October 2005 Busch Series Archive
- News regarding Shane Hmiel’s suspension can be found on the Hmiel Suspension page.
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series testing will take place at Homestead-Miami Speedway with test sessions scheduled for Monday, October 31 – Wednesday, November 2 and Monday, November 7 – Wednesday, November 9. The teams and drivers will be preparing for the upcoming Ford Championship Weekend, the season-finales for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series, Nov. 18-20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Several drivers currently in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup are expected to participate in the test sessions at Homestead-Miami Speedway including points leader Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson (2nd place), Ryan Newman (3rd), Carl Edwards (5th), Rusty Wallace (6th) , Mark Martin (7th) Kurt Busch (8th) and Matt Kenseth (9th). Driver participation is tentative and subject to change.
The test sessions are closed to the general public until further notice due to repairs on the Speedway grandstands following Hurricane Wilma.
For more information or to order tickets to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, please call (305) 230-RACE or log on the Speedway’s official website – homesteadmiamispeedway.com.
Homestead-Miami Speedway NASCAR Testing Schedule
(Driver/Team Participation Tentative, Subject to Change)
NASCAR Busch Series Drivers/Teams
Monday, October 31 – Tuesday, November 1
Denny Hamlin; Joe Gibbs Racing; #20; Rockwell Automation Chevrolet
Kevin Hamlin; Biagi Brothers; #4; GEICO Dodge
Jason Leffler; Braun Racing; #32; Voxbox/Infiniti Mobile Chevrolet
Reed Sorenson; Chip Ganassi Racing; #41; Discount Tire Dodge
Tuesday, November 1 – Wednesday, November 2
Kevin Hamlin; Biagi Brothers; #4; GEICO Dodge
Matt Kenseth; Roush Racing; #17; Waste Management Ford
Mark Martin; Roush Racing; #9; Pennzoil Ford
Ryan Moore; Dale Earnhardt Inc.; #81; Kraft/Oreo Chevrolet
Reed Sorenson; Chip Ganassi Racing; #41; Discount Tire Dodge
Monday, November 7 – Tuesday, November 8
Carl Edwards; Roush Racing; #60; Charter Communications Ford
Tuesday, November 8 – Wednesday, November 9
Stephen Leicht; Robert Yates Racing; #90; Authorized Action Dealer Ford
Joe Nemechek; NEMCOMotorsports; #87; Cellular One Chevrolet
Ryan Newman; Penske Racing South; #39; ALLTEL Dodge
Martin Truex Jr.* ; Dale Earnhardt Inc.; #8;Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Chevrolet
* To test NBS #8 on Tuesday, Nov. 8; NNC #1 on Wednesday, Nov. 9.
(Homestead-Miami Speedway PR)(10-28-2005)
The championship will come down to the last three weeks of the season. Defending series champion Martin Truex Jr. (#8 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) has been trying to shake Clint Bowyer (#2 ACDelco Chevrolet) since Bowyer took over second place in the points standings in early July. Bowyer is 100 points behind Truex, but does have a positive precedent for motivation. In 1989, Rob Moroso was in third place in the standings, trailing Tommy Houston by 125 points with three races left. He overcame both Houston and second-place Tommy Ellis to capture the title that season.
The battle for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title between Carl Edwards (#60 Charter Communications Ford) and Reed Sorenson (#41 Discount Tire Co. Dodge) is the closest in NASCAR Busch Series history. Where the award has all but been decided in NASCAR’s other two national series, Edwards has a slim eight-point lead over Sorenson with three races to go. Both drivers have held the series’ lead this season, a first for a NASCAR Busch Series rookie.
To date this season, 10 races have been won by a margin of a half-second or less. Two of the three race tracks left on the schedule produced split-second finishes the last time series drivers took them on. Kasey Kahne (#6 Hellman’s Mayonnaise Dodge) edged Greg Biffle (#66 Duraflame Ford) by .304-second at Texas Motor Speedway this past April. And at the season finale last year at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kevin Harvick (#21 Reese’s Chevrolet) slipped by Jamie McMurray (#42 Bell Helicopter Dodge) by just .218-second.
Four drivers are keying on the last three races to secure a final spot in the NASCAR Busch Series Top 10. David Green (#27 Kleenex Ford) is eighth with 3,520 points, but his ranking is within striking distance of ninth-place Jason Keller (#35 McDonald’s Ford), who is 16 points behind (3,504). David Stremme (#14 U.S. NAVY Dodge) is 10th with 3,457 points, but J.J. Yeley (#18 Vigoro/Home Depot Chevrolet) is making a late-season surge and sits 47 points behind Stremme. Not to be overlooked is Biffle who, despite missing eight of the season’s 32 races, is 102 points out of 10th. He is scheduled to participate in the final three races of the year.
And, there’s the five-race winning streak of Ryan Newman (#39 Sony Dodge). Newman has created a new line in the NASCAR Busch Series record book by winning races in his last five starts. Those starts haven’t been consecutive, but they have been in the same season. Sam Ard won four consecutive races in 1983, which is still the series standard. Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured wins in five successive starts, but those starts were over a three-season period and all but one victory (Richmond) was secured at a restrictor-plate track.
