April 18, 2015
- Link-Belt Mid-Atlantic sponsoring Cassill: Hillman Racing announced that Link-Belt Mid-Atlantic, a division of Link-Belt Construction Co. – a manufacturer of telescopic and lattice boom cranes for over 135 years – will sponsor Landon Cassill and the #40 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry at Bristol Motor Speedway in tomorrow afternoon’s Food City 500. Founded in 1992 with its home office in Ashland, Virginia, Link-Belt Mid-Atlantic also has a branch location in Chesapeake, Virginia, and serves the states of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Link-Belt Construction Equipment Company is a leader in the design and manufacture of telescopic boom and lattice boom cranes for the construction industry worldwide.(Hillman Racing)(4-18-2015)
- Final practice for the Food City 500 In Support Of Steve Byrnes And Stand Up To Cancer Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway is over after 55 scheduled minutes, the top five, slowest two and some notes:
#41-Busch 127.554
#5-Kahne 126.537
#18-Ragan 126.503
#24-Gordon 126.420
#2-Keselowski 126.378
Most laps run: #46-Annett 126, #88-Earnhardt, Jr. 109
slowest: #23-Yeley 122.733 & #33-Kennedy 121.305
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10 Consecutive Lap Average on the Bristol practice 3 speeds page (pdf).(4-18-2015) - RCR to make final appeal on #31 penalty UPDATE: Richard Childress Racing will make one final appeal of NASCAR penalties issued to Ryan Newman’s team for tampering with tires in the Sprint Cup Series race March 22 at Auto Club Speedway. A three-member NASCAR-appointed appeals board reduced the points penalty and fine Thursday but left the six-race suspensions to crew chief Luke Lambert, engineer Philip Surgen and tire specialist James Bender. NASCAR announced Friday night that RCR had appealed that decision to NASCAR’s final appeals officer, former Gulfstream executive Bryan Moss. Moss has not set a date to hear the case and has deferred the suspensions, allowing Lambert, Surgen and Bender to return to the racetrack Saturday after missing Friday practice and qualifying at Bristol Motor Speedway. The appeal doesn’t come without some risk to RCR since Moss could reinstate the original penalties. The procedure for a final appeal is much like the initial appeal except Moss has access to all materials and a transcript of the first hearing. The burden of proof also switches from NASCAR to the team to prove that it either did not commit the act or that the penalty is too severe.(ESPN.com)(4-18-2015)
UPDATE: Richard Childress Racing has requested an appeal to the Final Appeals Officer in regard to the P5 penalty upheld by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel earlier this week. The suspensions of crew chief Luke Lambert, tire technician James Bender and race engineer Philip Surgen have been lifted until Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss has made a final ruling on the penalties. RCR tapped the team’s current XFINITY Series competition director Todd Parrott as the substitute crew chief on the #31 team starting with this weekend’s race. But with the case now going to the Final Appeals Officer, Lambert and the other suspended crew members returned to work at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday morning. The time and date of the final appeal has yet to be determined. (FoxSports)(4-18-2015) - First Saturday practice for the Food City 500 In Support Of Steve Byrnes And Stand Up To Cancer Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway is over after 55 minutes, the top five, slowest two and some notes:
#5-Kahne 126.829
#4-Harvick 126.395
#22-Logano 126.137
#41-Busch 126.088
#11-Hamlin 125.996
Most laps run: #1-McMurray 106, #48-Johnson 88
slowest: #23-Yeley 122.693 & #33-Kennedy 122.217.
notes: #14-Stewart slid up into the wall early in the session, suffering rear end damage. The team will repair the car. #17-Stenhouse, Jr got into the back of #19-Edwards, but only minor damage for each. #48-Johnson made contact with the wall. The team will fix the car. Also, slight damage to #98-Wise after hitting the outside wall.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10 Consecutive Lap Average on the Bristol practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(4-18-2015) - Spring Goodyear testing underway: With the warming temperatures around the country, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company embarks on one of its rites of spring – testing season. The busy schedule started with a test two weeks ago — April 7 — at Richmond International Raceway with drivers A.J. Allmendinger, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart. Coming out of that session, Goodyear confirmed a set-up that included the same left-side tire as last fall with a new multi-zone-tread right-side tire. NASCAR’s official tire supplier followed that up this week – April 13-14 – with a test at Kentucky Speedway. Drivers participating in that test were Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray, Brett Moffitt and Ryan Newman.
“The main objective of the Kentucky test was to bring the right-side tire there in line with several of the other high-speed mile-and-a-half speedways. What we tested incorporated a different mold shape and construction from what we raced there in the past,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “Additionally, with the lower downforce of the 2015 rules package, we felt a left-side compound adjustment to increase grip was justified. Both those goals were met, and all drivers involved in the test felt like the new combination was a nice improvement over the package raced in 2014 and prior.”
