May 6, 2012
- Keselowski wins at Talladega: #2-Brad Keselowski won the Aaron’s 499 Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway for his 2nd win of the year, 2nd at Talladega and his 6th career win. There was one green-white-checker attempt at the end after a couple late race cautions.
#18-Busch finished 2nd followed by #17-Kenseth, #5-Kahne, #1-Biffle, #15-Bowyer, #34-Ragan, #21-Bayne, #88-Earnhardt, Jr., and #31-Burton.
Polesitter #24-Jeff Gordon was caught in a wreck on lap 143 and finished 33rd.
There were 5 cautions for 24 yellow flag laps. There were 34 lead changes among 17 drivers. The race started about 30 minutes late after morning rain showers fell at the track.
The estimated attendence was 108,500, down from 115,000 in the Spring 2011 race.
See race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Talladega Race Results page (pdf).(5-6-2012) - 2012 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:
[after Talladega, race 10 of 36]
1) #16-Greg Biffle [1 win], 378
2) #17-Matt Kenseth [1 win], 371, -7
3) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 369, -9
4) #11-Denny Hamlin [2 wins], 351, -27
5) #29-Kevin Harvick [0 wins], 333, -45
6) #56-Martin Truex Jr. [0 wins], 332, -46
7) #14-Tony Stewart [2 wins], 328, -50
8) #48-Jimmie Johnson [0 wins], 324, -54
9) #18-Kyle Busch [1 win], 308, -70
10) #15-Clint Bowyer [0 wins], 302, -76
Chase wild card drivers:
11) #2-Brad Keselowski [2 wins, 12th in points], 299, -79
12) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win, 13th in points], 286, -92
(ties broken by 1sts, 2nds, 3rd, etc)
See drivers championship points standings on the Drivers Points Standings page (pdf).(5-6-2012) - Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Darlington:
#10 team jumps up to 33rd, #36 falls to 34th and #83 falls to 35th. #33 team is 36th, now 30 points out.
Rank) Car#-Driver/Team, owners pts, +/-
31) #38-Gilliland/Front Row, 165, +60
32) #32-Labonte/FAS Lane Racing, 145, +40
33) #10-Reutimann-Patrick/Baldwin, 142, +35
34) #36-Blaney/Baldwin, 140, +35
35) #83-Cassill/BK Racing, 135, +30 ahead of 36th
these teams / drivers will need to qualify by speed:
36) #33-Raines/Childress, 105, -30 from the top 35
37) #21-Bayne/Wood Bros., 96, -39
38) #30-Stremme/Inception, 81, -54
The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
For the owner points standings, see the Owners Points Standings page (pdf).(5-6-2012) - Race Fast Facts – Talladega Superspeedway:
Brad Keselowski won the 43rd Annual Aaron’s 499 , his sixth victory in 99 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his second victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2012.
This is his second victory and fifth top-10 finish in seven races at Talladega Superspeedway.
This is Dodge’s first win at Talladega since August 8, 1976 (Dave Marcis).
Kyle Busch (second) posted his third top-10 finish in 15 races at Talladega Superspeedway. It is his fifth top-10 finish in 2012.
Matt Kenseth (third) posted his seventh top-10 finish in 25 races at Talladega Superspeedway.
Greg Biffle leads the point standings by 7 points over Matt Kenseth.(NASCAR Statistics)(5-6-2012) - Wheeler, Smith dispute idea of lights at Charlotte: Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman Bruton Smith and ex-employee associate H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler are at war again. When Charlotte Motor Speedway sent out a press release on Tuesday promoting the 20th anniversary of the first race under the lights at a superspeedway and called it Smith’s idea, his former president and general manager of CMS responded strongly. Wheeler said the idea to install lights at CMS for the 1992 All-Star race was his idea and his alone. “I usually let Bruton spiel on, but this one got me,” Wheeler said. “He would take credit for the sun and moon if he could!” In fairness to Smith, he didn’t write the press release or suggest that he be given credit in it. But when asked who came up with the idea for lights at CMS and what he thought of Wheeler’s comments, he didn’t smooth the waters. “I’m not going to comment on anything about him at all,” Smith said. “I don’t pay attention to what he [Wheeler] thinks. He’s a former employee. I can’t possibly think about anything about him, period.” Wheeler and Smith have been at odds since Wheeler claimed Smith pushed him out of his job earlier than he wanted in 2008 after a 33-year relationship.(ESPN)(5-6-2012
- Freightliner Trucks Run Smart Hauler Challenge: The first round of the 2012 Freightliner Trucks Run Smart Hauler Challenge took place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. Ken Pitcher, driver of the #36 hauler for Tommy Baldwin Racing, claimed top honors with a perfect score. This year, 43 hauler drivers signed up for the Challenge, which is open to all full-time Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series NASCAR hauler drivers. Pitcher won $250 for his first round victory. While 32 hauler drivers advanced onto the next round at Talladega Super Speedway, the 11 eliminated drivers aren’t done just yet. This year Freightliner has given the fans the power to vote one driver back into the competition. Be sure to check out the Freightliner Trucks Facebook page to cast your vote to send one eliminated hauler driver back into the competition after each round. The final round will take place at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC before the Bank of America 500 on the weekend of October 13, with the winner taking home the grand prize of $30,000. More info at freightlinertrucks.com)(5-6-2012)