Newman, who is entered at Texas, has registered his wins at different tracks beginning with the road course at Watkins Glen. He followed with a win at Michigan’s 2-mile oval, and then won at the .533-mile bullring at Bristol. He was victorious at Dover’s “Monster Mile,” before claiming his most recent victory at the 1.5-mile Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
NEWS & NOTES, PART II
Bowyer still hanging on … Clint Bowyer set a preseason goal of three victories in his first full NASCAR Busch Series season. His win at Memphis last Saturday was his second of the year and enabled him to gain 26 points on Martin Truex Jr. in the championship points standings. But he’ll have to put more distance in between his finishes and Truex’s if he is to catch the reigning series champion in what is now a three-race sprint to the finish. Although there’s still plenty of ground for Bowyer to make up, he’s confident heading into the last three races of the year as there are two 1.5-mile tracks – next week at Texas and the season finale at Homestead-Miami. Bowyer believes his team has an advantage at those tracks despite a 15.0 average finish at 1.5-mile tracks this season, while Truex averages a 12.4. Bowyer likes his chances heading to Texas where he finished sixth this past April. Truex, however, had a bad day, finishing 35th, at the time his worst finish since his series debut in 2001 when he was 38th at Dover. Truex has the edge at Homestead-Miami. Last year, even with the title clinched, he raced to a ninth-place finish while Bowyer finished 39th. Sandwiched in the middle of the remaining schedule is the 1-mile Phoenix International Raceway, where Truex finished ninth earlier this year while Bowyer was 13th. Truex has a 5.6 average finish at 1-mile tracks this season while Bowyer has a 9.2, including second-place efforts in his last two outings.
Sorenson debuts at home … Reed Sorenson, a native of Peachtree City, Ga., will attempt to make his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. The 19-year-old is fourth in the NASCAR Busch Series points standings, and is battling Carl Edwards for third place in the points as well as for Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors in the NASCAR Busch Series. Sorenson led 47 laps at Atlanta last October in his first NASCAR Busch Series race at the track. He was relegated to a 29th-place finish following an accident, but was a threat to win the race up to that point. Sorenson will drive the #39 Discount Tire Co. Dodge, the same car he will drive on a fulltime basis in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competition next season, in addition to participating in a full season in the NASCAR Busch Series in 2006. Sorenson is also entered in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event at Texas in two weeks. “I’m glad that my debut will be at my hometown track,” Sorenson said. “I always want to do well in front of the hometown crowd. I have a lot of friends and family members that come out to the track, and it’s a track that has been instrumental in my career since I was a kid.”
Surprising Hamlin also heads to Atlanta … Denny Hamlin (#20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet) is no longer a surprise in the NASCAR Busch Series, having been in the top 10 for the last 29 weeks. The Raybestos Rookie will take a fifth-place ranking in the series standings into Texas next week. However, the 24-year-old from Chesterfield, Va., has been quite a surprise in his brief NASCAR NEXTEL Cup career, which looks to extend to four races at Atlanta this weekend. After what was called a successful debut at Kansas earlier this month, where he started seventh and finished 32nd in the Joe Gibbs Racing #11 FedEx Chevrolet, Hamlin has posted consecutive eighth-place finishes at Charlotte and Martinsville. “I really thought that it (NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing) would be [more challenging] because it’s the hardest sport on earth to get into, but I thought I would struggle a lot more,” he said. “But I might still do it down the road.” Hamlin registered a seventh-place finish at Memphis last Saturday before pulling “double-duty” at Martinsville on Sunday. He did not practice or qualify at Memphis prior to the race, which was his first in the NASCAR Busch Series on the .75-mile track.
Chevrolet extends lead in Manufacturers race … Clint Bowyer’s come-from-behind win at Memphis last Saturday helped Chevrolet extend its slight lead in the Bill France Performance Cup standings. Bowyer’s victory – the first for Chevy in three races – gives the manufacturer 13 wins for the year and upped its point total to 213. Ford is second in the points standings with 203, but is one victory behind Dodge; Dodge has 10 wins and 192 points while Ford has nine wins. Chevrolet and Ford have each won four times at Texas Motor Speedway in NASCAR Busch Series competition.
This Week’s NASCAR Busch Series Leaders … Through 32 races of the 35-race season:
• Points leader – Martin Truex Jr. (4,511)
• Money won – Martin Truex Jr. ($1,482,773)
• Laps led – Martin Truex Jr. (705)
• Miles led – Martin Truex Jr. (995.63)
• Victories –Martin Truex Jr. (6)
• Poles – Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr. (3)
• Top-5 finishes – Martin Truex Jr. (15)
• Top-10 finishes – Martin Truex Jr. (20)
• Races led – Martin Truex Jr. (19)
• Weeks in Top 10 – Carl Edwards, Reed Sorenson, Martin Truex Jr. (32)
ETC.
Martin Truex Jr. will attempt to qualify for his sixth race in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competition this season at Atlanta. In addition, Truex will compete in the final race of the IROC season with a chance to capture second place. He enters the finale in fourth. … Johnny Sauter (#1 Yellow Transportation Dodge) will also try to qualify at Atlanta this weekend. … Ashton Lewis Jr. (#25 U.S. Marine Corps Ford) will spend his off-weekend running in the 31st Marine Corps Marathon 8K in Washington, D.C. Lewis has been training for the Oct. 30 event for the last few months. He will run the race with Team Rensi Motorsports Marketing Director Rob Winchester, Major, USMC (Ret.). This will be Lewis’ first race using his legs rather than his car. … Mark Green and Tim Sauter have parted ways with their teams, effective immediately. Green had driven the #23 BMAR/Vassarrette Chevrolet for Keith Coleman Racing, while Sauter competed for Mac Hill Motorsports in the #56 Lester Buildings Chevrolet. … Ray Evernham and Erin Crocker were scheduled to appear with executives from The Stanley Works outside the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday to assist in showcasing the company’s motorsports marketing program that includes sponsorship for Evernham’s teams in each of NASCAR’s national series.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Harry Gant enjoyed one of the most successful careers in NASCAR Busch Series history. Gant’s 21 series victories tied him with Dale Earnhardt for sixth place on the all-time win list. Gant’s 21st and final series win came at Atlanta Motor Speedway in October 1994 at the wheel of Ed Whitaker’s Chevrolet. Gant started 23rd in the field but moved to the front on Lap 70. He led nearly half the race to win by 2 seconds over Larry Pearson. A surprising rookie, Randy Porter, came home third. Gant’s winning speed of 127.649 mph set a race record, breaking the mark of 124.412 set in the first NASCAR Busch Series race at Atlanta by a driver named Jeff Gordon, who won his first NASCAR national series race by capturing the inaugural series event at the 1.54-mile track in 1992.
