race itself had to be held on Monday due to the poor weather conditions at the track.
When the Samsung Mobile 500 finally did get underway at Texas Motor Speedway, luck was once again on Denny Hamlin’s side. As it’s been said, “Denny wins on Mondays.” In fact, he won three out of the last four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races to be run on Monday. The race featured 29 lead changes – a track tying record – which kept things interesting for the fans that stuck it out for the extra day. This win was Hamlin’s 10th in the series.
Behind Hamlin were Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, and Kasey Kahne rounding out the top five. The leading rookie in the field was Kevin Conway, who finished 27th, while the pole-sitter, Tony Stewart, was involved in an accident, and finished 32nd.
Other people to be involved in accidents during the race included Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Juan Montoya, Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer, and Brian Vickers. David Reutimann, who suffered engine troubles, was forced to leave the race early, along with Reed Sorenson who had electrical issues, Joe Nemechek and Michael McDowell with transmission failure, Mike Bliss with a vibration, and Dave Blaney with suspension trouble.
Results of the 2010 Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway:
Pos # Driver Make Laps Status
1 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 334 Running
2 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 334 Running
3 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 334 Running
4 2 Kurt Busch Dodge 334 Running
5 9 Kasey Kahne Ford 334 Running
6 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 334 Running
7 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 334 Running
8 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 334 Running
9 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 334 Running
10 16 Greg Biffle Ford 334 Running
11 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 334 Running
12 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 334 Running
13 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 334 Running
14 12 Brad Keselowski Dodge 333 Running
15 6 David Ragan Ford 333 Running
16 82 Scott Speed Toyota 333 Running
17 47 Marcos Ambrose Toyota 333 Running
18 19 Elliott Sadler Ford 333 Running
19 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 333 Running
20 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 332 Running
21 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 332 Running
22 13 Max Papis Toyota 332 Running
23 71 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 332 Running
24 34 Travis Kvapil Ford 331 Running
25 21 Bill Elliott Ford 331 Running
26 7 Robby Gordon Toyota 329 Running
27 38 Kevin Conway (R) Ford 329 Running
28 20 Joey Logano Toyota 329 Running
29 37 David Gilliland Ford 328 Running
30 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 319 Accident
31 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 317 Accident
32 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 317 Accident
33 99 Carl Edwards Ford 317 Accident
34 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 317 Accident
35 98 Paul Menard Ford 317 Accident
36 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 316 Accident
37 0 David Reutimann Toyota 310 Engine
38 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 192 Accident
39 132 Reed Sorenson Toyota 121 Electrical
40 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 75 Transmission
41 66 Michael McDowell Toyota 60 Transmission
42 9 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 50 Vibration
43 55 Dave Blaney Toyota 20 Susp.
The next race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be the Aaron’s 499 held at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2010.
Ryan Newman came out victorious after today’s Subway Fresh Fit 600 at Phoenix International Raceway. He had started the race in 14th, but found himself in the right place at the right time following a late race caution the lead to a green-white-checkered finish. For the restart, he was lined up on the front row alongside Jeff Gordon, and quickly took the lead, which he held until the checkered flag waved. This marked Ryan Newman’s 14th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win, his first in Phoenix.
Jeff Gordon, who held the first place position coming into the final restart, finished second, with Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, and Juan Montoya rounding out the top five. A.J. Allmendinger, today’s pole-sitter, finished back in 15th, while Kevin Conway, the leading rookie in the field finished 33rd.
As for the crowd that wasn’t able to finish the race, a number of causes were to blame. Travis Kvapil who finished 36th, had engine troubles, while Joe Nemechek had electrical issues and finished 38th. Max Papis (40th) and Michael McDowell (43rd) both suffered from overheating, while Johnny Sauter (41st) had brake problems, and Dave Blaney (42nd) had rear gear troubles.
