NAPA AUTO PARTS 200 - CIRCUIT GILLES VILLENEUVE
Nationwide Series Race #25 of 35 for the 2010 season
Last Race - Bristol
Next Race - Atlanta
Said wins at Montreal: #09-Boris Said won the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve by .012 seconds over #33-Max Papis. #09-Said took the lead at the start of a green-white-checker finsihe when #07-Robby Gordon ran out of gas. It is the first NASCAR win for RAB Racing and the first Nationwide win for Said. #32-Jacques Villeneuve finished third. The rest of the top 10: #22-Brad Keselowski, #98-Paul Menard, #20-Joey Logano, #7-J.R. Fitzpatrick, #26-Parker Kligerman, #12-Justin Allgaier, and #99-Trevor Bayne. #60-Carl Edwards led 29 laps but broke a trackbar with 10 laps remaining and finsihed 20th. #47-Marcos Ambrose dominated early but did not finish because of electrical problems. There were 7 cautions for 19 laps and 11 lead changes among 8 leaders. The attendance was estimated at more than 70,000. Complete results are posted on the Montreal race results page.(8-29-2010)
Montreal Race Fast Facts:
Boris Said won the NAPA AUTO PARTS 200 presented by Dodge, his first victory in 22 NASCAR Nationwide Series races. The margin of victory 0.012 is the fifth closest finish in series history.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in 2010.
This is his first victory and second top-10 finish in four races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Max Papis (second) posted his second top-10 finish in four races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. It is his first top-10 finish in 2010.
Jacques Villeneuve (third) posted his second top-10 finish in three races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Colin Braun (22nd) was the highest finishing rookie.
Brad Keselowski leads the point standings by 365 points over Carl Edwards.(NASCAR Statistics)(8-29-2010)
Lucky Dogs - Who got a lap back on each caution at Montreal and their finish
Caution 1: none, no one on track a lap or more down
Caution 2: none, no one on track a lap or more down
Caution 3: none, no one on track a lap or more down
Caution 4: #23-Kennedy, 26th
Caution 5: none, #15-Annett caused the caution
Caution 6: #24-Kennington, 11th
Caution 7: #12-Allgaier, 9th
(NASCAR PR)(8-29-2010)
Driver standings following Montreal:
1) #22-Brad Keselowski 3995
2) #60-Carl Edwards 3630, -365
3) #18-Kyle Busch 3396,p -599
4) #12-Justin Allgaier 3261, -734
5) #98-Paul Menard 3171, -824
6) #33-Kevin Harvick 2908, -1087
7) #66-Steve Wallace 2857, -1138
8) #99-Trevor Bayne 2855, -1140
9) #20-Joey Logano 2722, -1273
10) #38-Jason Leffler 2720, -1275
Complete standings are posted on the driver standings page.(8-29-2010)
Owner Standings following Montreal are posted. There were no changes, but the #35 TriStar Motorsports team fell back to 30th. The top 30 are now locked in the race at Atlanta.(8-29-2010)
Ambrose on pole at Montreal: #32-Marcos Ambrose won the Coors Light Pole for the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with a speed of 97.079mph, a new track record. #32-Jacques Villeneuve will start second. The rest of the top 10: #20-Joey Longano, #60-Carl Edwards, #09-Boris Said, #38-Jason Leffler, #98-Paul Menard, #22-Brad Keselowski, #33-Max Papis, and #18-Brad Coleman Did Not Qualify: #41-Stanton Barrett, #31-Kevin O'Connell, and #61-Pierre Bourque. #62-Brendan Gaughan spun during his qualifying session and made slight contact with the wall. The starting lineup is posted on the Montreal starting lineup page.(8-28-2010)
Papis fastest in Happy Hour: #33-Max Papis was quickest during the final practice session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with a speed of 96.820mph. He was followed by: #32-Jacques Villeneuve, #47-Marcos Ambrose, #38-Jason Leffler, #00-Patrick Carpentier, #09-Boris Said, #20-Joey Logano, #07-Robby Gordon, #60-Carl Edwards, and #22-Brad Keselowski. There were two cautions for #61-Pierre Borque, one when he lost power to the car and a second when he backed the car into the wall. There was also a caution for #88-Ron Fellows when he ran out of gas. #27-Andrew Ranger & #81-McDowell will both have to change engines. Complete results are posted on the Montreal practice results page.(8-28-2010)
