CARFAX 250 - MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Nationwide Series Race #23 of 35 for the 2010 season
Last Race - Watkins Glen
Next Race - Bristol
Keselowski wins at Michigan: #22-Brad Keselowski won the CarFax 250 at Michigan International Speedway for his 4th win of the season and the 10th of his Nationwide career. He dominated the race early, fell back midway through the race, and then retook the lead on the final restart and pulled away to win. #60-Carl Edwards finished second, followed by #18-Kyle Busch, #12-Justin Allgaier, #98-Paul Menard, #20-Joey Logano, #88-Elliott Sadler, #32-Reed Sorenson, #16-Colin Braun, and #33-Kevin Harvick. There were just 2 cautions for 9 laps and 11 lead changes among 7 leaders. Complete results are posted on the Michigan race results page.(8-14-2010)
Michigan Race Fast Facts:
Defending race champion Brad Keselowski again won the CARFAX 250, his 10th victory in 127 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his fourth victory and 20th top-10 finish in 2010.
This is his second victory and second top-10 finish in four races at Michigan International Speedway.
Carl Edwards (second) posted his third top-10 finish in six races at Michigan International Speedway. It is his 18th top-10 finish in 2010.
Kyle Busch (third) posted his third top-10 finish in four races at Michigan International Speedway.
Colin Braun (ninth) was the highest finishing rookie.(NASCAR Statistics)(8-14-2010)
Lucky Dogs - Who got a lap back on each caution at Michigan and their finish
Caution 1: #66-Wallace, 18th
Caution 2: #09-Townley, 17th
(NASCAR PR)(8-14-2010)
Driver standings following Michigan:
1) #22-Brad Keselowski 3704
2) #60-Carl Edwards 3357, -347
3) #18-Kyle Busch 3201, -503
4) #12-Justin Allgaier 3059, -645
5) #33-Kevin Harvick 2908, -796
6) #98-Paul Menard 2892, -812
7) #66-Steve Wallace 2735, -969
8) #99-Trevor Bayne 2571, -1133
9) #62-Brendan Gaughan 2487, -1217
10) #38-Jason Leffler 2450, -1254
Complete standings are posted on the driver standings page.(8-14-2010)
Owner Standings following Michigan are posted. The top 30 are now locked in the race at Bristol. There were no changes and the #81-Michael McDowell/MacDonald Motorsports lost a little ground. They remain in 31st, 35 points behind the #70-Shelby Howard/ML Motorsports and #35-Jason Keller/TriStar Motorsports teams.(8-14-2010)
Keselowski on pole at Michigan: #22-Brad Keselowski won the Coors Light Pole for the CarFax 250 at Michigan International Speedway with a speed of 179.556mph. #00-Ryan Truex will start second. The rest of the top 10: #16-Colin Braun, #38-Jason Leffler, #1-Ryan Newman, #6-Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., #12-Justin Allgaier, #99-Trevor Bayne, #20-Joey Logano, and #18-Kyle Busch. Did Not Qualify: #89-Johnny Chapman. The starting lineup is posted on the Michigan starting lineup page.(8-14-2010)
Michigan Qualifying Notes:
Brad Keselowski won the Coors Light Pole Award for the CARFAX 250 with a lap of 40.099 seconds, 179.556 mph.
This is his eighth pole in 127 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his fifth pole and 16th top-10 start in 2010.
This is his first pole in four races at Michigan International Speedway.
Ryan Truex (second) posted his first top-10 start of his career. This is only the second start of his series career.
Colin Braun (third) posted his first top-10 start at Michigan International Speedway. It is his seventh in 18 races this season.(NASCAR Statistics)(8-14-2010)
Truex fastest in Happy Hour: #00-Ryan Truex was quickest during the final practice session at Michigan International Speedway with a speed of 177.410mph. He was followed by: #22-Brad Keselowski, #33-Kevin Harvick, #12-Justin Allgaier, #99-Trevor Baye, #1-Ryan Newman, #98-Paul Menard, #15-Michael Annett, #88-Elliott Sadler, and #11-Brian Scott. Complete results are posted on the Michigan practice results page.(8-13-2010)
Harvick fastest in second practice: #33-Kevin Harvick was the fastest in the second practice session for the CarFax 250 with a speed of 177.205mph. He was followed by #18-Kyle Busch, #20-Joey Logano, #22-Brad Keselowski, #16-Colin Braun, #60-Carl Edwards, #38-Jason Leffler, #88-Elliott Sadler, #99-Trevor Bayne, and #98-Paul Menard. Complete results are posted on the Michigan practice results page.(8-12-2010)
Edwards fastest in opening practice: #60-Carl Edwards was the fastest in the opening practice session for the CarFax 250. His top speed was 178.103mph. He was followed by #33-Kevin Harvick, #98-Paul Menard, #20-Joey Logano, #38-Jason Leffler, #22-Brad Keselowski, #18-Kyle Busch, #16-Colin Braun Braun, #88-Elliott Sadler, and #99-Trevor Bayne. Complete results are posted on the Michigan practice results page.(8-12-2010)
Entry List: There are 44 cars on the preliminary entry list for Friday's CarFax 250 at Michigan Speedway. Some notes:
Ryan Truex returns in the Diamond Waltrip #00;
Danica returns in the #7;
John Wes Townley returns as the drive of the RAB #09;
The Baker Curb #27 & #43 cars are TBA;
Carl Long and the #68 FleurDeLis team return;
Derrike Cope and the #73 team make another attempt.(8-9-2010)
UPDATE: Chase Austing will drive the #43.(8-10-2010)
UPDATE: Josh Wise will drive the Baker Curb #27.(8-11-2010)
See the complete list on the Michigan entry list page.