Results of the 2010 Subway Fresh Fit 600 at Phoenix International Raceway:
Pos # Driver Make Laps Status
1 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 378 Running
2 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 378 Running
3 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 378 Running
4 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 378 Running
5 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 378 Running
6 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 378 Running
7 99 Carl Edwards Ford 378 Running
8 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 378 Running
9 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 378 Running
10 20 Joey Logano Toyota 378 Running
11 47 Marcos Ambrose Toyota 378 Running
12 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 378 Running
13 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 378 Running
14 7 Robby Gordon Toyota 378 Running
15 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 378 Running
16 12 Brad Keselowski Dodge 378 Running
17 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 378 Running
18 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 378 Running
19 6 David Ragan Ford 378 Running
20 0 David Reutimann Toyota 378 Running
21 82 Scott Speed Toyota 378 Running
22 16 Greg Biffle Ford 378 Running
23 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 378 Running
24 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 378 Running
25 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 378 Running
26 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 378 Running
27 71 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 378 Running
28 190 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 377 Running
29 98 Paul Menard Ford 377 Running
30 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 376 Running
31 19 Elliott Sadler Ford 375 Running
32 37 David Gilliland Ford 374 Running
33 38 Kevin Conway (R) Ford 371 Running
34 46 Terry Cook (R) Dodge 367 Running
35 2 Kurt Busch Dodge 366 Running
36 34 Travis Kvapil Ford 309 Engine
37 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 288 Running
38 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 281 Electrical
39 9 Kasey Kahne Ford 276 Running
40 13 Max Papis Toyota 214 Overheating
41 135 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet 161 Brakes
42 55 Dave Blaney Toyota 160 Rear Gear
43 66 Michael McDowell Toyota 149 Overheating
The next race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be the Samsung Mobile 500 held at Texas Motor Speedway on April 18, 2010.
For the second consecutive race, Jimmie Johnson has taken the checkered flag in the 1st position. This week’s victory came for Johnson in the Shelby American at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He started the race in 20th position. Kevin Harvick, who currently leads the championship standings by 47 points, finished 2nd, and Jeff Gordon, who lead the most laps of the day finished in 3rd. Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five.
The pole-sitter, Kurt Busch, didn’t fare so well finishing 35th, with Kevin Conway, the leading rookie in the field finishing behind him in 36th.
A variety of problems faced the drivers who didn’t finish the race including an accident involving Mike Bliss, some rear gear problems for Boris Said, overheating issues for Joe Nemechek, brake troubles for Michael McDowell, and a vibration felt by Aric Almirola, which took him back to the garage.
Results of the 2010 Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway:
Pos # Driver Make Laps Status
1 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 267 Running
2 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 267 Running
3 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 267 Running
4 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 267 Running
5 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 267 Running
6 20 Joey Logano Toyota 267 Running
7 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 267 Running
8 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 267 Running
9 9 Kasey Kahne Ford 267 Running
10 16 Greg Biffle Ford 267 Running
11 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 267 Running
12 99 Carl Edwards Ford 267 Running
13 0 David Reutimann Toyota 267 Running
14 47 Marcos Ambrose Toyota 267 Running
15 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 267 Running
16 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 267 Running
17 98 Paul Menard Ford 267 Running
18 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 267 Running
19 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 267 Running
20 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 267 Running
21 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 267 Running
22 82 Scott Speed Toyota 266 Running
23 6 David Ragan Ford 266 Running
24 34 Travis Kvapil Ford 265 Running
25 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 265 Running
26 12 Brad Keselowski Dodge 265 Running
27 19 Elliott Sadler Ford 265 Running
28 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 264 Running
29 66 Dave Blaney Toyota 264 Running
30 38 David Gilliland Ford 263 Running
31 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 262 Running
32 7 Robby Gordon Toyota 262 Running
33 13 Max Papis Toyota 262 Running
34 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 260 Running
35 2 Kurt Busch Dodge 259 Running
36 37 Kevin Conway (R) Ford 256 Running
37 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 247 Running
38 71 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 216 Running
39 36 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 135 Accident
40 26 Boris Said Ford 134 Rear Gear
41 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 65 Overheating
42 55 Michael McDowell Toyota 40 Brakes
43 9 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 23 Vibration
The next race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be the Kobalt Tools 500 held at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 7, 2010.
Jimmie Johnson has won this week’s Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. His #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet started the race from the 7th position, but lead the most laps of the day. Behind him at the line was poll-sitter Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Mark Martin, and Joey Logano. The highest finishing rookie was Kevin Conway who finished 31st.
This weekend’s major story was the engine troubles that plagued many of the teams including Ryan Newman, Juan Montoya, Martin Truex Jr., Dave Blaney, Michael McDowell, and Aric Almirola. Robby Gordon and Marcos Ambrose were also unable to finish the race after suffering from overheating issues, as were Boris Said and Joe Nemechek who had rear gear troubles.
