Event Schedule
Thursday, October 20th
8:15 AM NCWTS HAULERS ENTER
12:30 PM NCWTS REGISTRATION OPENS
1:00 PM NCWTS GARAGE OPENS
5:00 PM NCWTS REGISTRATION CLOSE
7:00 PM NCWTS GARAGE CLOSES
Friday, October 21st
8:00 AM NCWTS GARAGE & REGISTRATION OPENS
8:30 AM NCWTS ROOKIE & SPOTTER MEETINGS & RANDOM DRAWING
9:30 AM 11:30 AM [10:30 AM - 12:30 PM EASTERN] NCWTS FINAL PRACTICE
2:00 PM 3:00 PM NCWTS AUTOGRAPH SESSION
4:10 PM [5:10 PM EASTERN] NCWTS QUALIFYING (TWO LAPS, ALL POSITIONS)
5:00 PM NCWTS REGISTRATION CLOSES
7:00 PM NCWTS GARAGE CLOSES
Saturday, October 22nd
9:00 AM NCWTS REGISTRATION OPENS
10:00 AM NCWTS GARAGE OPENS
10:00 AM 1:30 PM NCWTS MINORS ADMITTED INTO GARAGE AREA WITH PROPER CREDENTIALS
11:00 AM NCWTS DRIVER/CREW CHIEF MEETING (GARAGE)
2:30 PM NCWTS DRIVER INTRODUCTION-SECURITY CLEAR PIT ROAD
3:00 PM [4:00 PM EASTERN] NCWTS RACE (94 LAPS, 250.04 MILES)
3:30 PM NCWTS REGISTRATION CLOSES
NOTE: All times listed in Central Time Zone unless otherwise indicated and are tentative, subject to change.
Race Rundown
Mike Wallace wins at Talladega: An impressive two-truck tandem run between KHI teammates, saw #33-Mike Wallace take the checkers first to win the Coca-Cola 250 Powered by fred's at Talladega Superspeedway. This is Wallace's lone start and first win in 2011; his 5th series overall. His last win was at Mesa Marin in 2000. #2-Ron Hornaday Jr, unable to make the switch, finished in second place. #3-Austin Dillon was running in tandem with the #18, right there with Wallace & Hornaday, but with during a caution with just a handful of laps remaining, the #3 was sent back to the 18th position by NASCAR for not maintaining speed. Dillon finished 7th. The rest of the top ten; #31-James Buescher, #4-Ricky Carmichael, #23-Jason White, #5-Todd Bodine, #3-Austin Dillon, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #18-Kyle Busch, #9-Max Papis. There were 24 lead changes among 9 drivers, with 6 caution flags for 27 laps. Complete race results are posted on the Talladega Race Results Page.(Official)(10-24-2011)
Post-Race Fast Facts:
Talladega Superspeedway
6th Annual Coca-Cola 250 Powered By fred's
Race Winner: Mike Wallace(i)
Age: 52
Team: No. 33 - Anderson's Maple Syrup Chevrolet
Owner: Delana Harvick
Crew Chief: Chris Carrier
*Mike Wallace(i) won the 6th Annual Coca-Cola 250 Powered By fred's, his fifth victory in 115 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
*This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in 2011.
*This is his first victory and second top-10 finish in five races at Talladega Superspeedway.
*Ron Hornaday Jr. (second) posted his fourth top-10 finish in six races at Talladega Superspeedway. It is his 16th top-10 finish in 2011.
*James Buescher (third) posted his second top-10 finish in three races at Talladega Superspeedway.
*Cole Whitt (14th) was the highest finishing rookie.
*Austin Dillon leads the point standings by 3 points over James Buescher.
(Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Sat, October 22, 2011 @ 06:50 PM Eastern)
Race Awards:
Exide Start Positive, Stay Positive Award: James Buescher, #31
Featherlite Most Improved Driver: Max Papis, #9 19 Places
Keystone Light Pole Award: James Buescher, #31 177.676 mph
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Earnhardt Childress Racing Technologies, #33
Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: Ron Hornaday Jr, #2
O'Reilly Auto Parts Position Improvement Award: Brendan Gaughan, #62 21 places
Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Cole Whitt, #60 (NASCAR Statistics)(10-22-2011)
Lucky Dog Awards - Who got a lap back on each caution at Talladega: (and finish)
Caution 1: #93-Ryan Sieg, 21st
Caution 2: #93-Ryan Sieg, 21st
Caution 3: #60-Cole Whitt, 14th
Caution 4: #60-Cole Whitt, 14th
Caution 5 #7-Miguel Paludo, 18th
Caution 6: #13-Johnny Sauter, 15th
(NASCAR Statistics)(10-22-2011)
Driver Point Standings following Race #22 at Talladega Superspeedway:
1) #3-Austin Dillon, 769
2) #31-James Buescher, 766 -3
3) #13-Johnny Sauter, 755 -14
4) #2-Ron Hornaday Jr., 753 -16
5) #17-Timothy Peters, 727 -42
6) #5-Todd Bodine, 710 -59
7) #60-Cole Whitt, 698 -71
8) #88-Matt Crafton, 687 -82
9) #22-Joey Coulter, 680 -89
10) #29-Parker Kligerman, 659 -110
Complete driver point standings are posted on the Talladega Driver Standings Page.(Official)(10-24-2011)
- Owner point standings: following the Coca-Cola 250 Powered by fred's at Talladega Superspeedway are posted on the Talladega Owner Standings Page.(Official)(10-24-2011)
Talladega Pit Stall Selections
Buescher wins pole at Talladega: James Buescher, driving the #31-Bad Boy Mowers for Turner Motorsports, was the fastest qualifier with a top speed of 177.676 mph to win the Keystone Light Pole for the Coca-Cola 250 Powered by fred's at Talladega Superspeedway. This is his second pole in 2011 as well as his second career pole. #8-Nelson Piquet Jr. was second. Rounding out the top ten were; #3-Austin Dillon, #4-Ricky Carmichael, #2-Ron Hornaday Jr., #33-Mike Wallace, #22-Joey Coulter #20-Johanna Long, #29-Parker Kligerman, #60-Cole Whitt. Did Not Qualify; #10-Jennifer Jo Cobb, #57-Norm Benning, #74-Mike Harmon. Did Not Start; #68-Clay Greenfield. Complete starting lineup is posted on the Talladega Lineup Page.(10-21-2011)
Hornaday leads lone practice session at Talladega: Ron Hornaday Jr., driving the #2-Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet for KHI, was the fastest on track with a top speed of 190.742 mph to lead the only practice session scheduled for the Coca-Cola 250 Powered by fred's at Talladega Superspeedway. #33- Mike Wallace was second. Rounding out the top ten were; #5-Todd Bodine, #31-James Buescher, #22-Joey Coulter, #3-Austin Dillon, #8-Nelson Piquet Jr., #18-Kyle Busch, #88-Matt Crafton, #23-Jason White. There were 40 trucks on track for the final practice session. Final practice speeds are posted on the Talladega Practice Speeds Page.(10-21-2011)
Official Entry List: There are 40 trucks listed on the final entry list for the Coca-Cola 250 Powered by fred's Camping World Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Note: #09-Charles Vest, withdrawn. Complete entry list is posted on the Talladega Entry List Page.(10-21-2011)
Preliminary Entry List: There are now 41 trucks listed on the Preliminary Entry List for the Coca-Cola 250 Powered by fred's at Talladega Superspeedway. Complete entry list is posted on the Talladega Entry List Page.(10-17-2011)
Some Notes:
#2-Ron Hornaday, returns with this team at Talladega driving the Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet for KHI
#09-Charles Vest, listed as driver, 3rd series start in the Rockingham Speedway Ford
#16-Donnie Neuenberger, making 2nd 2011 start, Eagle Convenience Stores Chevrolet for Rick Ware Racing
#20-Johanna Long returns driving the Panhandle Grading & Paving Toyota
#28-Wes Burton, driving the FDNY Racing Chevrolet
#33-Mike Wallace, announced as driver of the Anderson's Maple Syrup Chevrolet for KHI
#51-Josh Richards, returns driving the Joy Mining Machinery Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports
#63-Jack Smith, returns driving the Seal Wrap Ford for Mittler Brothers Motorsports
#68-Clay Greenfield, returns driving the Motion Design Group Dodge
#74-Mike Harmon, returns driving the Racing for Marissa Chevrolet for Mike Harmon Racing
#76-Ryan Hackett, making his 1st 2011 start in the JandRSupply.com Ford for Hackett Racing
#82-Grant Enfinger, making his 2nd series start, 1st in 2011 in the VisitGulf.com Ford for Bragg Motorsports
#84-Chris Fontaine, returns driving the Glenden Enterprises Toyota
#99-Patrick Sheltra, making his 2nd series start, 1st in 2011 in the TBA Ford(10-17-2011)
UPDATE:
#66-JJ Yeley replaces Sellers as driver for the Turn One Racing Chevrolet(10-18-2011)
UPDATE 2:
#63-Jack Smith, MB Motorsports Ford has withdrawn(10-20-2011)
NASCAR's News & Notes
Truck Series News & Notes - Talladega Superspeedway
Anyone Who Counted Hornaday Out Counted Too Soon
Invitations to this year's NASCAR Camping World Truck championship party came a bit late for four-time champion Ron Hornaday Jr. It remains to be seen if he has time to return an emphatic RSVP for next month's South Florida championship festivities. Hornaday stood ninth in late August after finishing 24th at Bristol. He trailed then-leader Johnny Sauter by 69 points -- a race and a half -- after July's event at Nashville Superspeedway. In other words, Hornaday had been left in the dust and all but out of the title picture. Not so fast.