If qualifying is rained out or canceled the teams making the race would be:
#81-McDowell [31st in owner points, 22 attempts], #05-Allen [32nd, 22], #24-McClure [33rd, 22], #26-Keselowski [36th, 22], #89-Chapman [37th, 22], #43-Austin [34th, 21], #56-Lepage [41st, 19], #73-Cope [43rd, 16], #1-Newman [35th, 15], #04-Clements [39th, 15], #49-Green [45th, 13], #07-Efland [46th, 6], #00-Truex [63rd, 1]
1 missing the race would be: #68-Carl Long [67th, 1]
Owner Standings following Watkins Glen are posted. The top 30 are now locked in the race at Michigan. There were no changes to the locked in positionis, but the #81-McDowell/MacDonald Motorsports team moved to 31st, just 17 points out of 30th.(8-7-2010)
Nationwide Series on ESPN: The NASCAR Nationwide Series also races at MIS this weekend and season-long coverage on the ESPN networks continues. The Carfax 250 airs on ESPN beginning with NASCAR Countdown at 1 p.m. on Saturday, with the race telecast at 2 p.m. and the green flag at 2:16 p.m.(ESPN)(8-9-2010)
The Next Generation: What’s New
The NASCAR Nationwide Series new car is back for more of its limited four-race engagement, this time at Michigan International Speedway.
It’s the second race for the new car, featuring a different track distance and layout than its debut at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway. It may not have the storybook outcome of the historic July 2 race — an emotional win by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 3 Wrangler Chevy — but it does have the same air of excitement aimed at the new models for Dodge (Challenger), Ford (Mustang) and the sportier looks of Chevy (Impala) and Toyota (Camry). Also, this will be the first day race for the new car. The inaugural race was at night.
“Now that we’re at our second race, we’re looking to make sure we standardize our processes and procedures,” said series director Joe Balash.
“We want teams to be familiar with our level of expectation for them. As we move forward after Michigan, we hope to stop talking about the newness of it and get into the fabric of what we are.”
Teams will have an extended practice at MIS Thursday from 9 a.m.–noon and 1–4 p.m. There will be a press conference after the morning session in the Infield Media Center featuring Balash and NASCAR Director of Competition, R&D, Brett Bodine. Michigan’s own Brad Keselowski (No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge), the series standings leader and defending race winner, and Trevor Bayne (No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota), also will be available.
Danica Patrick (No. 7 Hot Wheels/GoDaddy.com Chevy), who’s making her new car debut and returning to the series for the first time since July 9 at Chicagoland Speedway, will follow at 12:30 p.m. At 4:15 p.m., under the Turn 1 grandstand pavilion, Balash will be joined by Colin Braun (No. 16 Con-way Freight Ford) for a new car “Tech Talk.” An autograph session featuring series drivers will take place from 4:30-5:15 p.m. The first 250 fans who receive wristbands (available beginning at 9 a.m.) can participate in the autograph session. Both events are free.
The new car will race twice more this year, Sept. 10 at Richmond International Raceway and Oct. 15 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, before being introduced fulltime in 2011.
Growth Spurt: Steve Wallace Finding Consistency
After some growing pains, Steve Wallace’s (No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota) career is clearly on the ascent.
The rise was a bumpy one. After all, life can’t be easy when you’re the son of a legend.
In 2007, his first full year, Wallace finished 19th in the standings. Not bad, but how he did led to some questions. Eight of those races resulted in Did Not Finishes (DNFs), six because of an accident.
In 2008, things improved. He had five DNFs, and finished 14th in the series standings.