Results of the 2010 Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway:
Pos # Driver Make Laps Status
1 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 250 Running
2 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 250 Running
3 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 250 Running
4 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 250 Running
5 20 Joey Logano Toyota 250 Running
6 2 Kurt Busch Dodge 250 Running
7 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 250 Running
8 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 250 Running
9 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 250 Running
10 16 Greg Biffle Ford 250 Running
11 82 Scott Speed Toyota 250 Running
12 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 250 Running
13 99 Carl Edwards Ford 250 Running
14 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 250 Running
15 0 David Reutimann Toyota 250 Running
16 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 250 Running
17 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 250 Running
18 98 Paul Menard Ford 250 Running
19 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 250 Running
20 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 250 Running
21 12 Brad Keselowski Dodge 250 Running
22 36 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 250 Running
23 6 David Ragan Ford 250 Running
24 19 Elliott Sadler Ford 249 Running
25 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 249 Running
26 38 David Gilliland Ford 249 Running
27 71 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 249 Running
28 13 Max Papis Toyota 249 Running
29 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 248 Running
30 34 Travis Kvapil Ford 248 Running
31 37 Kevin Conway (R) Ford 247 Running
32 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 238 Running
33 7 Robby Gordon Toyota 230 Overheating
34 9 Kasey Kahne Ford 221 Running
35 47 Marcos Ambrose Toyota 170 Overheating
36 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 148 Engine
37 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 140 Engine
38 26 Boris Said Ford 67 Rear Gear
39 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 64 Engine
40 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 48 Rear Gear
41 66 Dave Blaney Toyota 43 Engine
42 55 Michael McDowell Toyota 40 Engine
43 9 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 34 Engine
This landed Kevin Harvick in the current lead of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship – four places up from last week. He leads Clint Bowyer by 19 points. Jamie McMurray, the previous leader fell to 4th in the points standings.
The next race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be the Shelby American held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 28, 2010.
Earlier today was the season opener of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway.
Jamie McMurray came out on top in his #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. Along with the win, he also received the Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the Race and Sunoco Diamond Performance awards. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, and David Reutimann rounded out the top five finishing positions. Kevin Harvick, who led the most laps, finished in 7th. Mark Martin, who started the race from the pole position, finished in 12th.
Not so lucky were Kasey Kahne, Robert Richardson Jr., Ryan Newman, John Andretti, Mike Bliss, and Joe Nemechek who were unable to finish the race after being involved in various accidents during the race. Marcos Ambrose and Max Papis were also forced to retire from the race early on due to engine troubles, with Michael McDowell and Jimmie Johnson also unable to complete the race after Drive Shaft and Rear Axle problems respectively.
Results of the 2010 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway:
Pos # Driver Make Laps Status
1 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 208 Running
2 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 208 Running
3 16 Greg Biffle Ford 208 Running
4 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 208 Running
5 0 David Reutimann Toyota 208 Running
6 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 208 Running
7 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 208 Running
8 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 208 Running
9 99 Carl Edwards Ford 208 Running
10 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 208 Running
11 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 208 Running
12 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 208 Running
13 98 Paul Menard Ford 208 Running
14 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 208 Running
15 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 208 Running
16 6 David Ragan Ford 208 Running
17 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 208 Running
18 151 Michael Waltrip Toyota 208 Running
19 82 Scott Speed Toyota 208 Running
20 20 Joey Logano Toyota 208 Running
21 71 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 208 Running
22 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 208 Running
23 2 Kurt Busch Dodge 208 Running
24 19 Elliott Sadler Ford 208 Running
25 26 Boris Said Ford 208 Running
26 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 208 Running
27 21 Bill Elliott Ford 208 Running
28 7 Robby Gordon Toyota 207 Running
29 37 Travis Kvapil Ford 205 Running
30 9 Kasey Kahne Ford 202 Accident
31 38 Robert Richardson Jr. Ford 202 Accident
32 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 198 Running
33 55 Michael McDowell Toyota 195 Drive Shaft
34 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 193 Accident
35 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 185 Rear Axle
36 12 Brad Keselowski Dodge 174 Running
37 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 160 Running
38 34 John Andretti Ford 117 Accident
39 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 90 Running
40 13 Max Papis Toyota 89 Engine
41 47 Marcos Ambrose Toyota 79 Engine
42 36 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 76 Accident
43 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 64 Accident
The next race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be the Auto Club 500 held at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana on February 21, 2010.
