Matt Crafton Captures the Pole for the UNOH 225 at Kentucky

        After finishing second at Texas two weeks ago, Matt Crafton grabbed his 7th career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole. He went out 32nd of the 39 trucks that attempted a qualifying run. The hardest thing about qualifying for the drivers was the hot temperature at the track. With the track temperature hovering in the 130s, drivers had to battle slick conditions and tough track conditions. If you think it was easy to run a fast time, just ask Justin Lofton.

  The first truck to go out on the track was Norm Benning, who was a go-or-go homer. He had a very difficult time with the track and was only able to grab a 34 and a half second lap. The first change in the qualifying order was with Chris Lafferty. He had engine troubles and the team decided not to run a lap and that meant, also, that he would not race because he was a go-or-go homer. The second change in qualifying order was with C.E. Falk. He wrecked in practice, which meant that they had to get a back-up car ready. He could not qualify in his scheduled spot, so he was the last car out. Justin Lofton probably had the most memorable run of the session. Coming into turn 2 on his second lap, Lofton got loose and spun in the corner, but he was able to make a great save and avoid the wall.

  Matt Crafton went out with only 8 trucks left to qualify. He ran a pretty respectable first lap, but his second lap was the most memorable. He was able to gain almost 2 tenths of a second and run a time of 31.16 seconds (173.288 mph). That lap was a tenth of a second faster than the lap that Nelson Piquet Jr. ran to start second. With his first pole of the season, Matt Crafton will also look to grab his first win of the season.
(More Stats Down Below!)

Go-or-Go Homers (With Times and Positions):
17th: Brad Keselowski    31.86 (169.507 mph)
20th: Jake Crum    32.15 (167.989 mph)
21st:Clay Greenfield    32.26 (167.390 mph)
25th: Kyle Larson    32.41 (166.626 mph)
27th: Dennis Setzer    32.51 (166.093 mph)
30th: Jeff Agnew    32.63 (165.492 mph)
31st: Brennan Newberry    32.71 (165.097 mph)
32nd: Scott Riggs    32.72 (165.062 mph)
33rd: Caleb Holman    32.79 (164.674 mph)
34th: Tyler Young    33.00 (163.661 mph)
36th: Chris Fontaine    33.01 (163.587 mph)
37th: Jennifer Jo Cobb    33.19 (162.705 mph)
38th: Johnny Chapman    33.52 (161.122 mph)
39th: Norm Benning    34.55 (156.300 mph)
40th: Chris Lafferty    No Time*

(*: Chris Lafferty did not attempt a qualifying run.)

Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Matt Crafton    31.16 (173.288 mph)
2nd: Nelson Piquet Jr.    31.29 (172.574 mph)
3rd: James Buescher    31.34 (172.326 mph)
4th: Ty Dillon    31.43 (171.816 mph)
5th: Miguel Paludo    31.45 (171.723 mph)
Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
6th: Johnny Sauter    31.47 (171.570 mph)
7th: Timothy Peters    31.48 (171.527 mph)
8th: Parker Kligerman    31.50 (171.439 mph)
10th: Justin Lofton    31.57 (171.048 mph)
11th: Ron Hornaday Jr.    31.69 (170.401 mph)

DNQs: Jennifer Jo Cobb, Johnny Chapman, Norm Benning, and Chris Lafferty

Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.jayski.com/cts/next/2012/lineup/cts08kentucky-lineup.pdf
http://racing-reference.info/driver/Matt_Crafton
http://www.jayski.com/cts/next/2012/qualifying/cts08kentucky-order.pdf
-Photo:
http://www.ovalzone.com/tag/mexico-fest-200/#.T-3_k7We5IE

Nelson Piquet Jr. Captures His First Career NASCAR Victory

     

         After earning his first career NASCAR Nationwide Series pole, Nelson Piquet Jr. was able to capture his first win in NASCAR at Road America. After a hard-fought 50 laps, he was able to stand tall with the Brazilian flag in Victory Lane. It was not an easy victory at all. With all the wrecks, all the surprises, and all the drivers being dumped in the corners, this race was one for the books.

        Nelson Piquet Jr. started on the pole for the Sargento 200. As usual at the road courses in the Nationwide Series, the qualifying rules were different than normal, but that did not bother Piquet as he won the pole. Piquet was able to lead the first two laps before being passed by Michael McDowell on the third lap. The oddest thing at the beginning of the race did not involve the racing.

