March 27, 2010
- Weather at Martinsville: for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway is not looking to promising for Sunday BUT the radar looks a little better to at least get the race started. Teams are setting up for halfway [lap 250]. The National Weather Service forecast for Sunday afternoon is: Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 5pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 55. East wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
The Weather Channel forecast is: Widespread showers and thunderstorms developing around mid-afternoon. Cloudy with temperatures rising towards the mid 50s. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip: 70%.
For more weather info, see my Martinsville Weather links on my Martinsville Race Info page. - Race Coverage of the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway is scheduled for Sunday, March 28, 2010.
Television (TV): FOX at 1:00 pm/et; pre-race show at 12:00 pm/et; green flag approx 1:13pm/et
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Satellite NASCAR Radio 128
Scheduled Race Re-Airs:
SPEED, Wednesday, March 31 at 12:00pm/et - “50-win” Club Member on Raceday: #48-Jimmie Johnson will be joined by fellow members of the “50-win” club for a special two-part discussion on NASCAR RaceDay Built by The Home Depot (Sunday, 10:00am/et) hosted by veteran broadcaster Ken Squier. Johnson, who won the 50th Cup Series race of his career last week at Bristol, will be joined by two-time champion Ned Jarrett (1961, ’65) and legendary driver/owner Junior Johnson, a member of the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. At 50 wins, the three drivers are tied for 10th on the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win list. Next up for Jimmie – No. 9 Lee Petty with 54 wins. Other guests on this weekend’s NASCAR RaceDay Built by the Home Depot include Denny Hamlin, Mark Martin, Elliott Sadler and Richard Petty.(SPEED)(3-27-2010)
- Pit Stall Selections – Martinsville: The selections of pit stalls for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway have been made. #29-Harvick, who starts 1st due to the rain out qualifying, chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #17-Kenseth took pit stall 11, the first with an opening in front of it [after the 1st stall of course].
#48-Johnson, who starts 3rd took the 34th pit stall, the next stall with an opening in front of it.
The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #82-Speed, who starts 18th.
To see where all the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on the Martinsville Pit Stall Selection chart.(3-27-2010) - Happy Hour practice: for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway is over, after 60 minutes of practice, the top five and some notes:
#1-McMurray 95.869
#31-Burton 95.854
#33-Bowyer 95.767
#24-Gordon 95.762
#11-Hamlin 95.728
slowest: #13-Papis 92.244 and #38-Conway 93.543
incidents: #7-Gordon lost an engine at the end of practice, the team will put in a new motor.
See fastest speeds, average speeds, laps run on my Martinsville Practice Speeds page.(3-27-2010) - Saturday’s first practice: for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway is over, after 45 minutes of practice, the top five and some notes:
#5-Martin 96.010
#31-Burton 96.010
#83-Vickers 95.912
#42-Montoya 95.903
#24-Gordon 95.801
slowest: #37-Gilliland 93.308 and #38-Conway 93.387
See fastest speeds, average speeds, laps run on my Martinsville Practice Speeds page.(3-27-2010) - Harvick tests at North Wilkesboro: from a Team Chevy press conference transcript of #29-Kevin Harvick:
YOU’VE BEEN HANGING ON TO THAT POINT LEAD AND MUST BE ANXIOUS TO GET INTO VICTORY LANE
“Actually it’s been a decent start to the year, for sure. Obviously we’ve had a couple of chances to win and haven’t quite gotten that done, but the guys are going a great job. We had a long week of testing. We spent a couple of days at Charlotte and one day at North Wilkesboro so hopefully we’re ready to go.”
ON NORTH WILKESBORO, WHAT DOES THE SURFACE LOOK LIKE? WERE YOU THE ONLY CUP DRIVER THERE? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT?
“The surface is fine. They’ve done a really good job of cleaning it up. They have a lot still left to do with some of the facility. Obviously they’re working on the surface to fix some of the cracks and things, but we were one of the first ones there just trying to feel out exactly what it would be useful for and things like that. But it still wears the tires out and still drives around like I guess it used to. That was the first time I’d ever been there. But they’ve done a really good job of cleaning everything up and it looks like any other race track.”