ON DECK: TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
The NASCAR Busch Series counts down its final three races of the season beginning with a return to Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 5. This race is the inaugural event for the series at Texas; the spring race this past April was won by Kasey Kahne, who nipped Greg Biffle at the finish line by .304-second. A.J. Foyt IV (#38 Great Clips Dodge), a native of Hockley, Texas, made his series debut at Memphis and will race for the first time at his home track in the NASCAR Busch Series. Justin Labonte (#44 U.S. Coast Guard Chevrolet), returns to his family’s home state as well; the Labonte clan hails from Corpus Christi.
FAST FACTS
Next Race: O’Reilly Challenge (Race #33 of 35 in the NASCAR Busch Series season).
Where: Texas Motor Speedway, Ft. Worth, Texas
When: 2:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, Nov. 5.
Track Layout: 1.5-mile oval.
Race Length: 300 L/200 M.
Posted Awards: $1,155,720.
TV: TNT, 2 p.m. ET.
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.
2004 Winner: Inaugural event.
2004 Polesitter: Inaugural event.
Pre-race schedule (all times local): Fri., Nov. 4 – Practice, 9-11:15 a.m.; Qualifying 5:05 p.m. (impound).(NASCAR PR)(10-27-2005)
“Just a stupid mistake on our part. We didn’t allow enough clearance [for the bolt],” Wallace said. “Brand new, $150,000 car. There wasn’t one used piece on that car. It was the nicest car we had ever built in this organization [Rusty Wallace Inc.]. We spent so much time on it, and a $2 part blew the tire out and destroyed it. This was going to be the brand new Bell Helicopter car that Jamie McMurray was going to drive [at TMS].” Wallace still plans to enter two Busch cars for the O’Reilly Challenge.(Fort Worth Star Telegram)(10-26-2005)
Additionally, Mike Harmon, driver of the #24 Chevrolet, was fined $500 for also violating 12-4-A and 12-4-Q (steering idler arm was not solid).(NASCAR)(10-26-2005)
UPDATE: Team Rensi has offeredboth of its drivers, Jason Keller and Aston Lewis Jr. contracts for 2006. Lewis has indicated he will return, while Keller is mulling options.(NASCAR Scene Magazine)(10-22-2005)
Race results at:
ESPN.com
BGNRacing.com
Motorsports One
NASCAR.com.(10-22-2005)
See Starting lineups at:
ESPN.com
BGNRacing.com – Starting Lineup
BGNRacing.com – Qualifying Results
NASCAR.com.(10-22-2005)
UPDATE: TommyRaz Motorsports will field the #92 Energy Drink Dodge Intrepid for driving sensation Charlie Bradberry in the NASCAR Busch Series Sam’s Town 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park on October 22, 2005. The 2003 Southeast Series Champion and younger brother of NASCAR Cup driver Gary Bradberry, is ready to make his own name in NASCAR’s upper levels. Team owner Tom Ramirez said, “I am looking forward to having Charlie drive for us this weekend. He has a great family and an outstanding record. This is a good thing for both of us.” Bradberry receives additional support from Racing Radios and Southern Race Week. For more information on Charlie Bradberry and TommyRaz Motorsports, visit their websites at tommyrazmotorsports.com and charliebradberry.net.(10-21-2005)
UPDATE: Larry Foyt, co-owner of Foyt Racing, LLC., has hired Brian DeHart as the team’s general manager. “Having Brian join us is quite a compliment to my new team,” said Foyt. “He has the knowledge, experience and expertise to drive our team in the right direction. With so many other competitive opportunities presented to Brian, I am more than grateful that he chose to sign with us. In order for the team to meet our immediate goal of running an aggressive Busch Series schedule in 2006, while keeping in focus with our ultimate goal of competing in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, Brian will be a key ingredient to our success.” For over 13 years DeHart, 37, has played a key role in the NASCAR organization in the areas of competition and safety. After 10 seasons of being a Senior Inspector for the NASCAR Cup Series and midway thru his third year as the NASCAR Busch Series Director, DeHart stepped down to take time to evaluate his future. When the opportunity arose to work with young Foyt to build a brand new team, DeHart accepted the position after serious consideration. He is embracing the challenge with enthusiasm. “I am excited about the opportunity and potential that we have here to build a very competitive team that can win a championship one day,” said DeHart. “I am also very thankful for the opportunity that NASCAR and the France Family gave me while I was employed by them. “However, I am ready for the next challenge in my career and I thought long and hard about my return to the sport,” he continued. “It’ll be a challenge because we’re behind the eight ball right now but I believe I made the right decision. We have to lock down a primary sponsor, determine which manufacturer and engine program will fit our team, hire a crew chief and crew members and start building race cars. All of this has to fall in line with Foyt’s vision, the team’s goals, the sponsors’ desires and, of course, the fans’ support.” With several associate sponsors on board, Foyt Racing is currently pursuing a primary sponsor. DeHart, a native of Christiansburg, Va., is single and resides in Concord, N.C. Foyt Racing is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C.(Foyt Racing PR)(10-21-2005)
The entry list for Saturday’s final stand-alone race of the NASCAR Busch Series season at Memphis Motorsports Park contains some of the great names in racing – Earnhardt, Elliott, Foyt and Wallace. However, only Bill Elliott (#6 Hellman’s Mayonnaise Dodge), the 1988 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion, is the established name in the group. The others are next generation drivers seeking to establish their own identity in the sport.