Hornaday's 51st series victory, and first in Las Vegas, halved a 42-point deficit to 21 heading into the season's final four races. With two wins and top-10 finishes in eight of the last nine races, the Palmdale, Calif., competitor's "drive for five" is very much alive. Las Vegas was Hornaday's 16th win since turning 50, two shy of Harry Gant's NASCAR national series record total. Hornaday sat on the Keystone Light Pole for a seventh consecutive season, breaking a record he jointly held with Mike Skinner.
Hornaday's stay in Kevin Harvick Inc.'s owners championship leading No. 2 Chevrolet was supposed to be brief -- two races -- but he'll remain with crew chief Bruce Cook at least for Talladega. Cook also oversaw set-up of the team's No. 33 truck in which Hornaday finished first, 10th and fourth at Atlanta, Chicago and New Hampshire.
"I'm looking forward to be back in the No. 2 truck this weekend," said Hornaday, who won the Keystone Light Pole for last year's race, led the most laps but was knocked out by accident. "With four races to go, Talladega is a track where we will just have to hold our breath all weekend and hope we don't get caught in the big one. We are in the midst of this championship battle and would really like to make it out of Talladega with momentum."
Dillon Holds Serve But Allows Veterans Back In The Game
Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville Speedway figured to be wild card races -- events where the standings leaders rightly worry about losing points and positions with the 2011 season's finish line in sight. Surprise: a trap race came a week early for Austin Dillon and James Buescher, who both suffered accidents in the Smith's 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and in the process let three rivals back into the championship picture.The good news for Dillon, who at age 21 bids to become the youngest NASCAR Camping World Truck champion, is that he's still the points leader. More concerning, however, is that it's veteran Johnny Sauter, not fellow "young gun" Buescher, 22, who's giving chase five points back. Buescher is seven points down in third. Just 25 points are the difference between Dillon and fifth-place Timothy Peters. "We didn't have a good day but nobody gave up and we battled back to make the most of what we could, that's what makes a championship team," said Dillon, who finished 17th.
Advantage, perhaps, to veteran pursuers Sauter, Hornaday and Peters. All have been there before, battling for championships. Sauter finished third and Peters seventh a year ago at Talladega. Peters also counts a Daytona victory.
This is the first go-round under title pressure for the two youngsters, but each finished among the top 10 at Talladega Superspeedway in 2010, Buescher sixth and Dillon eighth.
Bodine Counts On 'Bama Boost To End Drought
Time is not on Todd Bodine's side. With four races left on the schedule, Bodine's NASCAR Camping World Truck winning streak -- at least two victories a year beginning in 2004 -- is very much at risk. Bodine, however, could replace the goose egg with a "W" beginning this week. The 47-year-old Bodine won consecutive Talladega races in 2007-08, has the Alabama track's top Driver Rating (114.8), has led the most laps (85) and boasts the best Average Running Position (4.5). The defending series champion figures to be a favorite in at least three of the last four races with a combined 10 wins at Talladega, Texas and Homestead-Miami speedways. His last win came Sept. 3, 2010, at Kentucky Speedway.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Etc.
Cole Whitt is a single point up on previous Sunoco Rookie of the Year leader Joey Coulter after finishing eighth in Las Vegas. Nelson Piquet Jr., sixth in the race, is four points behind Whitt. ... Last year's Talladega race, in which Kyle Busch edged Aric Almirola by 0.002 seconds, is the series' closest finish as determined by electronic timing and scoring. ... Busch also won the race in 2009 and seeks a third consecutive victory in his 100th series start. ... Chevrolet, which leads series manufacturer standings by 11 points over Toyota, continues to be the only manufacturer without a victory at either Talladega or Daytona International Speedway.(NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)(10-18-2011)