See photos the Sprint Cup Series test session with Kevin Harvick at North Wilkesboro Speedway at historicnws.com.(3-27-2010) - Special scheme for Dale Jr at Martinsville UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt Jr is scheduled to drive the #88 AMP Energy Sugar Free Lightning Chevy at Martinsville Speedway on March 28, 2010.(3-20-2010)
UPDATE: Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevrolet will showcase a silver and yellow paint scheme this weekend at Martinsville Speedway to feature AMP Energy’s newest flavor — AMP Energy Sugar Free Lightning. It tastes like lemonade and has all the power of AMP Energy, just without the sugar.(HMS)(3-27-2010)
AND from a Team Chevy press conference transcript of #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.:
TALK ABOUT THE SPECIAL PAINT SCHEME YOU HAVE ON THE CAR THIS WEEKEND: “I appreciate it. I think it turned out pretty good. It is the Sugar Free Lightning flavor of AMP. I like the lightning. I try to do my best on designing cars. I think this might be the best one we have come out with so far. I am pretty proud of it. I actually really do like the Lightning flavor, that is probably what I drink the most of back home. It is kind of cool to have the Sugar Free here unveiled and on the car for this weekend. I wish this kind of thing more often. Go through all the flavors week after week. It would be kinda cool to have different colored cars every week. Change it up a little bit. It is fun for me to be able to do the one-off stuff like we are doing this weekend. A lot of fun.”(Chevy Racing), see an image of the scheme on my #88 Team Schemes page.(3-27-2010) - Mears to sub for Hamlin if needed, may return to the #90 team: Casey Mears was selected Saturday to sub for #11-Denny Hamlin while he recovers from ACL surgery. It’s a deal that came together in just a few days, but one Mears knows could relaunch a fledgling Cup career after going 1-for-6 in making races with underfunded Keyed-Up Motorsports – a deal that ended with a DNQ Friday. “It’s just an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” he said. “It’s one of those deals where I could just be sitting on the pit box if Denny feels pretty good, but if he doesn’t it’s just a great opportunity to possibly get in a good car.” It’s also a chance to pair with an organization that would one day like to expand to four teams. “You see him in passing, and it’s hi, hello, but I’ve never really spoken with those guys,” he said. “So it’s an opportunity for me to just kind of get to know those guys a little bit, and you never know what the future holds.” Hamlin had high praise for Mears in his press conference Saturday morning, calling him “the best option to get a good finish” of all the drivers available in case he falters. If Hamlin’s pain is overwhelming, the plan would be to run to the first caution, then have Mears take over for as many races as possible until his recovery’s complete. “I think it means a lot to think your peers think of you that way,” he claimed. “I think that hopefully if I can get in there, I can do a good job for them, and keep them in the running for where they want to be.” In the meantime, Mears’ relationship with Keyed-Up is expected to continue once his subbing is complete. He claims owner Raymond Key will run in the interim, although no driver has been selected to sub for him in the #90 Chevy as of yet. “I still want to run with those guys some more,” he said. “Hopefully, I can get through this year and get something going rolling positive for 2011.”(Frontstretch)(3-27-2010)
- Impact Racing products to be decertified by the SFI; Impact responds: SFI Foundation, Inc., has issued a Notice of Decertification; Notice of Cease and Desist, and a notice terminating all Contracts of Participation to Impact Racing [owned by safety pioneer Bill Simpson]. Effective April 27, 2010, all products manufactured and/or distributed by Impact Racing pursuant to SFI Specification Programs 3.2A, 3.3, 16.1, and 16.5 are decertified. Evidence obtained by SFI shows that over a period of years Impact Racing has engaged in the production and use of counterfeit SFI conformance labels and patches, and affixed them to Impact products for use in motorsports. Under the Contracts of Participation between SFI and Impact, SFI conformance labels and patches may only be obtained from SFI and no other source. Evidence shows that Impact had counterfeit SFI labels and patches made in Asia and then affixed them to Impact products it distributed to members of the racing community. To SFI’s knowledge, Impact never advised its customers that its products contained phony SFI labels and patches. Impact never advised SFI of its systematic and longstanding practice of counterfeiting and distributing SFI patches and labeling.Impact has been directed to cease and desist from this practice. SFI has directed Impact to immediately