Last year was his best so far. He finished seventh in the rankings with nine top 10s.
But this year, Wallace has stalked the top 10 on a regular basis and is in the midst of a career year. Sitting seventh in the standings, he already has a career-high 11 top 10s, with 13 races remaining.
The momentum is at its highest peak yet.
Over his last four races, all top-10 finishes, only one driver has scored more points – standings leader Brad Keselowski. Over the last four events, Keselowski has scored 598 points. In that same span, Wallace has 577 – besting the likes of Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne and Paul Menard (No. 98 Richmond/Menards Ford).
Wallace’s stats are likewise stout over that span: an average finish of 7.5, a Driver Rating of 98.0, an Average Running Position of 9.3 and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 90.2.
Now the big question: Can this momentum carry into Michigan, a track that has given Wallace
trouble in the past?
Wallace has struggled at Michigan, to say the least. In four starts there, he has an average finish of 28.5, a Driver Rating of 48.7, an Average Running Position of 30.4 and a Laps in the Top
15 percentage of 13.5.
But there is reason for optimism. Last season, Wallace enjoyed his best Michigan race yet. He finished 15th, with a Driver Rating of 82.0 and an Average Running Position of 15.6.
Driver Points in Last Four Races
Brad Keselowski 598
Steve Wallace 577
Trevor Bayne 571
Carl Edwards 558
Kyle Busch 550
Paul Menard 525
“Coach” Benson Brings Championship Feel To Young Driver
Only three drivers have won NASCAR national series titles in more than one series. The first two may come to mind quickly: Bobby Labonte and Greg Biffle.
Labonte won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in 2000 as a follow-up to his 1991 NASCAR Nationwide Series crown. Biffle won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship in 2000 before capturing the NASCAR Nationwide title in 2003.
Johnny Benson, however, accomplished the feat as quietly as he has gone about his successful NASCAR career.
A native of Grand Rapids, Mich., Benson joined the exclusive club following his 2008 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title. He won the 1995 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship before going on to a fulltime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career from 1996-2003. When he won his first truck race in 2006, he became the 17th in an elite group of 21 drivers who have won at least once in each of NASCAR’s three national series.
Benson has driven in five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this year — all top-10 finishes. But he now has another title attached to his resume: driving coach.
For the last three weeks, Benson, 47, has b e e n t u t o r i n g Trevor Bayne, 19, one of the up-and coming young talents in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Since Benson began instructing prior to the July 24 race at O’Reilly Raceway Park, Bayne has two poles and two top-five finishes. Those results came on the heels of another pole and career-best third-place finish at Gateway International Raceway.
“I’m really impressed with his willingness to listen to what you want him to do,” Benson said.
“He’ll go out on the race track and try anything that I want him to. I think that really says a lot about him as a person. A lot of young kids don’t like to take advice. He’s been receptive to what I tell him.
“I think the way he takes things and how quick he learns from his mistakes is going to be a huge positive for him now and in the future.”
Bayne had a historic run broken last week.
His three consecutive poles matched a record set by four other drivers — one being his team coowner
Michael Waltrip. His string of four straight top-five finishes also was snapped with a 29th last Saturday at Watkins Glen International.
“He has so much knowledge of the sport,” Bayne said. “I’ve been calling him ‘Bill Nye the Science Guy’ because he thinks about things you wouldn’t normally think about as a driver. I think he is going to be a great driving coach and teach me a lot about this sport.”
With Benson as his guide, Bayne may be ready to start another streak at Michigan. He started second at MIS last year before an accident three laps from the finish relegated him to 30th.
Keselowski Comes Home On Top Of The Standings
It’s been quite a year for Brad Keselowski.
Since winning at his home track last year, the 26-year-old Rochester Hills, Mich., native has graduated to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, changing teams in the process (from JR Motorsports to Penske Racing).
He’s also become the driver to beat in the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship race.
Keselowski tied his career-best road-course finish, fourth, at Watkins Glen last week. That result boosted his standings lead over second-place Carl Edwards to 327 points.
Keselowski is on a career-best pace this season with three wins, 16 top fives and 18 top 10s in 23 races. He also has four Coors Light poles. He won consecutive races this year at Talladega and Richmond, and captured consecutive poles at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Daytona in the first new car race last month.
As usual, the Michigan race will be a family affair. His older brother, Brian (No. 26 KAutomotive Motorsports Dodge), is entered and their father, Bob, is listed as the owner of Brian’s team.
Four drivers have won two races at Michigan, but no one has won back-to-back races there.
NNS Etc.: Michigan Edition
► Busch: Nine Wins And Counting
Kyle Busch (No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota) comes to Michigan batting .500 this season.