Villeneuve & Edwards fastest in opening practice: #32-Jacquese Villeneueve and #60-Carl Edwards tied for the fastest speed in the opening practice session for the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at 96.455 mph. #09-Boris Said was 3rd, followed by #47-Marcos Ambrose, #22-Brad Keselowski, #33-Max Papis, #00-Patrick Carpentier, #18-Brad Coleman, #20-Joey Logano, and #27-Andrew Ranger. There were two incidents reported during the session: #6-Ricky Stenhouse Jr spun in Turn 10. He made no contact. #31- Kevin O'Connell spun in Turn 7 and the end of the session. Complete results are posted on the Montreal practice results page.(8-28-2010)
Entry List: There are 49 cars on the preliminary entry list for Sunday's NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Some notes:
Patrick Carpentier is in the #00 for Diamond Waltrip;
Victor Gonzalez returns to the #05 for Wayne Day;
Robby Gordon will drive the #07;
Boris Said will drive the #09 RAB Ford;
Morgan Shepherd is back in the #21 for RCR;
Alex Kennedy is in the #23;
Parker Kligerman will drive the #26 for Brian Keselowski, Keselowski will be in the #96;
Andrew Ranger will drive the #27 for Baker Curb and Justin Marks is in the #43;
Max Papis drives the #33 for KHI;
Tony Ave returns to the #35 for TriStar;
MacDonald Motorsports has entered the #82 with Tomy Drissi;
Paul Harraka will drive NEMCO's #87 and Nemechek is in the #97.(8-23-2010)
UPDATE: Kennington will drive for McClure, Pierre Bourque will be in the #61 and the #92 & #96 teams have withdrawn.(8-24-2010)
UPDATE: The Jimmy Means #52 team has withdrawn.(8-26-2010)
See the complete list on the Montreal entry list page.
If qualifying is rained out or canceled the teams making the race would be:
#47-Ambrose [2009 race winner], #36-Green [past champion], #97-Nemechek [past champion], #81-McDowell [31st in owner points, 24 attempts], #05-Gonzalez [32nd, 24], #24-McClure [33rd, 24], #26-Kligerman [36th, 24], #89-Rowe [37th, 24], #43-Marks [34th, 23], #92-Setzer [43rd, 21], #61-TBA [39th, 18], #52-Scarallo [50, 12]
6 missing the race would be: #31-O'Connell[ 49th, 4], #96-Keselowski [62nd, 4], #00-Carpentier [52nd, 2], #41-Barrett [60th, 2], #59-Kelley [61st, 2, #82-Brissi [71st, 1], #07-Gordon [0, 0],
Owner Standings following Bristol are posted. The top 30 are now locked in the race at Montreal. There were no changes again, but the #81-Michael McDowell/MacDonald Motorsports team continues to close the gap, now just 23 points behind #70-Shelby Howard/ML Motorsports.(8-20-2010)
Nationwide Series Goes North of the Border Live on ESPN2: ESPN2 continues its season-long coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series on Sunday, Aug. 29, as the series goes road racing north of the border at the famous Circuit Gilles Villleneuve in Montreal. The NASCAR Countdown pre-race show airs at 2 p.m. with the race's green flag at 2:48 p.m. Also from Montreal, ESPN2 will televise NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying on Saturday, Aug. 28, at 5 p.m. as well as final practice earlier that day at 11:30 a.m. Allen Bestwick will call the action with analysis by Rusty Wallace,and Andy Petree. Reports from Tim Brewer will originate from the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage, while pit reporters will be Mike Massaro, Shannon Spake and Vince Welch. (ESPN)(8-23-2010)
Bonjour Montreal! More Thrills In Store As Series Makes Return
It’s one of the most anticipated races of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season.
It’s also had a penchant for being one of the most bizarre.
Add those elements together and they equal the NAPA Auto Parts 200 presented by Dodge, at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.
The buzz truly builds around this race, as it approaches, for obvious reasons. Over its three years, the event has produced thrilling racing on the historic 14-turn, 2.710-mile track on the unique, man-made Ile Notre-Dame. The fan turnout has been tremendous, especially considering the inclement weather that cropped up during the past two races. Instead of heading for home, the crowd remained, ponchos at the ready. There’s also the European feel of Montreal, different from any city the series visits.