- TMone joins Reutimann at Dega: TMone will go superspeedway racing with David Reutimann and Tommy Baldwin Racing at Talladega Superspeedway. The U.S. Call Center Insourcing firm will have associate placement on the #10 TBR Chevrolet in the Aaron’s 499. TMone partnered with the TBR #36 Chevy in Daytona and Texas this season. TMone has been one of Inc. Magazine’s Fastest Growing Private Companies for the last five years. Since its inception in 2003, TMone’s diverse capabilities, operational expertise and results driven culture provide clients with best in class infrastructure while addressing the cost pressures associated with complex business processes such as account management and inside business-to-business sales services.(Tommy Baldwin Racing)(5-6-2012)
- Bristol providing more camping spaces for fans: A week after responding to fan requests by making major changes to the track surface, Bristol Motor Speedway General Manager Jerry Caldwell announced the next BMS fan initiative. Attacking the continuing economic challenges facing guests, Caldwell revealed a bold plan to arrange access to enough area property to expand BMS camping options by 700 spaces. Caldwell said it was an easy choice when deciding the Speedway’s next fan project. A limited amount of camping spots remain on BMS property, but Caldwell said his goal is to have many of the 700 additional sites in place before current supply is gone. The August race week at BMS kicks off Aug. 22 with a doubleheader, which features the Camping World Truck Series race and the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 Whelen Modified event. On tap Aug. 24 is the Food City 250 Nationwide Series race, followed by the IRWIN Tools Night Race Sprint Cup event Aug. 25.(BMS)(5-6-2012)
- McClure injured at Talladega: UPDATES: #14-Eric McClure was injured Saturday during a mutlicar crash near the end of Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. McClure’s car was one of several swept into a chain-reaction crash and slammed nose-first into the SAFER barrier on the inside retaining wall. He had to be cut from his car. NASCAR officials said Saturday that McClure was alert and talking to medical personnel. He was taken to University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital. The extent of McClure’s injuries were not immediately known, but NASCAR officials said that McClure was communicating with safety workers.(Sporting News)(5-5-2012)
UPDATE: According to Emily Brandt, McClure’s sister and PR representative, “@ericmcclure is alert and taking to family members. He is being kept overnight 4 further observation”.(5-5-2012
UPDATE 2: According to Eric’s Facebook page, “Eric is awake and alert. He has pain in the right arm and leg. He’s going to be bruised and sore for a while but should be okay. They are keeping him in the hospital overnight for observation.”(5-5-2012)
UPDATE 3: Eric McClure, driver of the #14 Hefty/Reynolds Wrap Toyota, is stable and alert following a late-race incident yesterday (Saturday) during the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Talladega Superspeedway. He is undergoing tests and remains under observation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham hospital. McClure and his family would like to express their thanks to the NASCAR community for their thoughts, support and concern. The team will release any updates as they occur.(TMI)(5-6-2012)
UPDATE 4: Eric McClure, driver of the #14 Hefty/Reynolds Wrap Toyota will remain hospitalized overnight for further observation at UAB Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama.(TMI)(5-6-2012) - Patrick wrecks Hornish after race: UPDATES: After finishing 13th, likely unsatisfying and not indicative of how well she competed most of the race, #7-Danica Patrick wrecked old friend/former house guest and fellow IndyCar alum #12-Sam Hornish Jr. on the cool-down lap. NASCAR took no immediate action. Patrick restarted 18th on a second attempt at a green/white/checker finish and worked her way to 10th beginning the final lap before #2-Elliott Sadler — with whom she had been involved in an earlier incident — and Kenny Wallace opted to work together and leave her without a draft partner and plummeting back through the running order. Patrick regained a spot in line and rallied but was audibly agitated, responding to a question over team radio if she was “all right” with, “Absolutely fine. … I don’t know. It seems like people don’t frickin’ like me, man.” Early in the cool-down lap, where cars slow before returning to pit road, Patrick had run alongside Sadler and Hornish, who were nose-to-tail, when it appeared Hornish veered wide right, nearly blocking her into the wall. Patrick subsequently chased Hornish down and used her bumper to turn him into the wall. Hornish said after the race he veered because of a tire problem. Patrick said Hornish apologized.(ESPN)(5-5-2012)
UPDATE: Danica Patrick will hear from NASCAR officials about sending Sam Hornish Jr. into the wall following the Nationwide Series race Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, but she likely won’t be penalized, NASCAR officials said Sunday morning. The two drivers, whose rivalry goes back to their days racing go-karts and extended to the IndyCar Series, likely will both be talked to by NASCAR officials prior to practice next Friday at Darlington Raceway for what happened after the Aaron’s 312 on Saturday. “We talked a little bit to the folks last night and we’ll talk to them again at Darlington,” NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Sunday morning. “But there’s not a history (in NASCAR) there. There’s not a lot of things. Pemberton indicated that Patrick’s actions did not rise to the level of Kyle Busch retaliating against Ron Hornaday in a Truck Series race last November at Texas Motor Speedway, where Busch was suspended for the Nationwide and Cup events later that weekend.(Sporting News)(5-6-2012)
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