A.J. Foyt IV (#38 Great Clips Dodge), the grandson of 1972 Daytona 500 winner and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt, is scheduled to make his NASCAR debut at Memphis driving for Akins Motorsports. He completed his third year in the IndyCar Series last week in his home state of Texas, finishing 20th in the standings running in 15 of the series’ 17 races. He posted two top-10 finishes and one 11th-place effort – each of those finishes were at NASCAR Busch Series venues – Homestead, Kentucky and Chicago. In 2002, he captured the Inaugural IRL Infiniti Pros Series championship winning four races and four poles.
Stephen Wallace, the 18-year-old son of 1989 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Rusty Wallace, is being primed to race for his father’s NASCAR Busch Series team, driving the #64 Top Flite Dodge. Like Foyt IV, Wallace will make his series debut at Memphis. He has had plenty of success in a short period of time, claiming a win at Michigan along with a fourth-place finish at Chicago and a seventh-place at Toledo in four ARCA races this year.”This is definitely a big step for Steve,” Rusty Wallace said. “He’s done a great job on the short tracks and I really feel like he’s ready for this. We tested together at Memphis and he ran just as fast, if not faster, than I did. “This is going to be a good chance for him to get out there and gain some experience. Hopefully he’s going to be able to run all the laps and gain the respect of his competitors.”
Kerry Earnhardt (#99 Bryan Foods Chevrolet), another son of a legendary driver, hopes to break into the field at Memphis. Earnhardt has raced in each of NASCAR’s three national series starting in the NASCAR Busch Series in 1998, but still seeks his first win. He has started 68 races in the NASCAR Busch Series. His first career top-five finish came at Memphis in 2002, his only start at the track.
Elliott, Foyt IV and Wallace are guaranteed a starting spot in the event as their car owners are ranked in the top 30 in the NASCAR Busch Series owner point standings. Earnhardt will have to make his way into the race on time.
NEWS & NOTES, PART II
Truex Jr. welcomes a bit of breathing room over Bowyer … Defending NASCAR Busch Series champion Martin Truex Jr. (#8 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) is also the defending race champion at Memphis. And much like last year, he can move even closer to his second straight title with a good run at the three-quarters mile track. Truex gained 71 points on second-place Clint Bowyer (#2 ACDelco Chevrolet) with his ninth-place finish at Charlotte last Friday night. Down by 49 points coming into the race, Bowyer fell to 120 points behind Truex after an accident on Lap 50 forced him to the garage for repairs. He finished 33rd. Last year, Truex, who sat on the Busch Pole at Memphis, was 144 points ahead of second-place Kyle Busch in the championship standings, but pulled away to a 205-point advantage after his thrilling win. He beat Greg Biffle by just .305-second, the closest series finish at the track. Truex has gained 94 very key points on Bowyer since Dover, where he was just 26 points ahead of his season rival. “As far as the points go, man, I don’t even know if I want to talk about that right now,” Truex said. “It is just so close and every week it can go one way or the other. All we can do is race our race and let the points take care of themselves. If we start looking too far down the road, we’re going to lose sight of what’s right in front of us. The competition level and intensity right now is pretty high, so you have to be very decisive in every move you make during the race. Bowyer added, “Just two races ago we were on the good side of the luck and Truex was receiving the bad. That’s just racing. We just need to keep doing what we have been doing and let the rest fall into place. With four races remaining anything can happen. By no means am I going to count us out of this championship. This championship hunt isn’t over until the last race in Homestead.”
Edwards has big week ahead … Carl Edwards (#60 Charter Communications Ford), who is running a full season in the NASCAR Busch Series and is also one of the 10 drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, has a daunting task ahead of him at Memphis. He will miss practice and qualifying at Memphis as the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at Martinsville this weekend, and will be pressed to make it to Memphis in time for the start of the race at 3:30 (ET). NASCAR NEXTEL Cup final practice ends at 11:55 a.m. (ET) on Saturday. Edwards, who led the NASCAR Busch Series standings for 10 consecutive weeks before missing the second Nashville race due to inclement weather and his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup responsibilities at Pocono (where he won), has been battling to move from fourth place in the standings since then. He enters Memphis just 33 points behind third-place Reed Sorenson (#41 Discount Tire Co. Dodge). Hank Parker Jr. will be the practice and qualifying driver for Edwards at Memphis. Prior to his busy weekend, Edwards is scheduled to fly in an F-16 Fighter Jet on Wednesday. He will take off from McEntire Joint National Guard Base, just outside of Columbia, S.C. “I just can’t wait,” said Edwards. “It will be so awesome. I have wanted to fly in a fighter jet my whole life. I spoke with Greg Biffle who flew earlier this year in an F-16 and he said it’s like nothing else. I am totally pumped. This is a-once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I can’t wait.”
Crocker, East heading to Memphis … In addition to the anticipated debuts of Stephen Wallace and A.J. Foyt IV at Memphis, Bobby East (#46 Armor All Ford) also hopes to make his series debut for ST Motorsports. Last year at age 19, East was the youngest national champion in USAC’s 49-year history, winning in the sprint midget category. Although not debuting, Erin Crocker (#40 St. Jude Dodge) seeks her third series start, driving for FitzBradshaw Racing for the first time. Crocker’s car will carry a special camouflage paint scheme in honor of Griffin Warniment, a six-year-old St. Jude patient who lost his battle with cancer last month. Griffin’s career aspiration was to drive a camouflage race car. “I lost my father to cancer when I was 17, so I realize how awful the disease is,” Crocker said. “Cancer in any form is horrible, but it is especially bad for children. Though I never got to meet Griffin, I am honored to be driving his car.” Crocker is set for one more series start, next month at Phoenix, before setting her sights on a fulltime NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ride next year for Ray Evernham, who last week redirected his original plan to have Crocker in the NASCAR Busch Series fulltime next year. Newman’s streak gives Dodge 10 wins in manufacturers standings … Ryan Newman’s win at Charlotte – his fifth victory in as many starts – gives Dodge 10 wins on the season and has moved the manufacturer to within nine points of second-place Ford in the Bill France Performance Cup standings. Newman’s streak has propelled Dodge to a total of 188 points. Ford has nine wins and 197 points. Chevrolet continues to lead with 12 wins and 204 points. Chevy also leads with four wins at Memphis. Ford has one win while Dodge seeks its first series victory at Memphis.