Then there’s the element that the series has become famous for – racing in the rain.
Rain has been the headliner during the last two races. The 2008 event was the first points race in the rain in NASCAR national series history. Last year, teams once again honed their skills by preparing for and competing in the rain, then getting back to dry-condition racing during the same event.
The racing has been some of the best – and strangest – in each of the last three seasons. Kevin Harvick won the inaugural event in 2007, one in which Robby Gordon (#07 Mapei/Menards Chevy) – who’s back for the first time since that event – thought he had won after he and Marcos Ambrose (#47 Little Debbie/Giant Tiger/Glad with Febreeze Toyota) took turns spinning each other in the final laps.
Gordon, Harvick and Montreal’s own Patrick Carpentier (#00 NAPA Toyota), who finished second, all were doing doughnuts on the frontstretch.
In 2008, Canadian Ron Fellows (#88 Canadian Tire Chevy) won the first “rain race,” which actually was shortened because of too much puddling in some areas of the track due to the downpour. Last year, Carl Edwards (#60 Fastenal Ford) spoiled a dominating run by Ambrose, passing him on the final turn of the last lap to win. Ambrose, who has led 124 of 199 total laps over the three races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve but has yet to go to Victory Lane, has vowed to “Run this thing until I win it.”
“I love going to Canada,” Edwards said. “When we won last year … to be able to beat Ambrose like that with as good as he was, with the rain and the wet track, and then the crowd went crazy and was singing some song I don’t know … it was cool. I’m excited to go back there."
NASCAR Drivers Hold Their Own On Road Courses
A road-course ace does not necessarily a winner make.
Granted, Marcos Ambrose, a veteran of road-course racing before his full-time entry into NASCAR in 2006, has won at Watkins Glen the last three seasons. But “ringers” haven’t been as dominant in recent years in NASCAR Nationwide Series road-course events.
Since 2005, when the series returned to running at least twice per season at road venues, only “aces” like Ambrose, Juan Pablo Montoya (Mexico City 2007) and Ron Fellows (Montreal, 2008) have wins. Otherwise, it’s been a bevy of career stock-car drivers who have made it to Victory Lane.
Two-time series champion Martin Truex Jr. won the inaugural race at Mexico City in 2005, followed by Denny Hamlin (2006). Kevin Harvick won Montreal’s inaugural race (2007) and Carl Edwards won at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve last year. Ryan Newman (2005), Kurt Busch (2006) and Harvick (2007) won at The Glen before Ambrose’s trio of victories.
Brad Keselowski (# 12 Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday Dodge) is one of the best road-course racers among series regulars. After finishing 43rd in his first series road-course race at Mexico City in 2007, Keselowski’s average finish in the 12 road races since is 6.9, including consecutive career-best fourth-place efforts at Road America and Watkins Glen earlier this summer. He was fifth last year in Montreal.
No Perfect Storm — Yet — In Montreal
The NASCAR Nationwide Series has put on some spectacles in its three races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Quite literally, there have been moments rarely seen anywhere else in the sport. Name it, it’s happened:
rain tires, two-car burnouts, last-lap passes for the win.
But there is something that hasn’t happened yet: Perfection.
None of the first three race winners – Kevin Harvick, Ron Fellows and Carl Edwards – has dominated in such a fashion as to score a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0.
Considering the way that series road-course races have played out so far this season, the first Montreal perfect 150.0 might occur this Sunday.
At both Road America and Watkins Glen, wins were coupled by a perfect Driver Rating. Edwards nailed one at Road America; Marcos Ambrose posted one at Watkins Glen.
Who can make it a perfect three-for-three?
Here are the prime candidates:
♦ Edwards: He has the top average Driver Rating at the road courses this year (116.5), but that had a lot to do with his Road America dominance. He finished 33rd at Watkins Glen, with a Driver Rating of 83.0.
♦ Ambrose: Has run all three Montreal races with finishes of second last year, third in 2008 and seventh in 2007. He has the top average Driver Rating there with an incredible 140.6.
♦ Jacques Villeneuve: Villeneuve has a Driver Rating of 105.1, which is second-best among drivers in Sunday’s field. He finished fourth last year.