Next up on the calendar is a trip to the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on April 27-28. The organizations scheduled to take part are BK Racing, Furniture Row Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Petty Motorsports.
“The ground track surface at Indy makes it very sensitive to tire set-up,” said Stucker. “The focus of the Indy test will be to make sure we have the correct tire combination to match the new characteristics of the low downforce, low horsepower 2015 rules package. The surface of the track is very abrasive, so getting the correct compounds and constructions to generate the desired wear characteristics, while maintaining the level of grip for competitive racing, is critical.”
This season has brought a host of changes to the Sprint Cup set-up, and Goodyear has reacted to that with changes to race recommendations for three of the first eight points races. “To date, we’re happy with the way the 2015 season has gone,” said Stucker. “We feel like those adjustments we have made to tire recommendations from 2014 have been nice improvements, adding back some of the grip in a mechanical fashion to compensate for some of the grip lost through the aerodynamic downforce reduction. That will continue to be our focus in 2015 testing.”
Upcoming Goodyear test sessions include Iowa Speedway on May 5 (Xfinity Series only), Dover International Speedway on May 11-12 and Darlington Raceway on June 9-10.(Goodyear Racing)(4-18-2015) - Fans, NASCAR to honor Steve Brynes at Bristol: Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race from Bristol Motor Speedway — the Food City 500 In Support Of Steve Byrnes And Stand Up To Cancer — is including race teams, NASCAR officials and race fans in a heartfelt gesture to support one of the sport’s most popular broadcasters and all of those battling cancer. As race fans enter Bristol Motor Speedway Sunday morning, they have the opportunity to receive a Stand Up To Cancer placard, writing in the name of someone they are supporting in their battle against the deadly disease. Race team crews and NASCAR officials have placards specifically honoring Byrnes. There are two opportunities to display the placards during the race airing live on FOX on Sunday, April 19 — during parade laps, when crews are asked to stand atop the pit wall with their salutes, and again on lap 250 of the 500-lap race, when fans are asked to Stand Up To Cancer with their placards. In addition, NASCAR is offering race teams the option to carry a special car decal with Byrnes’ initials, honoring him with placement on the B-post or C-post of any Sprint Cup, SFINITY, or K&N Series entry. Byrnes’ brother, Dan Byrnes, and his family (wife Tammy; Steve’s nephews Tyler and Dylan; and niece Samantha) are attending Sunday’s race on behalf of Steve Byrnes and his family. Byrnes has been battling courageously against head and neck cancer. He is the co-host of NASCAR Race Hub and the play-by-play announcer for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.(Fox Sports)(4-18-2015)
- Bristol Motor Speedway Notes & Facts – Saturday – drivers:
· 432 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol; 302 in more than one.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Bristol with 60. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 44 starts.
· 42 different drivers have won at Bristol, led by Darrell Waltrip (12). Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch each have five wins, the most among active drivers.
· 12 drivers have won consecutive races at Bristol led by Darrell Waltrip with seven consecutive victories from 1981-1984. The other 11 are Fred Lorenzen (1963-1964 sweep), David Pearson (1968 sweep), Bobby Allison (1972 sweep), Cale Yarborough did it twice (1974 sweep and four straight from 1976-1977), Richard Petty (1975 sweep), Dale Earnhardt also did twice (1985 sweep and 1987 sweep), Alan Kulwicki (1992 sweep), Rusty Wallace (2000 sweep), Kurt Busch (2003 sweep and 2004 spring race), Kyle Busch (2009 sweep), and Brad Keselowski (2011 fall-2012 spring).
· Richard Petty leads the series in runner-up finishes at Bristol with 10; Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers with four.
· Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty lead the series in top-five finishes at Bristol with 26 each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 16; followed by Matt Kenseth (12) and Kevin Harvick (nine).
· Richard Petty has 37 top-10 finishes at Bristol, more than any other driver. Jeff Gordon leads the series among active drivers in top-10 finishes with 24; followed by Matt Kenseth (19) and Kurt Busch (15).
· Greg Biffle leads the series (active drivers) in average finishing position at Bristol with an 11.917.
· Kurt Busch posted his first series career win at Bristol (2002), and Joey Logano won his first pole at Bristol (2010).
· Ryan Newman leads the series (active drivers) with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Bristol without visiting Victory Lane at 26.
· Two female drivers have made NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Bristol: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.