This Week’s NASCAR Busch Series Leaders … Through 31 races of the 35-race season:
• Points leader – Martin Truex Jr. (4,341)
• Money won – Martin Truex Jr. ($1,432,909)
• Laps led – Martin Truex Jr. (655)
• Miles led – Martin Truex Jr. (958.13)
• Victories –Martin Truex Jr. (6)
• Poles – Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne. (3)
• Top-five finishes – Martin Truex Jr. (14)
• Top-10 finishes – Martin Truex Jr. (19)
• Races led – Martin Truex Jr. (18)
• Weeks in Top 10 – Carl Edwards, Reed Sorenson, Martin Truex Jr. (31)
ON THE RIGHT TRACK
There has not been a repeat winner at Memphis in the previous six events at the track. … Jason Keller (#35 McDonald’s Ford) has the most top 10s at Memphis (four). … Martin Truex Jr. is the second driver to win from the Busch Pole at Memphis, having done so last year. Truex also was the first driver to lead the most laps (133) and win at Memphis. … Two-time NASCAR Busch Series champion Randy LaJoie (#34 Dollar General Chevrolet) won from the lowest starting position (16th) of any driver at Memphis in 2001.
ETC.
The NASCAR Busch Series points leader has won the title with four races remaining in 19 of the previous 23 seasons. … Only 38 points separates eighth-place Jason Keller from 11th-place Ashton Lewis Jr. (#25 U.S. Marine Corps Ford), his teammate, in the standings. The initial entry list for Memphis contained 54 cars, tying the second-highest number of entries in a NASCAR Busch Series race this season. There were 55 cars entered at Daytona in February; 54 were entered at Chicago, Richmond and Kansas. The series average for entries to date this season is 49. … Denny Hamlin (#20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet), who ranks fifth in the NASCAR Busch Series point standings, just four points behind Kenny Wallace (#22 AutoZone Ford), will make his second consecutive start in the #11 FedEx Chevrolet in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competition this weekend at Martinsville. He joins Carl Edwards in double-duty action. Hamlin collected his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series top-10 finish last Saturday at Charlotte (eighth). … Reed Sorenson trails Edwards by five points in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings (320 – 315). … Clint Bowyer leads the series in laps completed with 5,715 out of a possible 5,800 (98.5%). … Ryan Newman has led 611 laps in seven races; series lap leader Martin Truex Jr. leads the series with 655 laps led in 31 races.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Kevin Harvick’s first full season in the NASCAR Busch Series came in 2000 and he made quite an impression. As the driver of the Richard Childress Racing #2 ACDelco Chevrolet, Harvick won the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title by finishing third in points, picking up eight top-five finishes and 16 top 10s in 31 starts. He also won three races that season with the third and final victory of the year coming at Memphis Motorsports Park. Harvick put the #2 Chevrolet on the outside of the front row alongside defending race winner Jeff Green. There were only two lead changes throughout the event with Green leading the first 179 laps, Harvick grabbed the lead on Lap 180 and held it the rest of the way. A total of 39 cars in the 43 car field were still running at the end of the race. The #2 car is now driven by Clint Bowyer, who, like Harvick five years ago, is in his first full season in the series.
FAST FACTS
What: Sam’s Town 250 (Race #32 of 35 in the NASCAR Busch Series).
Where: Memphis Motorsports Park, Millington, Tenn.
When: 3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Oct. 22.
Track Layout: 0.75-mile oval.
Race Length: 250 L/187.5 M.
Posted Awards: $1,209,486.
TV: TNT, 3:30 p.m. ET.
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.
2004 Winner: Martin Truex Jr.
2004 Polesitter: Martin Truex Jr.
Pre-race schedule (all times local): Fri., Oct. 21 – Practice, 2 – 3:00 p.m.; 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Oct. 22 – Qualifying 10:35 a.m. (impound).(NASCAR PR)(10-19-2005)
Because he has been on probation since last April 16, Shear will be suspended from any NASCAR events until Oct. 26, including the next NASCAR Busch Series race on Saturday at Memphis, for violation of sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4-Q (unapproved hubs, offset) of the 2005 NASCAR Busch Series Rule Book. Shear’s probation will continue until Dec. 31. He was also fined $1,000 for the infraction, which was found during opening day inspection on Oct. 13.
During pre-qualifying inspection on Oct. 14, Pickens was in violation of 12-4-A and 12-4-Q (unapproved fuel cell installation), which resulted in a $1,000 fine. He was penalized an additional $1,000 for violating 12-4-A and 12-4-Q (unapproved usage of two tires) during the race, also on Oct. 14.(NASCAR)(10-18-2005)
Race results at:
ESPN.com
BGNRacing.com
Motorsports One
NASCAR.com.(10-14-2005)
See Starting lineups:
ESPN.com
BGNRacing.com – Starting Lineup
NASCAR.com.(10-14-2005)
AND Tommy Morgan And Family wish to thank everyone for there prayers and support . You are invited to a Memorial This Sunday Oct. 16 @3:00 Western Avenue Church 1206 Museum Rd Statesville, NC.(10-13-2005)
Newman sets sights on record … Ryan Newman (#39 alltel Dodge) is entered in Friday’s race and looks to become the first driver in the series to record the most consecutive wins in the same season. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#81 Menards Chevrolet) set the mark with five consecutive wins, however those came over a period of three seasons. Newman recently tied two-time series champion Sam Ard’s record of four consecutive wins with his most recent victory at Dover. Ard set the mark in 1983 with wins at South Boston, Martinsville, Orange County and Charlotte. Newman’s consecutive victories include Watkins Glen, Michigan, Bristol and Dover. He did not compete at California and Richmond. Newman’s only other series appearance at Charlotte was earlier this year when he started 14th and finished third. His six-race season has produced six top-five finishes and two Busch Poles. Newman captured his first series win at Michigan in 2001.