       Based on the qualifying rules, drivers could not put tires on their cars or refuel their cars after qualifying. Because of this, the majority of the drivers decided to stop in the first ten laps of the race. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Michael Annett pulled into pit road on lap 1, Sam Hornish Jr. pitted on lap 2, Jacques Villeneuve and Kurt Busch pitted on lap 4, and Michael McDowell, Nelson Piquet Jr., Max Papis, Elliott Sadler, and Austin Dillon pitted on lap 5. Those were the more notable drivers who pitted, but a vast majority of other drivers pitted before lap 10.


The first caution came out on lap 13 when T.J. Bell spun out in turn 14. Matthew Bell, who finished 34th, received the lucky dog. After a two lap green flag run, debris was spotted on the frontstretch on lap 18. This resulted in the second caution of the race. T.J. Bell, who brought out the first caution, received the lucky dog. After the longest green flag run of the race, 13 laps, Kenny Habul ran off track and hit the tire barrels in turn 5 on lap 32. Eric McClure, who was making his return to the series after a hard crash at Talladega in May, received the lucky dog. At this point in the race, most drivers felt that they could stop and go the rest of the way, but nobody knew for sure. Would anybody run out of fuel?


After one circuit around the road course, T.J. Bell went off track and got stuck in the gravel trap in “The Carousel” on lap 34. Kenny Habul, who brought out the third caution of the race, received the lucky dog. The fifth and final caution came out on lap 38 when Justin Allgaier ran off track in turn 5 because of a locked-up tire. Bill Prietzel, who finished 27th, received the final lucky dog of the race. This set up a 12 lap run to the finish that was filled with surprises, shocks, and very close calls.


With three laps to go, the race looked like it would finish under green, but John Young almost changed all that. As Young was driving along, he began to slow and realized that he had ran out of fuel. He had to coast the car across a straightway and make it to the turn 3 turnoff before the car completely stopped. He was able to make it and NASCAR did not have to throw a caution. The next incident shocked the NASCAR world.


On the final lap of the race, Jacques Villeneuve got into turn 5 hard and dumped Danica Patrick.  Patrick slid off the racetrack and into the gravel trap. She was able to get the car going again, but the damage had already been done. Patrick went from a sure top 5 finish to a 12th place finish. It did not seem like a major loss, but Patrick is running for a championship unlike Villeneuve, who was running to win the race. Through all of these things, Nelson Piquet Jr. was able to get away and win the race. It was his first win in 3 starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He also led 19 of the 50 laps, the most of the race.


To mention it once again, Nelson Piquet Jr. was able to earn the pole for and win the Sargento 200 at Road America. The NASCAR Nationwide Series heads to Kentucky next week for the Feed The Children 300. Tune in to ESPN 2 at 7:00 P.M. on June 29th for complete coverage of the race.
(More Stats Down Below!)


Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 13- T.J. Bell spun out in turn 14.


2nd Caution: Lap 18- Debris was spotted on the frontstretch.


3rd Caution: Lap 32- Kenny Habul ran off track and hit the tire barrels in turn 5.


4th Caution: Lap 34- T.J. Bell went off track and got stuck in the gravel trap in “The Carousel”.


5th Caution: Lap 38- Justin Allgaier ran off track in turn 5 because of a locked-up tire.


Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Matthew Bell
2nd Caution: T.J. Bell
3rd Caution: Eric McClure
4th Caution: Kenny Habul
5th Caution: Bill Prietzel


Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Nelson Piquet Jr.
2nd: Michael McDowell
3rd: Ron Fellows
4th: Max Papis
5th: Sam Hornish Jr.


Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Jacques Villeneuve
8th: Kurt Busch
11th: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
12th: Danica Patrick
15th: Elliott Sadler
18th: Austin Dillon

Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics: http://racing-reference.info/race/2012_Sargento_200/B
-Photo: http://www.nationwide.nascar.com/nationwide-series/news/120623/npiquetjr-wins-road-america/index.html

Nelson Piquet Jr. Takes the Pole for the Sargento 200 at Road America

        Nelson Piquet Jr. earned his first pole in the Nationwide Series at Road America. He beat the track record with a time of 2:13.07 (109.516 mph). With a few different qualifying rules, it was not an easy pole to gain, but Piquet is going to look for his first win to go along with the first pole of his career.
   