He also comes in on the verge of another series record.
With his fifth-place finish last Saturday at Watkins Glen, the reigning series champion’s wins-to-starts average hit exactly 50% — nine wins in 18 starts.
He’s one victory away from matching the series record for most wins in a single season, a mark he already shares with two-time series champion Sam Ard. Busch tied Ard’s record of 10 in 2008. With 39 career series wins, he’s nine shy of Mark Martin’s standard of 48.
“I can’t wait to win 11 (this year) and hopefully more after that,” he said following his most recent win two weeks ago at Iowa Speedway.
Busch has one win at Michigan, the last of his five wins as a Raybestos Rookie in 2004. He finished third last year.
►Braun Nationwide “Driver Of Week”
To say it’s a big weekend for Roush Fenway Racing is an understatement.
The organization will bring four teams to Michigan, the "home" track for owner Jack Roush, Ford and Con-way Freight, the sponsor for Colin Braun’s No. 16 Mustang.
Braun will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series track debut Saturday. The last time he raced at MIS, he came away with his first national series win. In June, 2009, he outdueled Kyle Busch, claiming the 50th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory for Roush.
Braun also is the Nationwide Series “Driver of the Week,” a first-year program by series sponsor Nationwide Insurance designed to increase driver awareness, with emphasis on series-only regulars.
He’ll be featured on a live chat on NASCAR.com Wednesday from 1-1:30 p.m.
Roush’s NASCAR Nationwide teams have won four times at MIS, the most of any owner.
His last win was in 2008, when Carl Edwards (No. 60 Valvoline Ford) won from the pole.
►Numbers Game Meets Sibling Rivalry
The Wallace brothers bring a bit more to the term “sibling rivalry” this weekend at Michigan.
Mike Wallace (No. 01 J-D Motorsports Chevy) and Kenny Wallace (No. 28 Federated Auto Parts/FX Chevy) each have the exact same number of driver points after 23 races — 2,004.
Mike, in 18th, is one place higher in the rankings than Kenny. They both have a best finish of 11th this season (Mike at Las Vegas Motor Speedway; Kenny at Talladega Superspeedway), but Mike has the next best result, 12th at Auto Club Speedway.
Kenny was 22nd at Michigan last year. Mike finished 34th.
►Raybestos Rookie Standings
Driver Team Points
1. Brian Scott Braun 193
(Scott will make his 30th career series start at Michigan. He’s 12th in the driver standings with one top five and five top-10 finishes. He’ll make his series track debut at MIS.)
2. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. RFR 173
3. Colin Braun RFR 164
4. James Buescher N/A 97
►Manufacturers’ Standings
Chevy leads all manufacturers with 12 wins at Michigan International Speedway.
►Up Next: Bristol Motor Speedway
The annual late-summer Friday-night beating and banging at Bristol is on deck for the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The Food City 250 is set for 8 p.m. ET on Aug. 20. ESPN has the broadcast starting at 7:30 p.m.
David Ragan won last year’s race after Brad Keselowski captured the pole. Keselowski’s current Penske Racing teammate, Justin Allgaier (No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge) was the winner this past March. Kevin Harvick (No. 33 Jimmy John’s Chevy) is the all-time winner at Bristol with five victories; his last win was in the 2009 spring race.
Fast Facts
Next Race: CARFAX 250
The Place: Michigan International
Speedway (2 Mile Banked Asphalt)
The Date: Saturday, August 14
The Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
The Distance: 250 miles/125 laps
TV: ESPN, 1:00 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio (Local-WVFN-AM 730)
2009 Winner: Brad Keselowski
2009 Pole Winner: Brian Vickers
Schedule prior to race day (times ET): Thursday: Practice, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.; Friday: Final Practice, 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.; Saturday: Qualifying, 10:10 a.m.
2010 Driver Standings
1 Brad Keselowski 3,509
2 Carl Edwards 3,182
3 Kyle Busch 3,036
4 Justin Allgaier 2,894
5 Kevin Harvick 2,774
6 Paul Menard 2,732
7 Steve Wallace 2,626
8 Trevor Bayne 2,441
9 Brendan Gaughan 2,420
10 Jason Leffler 2,384
Tire: Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials
Number of Tires: Left-side -- 575; Right-side -- 575
Tire Codes: Left-side -- D-4394; Right-side -- D-4272
Tire Circumference: Left-side -- 87.1 in.; Right-side -- 88.3 in.
Technical Inspection Inflation:
Left Front -- 30 psi; Left Rear -- 30 psi;
Right Front -- 48 psi; Right Rear -- 45 psi
Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front -- 22 psi; Left Rear -- 20 psi;