Dodge and Ford tied in manufacturer wins … Thanks to Kasey Kahne’s (#38 Great Clips Dodge) recent win at Kansas, Dodge has tied Ford with nine wins each so far this season. This was Kahne’s second win of the season and Dodge’s second victory in three races. Ford now has 191 points while Dodge has 179. Chevrolet currently leads the 2005 Bill France Performance Cup standings with 12 wins and 200 points. Ford leads with 14 wins overall in NASCAR Busch Series competition at Charlotte, while Chevrolet has 13 wins. Dodge has never won an event at Charlotte.
Fernandez, Jourdain return to competition … Mexican drivers Adrian Fernandez (#5 Lowe’s Chevrolet) and Michel Jourdain Jr. (#15 Centrix Financial Ford) are entered in Friday night’s race. This will be Fernandez’s third series start and Jourdain’s 21st. Both drivers competed in the inaugural Mexico City race, the first NASCAR Busch Series points race held outside the United States. Jourdain made his first career start at Daytona in February and was the first Mexican driver to lead a series race when he did so at California. To date, Jourdain’s best career finish of 10th came at Atlanta. Fernandez, on the other hand, has had only two career starts – Mexico City, where he posted his best career finish of 10th, and California. He is scheduled to run three more races this season – Texas, Phoenix and Homestead-Miami. This will be Fernandez’s first career start at Charlotte and Jourdain’s second. Jourdain raced in the spring event and finished 15th. Akins Motorsports announces new driver … A.J. Foyt IV has been named the driver of the #38 Great Clips Dodge for the last four races of the 2005 season and for the full 2006 NASCAR Busch Series season. His duties begin almost immediately as his first series race will be at Memphis on Oct. 22. Foyt, the grandson of legendary racer and 1972 Daytona 500 winner, A.J. Foyt, had a successful test session at Memphis a few weeks ago. Kasey Kahne will compete in Friday’s NASCAR Busch Series event at Charlotte. This will be Kahne’s final race in the #38 Great Clips Dodge before turning over the wheel to Foyt.
Father and son to share spotlight … Steadman Marlin, the 24-year-old son of Sterling, will join his father in the starting lineup at Charlotte. Steadman will drive the #12 Hot Tamales Dodge for FitzBradshaw Racing, while his dad will drive the #40 Family Dollar Dodge entry. The two have never raced together in NASCAR Busch Series competition. This will be Steadman’s 23rd series start and Sterling’s 73rd. The younger Marlin’s best series finish of 15th came at California in 2003.
This Week’s NASCAR Busch Series Leaders … Through 30 races of the 35-race season:
• Points leader – Martin Truex Jr. (4,206)
• Money won – Martin Truex Jr. ($1,403,839)
• Laps led – Martin Truex Jr. (650)
• Miles led – Martin Truex Jr. (950.63)
• Victories –Martin Truex Jr. (6)
• Poles – Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne. (3)
• Top-five finishes – Martin Truex Jr. (14)
• Top-10 finishes –Martin Truex Jr. (19)
• Races led – Martin Truex Jr. (17)
• Weeks in Top 10 – Carl Edwards, Reed Sorenson, Martin Truex Jr. (30)
ON THE RIGHT TRACK
Lowe’s Motor Speedway is the site of Kyle Busch’s (#57 Sta-Green Weed & Feed Chevrolet) first career NASCAR Busch Series start. Just three weeks after Busch turned 18 years old, he qualified fifth and finished second in the spring 2003 event. In just four career starts at Charlotte, Busch has posted two victories and four top-five finishes. … Greg Biffle (#66 Duraflame Ford) is the only Raybestos Rookie to win a fall race at Charlotte since the program was created in 1989. His first win came in the 2001 event where Jason Keller (#35 McDonald’s Ford) finished second; his other Charlotte win came in 2003. Biffle’s 4.6 average finish at Charlotte is best among drivers entered in the race.
ETC.
Greg Biffle returns to the NASCAR Busch Series top 10 after posting a second-place finish this past weekend at Kansas. He moved from 11th to ninth in the standings while running 23 of the seasons 30 races to date. He spent nine weeks out of the top 10 and has fought back from as far back as 16th. … Regan Smith (#58 Samson Stone Dodge) has started seventh and third, respectively in his last two races. His third-place start at Kansas was a series career best. … It’s been 12 years since Bill Elliott (#6 Country Crock Dodge) has run a NASCAR Busch Series race at Charlotte, but this Friday that absence will end. This will be Elliott’s fifth series start this season. … In support of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, Brent Sherman (#10 Serta Ford) will sport a special Counting Sheep for the Cure paint scheme in Friday’s race. Instead of the traditional silver Serta scheme, the #10 car has been painted pink and will feature the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation’s logo and the “Collector’s Edition” pink Counting Sheep. … Four full-time NASCAR Busch Series drivers are entered in this weekend’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event at Charlotte – Johnny Sauter (#1 Yellow Transportation Dodge), David Stremme (#14 U.S. Navy Dodge), Carl Edwards (#60 Charter Communications Ford) and Denny Hamlin (#20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet). … Kevin Harvick will be in the #21 Reese’s Chevrolet; he currently holds the track record at 184.445 mph. … The Raybestos Rookie of the Year battle continues as Reed Sorenson (#41 Discount Tire Co. Dodge) took over the points lead from Carl Edwards post Kansas. Edwards trails Sorenson by two points. … NFL Hall-of-Famer Jim Kelly will be a guest speaker and awards presenter at the Dollar General Store Managers Awards Breakfast located at the Renaissance Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. on Friday morning. He and driver Todd Bodine (#34 Dollar General Chevrolet) will also visit with Dollar General VIP’s, guests, product vendors and consumer contest winners from Dollar General store promotions in several different suites and hospitality venues at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. … Kasey Kahne will be sporting a special paint scheme featuring Spy vs. Spy Jr. from the upcoming MADKIDS magazine comic strip on Friday night.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Last year’s fall race at Charlotte tied the record for most race leaders in a NASCAR Busch Series event at the track. A total of 11 different drivers, tying the mark set in 1993, went to the front of the field. Casey Mears led 61 of the 200 laps to pick up the five point bonus for most laps led, but Mike Bliss won the race after leading the final 18 laps – the first of those after going three-wide on the frontstretch to overtake Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth for the lead. This was Bliss’ first career win in his 70th start.