        Like all road course races for the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the qualifying rules are way different. There are six groups of cars. The first group has 8 cars in it and the next five have six cars in them. The first cars to go out on the track are the slowest cars from practice and it continues on until the fastest cars from practice go out. Each driver also has a chance to run three laps to get the best time they can get, unlike ovals where the driver only gets two laps. The only similar thing is that each driver wants the fastest time and only one can get it. On this day, that was Nelson Piquet Jr.


  Nelson Piquet Jr. went out in the last group of the day. He had to compete with the fastest drivers at the track to get the pole. He was able to do that with ease. The second place driver, Michael McDowell, was 3 tenths behind Piquet in time. After all was said and done, the last group swept the top 5 spots for the race, but other teams were left scratching their heads. Thanks to all of these things and more, the race should be one of the best of the year. 
(More stats down below!)


Groups:
1st Group: Matt Frahm, Tim Schendel, Chase Miller, T.J. Bell*, Casey Roderick, Ryan Ellis, Jeff Green, and Kyle Kelley


2nd Group: Timmy Hill, Matthew Bell, Josh Richards, Bill Prietzel, Tony Raines,  Morgan Shepherd, and Erik Darnell


3rd Group: Alex Kennedy, Matt DiBenedetto, John Young, Kenny Habul, Mike Wallace, Eric McClure, and Tayler Malsam


4th Group: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Elliott Sadler, Mike Bliss, Jeremy Clements, Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon, and Victor Gonzalez Jr.


5th Group: Justin Allgaier, Brian Scott, Jason Bowles, Brad Sweet, Danica Patrick, Cole Whitt, and Michael Annett


6th Group: Jacques Villeneuve, Nelson Piquet Jr., Max Papis, Michael McDowell, Ron Fellows, Sam Hornish Jr., and Miguel Paludo


(*: T.J. Bell did not pass through inspection in time to make a qualifying run.)


Fastest Driver From Each Group:
1st Group: Kyle Kelley    2:16.73 (106.584 mph)
2nd Group: Timmy Hill    2:17.64 (105.875 mph)
3rd Group: Alex Kennedy    2:16.19 (107.000 mph)
4th Group: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.    2:14.70 (108.185 mph)
5th Group: Brian Scott    2:14.19 (108.596 mph)
6th Group: Nelson Piquet Jr.    2:13.07 (109.516 mph)


Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Nelson Piquet Jr.    2:13.07 (109.516 mph)
2nd: Michael McDowell    2:13.38 (109.258 mph)
3rd: Ron Fellows    2:13.64 (109.044 mph)
4th: Jacques Villeneuve    2:13.67 (109.020 mph)
5th: Miguel Paludo    2:13.80 (108.916 mph)


Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
10th: Danica Patrick    2:14.68 (108.207 mph)
11th: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.    2:14.70 (108.185 mph)
13th: Elliott Sadler    2:14.96 (107.977 mph)
22nd: Kurt Busch    2:16.82 (106.509 mph)
23rd: Austin Dillon    2:17.00 (106.368 mph)


DNQs: None

Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nationwide.nascar.com/nationwide-series/races/2012/qual_order/14/
http://www.jayski.com/nationwide/2012/pdfs/nns-14roadamerica2012lineup.pdf
-Photo:
http://www.nascarbrasil.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/nascar-brasil.jpg

Todd Bodine Wins a Rain Shortened NCWTS Lucas Oil 200 at Dover

        Todd Bodine was able to end a 37 race drought and win the Lucas Oil 200 at Dover. The race was shortened to 147 laps after rain began to move into the area. After he stayed out on a late race caution, Bodine was able to hold off drivers like Parker Kligerman, Nelson Piquet Jr., and the dominator of the race, Kevin Harvick, to pull off the victory. The race was filled with cautions and resulted in a mad dash to outwit Mother Nature.


       Kevin Harvick started on the pole for the race and began to show his dominance early. After only a few laps, Harvick was able to jump out to a one second lead ahead of Johnny Sauter. On lap 13, the first caution came out due to Jason White blowing an engine coming into turn 1. Jennifer Jo Cobb, who finished 26th, received the lucky dog. After a six lap green flag run, the second caution of the evening came out. John Wes Townley spun out in turn 2, but received no damage. Norm Benning, who finished 25th, recived the lucky dog. On the first lap after the restart, the third caution of the race came out and it involved a total of 5 cars.