♦ Steve Wallace (#66 5-Hour Energy Toyota): One of three drivers who has scored a top 10 in each of the first two road-course races this season (the others are Ron Fellows and Brad Keselowski). Wallace’s Driver Rating in the road courses this season: 89.2.
♦ Brad Coleman (#18 Safeway Driving Centers Toyota): He’ll be driving top equipment and is excellent at road courses. Don’t let last year’s 28th place finish at Montreal fool you. In that event, he had a Driver Rating of 97.2 and an Average Running Position of 11.0.
From Villeneuve To Harraka, Big Names And New Names Featured In Montreal
Along with the largest entry list in the fouryear history of this race — 47 cars — there also will be plenty of star power at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
First, it’s the final open weekend of the season for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. So that opens the door for more double-duty drivers to race in Montreal.
In addition to the three full-time double-duty drivers, led by NASCAR Nationwide Series standings leader Brad Keselowski, others include Joey Logano (#20 GameStop Toyota) and Robby Gordon.
Then there’s the list of road-course aces and home-standing Canadians that puts an exclamation point on the entry list.
The last two winners are in the field, Ron Fellows and Carl Edwards. Fellows is among a contingent of Canadians who are entered. Patrick Carpentier won the inaugural pole in 2007 while Jacques Villeneuve (#32 Dollar General Toyota), the former F1 champion and Indy 500 winner, returns to the track that bears his father’s name.
Young standouts Andrew Ranger (#27 Dodge Dealers of Quebec Dodge) and JR Fitzpatrick (#7 Shick Hydro Chevy) each have won at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1.
Ranger, who surprised many by finishing third in this race last year, is a two-time NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion. Fitzpatrick is the current standings leader in that series.
Other international standouts also will take the stage. Marcos Ambrose (Australia) is again a strong favorite as is Italy’s Max Papis who will drive the #33 Chevy for Kevin Harvick Inc.
Victor Gonzalez Jr. (#05 31-W Insulation Chevy) is back. He made his series debut last year at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, becoming the first Puerto Rican to start a NASCAR Nationwide Series race.
A couple of other noteworthy names are Paulie Harraka (#87 Exide Batteries Chevy) and Tomy Drissi (#82 Wall Street Movie Dodge).
Harraka, 20, will make his national series debut in Montreal driving for 1992 series champion Joe Nemechek (#97 HostGator Chevy), who has a history of putting young drivers in his cars.
Harraka posted the first wins for NASCAR’S Drive for Diversity (“D4D”) program in the NASCAR
K&N Pro Series West last year and has one win and five top fives after nine races in that series this year.
Harraka is entering his junior year at Duke University, and has a busy week in front of him.
He’ll move into his college digs on Wednesday before heading to Montreal. He begins classes at Duke on Monday as a Markets and Management / Sociology major.
He’ll also be featured in the “D4D” reality show “Changing Lanes,” which debuts Wednesday on BET Network.
Drissi is the defending Trans-Am Series champion. He’s from Hollywood, Calif., and will attempt his series debut driving for MacDonald Motorsports. Team owner Randy MacDonald is a native of Oshawa, Ontario.
Ranger Again Brings Solid Credentials To NASCAR Nationwide Race
It’s not a bad thing to have something in common with Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick.
Among other career accolades, both drivers have registered wins in each of NASCAR’s three national series this season.
Although not on the national series scale, Andrew Ranger also has wins in three different NASCAR series this year.
He’s won twice in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and has one win in both the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, East and West.
Busch, the reigning NASCAR Nationwide Series champion, most recently accomplished that feat in historic fashion, winning each of the three NASCAR national series races last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Harvick, a two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion, has two NASCAR Nationwide victories and three wins each this year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Baker Curb Racing’s #27 car has two impressive runs on road courses this season with two drivers making their NASCAR Nationwide Series debuts. Owen Kelly finished fifth at Road America while Nelson Piquet Jr. was seventh at Watkins Glen.
Ranger will be the 11th different driver to climb behind the wheel of the #27 in 2010. Of those, four countries will have been represented: the United States (2002 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Greg Biffle, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Drew Herring, Justin Lofton, Danny O’Quinn Jr., Johnny Sauter, Scott Wimmer and Josh Wise); Canada (Ranger),
NNS Etc.: Montreal Edition
►”Regular Guys” Stout On The Road
Road course aces and double-duty drivers may be getting the headlines for Sunday’s race, but don’t overlook series-only regulars who have quietly had solid road-course races this season.