The 1993 race saw Mark Martin dominate, leading 149 of 200 laps with the 10 other race leaders going to the front for only a few laps at a time. The victory was the first of Martin’s record-setting six NASCAR Busch Series wins at Charlotte.
FAST FACTS
What: Dollar General 300 (Race #31 of 35 in the NASCAR Busch Series).
Where: Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.
When: 8:00pm/et, Friday, Oct. 14.
Track Layout: 1.5-mile oval.
Race Length: 300 miles/200 laps.
Posted Awards: $1,177,422.
TV: TNT, 8:00pm/et.
Radio: PRN, XM Satellite.
2004 Winner: Mike Bliss
2004 Polesitter: Casey Mears
Pre-race schedule (all times local): Thur., Oct. 13: Practice – 2 – 3:00 p.m.; 4:30 – 5:45 p.m. Fri., Oct. 14: Qualifying – 2:35 p.m. Cars impounded after qualifying.(NASCAR PR)(10-12-2005)
Race results at:
ESPN.com
BGNRacing.com
Motorsports One
NASCAR.com.(10-8-2005)
“I will always appreciate the chance my grandfather has given me,” said Foyt IV, who turned 21 this past May. “I’ve learned tons working with him and his team, especially how you have to keep working together to make progress. My grandfather has shown a lot of faith in me by allowing me to drive his cars and by sticking by me when times got rough. Without him I wouldn’t be where I am today. Now I have an opportunity to try something different which I’m excited about and I hope works out well.”(Foyt Racing PR)(10-7-2005)
See Starting lineups:
ESPN.com
BGNRacing.com – Starting Lineup
NASCAR.com.(10-7-2005)
His suspension from NASCAR competition will run through October 31, 2005. Moore had planned to run the Busch race at Homestead in November for DEI, and will still be eligible for that event. There is no word yet on if he will appeal the suspension. Other members of Moore’s team were also penalized including his Dad, Kelly Moore, and his Crewchief, Jamie Lafarno.(North East Racing site)(10-6-2005)
UPDATE: Barnwell released a statement earlier this week stating his new position as “General Manager of Erin Crocker’s Racing Program” at Evernham Motorsports.'(BGNRacing.com)(10-6-2005)
More Midwest homecomings … In addition to Emporia’s Clint Bowyer, two other prominent Midwestern drivers are entered in the NASCAR Busch Series event at Kansas. Carl Edwards (#60 Charter Communications Ford) is a native of Columbia, Mo. – about 120 miles from Kansas City – and will be making his first NASCAR Busch Series start at Kansas Speedway. Edwards, currently fourth in the NASCAR Busch Series championship standings and sixth in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, has had great success at Kansas in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition. He won there last year, was second in 2003 and eighth in his first NASCAR national series effort in ’02. Rusty Wallace, the 1998 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion who currently ranks third in the “Chase,” will make his fourth NASCAR Busch Series start of the season in the #64 Miller High Life Dodge – and his first series start at Kansas. Wallace, who owns his NASCAR Busch Series team, hails from St. Louis, some four hours from Kansas Speedway. He will be joined in the event by his two racing brothers, Kenny (#22 AutoZone Ford) and Mike (#38 Great Clips Dodge). The last time the three raced together was this past July 30 at Gateway, located in their hometown.
Contreras, Goeters, Jourdain entered at Kansas … For the fourth time this season, the NASCAR Busch Series hopes to feature multiple Hispanic drivers in an event. Carlos Contreras (#40 Cottman Transmission Dodge), Michel Jourdain Jr. (#15 Centrix Financial Ford) and Jorge Goeters (#73 Red Cactus Salsa/US Mortgage Chevrolet) are entered at Kansas. Only Contreras, via owner Armando Fitz’ 26th-place standing in the NASCAR Busch Series owners point rankings, is guaranteed a starting spot. Jourdian has competed in 19 series races this year for ppc Racing while Goeters has participated in his first three NASCAR events this year, all in the NASCAR Busch Series. He was the pole winner at Mexico City this past March. Contreras also has three series appearances this year. All three drivers will be racing at Kansas for the first time in their series career, however Contreras posted finishes of 12th and 16th in 2001-02, respectively, in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition at the track. Other races where more than one Hispanic driver participated are Mexico City (10), Watkins Glen (2) and California (3).