(NASCAR)(4-18-2015) - Suarez gets best finish by a Mexican driver: #18-Daniel Suarez posted the best finish for a Mexican driver in Xfinity Series history as he finished second Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway. While he couldn’t catch Team Penske driver Joey Logano, who led all 300 laps to win the Drive To Stop Diabetes 300, Suarez methodically worked his way from starting ninth to the runner-up spot. “At one point, I thought I had a shot for the win,” said the 22-year-old Suarez, a Monterrey native. “In the middle of the run, I was a little bit faster but in the very long run, I was a little bit too tight. We have to keep learning, keep working. For now, I’m very happy with the performance in today’s race.” The previous highest finish by a Mexican-born driver was seventh by Jorge Goeters in the 2007 race at Mexico City.(ESPN.com)(4-18-2015)
- Joey Logano wins XFINITY race at Bristol: #22-Joey Logano won the Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 at Bristol Speedway. He dominated the race, leading every one of the 300 laps. #18-Daniel Suarez finished second, followed by #60-Chris Buescher, #20-Erik Jones, #3-Ty Dillon, #9-Chase Elliott, #8-Kevin Harvick, #2-Brian Scott, #62-Brendan Gaughan, and #1-Elliott Sadler.
There were 8 cautions for 48 laps and only 1 lead change (Logano passed pole sitter Jones on the first lap). Complete results are on the Bristol race results page (pdf).
(4-18-2015) - Bristol XFINITY Race Fast Facts:
Joey Logano(i) won the 33rd Annual Drive To Stop Diabetes 300, his 23rd victory in 138 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his second victory and third top-10 finish in 2015.
This is his second victory and seventh top-10 finish in nine races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
He led all 300 laps – a Bristol Motor Speedway NASCAR XFINITY Series race record.
It was also an XFINITY Series record for most laps led in a race.
Logano’s win was the second straight victory for the No. 22 Ford at Bristol Motor Speedway (Ryan Blaney, 8/22/14).
Daniel Suarez posted a second-place finish in his first Bristol Motor Speedway start. It is his best career finish and second top-10 finish in 2015.
Suarez was the highest-finishing rookie.
Chris Buescher and Ty Dillon are tied for the points standings lead.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(4-18-2015) - XFINITY Driver standings following Bristol:
1) #60-Chris Buescher, 258
2) #3-Ty Dillon, 258
3) #9-Chase Elliott, 246, -12
4) #6-Darrell Wallace Jr. #, 236, -22
5) #16-Ryan Reed, 220, -38
6) #1-Elliott Sadler, 215, -43
7) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 211, -47
8) #7-Regan Smith, 211, -47
9) #2-Brian Scott, 205, -53
10) #18-Daniel Suarez #, 202, -56
See complete owner and driver standings on the driver standings(pdf) and owner standings page (pdf).(4-18-2015) - Erik Jones on XFINITY pole at Bristol: #20-Erik Jones won the pole for the Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 at Bristol Speedway with a speed of 125.158mph. It is his 3rd pole in a row. #22-Joey Logano will start second. The rest of the top 10: #33-Austin Dillon, #2-Brian Scott, #54-Denny Hamlin, #88-Kevin Harvick, #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., #62-Brendan Gaughan, #18-Daniel Suarez, and #7-Regan Smith. Did Not Qualify: None. The starting lineup is posted on the Bristol starting lineup page (pdf).(4-18-2015)
- Removal of Sprint Tower at Daytona completed: On Friday afternoon, Daytona International Speedway reached another crucial milestone as part of its $400 million DAYTONA Rising project. The final piece of the iconic Sprint Tower was removed by a 490-foot Manitowoc 2250 Crawler Crane. During the last several weeks, the crane disassembled the tower by removing 30 large individual sections (representing 1,000 gross tons of steel).(DIS)(4-18-2015)
- Bowyer, Blaney & Hall of Famer Wallace join Talladega pre-race Q&A: A former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner at Talladega Superspeedway, a young, promising rookie driver for a legendary team, and a legendary Hall of Famer are scheduled to be a part of the track’s Pre-Race Fan Question & Answer session at the Start/Finish Line on Sunday, May 3, prior to the start of the GEICO 500. Hear first-hand how Clint Bowyer, who has two triumphs at the 2.66-mile track, and Ryan Blaney, who pilots the iconic #21 for the famed Wood Brothers, plan to tackle the biggest and baddest race track on the planet. Plus, NASCAR Hall of Famer and International Motorsports Hall of Fame member, Rusty Wallace, will give his thoughts on who he thinks will win the GEICO 500. Fans who want to crank up their race day experience have the opportunity to be a part of the Fan Q&A session, which will be hosted by a Motor Racing Network (MRN) personality. The pre-race experience is available to all fans with the purchase of Talladega Superspeedway’s “Pit Pass Upgrade.” The “Pit Pass Upgrade,” which can be purchased for $75, grants access to the special Q&A session, which is tentatively scheduled from 8:45-9:45am/ct. It also gives fans the unique ability to get up close and personal with NASCAR’s warriors as they take in all the festivities at the Pre-Race stage, including Driver Introductions for the GEICO 500, which will include an array of special guests and VIPs, as well as the Honorary Starter and Grand Marshal for the event. The Pit Pass Upgrade goes into effect on Sunday from 8:00am until the conclusion of Driver Introductions.(TSS)(4-18-2015)
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