Last year, three “regular guys” finished in the top 10 — Brad Keselowski was fifth, Tony Raines (#34 Long John Silvers Chevy) was sixth and Brendan Gaughan (# 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Toyota) finished ninth.
At Road America in June, Gaughan was third, Brad Coleman was sixth, Jason Leffler (#38 Great Clips Toyota) finished eighth while Steve Wallace, Trevor Bayne (#99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota) and Colin Braun (#16 3M Ford) finished in positions 9-11.
Earlier this month at the Glen, Wallace was ninth and Michael McDowell (#81 K-Love Dodge) finished 10th. Tayler Malsam (#10 Iron Horse Jeans Toyota) was 12th, improving upon his series road-course debut finish of 15th at Road America.
Stout finishes, considering five and eight double-duty drivers or road-course ringers finished in the top 10 at both races, respectively.
Back to Raines, he’s the Nationwide Insurance “Driver of the Week.” Currently the subject of a feature story on NASCARNationwideSeries.com, he’ll also take part in a live audio chat also on NASCARNationwideSeries.com, Wednesday at noon ET.
►Raybestos Rookie Of The Year
Driver Team Points
1. Brian Scott Braun 195
Scott has run well on road courses this year. He finished 13th at Road America and Watkins Glen. Five and eight double-duty drivers or road-course aces finished in the
Top 10 at both races, respectively.
2. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. RFR 179
3. Colin Braun RFR 170
4. James Buescher N/A 97
►Bayne Goes Through “Car Wash”
Kyle Busch notwithstanding, Trevor Bayne should be listed among the hottest drivers in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Bayne, 19, is currently eighth in the driver points, and comes off a sixth-place finish at Bristol.
He was one of three series-only regulars in the top 10 there — Jason Leffler was second and Parker Kligerman (#26 K-Automotive Motorsports Dodge) was a career-best ninth.
Bayne has had four top-five finishes in his last nine races in addition to his sixth-place at Bristol. He tied a NASCAR Nationwide Series record with three consecutive poles at Gateway International Raceway, O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis and Iowa Speedway.
Wednesday he’ll go through the “car wash” on the ESPN campus in Bristol, Conn. Bayne will be featured on the ESPN.com chat and on SportsCenter, ESPNews and NASCAR Now.
Bayne also will take part in a pre-event press conference at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Thursday at noon along with Patrick Carpentier, Andrew Ranger, JR Fitzpatrick and Grand-Am driver Marc Wilkins.
►Manufacturers’ Standings
Ford broke up Chevy’s two-race winning streak at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve last year. Toyota won the inaugural pole in 2007 and also last year. Dodge captured the pole in 2008.
►Up Next: Atlanta Motor Speedway
The Great Clips 300 at Atlanta on Saturday, Sept. 4, represents the 10-races-to-go mark in the season.
The race starts at 7 p.m. ET with the NASCAR Countdown prerace show on ESPN2 starting at 6:30 p.m. A pair of two-time series champions were in the spotlight last year. Kevin Harvick won, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured the pole.
Fast Facts
Next Race: NAPA Auto Parts 200 presented by Dodge
The Place: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (2.710-mile, 14-turn road course)
The Date: Sunday, August 29
The Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
The Distance: 200.466 miles/74 laps
TV: ESPN2, 2 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio
2009 Winner: Carl Edwards
2009 Polesitter: Marcos Ambrose
Schedule prior to race day (times ET): Saturday: Practice, 9:00-11:00 a.m. Final Practice, 11:30 a.m.-12:50 p.m. Qualifying, 5:05 p.m.
NASCAR Nationwide Series Driver StandingsDriver Points
1 Brad Keselowski 3,830
2 Carl Edwards 3,517
3 Kyle Busch 3,396
4 Justin Allgaier 3,123
5 Paul Menard 3,016
6 Kevin Harvick 2,908
7 Steve Wallace 2,808
8 Trevor Bayne 2,721
9 Jason Leffler 2,620
10 Brendan Gaughan 2,587