Edwards to go up, up and away … Carl Edwards will look forward to experiencing a different type of speed on Wed., Oct. 19 when he is scheduled to fly in an F-16 fighter jet with the South Carolina Air National Guard 169th Fighter Wing based at the McEntire Air National Guard Station in Eastover, S.C. The National Guard is a co-associate sponsor on Edwards’ #60 Ford, and his series public relations representative, Randy Fuller, is a former Air Force F-16 crew chief. He has been asked to serve as honorary crew chief for Edwards’ flight. Edwards will undergo training and briefing during the morning and will have the opportunity to meet with troops at the station before the scheduled take-off at 1:30 p.m. The flight is scheduled to last an hour, and media are invited to attend. Contact Fuller at rwfull@roushracing.com for more information.
Todd Bodine in for two for Cicci/Kelly Racing … Todd Bodine, a 15-time winner in the NASCAR Busch Series and currently fourth in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, will compete in two races in the #34 Dollar General Chevrolet for Frank Cicci Racing with Jim Kelly. Randy LaJoie, a two-time series champion, has started 28 races in that car this season (he started in a second Cicci/Kelly car at Bristol). Bodine is scheduled to start Saturday at Kansas and again at Charlotte in two weeks. LaJoie will remain with the team and is slated to return to the #34 at Memphis.
This Week’s NASCAR Busch Series Leaders … Through 29 races of the 35-race season:
• Points leader – Martin Truex Jr. (4,063)
• Money won – Martin Truex Jr. ($1,358,679)
• Laps led – Martin Truex Jr. (614)
• Miles led – Martin Truex Jr. (896.63)
• Victories –Martin Truex Jr. (6)
• Poles – Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne (3)
• Top-five finishes – Martin Truex Jr. (14)
• Top-10 finishes – Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr. (18)
• Races led – Martin Truex Jr. (16)
• Weeks in Top 10 – Carl Edwards, Reed Sorenson, Martin Truex Jr. (29)
ON THE RIGHT TRACK
There have been four different race winners at Kansas, with the Green brothers – Jeff (2001) and David (#27 Kleenex Ford – 2003) claiming two of those victories. Three former series champions are among the four previous winners – the Greens, who remain the only siblings to capture NASCAR Busch Series crowns in 1994 and 2001, respectively, and defending race winner Joe Nemechek (#87 Cellular One Chevrolet), who won the title in 1992. Nemechek swept the weekend events at Kansas last season. … Michael Waltrip (#99 State Fair Corn Dogs Chevrolet) – has two Busch Poles at Kansas. Paul Menard (#11 Menard’s Chevrolet) captured the pole here last fall. … Greg Biffle (#66 Subway Ford), the 2002 series champion, leads all drivers with four top five and four top-10 finishes in four races at Kansas. … Ford leads manufacturers with two wins at Kansas.
ETC.
Denny Hamlin (#20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet – fifth) and Kenny Wallace (sixth) are separated by only 13 points in the NASCAR Busch Series championship standings while eighth-place David Stremme holds a slight one-point lead over ninth-place David Green. Just 74 points separate Stremme from 11th-place Greg Biffle – Biffle has competed in 22 of 29 races this year.
… Jon Wood (#47 Clorox/Wisk Ford) will make his first NASCAR Busch Series start at Kansas, but like Carl Edwards, has a win (2003), three top fives and one top 10 in four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at Kansas.
… Mark Martin (#9 Pennzoil Platinum Ford), the series all-time leader in wins (47) and poles (28 – tied with Tommy Ellis), is entered at Kansas. He has two wins, a pole, and six top-10 finishes in six starts this year. …
Paul Menard has finished in the top 10 in 12 of the last 14 races.
… Clint Bowyer has finished 25th or worse twice this year, the best mark in the series.
… Brewco Motorsports announced a joint promotional venture with the United States Postal Service for the month of October in an effort to raise awareness for Child Health. The team’s three Fords – Biffle and Aaron Fike’s #66 and David Green’s #27 – with the newly-issued “Child Health” commemorative postage stamp, beginning this weekend. The promotion comes at an appropriate time as the first Monday in October is designated as “Child Health Day” and this year is designated “The Year of the Healthy Child” by the Surgeon General.
… For the third time this season, three Raybestos Rookies – Reed Sorenson, Carl Edwards and Hamlin – rank in the top five in the NASCAR Busch Series points standings.
… NASCAR is a final nominee for a Horizon Award for Sports Business honor in the Best Sports-Themed Advertising category for its 2005 NASCAR Busch Series TV ad campaign. The winners will be announced Nov. 2 in Atlanta.
… Johnny Sauter (#1 United Way Dodge) participated in an on-line auction used to generate donations to the United Way prior to Saturday’s race. Sauter bid on a special package, which included space on his race car. He gave his winning spots back to the United Way so it could feature three of its main charity beneficiaries on the car during the event. All three charities listed – American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Catholic Charities – are currently focused on providing aid to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Since the first NASCAR Busch Series race at Kansas Speedway in 2001, Greg Biffle is the only driver to post top-10 finishes in each of his races there. In the four events held at the 1.5-mile track, Biffle has finished no worse than fourth. He was runner-up in last year’s event and picked up a pair of third-place finishes in 2001 and ‘03. He was fourth in ’02. By contrast, Biffle has one top 10 starting position – ninth in 2001 – and has led a total of 18 laps since ‘01. His consistent finishes, however, outshine his competitors.
FAST FACTS
Next Race: United Way 300 presented by Yellow Transportation and Sprint Nextel (Race #30 of 35 in the NASCAR Busch Series).
Where: Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kan.
When: 2:10pm/et, Saturday, Oct. 8.
Track Layout: 1.5-mile paved.
Race Length: 300 miles/200 laps.
Posted Awards: $1,436,086.
TV: NBC, 2:00pm/et.
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.
2004 Winner: Joe Nemechek.
2004 Polesitter: Paul Menard.
Pre-race schedule (all times local): Fri., Oct. 7: Practice – 9 – 10 a.m.; 10:30 – 11:50 a.m. Qualifying – 4:05 p.m. Cars impounded after qualifying.(NASCAR PR)(10-4-2005)