Earlier today the Gatorade Duels were held at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida. Each duel included 27 drivers competing in a 60 lap race.
Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, took the victory for the first Gatorade Duel. Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, and Regan Smith rounded out the top five.
Michael Waltrip and Jeff Burton weren’t so lucky as neither was able to finish the event, with both drivers involved in accidents during the course of the race. Newcomer, Jeff Fuller, only managed to complete four laps before the engine on his #197 Toyota failed.
The second Gatorade Duel was won by Kasey Kahne – the driver of the #9 Budweiser Ford. Behind him finished Tony Stewart, Juan Montoya, Kurt Busch, and Elliott Sadler for the top five positions. Boris Said was the only competitor that wasn’t able to finish the race, having electrical problems on the third lap.
Results of the 2010 Gatorade Duel #1 at Daytona International Raceway:
Pos # Driver Make Laps Status
1 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 60 Running
2 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 60 Running
3 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 60 Running
4 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 60 Running
5 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 60 Running
6 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 60 Running
7 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 60 Running
8 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 60 Running
9 6 David Ragan Ford 60 Running
10 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 60 Running
11 16 Greg Biffle Ford 60 Running
12 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 60 Running
13 99 Carl Edwards Ford 60 Running
14 55 Michael McDowell Toyota 60 Running
15 13 Max Papis Toyota 60 Running
16 34 John Andretti Ford 60 Running
17 127 Todd Bodine Toyota 60 Running
18 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 60 Running
19 37 Travis Kvapil Ford 60 Running
20 46 Terry Cook (R) Dodge 60 Running
21 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 60 Running
22 21 Bill Elliott Ford 60 Running
23 38 Robert Richardson Jr. Ford 60 Running
24 132 Reed Sorenson Toyota 60 Running
25 151 Michael Waltrip Toyota 52 Accident
26 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 24 Accident
27 197 Jeff Fuller Toyota 4 Engine
Results of the 2010 Gatorade Duel #2 at Daytona International Raceway:
Pos # Driver Make Laps Status
1 9 Kasey Kahne Ford 60 Running
2 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 60 Running
3 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 60 Running
4 2 Kurt Busch Dodge 60 Running
5 19 Elliott Sadler Ford 60 Running
6 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 60 Running
7 20 Joey Logano Toyota 60 Running
8 47 Marcos Ambrose Toyota 60 Running
9 0 David Reutimann Toyota 60 Running
10 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 60 Running
11 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 60 Running
12 12 Brad Keselowski Dodge 60 Running
13 36 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 60 Running
14 82 Scott Speed Toyota 60 Running
15 98 Paul Menard Ford 60 Running
16 190 Casey Mears Chevrolet 60 Running
17 71 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 60 Running
18 49 David Gilliland Toyota 60 Running
19 7 Robby Gordon Toyota 60 Running
20 175 Derrike Cope Dodge 60 Running
21 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 60 Running
22 9 Aric Almirola Chevrolet 60 Running
23 66 Dave Blaney Toyota 60 Running
24 192 Mike Wallace Dodge 60 Running
25 157 Norm Benning Chevrolet 60 Running
26 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 58 Running
27 26 Boris Said Ford 3 Electrical
These events are not scored for points in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship.
The next event on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule is the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, 2010.
For a second consecutive year, Kevin Harvick has won the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Harvick, who had been suffering from flu like symptoms earlier in the week, seemed unaffected during the race, maintaining his place near the front of the field for the majority of the race.
After a late-race caution led the field to a green-white-checkered restart, Harvick, who restarted fourth, charged to the front, pulling up alongside Greg Biffle. Shortly after, Jeff Gordon drove into the back of Biffle’s car, who spun into several of the oncoming vehicles, once again bringing out the caution flag and freezing the field in place. As per NASCAR rules, the race was not restarted.
Harvick is the fourth driver to celebrate back-to-back Shootout victories. Other drivers that have accomplished this feat include Tony Stewart (2001, 2002), Ken Schrader (1989, 1990), and Neil Bonnett (1983, 1984).
