Kroger 200 broadcast shows significant increases over 2003 Last Saturdays Kroger 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park broadcast on TNT earned a 15% increase in households over last years event, and also showed a 10% increase in viewers over 2003 event programming. The race was the No. 2 sporting event broadcast on cable television last weekend.
Off-week offerings A week off from racing still offers a busy schedule for drivers in the NASCAR Busch Series, with activities that revolve around racing or those that take a break from the track altogether. 1994 series champion David Green (No. 37 Timber Wolf Pontiac) was scheduled to test a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup car at Richmond Monday and Tuesday in preparation for his return to the premier series Sept. 11 in the Chevy Rock and Roll 400. Green will head to California for a two-day media tour that includes throwing the first pitch at the Anaheim Angels Baltimore Orioles game on Wednesday. Kyle Busch will head home to Las Vegas and spend time with family and friends. A trip to California is on his itinerary, with stops at amusement parks along the way. He also plans on watching a friend race at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during his stay. Busch will return to pull double-duty at Michigan as he will attempt to qualify for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series GFS Marketplace 400. David Stremme (No. 32 TRIMSPA X32 Dodge) will travel to Watkins Glen this week for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race to gather as much information as he can as the NASCAR Busch Series will return to road racing in 2005 with its first-ever points event outside the United States. The series will race in Mexico City on March 6, then return to The Glen for the first time in three years on Aug. 13. … ST Motorsports (Stacy Compton, No. 59 Kingsford/Bushs Beans Ford; Robert Pressley, No. 47 Clorox/Wisk Ford) is scheduled to test at Michigan and Bristol this week, then embarks on a 10-year team tradition, The Chippenwhale Invitational golf tournament. Team owner Tad Geschickter started the tournament in 1995 where team employees and vendors get together for a day. The tourney is named in honor of the original ST Motorsports pit crew. The crew chose the nickname Chippendales, however, Geschickter humorously believed the tag Chippenwhales was a better fit. This is an intense business and we all put in a lot of hours, Geschickter said. The Chippenwhale Invitational gives us a chance to play for a day and enjoy each others company. The first year we got in trouble with the course for teams playing shirts and skins, but weve refined the rules since then.
Shark Tale paint scheme to adorn No. 38 Dodge The No. 38 Great Clips Dodge, which has been driven the majority of this season by Kasey Kahne, will sport a paint scheme differing from its traditional red, black and white during four races this season, starting with the Aug. 21 event at Michigan. The car will feature a blue, black and white underwater environment highlighting characters in the upcoming DreamWorks animated film Shark Tale, scheduled to be released on Oct. 1. Kahne will also feature the paint scheme at Bristol, California and Kansas.
Chevy Ford Dodge in manufacturers standings Chevrolet stopped Fords recent momentum in the Bill France Performance Cup standings with Kyle Buschs win at Indianapolis Raceway Park last Saturday. Ford had won the previous two races, and three of the prior four. The IRP win was Chevrolets first since Milwaukee. Chevy has 13 wins this season for 167 points; Ford has seven wins and 137 points while Dodge has two victories and totals 101 points.
Lefflers team awarded IRP McDonalds POWERade title Jason Lefflers (No. 00 Net Zero Hi-Speed Chevrolet) crew won the McDonalds POWERade Drive-Thru Pit Crew of the Race Award at IRP. The Haas CNC Racing crew is tied with the BREWCO Motorsports crew of David Green (No. 37 Timber Wolf Pontiac) with four awards in 2004, but Lefflers team leads the season standings by 59 points over Greens crew (1512 1453).
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Kyle Busch could be on his way to making history if he maintains the momentum gained from his victory at IRP last Saturday. Busch was second in points to leader Martin Truex, Jr. at the halfway mark of the 2004 season, and five times in the last 10 seasons the driver leading the points standings at mid-year has NOT gone on to win the NASCAR Busch Series championship. No rookie has ever won the series championship. Busch also leads the Raybestos Rookie of the Year chase.
Although Busch and Truex each have four wins to their credit, four of the last 10 series champions Brian Vickers (2003), Greg Biffle (2002), Johnny Benson (1995) and David Green (1994) scored four wins or less on their way to their respective titles. Truex has maintained the lead in points since May 8 after winning at Gateway International Raceway.
Fast Facts
Next race: Cabelas 250 (Race No. 23 of 34 in the NASCAR Busch Series).
Where: Michgan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Mich.
When: 1:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, August 21.
Track layout: 2-mile banked asphalt.
Race length: 250 miles/125 laps.
Posted awards: $1,081,847.
TV: TNT, 1:00 p.m. ET.
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.
2003 winner: Kevin Harvick.
2003 polesitter: Kasey Kahne.
Pre-race schedule (all times local): Friday, Aug. 20 Practice, 8:30 10:30 a.m.; qualifying, 1 p.m.; final practice following NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series qualifying.(NASCAR PR)(8-16-2004)