  As the trucks came into turn 3, Jeb Burton got loose and spun Cale Gale. Gale was able to spin and receive no damage, but Burton backed into the wall and received a lot of damage. Parker Kligerman, who was trying to avoid the wreck, barely hit Burton as he passed by Burton's truck that was sliding across the outside wall. In front of those incidents, Brian Scott, who had made it through the wreck, was spun by Max Gresham, who could not see where he was going due to the smoke and cars trying to get by.. Neither driver received any damage and no driver received the lucky dog. 


  After the longest green flag run of the race, 36 laps, Todd Bodine got loose in turn 3 and spun out in turn 4 on lap 69. It was the fourth caution of the race. David Starr, who received two lucky dogs in the race, recived his first lucky dog of the race. After the second longest green flag run of the race, 24 laps, Ryan Sieg got loose coming out of turn 4 and hit the inside wall on the frontstretch on lap 97. It was the fifth caution of the race. David Starr, who finished 14th, received his secong lucky dog of the race. After a short eleven lap green flag run, Wes Burton got loose in turn 3 and spun out, resulting in a very hard hit into the inside wall on lap 112. It was the fifth caution of the race. John Wes Townley, who spun out earlier in the race, received the lucky dog. This caution led to the first red flag of the day.


On lap 120, NASCAR decided that the rain coming down at the track was too much for the trucks to continue racing. The first red flag of the race was waved and the pace car pulled the trucks onto pit road. The rain began to diminish and NASCAR told the drivers to put their helmets on. After about a ten minute delay, the trucks began to roll off of pit road. Some trucks decided to pit before the restart, but Todd Bodine, among other drivers, decided to stay out since they had newer tires on their trucks and more fuel. As Robert Frost said, “I have taken the road less traveled and it has made all the difference for me.” and for Todd Bodine and the other drivers, this reigned true. 

When the green flag waved once again, trucks that had not been out front for the entire race were now in contention for the victory. After a short 5 lap green flag run, Max Gresham came out of turn 4 and slapped the outside wall on the frontstretch on lap 129. It was the seventh caution of the race. Paulie Harraka, who finished 17th, received the lucky dog. After a very short green flag run, 2 laps, Ron Hornaday got loose coming out of turn 2 and almost wrecked Justin Lofton, but Hornaday was able to avoid hitting Lofton and spin towards the inside wall and tap the wall, resulting in a crushed front end. It was the eighth caution of the race. Caleb Holman, who finished 18th, received the lucky dog. After the final green flag run of the race, rain began to fall on the racetrack on lap 144. It was the ninth caution of the race. NASCAR once again felt that the rain was too much for the drivers to continue racing.


The second red flag of the race was waved and the pace car once again pulled the cars onto pit road. The rain began to pour and NASCAR was forced to end the race after only 147 laps of the 200 laps. Todd Bodine was declared the winner of the race because he had stayed out after the first red flag and passed the rest of the cars that hadn't stopped either. Other drivers that stayed out and earned great finishes were Parker Kligerman, Nelson Piquet Jr., and Cale Gale. For Kevin Harvick, Mother Nature managed to rip a win out of his hands after he dominated the entire race.


       Once again, Todd Bodine won the 2012 Lucas Oil 200 at Dover thanks to Mother Nature. He led 20 of the 147 laps, which was third to Justin Lofton's 22 laps led and Kevin Harvick's 96 laps led. It was his 22nd win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, which is the 5th most all-time. The rest of the top 5 were Parker Kligerman in 2nd, Kevin Harvick in 3rd, Nelson Piquet Jr. in 4th, and Cale Gale in 5th. The Camping World Truck Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway next week for the seventh race of the season, the 2012 Winstar World Casino 400. Ron Hornaday Jr. won the 2011 Winstar World Casino 400 after Johnny Sauter was black-flagged on the final restart of the race. Will Hornaday be able to repeat, will a new driver win this season, or will Johnny Sauter get his revenge? Tune to SPEED on June 8th at 8:30 P.M. to see if these questions will be answered.


Credits:
-My own notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2012_Lucas_Oil_200/C
-Race Videos (Crashes and Finish):
http://www.youtube.com/user/mkwrockers0099/videos
-Todd Bodine Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/driver/Todd_Bodine
-Photo:
http://www.nascar.com/news/120601/tbodine-wins-dover/index.html