Results of the 2010 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Raceway:
Pos # Driver Make Laps Status
1 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 76 Running
2 9 Kasey Kahne Ford 76 Running
3 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 76 Running
4 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 76 Running
5 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 76 Running
6 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 76 Running
7 20 Joey Logano Toyota 76 Running
8 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 76 Running
9 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 76 Running
10 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 76 Running
11 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 76 Running
12 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 76 Running
13 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 76 Running
14 82 Ken Schrader Toyota 76 Running
15 16 Greg Biffle Ford 74 In Pit
16 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 74 In Pit
17 99 Carl Edwards Ford 74 In Pit
18 71 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 74 In Pit
19 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 74 In Pit
20 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 74 In Pit
21 51 Michael Waltrip Toyota 69 In Pit
22 34 John Andretti Ford 69 In Pit
23 2 Kurt Busch Dodge 32 Running
24 75 Derrike Cope Dodge 15 Out of Race
The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is the Daytona 500, also to be raced at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 14, 2010. Preceding this race are the two qualifying races (The Gatorade Duels) held the Thursday before.
Denny Hamlin won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ final race of the season earlier today at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This made for his fourth win of the 2009 season and moved him up three positions in the final standings for a fifth place ranking in the 2009 Sprint Cup Series points championship.
The pole-sitter, Jimmie Johnson, ended up with a fifth place finish, which was more than enough to secure his fourth consecutive championship in the series. Rookie of the Year honors went to Joey Logano who finished 20th in the standings, after winning one race and having seven top-10 finishes.
Top Finishers in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford 400:
Pos No Driver Make
1 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota
2 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet
3 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet
4 2 Kurt Busch Dodge
5 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet
6 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet
7 99 Carl Edwards Ford
8 18 Kyle Busch Toyota
9 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet
10 44 A.J. Allmendinger Ford
Top Finishing Teams in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship:
Pos Driver Points Behind
1 Jimmie Johnson 6652 Leader
2 Mark Martin 6511 -141
3 Jeff Gordon 6473 -179
4 Kurt Busch 6446 -206
5 Denny Hamlin 6335 -317
6 Tony Stewart 6309 -343
7 Greg Biffle 6292 -360
8 Juan Montoya 6252 -400
9 Ryan Newman 6175 -477
10 Kasey Kahne 6128 -524
11 Carl Edwards 6118 -534
12 Brian Vickers 5929 -723
^Chase for the Sprint Cup^
13 Kyle Busch 4457 -2195
14 Matt Kenseth 4389 -2263
15 Clint Bowyer 4359 -2293
This week’s race at Phoenix International Raceway was won by the current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader, Jimmie Johnson. This win helped Johnson to increase his points lead over the next closest competitor, Mark Martin, from 73 to 108 championship points. Just one race remains in the 2009 season.
Second place in today’s Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 went to Jeff Burton, with Denny Hamlin, and Mark Martin rounding out the top four. Martin Truex Jr., the pole-sitter, finished 5th.
Top Finishers in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil:
Pos No Driver Make
1 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet
2 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet
3 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota
4 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet
5 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet
6 2 Kurt Busch Dodge
7 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet
8 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet
9 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet
10 00 David Reutimann Toyota
Top Teams in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship:
Pos Driver Points Behind
1 Jimmie Johnson 6492 Leader
2 Mark Martin 6384 -108
3 Jeff Gordon 6323 -169
4 Kurt Busch 6281 -211
5 Tony Stewart 6207 -285
6 Juan Montoya 6203 -289
7 Greg Biffle 6171 -321
8 Denny Hamlin 6140 -352
9 Ryan Newman 6081 -411
10 Kasey Kahne 6016 -476
11 Carl Edwards 5972 -520
12 Brian Vickers 5826 -666
^Chase for the Sprint Cup^
13 Kyle Busch 4310 -2182
14 Matt Kenseth 4265 -2227
15 Clint Bowyer 4224 -2268
Kurt Busch won today’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. This moved him up two championship positions, placing him 4th in the Chase for the Cup with just two races left to complete in 2009.
The other chase contenders weren’t so lucky however, with many of them finishing at the back of the pack. This included Carl Edwards who finished 39th, the current championship leader Jimmie Johnson who finished 38th, Juan Montoya who finished 37th, and Kasey Kahne who finished 33rd.
Though Johnson’s championship position didn’t change, he did lose a large portion of his lead, which fell to just 73 points after going into the race 184 points ahead of the second place contender, Mark Martin.
