April 6, 2008
- Edwards wins at Texas: #99-Carl Edwards won the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway for his 3rd win of 2008 and the 10th of his career. He domanated the race, leading 122 laps and surviving and green white checker finish. #48-Johnson was 2nd, followed by #18-Busch, #12-Newman, #11-Hamlin, #31-Burton [who continues to lead the points], #20-Stewart, #8-Martin, #17-Kenseth and #07-Bowyer. #24-Gordon wrecked early and finished 43rd, only the second time in his career that he has finished last [the other being Texas in 1999]. There were 16 lead changes among 6 drivers and 6 cautions for 27 laps.
Race Results on my Texas Race Results/Awards Page.(4-6-2008)
- REVISED Unofficial Drivers Points Standings [after Texas race 7 of 36]:
1) #31-Jeff Burton 1065
2) #29-Kevin Harvick 1006 -59
3) #18-Kyle Busch 1001 -64
4) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 978 -87
5) #20-Tony Stewart 957 -108
6) #48-Jimmie Johnson 821 -144
7) #11-Denny Hamlin 913 -152
8) #16-Greg Biffle 901 -164
9) #99-Carl Edwards 881 -184
10) #12-Ryan Newman 876 -189
11) #07-Clint Bowyer 874 -191
12) #9-Kasey Kahne 874 -191
other chase contenders
13) #17-Matt Kenseth 820 -245
14) #24-Jeff Gordon 783 -282
15) #2-Kurt Busch 763 -302
16) #1-Martin Truex Jr. 755 -310
Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Texas page. (4-6/8-2008)
- Ganassi promises changes if Cup teams don’t improve: Chip Ganassi wasn’t pleased with his NASCAR teams long before #40-Dario Franchitti failed to qualify for Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. Just how unhappy the car owner actually is became clear Saturday when he unleashed a blistering indictment of his team’s performance so far this season. “Frankly, there are 46 cars there and if you can’t beat three of them, that’s pretty pathetic,” Ganassi said on Sirius Satellite Radio. “I certainly have all the faith in the world in (Franchitti’s) driving abilities. I don’t think it’s that. The fact of the matter is, we didn’t give him a car that was capable of doing it.” Although he praised the work Montoya and his # 42 crew has done to rebound from a slow start to the season, Ganassi was particularly upset with the performance of Sorenson’s #41 team. The third-year driver has four finishes of 31st or worse.”The 41 team, it’s the same old things that take them out,” he said. “One week its this, the next week it’s that, and it’s sort of this combination of all of the above. Everybody on the 41 team is going to have to take a good look in the mirror and ask themselves if they are prepared for what’s coming down the pike.” Ganassi, who was in St. Petersburg, Fla., with his IRL teams, said later Saturday he won’t hesitate to make personnel changes if that’s what it will take to get his teams turned in the right direction. (Associated Press/CBS Sports)(4-6-2008) Comment here
- NASCAR to Examine McDowell’s Car: Before Michael McDowell’s totaled #00 Toyota winds up in the salvage yard, NASCAR’s research and development team wants a chance to inspect the damage. McDowell was able to walk away from an accident in Friday’s qualifying session that later took Texas Motor Speedway crews three hours to replace a 28-foot section of the SAFER barrier that was severely bowed by the impact. The battered hulk of what remained of McDowell’s machine was placed under a tarp and will be on its way to the R&D; facility in Concord, N.C., next week. NASCAR vice president for competition Robin Pemberton said it’s standard procedure for NASCAR to evaluate how its safety initiatives hold up in severe crashes, particularly the advancements that have been made in the new car. Pemberton said NASCAR engineers may be particularly interested in this crash, because it should provide some valuable telemetry to show forces and loads on the car when it impacted the SAFER barrier and then tumbled at least eight times. An initial inspection of the car by NASCAR officials following the accident seemed to indicate that all of the safety features on the car performed as expected, according to Pemberton. (NASCAR.com)(4-6-2008) Comment here
- Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Phoenix
A couple changes, #77-Hornish back in and #70-Sauter falls out and must qualify by speed at Phoenix.
The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
31) #66-Riggs/Haas CNC Racing 588 +98
32) #55-Waltrip/Waltrip Racing 530 +40
33) #96-Yeley/Hall of Fame Racing 505 +15
34) #77-Hornish/Penske Racing 502 +12
35) #01-Smith/Dale Earnhardt Inc 496, 6 points ahead of 36th
these teams/ drivers must qualify by speed:
36) #70-Sauter/Haas CNC Racing 490, 6 points out of 35th
39) #22-Blaney/Bill Davis 473 -23
37) #44-Reutimann/Waltrip Racing 458 -38
38) #40-Franchitti/Ganassi Racing 447 -49
40) #84-Skinner/Red Bull Racing 364 -132
For the owner points standings, see my Drivers/Owners Points Standings page.(4-6-2008)
- Villeneuve seeking sponsors overseas: Jacques Villeneuve is still hopeful of returning to NASCAR and is currently seeking sponsors overseas to try to secure the budget that would see him back behind the wheel in the US. “Well we still have a few months to get the budget,” said Villeneuve. “It’s hard going. I’m working on my own now and actually working with Barry Green. Craig was working hard on buying a team in NASCAR, but that didn’t work out and at the same time it closed some doors last year with teams that might have seats. So now I have to start again and keep going.” The Canadian has secured a deal to compete in the last two events of the new Speedcar Series, which features former Formula One drivers in NASCAR Nationwide type machines. He says the opportunity will not only help him get some valuable seat time in preparation for an eventual return to NASCAR on a road course event, but also to find sponsorship on new markets like Dubai, where he is set to race next weekend.(Autosport.com)(4-6-2008)
- Teams Lining Up Drivers for Mexico Race: Juan Pablo Montoya won’t defend his crown when the Nationwide Series visits Mexico City in two weeks, instead opting for the rare weekend off with his family. While the Chip Ganassi Racing driver won’t be there, several road-course veterans will be, including Sam Hornish for Penske Racing. Mexico native Michel Jourdain is in negotiations to drive the #32 car for Braun Racing. Adrian Fernandez, one of Mexico’s most well-known athletes, will drive for JR Motorsports but will not be able to practice or qualify because the American Le Mans Series is in Long Beach, Calif., that weekend. Hendrick Motorsports test driver David Green will practice and qualify the car, Vice President of Competition Steve Crisp said Saturday. Carlos Contreras also could drive in the race as he has driven for Fitz Motorsports the last few years and that team is using a variety of drivers in its #22 car. As previously announced, Boris Said will drive in place of #25-Bobby Hamilton Jr. for Team Rensi Motorsports. Patrick Carpentier will step into the #9 Gillett Evernham Motorsports car. Driving for the current leader in the owners standings, the #33 car of Kevin Harvick Inc., will be truck regular Ron Hornaday. Veteran road-racer Scott Pruett, who drives for Ganassi in Grand-Am, will drive one of the Ganassi cars while Kyle Krisiloff will pilot the other, team officials confirmed. Driving for Front Row Motorsports will be Brian Simo instead of Eric McClure, McClure said. Mexico City will be the site of Erik Darnell’s Nationwide Series debut for Roush Fenway Racing as he will drive the #17 car, while Craftsman Truck Series rookie Colin Braun, who has extensive road-course experience, will drive the #16 Roush car, according to team officials.(SceneDaily.com)(4-6-2008)
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