notify all affected customers to remove the counterfeit labeling and to offer the affected customers a full refund of the purchase price. SFI is requesting that all counterfeit conformance labels removed from Impact products be sent to SFI.SFI has elected not to decertify these products immediately in order to minimize the potential hardships to members of the racing community that have been brought about by Impact’s counterfeiting activities and also elected to terminate all Contracts of Participation with Impact Racing effective 90 days from March 24, 2010. Under the terms of the Contracts, either party may terminate the agreements without penalty upon 90 days notice. This means that Impact will no longer be able to participate in any SFI programs after this 90 day period. SFI has taken these actions in the best interests of the safety and integrity of the racing community. This is in keeping with SFI’s mission and purpose.(SFI Foundation site)Impact responds Impact Racing posted a statement on their website: “Impact strongly disagrees with the statements on SFI’s website. This is a dispute over SFI tags. Our products are certified. They are safe, and we stand behind them.”(3-27-2010)
- Hamlin to have surgery, sub not named UPDATE Mears: #11-Denny Hamlin will have reconstructive surgery on his left knee Monday, sources close to the driver and Joe Gibbs Racing told ESPN.com. Hamlin, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in December playing pickup basketball, planned to wait until the end of the 2010 season to repair it. But growing fear of long term damage forced his hand, sources said. Sources said Hamlin plans to start every race and doesn’t expect to miss any competition, but plans to have a driver on standby for several races just in case. Sources are uncertain at this time whom that driver would be. Per NASCAR rules, the driver that takes the green flag in the car earns the championship points for that race, even if he gets out prematurely. Hamlin’s ability to drive the #11 Toyota is more about his pain tolerance than anything else, sources said. Strength-wise he should be fine. If he can handle the pain, he can race, the sources said. Hamlin, widely considered the biggest threat to upend Jimmie Johnson’s championship stranglehold, has begun slowly in 2010. He is 19th in the point standings and has yet to earn a top-10 finish in the season’s first five events.(ESPN)(3-27-2010)UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announced Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will undergo surgery on Monday, March 29 to repair the ACL in his left knee. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Patrick Connor with OrthoCarolina. Hamlin injured the knee in January prior to the start of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. “When we first reviewed the situation we thought Denny couldn’t do any further damage to his knee if he waited to have surgery, but as the season progressed we determined that the best plan of action was to go ahead and have it repaired,” said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. “Hopefully this will take care of the situation and he should get stronger each week.” Hamlin is expected to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Phoenix on April 10.(JGR)MEARs could sub: Hamlin said driver Casey Mears has been hired as his standby in case he needs a substitute or an in-race replacement during the recovery period. Hamlin said he hopes he won’t miss any races and that the recovery period will be over by the fall, when he hopes to be competing in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He is currently 19th in points. Hamlin said he will be on crutches at least until practice for the Phoenix race begins. “From there, we’ll just kind of see where our range of motion is and things like that,” he said. “As long as they can just pry me in that seat, they’ll have a tough time prying me out.” Hamlin had planned to have the surgery at the end of the season, but continuing problems with the knee forced a change, he said. “We were doing some further damage to the knee, and, to me, it’s not something that’s worth suffering forever or having a permanent limp or anything like that,” he said. “It just didn’t make much sense. The goal right now is to go ahead and get it done on Monday – as soon as I can early Monday morning. “Right now, he (surgeon Dr. Patrick Connor) says that I’ll be able to get in the car at Phoenix. There’s no doubt that I’ll be able to get in it. It’s just tolerance of pain is what’s going to be the limiting factor.” Depending on the speed of the recovery, Hamlin said it’s possible that he could start several races and allow Mears to replace him during the event. A driver must start a race to earn points in the driver standings for that event.(SPEED)(3-27-2010)
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