Top Finishers in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dickies 500:
Pos No Driver Make
1 2 Kurt Busch Dodge
2 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota
3 17 Matt Kenseth Ford
4 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet
5 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet
6 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet
7 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet
8 16 Greg Biffle Ford
9 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet
10 44 A.J. Allmendinger Ford
Top Teams in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship:
Pos Driver Points Behind
1 Jimmie Johnson 6297 Leader
2 Mark Martin 6224 -73
3 Jeff Gordon 6185 -112
4 Kurt Busch 6126 -171
5 Tony Stewart 6119 -178
6 Juan Montoya 6061 -236
7 Greg Biffle 6050 -247
8 Denny Hamlin 5975 -322
9 Ryan Newman 5973 -324
10 Kasey Kahne 5898 -399
11 Carl Edwards 5857 -440
12 Brian Vickers 5777 -520
^Chase for the Sprint Cup^
13 Kyle Busch 4183 -2114
14 Matt Kenseth 4151 -2146
15 Clint Bowyer 4078 -2219
This week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. The win went to Jamie McMurray, driver of the #26 Irwin Marathon Saw Blades Ford. Coming up short was Kasey Kahne who finished 2nd, Joey Logano who finished 3rd, and Greg Biffle who finished 4th. Rounding out the top-5 was Jeff Burton.
Championship leader Jimmie Johnson finished in 6th, increasing his lead over Mark Martin to 184 points from his previous 118 point advantage. Martin finished the race in 28th, after a multi-car wreck brought out the yellow flag during the green-white-checkered finish, forcing the race to end and the field to freeze in position.
Top Finishers in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Amp Energy 500:
Pos No Driver Make
1 26 Jamie McMurray Ford
2 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge
3 20 Joey Logano (R) Toyota
4 16 Greg Biffle Ford
5 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet
6 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet
7 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota
8 09 Brad Keselowski Chevrolet
9 19 Elliott Sadler Ford
10 171 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet
Top Teams in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship:
Pos Driver Points Behind
1 Jimmie Johnson 6248 Leader
2 Mark Martin 6064 -184
3 Jeff Gordon 6056 -192
4 Juan Montoya 6009 -239
5 Tony Stewart 5969 -279
6 Kurt Busch 5936 -312
7 Greg Biffle 5908 -340
8 Ryan Newman 5846 -402
9 Kasey Kahne 5834 -414
10 Carl Edwards 5811 -437
11 Denny Hamlin 5800 -448
12 Brian Vickers 5692 -556
^Chase for the Sprint Cup^
13 Kyle Busch 4043 -2205
14 Matt Kenseth 3986 -2262
15 Clint Bowyer 3932 -2316
Kurt Busch improved upon his 23rd place finish last week in Las Vegas with a win Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. His Kobalt Tools 500 win moved him up four places in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings into the 3rd position.
Jeff Gordon, who finished the race in second place, increased his championship lead to 43 points ahead of Clint Bowyer. Third through fifth were nabbed by Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, and Brian Vickers respectively.
For the full results from the race, please use the following link:
After a long and caution-filled race, Kyle Busch celebrated his win by grabbing the checkered flag, kissing the start/finish line and doing donuts around the grass in front of the main grandstands. This marked his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
This race also marked the first time that a Sprint Cup driver has won Las Vegas from the pole position since the series first started racing at the track back in 1996. Though it’s still being debated whether or not this counts as a win from the pole, as Busch was sent to the back of the field due to an engine change for the start of the race.
Following the Toyota of Busch were the two Chevrolet’s of Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton. Jeff Gordon, who faced some late troubles by missing the pit entrance and blowing a tire, still managed a strong sixth place finish which moved him to the championship lead. Gordon currently has a 18 point lead over the second place championship contender, Clint Bowyer.
For the full results from the race, please see this link:
After a long and rainy day at Auto Club Speedway (four cautions for rain), Matt Kenseth finally celebrated his victory. This win set him as the only driver to win the first two races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season since Jeff Gordon did so back in 1997. Gordon also had a strong race. After leading several of the laps, he ended up coming in second, right behind Kenseth. Joey Logano, the highest placing rookie, came in 26th – one lap behind the leaders.
Because of the win, Kenseth extended his lead to 81 points ahead of the second place driver in the standings, Jeff Gordon. Gordon, with his strong finish, moved up 10 positions in the points standings since last week’s race in Daytona.
The standings have been updated and are available at:
Matt Kenseth won the “Super Bowl” of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the Daytona 500. The 200 lap race had to be cut short due to rain and in the end, the leaders had only completed 152 of the scheduled laps. Just before the race was called official, the field was frozen under a red flag and was never able to be restarted. Once the red hit the track, it only took officials minutes to decide that the race was over.
Kevin Harvick took the second finishing position, with A.J. Allmendinger coming in behind him for a third place finish. Fourth and fifth were reserved for Clint Bowyer and Elliott Sadler respectively. Kyle Busch, who dominated the early portions of the race, was involved in a wreck at lap 123 and was forced to settle with 41st.
Neither rookie in the field had a good first race of the season. Scott Speed finished a lap down from the leaders in the 35th position and Joey Logano took last place (43rd) after suffering from a mid-race collision.
Jeff Gordon beat out Tony Stewart for the first Gatorade Duel win of 2009. Gordon’s teammate, Jimmie Johnson finished in the third position. A surprising end to the race by rookie, Joey Logano, saw him finish in fourth.
As for the second Duel of the day, Kyle Busch took the victory with Mark Martin coming in a close second. The only rookie in the field was Scott Speed, who only completed 44 of the 60 laps due to a handling issue.
The first race of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was the Budweiser Shootout, held at Daytona International Speedway. Though it wasn’t a points event, it was the first opportunity to see many of this year’s Sprint Cup competitors. The race itself saw several cautions, leaving many of the teams with a DNF. In the end, only 13 of the 28 entered cars had finished the race without incident.
Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag in his Chevrolet Impala SS, with Jamie McMurray (Ford) and Tony Stewart (Chevrolet) finishing in second and third respectively. Jeff Gordon (Chevrolet) finished fourth and A.J. Allmendinger (Dodge) ended up with the final Top-5 finishing position. The highest placing driver in a Toyota was Kyle Busch who finished 10th.
For the full results from this race, please see the following page:
For the third time in the past four events, Carl Edwards has come out on top. This time he was victorious at the final race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2008 season – the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This win however wasn’t enough to bring him the championship and he ended up with 2nd place in the final points standings.
Jimmie Johnson finished back in 15th, but it was more than enough to secure his third consecutive Sprint Cup Series title. He finished the season with a 69 point lead ahead of the second place Edwards.
The top finishers from the race included:
1. Carl Edwards (#99 Ford)
2. Kevin Harvick (#29 Chevrolet)
3. Jamie McMurray (#26 Ford)
4. Jeff Gordon (#24 Chevrolet)
5. Clint Bowyer (#07 Chevrolet)
This weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Phoenix International Raceway was dominated by Jimmie Johnson and the #48 Lowe’s team. He grabbed the pole position during the qualifying for the race and from there led the most laps. Later he would go on to win Sunday’s Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil.
The top finishing racers included:
1. Jimmie Johnson (#48 Chevrolet)
2. Kurt Busch (#2 Dodge)
3. Jamie McMurray (#26 Ford)
4. Carl Edwards (#99 Ford)
5. Denny Hamlin (#11 Toyota)
The full results from the race have been posted at:
For the second week in a row, Carl Edwards came out victorious in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. This week’s win came at Texas Motor Speedway in the Dickies 500. The pole-sitter, Jeff Gordon, finished in second. Behind him were Jamie McMurray, Clint Bowyer, and Greg Biffle to round out the top five.
Once again Edwards was given the Dow Automotive “Strategic Call of the Race”, EA Sports Move of the Race, and the Sunoco Diamond Performance contingency awards for his efforts at the track.
The full results from this race have been posted at the following link:
This weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Jimmie Johnson took the pole, but would end up finishing the race in second place – right behind the Ford of Carl Edwards. Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, and Kyle Busch rounded out the rest of the top five positions.
For his win, Edwards was handed the Dow Automotive “Strategic Call of the Race”, EA Sports Move of the Race, and the Sunoco Diamond Performance contingency awards.
The full results from the race have been posted at:
By the time the checkered flag waved at Martinsville Speedway, four of the top six cars in the field were from the Hendrick Motorsports team. First and second were claimed by Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr., while fourth and six were claimed by Jeff Gordon and Casey Mears.
The third and fifth place finishers were Roush Fenway Racing’s Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing.
This week’s win at Lowe’s Motor Speedway sent Jeff Burton up two places in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings. Now in the second position, Burton is only 69 points behind the series leader, Jimmie Johnson.
This win moved Stewart up four places in the Championship to the seventh position. Jimmie Johnson, who finished eighth in today’s race, extended his points lead to 72 points over the second place driver, Carl Edwards.
For the full results of the Amp Energy 500, please click here:
