Ryan Newman Uses Strategy Late In the Race To Win at The Brickyard

         Ryan Newman was able to kiss the bricks after using a late strategy call to take the lead from Jimmie Johnson and the win. After starting on the pole, Newman showed that he would be a contender early as he led until the first pit stops of the day. He was shuffled back during the middle part of the race, but he found his way back to the point and the win. It was a fairly disappointing finish for Jimmie Johnson. After leading most of the race, he had a 17 second four tire final pit stop while Ryan Newman had a 6 second two tire final pit stop. This left Newman four seconds ahead of Johnson and in prime position to take the win. It will definitely be a spot that the #48 team will work on in the future. One story line to follow in the race has already been mentioned which is strategy. Most of the drivers in the field used a different strategy than their competitors which led to some good finishes and the win for Newman. A final story line to follow is the lack of cautions in the race. Because of this, the drivers who wanted to win had to rely on good pit stops to take the victory. In the case of Ryan Newman, his team got the job done. All in all, it was a simple race at Indianapolis, but one that had a great story at the end.

        Ryan Newman started on the pole. It was his first pole since New Hampshire in September of 2011. He was able to lead the first lap of the race. It was a short time into the race before a championship and race contender would have trouble. On lap 13, Dale Earnhardt Jr. pulled down pit road for an unscheduled stop. He was forced to pit because he had a loose wheel. This set him off sequence and he would have to rely on cautions to get back in the race. It was a short time later that strategy began to take shape in the race. Drivers like Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin decided to short pit on lap 26 since their cars weren't too good. This led to the first round of green flag pit stops of the race on lap 28. During these stops, Jimmie Johnson was able to take the lead from Ryan Newman. Now, it looked like Johnson would run away, but strategy would have a say in that. 

       The race continued on until the second round of green flag pit stops of the race on lap 54. A short time after this the first caution of the race waved on lap 59. Timmy Hill had an issue on track and began to slow. Marcos Ambrose received the lucky dog. The drivers who had not pitted during the round of green flag stops went to pit road. Tony Stewart also pitted to top off with fuel in preparation for later in the race. The race went back green and Stewart proved pitting was a good move as he moved up a lot on the restart. The race continued on until the second caution of the race on lap 81. Jeff Burton had a rear gear issue and slowed down on track. A.J. Allmendinger received the lucky dog. Even more strategy was used during this caution. Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and others decided to stay out. Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jamie McMurray, and Marcos Ambrose took two tires. The race went back green and the decisions went different ways. Some of the drivers who stayed out fell back, while others stayed near the front. Some of the drivers who took two tires fell back, while others stayed near the front. It would be interesting to see which driver could make the strategy work and take the win. 

         The race went back green and it was a short time before the drivers who had stayed out on the previous caution decided to pit around lap 98. This gave Jimmie Johnson the lead once again. The race continued on until the third round of green flag pit stops of the race on lap 107. A short time after this thee third and final caution of the race came out on lap 114. Timmy Hill stopped on the backstretch of the track. Mark Martin received the lucky dog. Jamie McMurray, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, and other decided to pit to see if they could work on their cars a little bit. The race went back green for the final time and it was a short time before pit stops came again. On lap 129, Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Marcos Ambrose pitted. This led to the fourth round of green flag pit stops of the race on lap 130. This is where things changed in the race. Jimmie Johnson came in before Ryan Newman and decided to take four tires. His team performed a slow 17 second pit stop and he went back out on track. Ryan Newman came in next and decided to take only two tires. His team preformed a six second two tire stop. Before the stops, Jimmie Johnson had held onto the advantage over Newman, but after the stops Ryan Newman held a four second advantage over Johnson. Now, he would just have to hold it.

         It was a very interesting final 25 laps. Newman sat in front of Johnson and Kasey Kahne. It seemed like Newman was still as fast as he had been and would hold onto the advantage. As the race went on, drivers began to pit in front of the three and finally Newman took the lead. The laps began to click away and with three laps to go, the emotion began to come out of Newman and his team. The tears began to fall and finally Newman was able to cross the line for the win at his home track. He made huge burnouts and the victory celebration was very emotional. Newman was finally able to kiss the bricks at The Brickyard. Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne came so close, but they will have to wait until next year.

        It has been a very emotional few weeks for Ryan Newman. A couple weeks ago it was announced that he will not be returning to the #39 at Stewart-Haas Racing. Fast forward to this week. He finished third in the inaugural Mudsummer Classic at Eldora. On Saturday, he barely beat Jimmie Johnson for his first pole at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Today, he takes the victory from Jimmie Johnson at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway for his win at The Brickyard and his first win of the season. This could really boost his chances at getting a good ride for the 2014 season. It was also a really good day for Hendrick horsepower. 6 of the top 7 cars in the finishing order have Hendrick horsepower under the hood. This proves that they are definitely a group that can not be messed with. This could prove very important next week at Pocono. Last time at the track, Jimmie Johnson dominated and took the victory. Will he take the win again, will Ryan Newman beat him two weeks in a row, or will another driver shine? We will have to wait until next week to find out.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 59- Timmy Hill had an issue and slowed on track.

2nd Caution: Lap 81- Jeff Burton had a rear gear issue and slowed on track.

3rd Caution: Lap 114- Timmy Hill stopped on the backstretch of the track.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Marcos Ambrose
2nd Caution: A.J. Allmendinger
3rd Caution: Mark Martin

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Ryan Newman
2nd: Jimmie Johnson
3rd: Kasey Kahne
4th: Tony Stewart
5th: Matt Kenseth

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
7th: Jeff Gordon
10th: Kyle Busch
19th: Kevin Harvick
20th: Clint Bowyer
21st: Brad Keselowski
30th: Danica Patrick




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://racing-reference.info/race/2013_Crown_Royal_Presents_The_Samuel_Deeds_400/W
-Image:
http://media.naplesnews.com/media/img/photos/2013/07/28/ryan_Newman_t607.jpg

Kyle Busch Dominates And Takes the Win at The Brickyard

        Kyle Busch once again proved his dominance of the NASCAR Nationwide Series with a dominating win at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Busch led 92 of the 100 laps en route to his eighth victory of 2013 and fifth when he started on the pole. But this race almost ended badly for Busch. He struggled on the final restart and almost gave Brian Scott the win. In stellar fashion, Busch charged his way back up to Scott and took the victory. One story line to follow in the race was the struggles for some NASCAR Nationwide Series championship contenders. Regan Smith and Sam Hornish Jr. both had similar problems at the same time which gave the points lead after the event to Austin Dillon. A final story line to follow was the strategy in the race. Kyle Busch used a lot of strategy to work his way to the win and had a caution fall his way. All in all, it was a pretty good race at Indianapolis with a pretty amazing final few laps.

        Kyle Busch started on the pole. Earlier in the day, he had bested the track record and become the all time winningest pole winner in the history of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Before the race could even start, Justin Allgaier had some trouble. His engine was not running right and his team decided to bring him down pit road on the pace laps. They decided they would change the carburetor, but this cost him a lot of time and a good finish. It was really bad because I, along with many others, wanted him to win in his tribute car to the late and great Jason Leffler. The race finally got started and a possible contender in the race would have trouble. Kasey Kahne entered turn 2 on lap 1 and his car got loose causing him to enter a slide. Somehow, he was able to keep the car from going in the grass and avoid all the other drivers. He lost a lot of time, but he still had a car to race. After an eventual few pace laps and first lap, Kyle Busch was able to finally cross the start/finish line to lead the first lap.

        The race continued on until the first round of green flag pit stops began on lap 28. Kyle Busch took the lead back after the stops and continued his domination of the event. The race continued on until the first caution at the halfway point on lap 50. Debris was spotted on the track in turn 4. Kyle Larson received the lucky dog. This is where strategy began to take shape in the race. Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, and Brian Scott decided to stay out on the track. Michael Annett decided to only take two tires on his stop. It would be interesting to see whose strategy would work. On the restart, it was obvious Annett's strategy did not work as he fell way back, but the drivers who stayed out during the stops stayed near the front of the field. In fact, Kyle Busch was half a second faster than the drivers who had taken tires. Shortly after the restart, two race and championship contenders would have trouble.

       Sam Hornish Jr., who had been running real well all race, pulled down pit road with a lot of water shooting out of the overflow. The car had begun to overheat after grass had become stuck in the grille. His team tried to put water in the car, but it did not help. At the same time, Regan Smith pitted because his car had begun to overheat after grass was stuck in his grille as well. Smith would be able to continue on in the race, but Hornish's problem would affect him soon. A short time later on lap 64, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, and Brian Scott made their scheduled stops after they had not pitted on the previous caution. At the same time, Joey Logano decided to pit and replace right side tires to see if he could catch a caution and get a little track position. Luckily for him, the second caution of the race waved on lap 66. Sam Hornish Jr., who had just been in for his overheating problem, lost an engine in the entrance to turn 3 and deposited oil on the track. Kevin Swindell received the lucky dog. Even more strategy was used on this caution. Busch, Kenseth, Logano, and Scott decided to stay out since they had just pitted. Most of the top 10 took two tires with Elliott Sadler and Michael Annett taking four tires. It would be interesting once again to see which strategy would result in the win.

        The race went back green and continued on until the third caution on lap 84. Debris was spotted in turn 2 of the track. Just as the caution waved, Joe Nemechek lost a right rear tire after running over a piece of the debris. He reported to pit road and the tire was replaced. Travis Pastrana received the lucky dog. A final bit of strategy was used by some of the drivers. The top 7 on track stayed out while the drivers behind them decided to pit. The race went back green once again and there would be trouble fairly quick. In turn 2, Parker Kligerman got loose while Trevor Bayne was running behind him. Bayne slowed a little to allow Kligerman to save it. Kasey Kahne, who had a major run behind them, decided to make a move below Bayne, but Kahne did not have enough room to get by and slammed into the grass. A piece of his splitter crumpled up and his tire blew as grass and debris flew on the track. This resulted in the the fourth and final caution of the race on lap 89. David Starr received the lucky dog. Now, there would be one final mad dash to the finish and Kyle Busch would have to hold off the field one more time.

        The race restarted and Joey Logano stayed right next to Busch as they went into turn 1. This caused Busch to lose a lot of grip and go up the track on Logano. Both drivers avoided each other and the wall, but Brian Scott sneaked by for the lead. Scott did everything he could to hold Busch off while he charged at him for the win, but it was not enough as Busch passed Scott with three laps to go for the lead. Busch held onto the lead and cruised to the victory. Brian Scott was so close to his first career NASCAR Nationwide Series victory, but he will have to try again next week. Brian Vickers was able to win the final Dash 4 Cash of the season over Sam Hornish Jr., Austin Dillon, and Elliott Sadler for a 100,000 dollar bonus. It was a dominating performance for Kyle Busch, but he almost had it taken away in the final stages.

         It is hard at times to watch the NASCAR Nationwide Series when Kyle Busch is dominating, but you have to admit that the man can drive the absolute wheels off any vehicle he jumps in. Whether it be a Sprint Cup car, a Nationwide car, a Camping World truck, or even a late model, he gets the job done. It has definitely been a memorable week for Austin Dillon. He went to Eldora on Wednesday and was able to win the inaugural Mudsummer Classic. Even though he could only muster a twelfth place finish in the Nationwide event at Indianapolis, Dillon still gained the points lead from Sam Hornish Jr. His week could get even better if he has a good run in the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 tomorrow at Indianapolis. The NASCAR Nationwide Series championship race could get really interesting with the top 8 drivers within a race of the points lead. This could really be a factor as the Nationwide Series heads to the always action packed Iowa Speedway. With mostly Nationwide regulars in the event, it could be a really good chance to gain some points. Will Trevor Bayne capture both wins at Iowa in 2013, will Austin Dillon grab a win after dominating the previous race, or will Elliott Sadler win his second race at Iowa? We will have to wait until next Saturday night to find out.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 50- Debris was spotted on the track in turn 4.

2nd Caution: Lap 66- Sam Hornish Jr. lost an engine in the entrance to turn 3 and dropped oil on the track.

3rd Caution: Lap 84- Debris was spotted on the track in turn 2.

4th Caution: Lap 89- Debris and grass was on track after Kasey Kahne drove through the grassy part of turn 2.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Kyle Larson
2nd Caution: Kevin Swindell 
3rd Caution: Travis Pastrana
4th Caution: David Starr

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Kyle Busch
2nd: Brian Scott
3rd: Joey Logano
4th: Brian Vickers
5th: Kevin Harvick

Notables Not in Top 5:
7th: Matt Kenseth
10th: Travis Pastrana
12th: Austin Dillon
13th: Elliott Sadler
19th: Regan Smith
26th: Kasey Kahne
34th: Sam Hornish Jr.




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://racing-reference.info/race/2013_Indiana_250/B
-Image:
http://www.trbimg.com/img-51f457f7/turbine/la-sp-kyle-busch-20130727/600

Kyle Busch Destroys the Track Record En Route To the Pole at The Brickyard

         With a time of 50.099 seconds (179.644 mph), Kyle Busch demolished the track record at Indianapolis and grabbed the pole. It was a very historic day for Busch. He grabbed his thirty first career NASCAR Nationwide Series pole, which breaks the all time record previously held by Mark Martin. It was also a very interesting session for most of the drivers. Three cars ended up wrecking and not being able to run a qualifying lap. Two of these guys were Travis Pastrana and Alex Bowman, who have had very good seasons so far. Another story line to follow is the amount of drivers who beat the previous track record. In total, seventeen cars beat the previous track record with their run. It was a very fast session at one of the most famous race tracks in the world.

       Morgan Shepherd was the first driver out on the track. He picked up a lot of speed from practice, but he did not have enough to make the field. The first driver to have trouble in the session was Joey Gase. Coming out of turn 1 on his first lap, his left side tires left the racing surface and he got loose. He slid up the track and slammed the outside wall with the rear end of his car. Since he had to make the race on time, he will not be in the race this afternoon. The second driver to have trouble in the session was Alex Bowman. Coming out of turn 4 on lap 1, Bowman got loose and tried to save his car, but his car went up the track and slammed the outside wall. He is in the race, but he will probably have to go to a back-up car. The third and final driver to have trouble in the session was Travis Pastrana. Coming out of turn 1 on lap 1, Pastrana got loose and slid down the track. He made hard contact with the inside wall and then went back up the track and hit the outside wall. He is in the race, but he will have to go to a back-up car. Parker Kligerman went out a few drivers after Pastrana and was able to take the provisional pole with a time that was the first to beat the track record. Sam Hornish Jr. was the next to take the provisional pole with a time that beat Kligerman by three tenths. It seemed like Hornish would walk away with the pole and the track record, but Kyle Busch had something to say about that. Busch went out and bested Hornish by two tenths and the previous track record by a second to grab the pole. The last four drivers were unable to best Busch and he walked away with his fifth pole of the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.

        It seems like Kyle Busch is unbeatable this year when he starts up front. In the four races he has started on the pole this year, Busch has walked away with the win after pretty much dominating the race. This race has a little bit more prowess and could prove a challenge to Busch. Even winning at The Brickyard in a series like the Nationwide Series is a great accomplishment and many will be looking to take the victory. Plus, a few of the contenders are starting outside the top 10 and they will look to move up and challenge for the win. It will also be interesting to see if Alex Bowman and Travis Pastrana can move from the back to the front of the field. All in all, it should be a very awesome race at the prestigious Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(More Stats Down Below!)





Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Kyle Busch    50.099 (179.644 mph)
2nd: Sam Hornish Jr.     50.288 (178.969 mph)
3rd: Trevor Bayne     50.457 (178.370 mph)
4th: Elliott Sadler     50.562 (177.999 mph)
5th: Parker Kligerman     50.578 (177.943 mph)

Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
6th: Brian Vickers    50.622 (177.788 mph)
7th: Austin Dillon     50.633 (177.750 mph)
9th: Matt Kenseth     50.665 (177.637 mph)
12th: Kasey Kahne     50.718 (177.452 mph)
13th: Joey Logano     50.725 (177.427 mph)
15th: Kevin Harvick    50.940 (176.678 mph)

Go-or-Go Homers (With Times):
9th: Matt Kenseth     50.665 (177.637 mph)
15th: Kevin Harvick    50.940 (176.678 mph)
18th: Kevin Swindell     51.105 (176.108 mph)
20th: David Starr     51.533 (174.645 mph)
25th: Ryan Sieg     51.911 (173.374 mph)
27th: Tanner Berryhill     52.218 (172.354 mph)
32nd: Josh Wise     52.779 (170.522 mph)
33rd: Jeff Green     52.918 (170.074 mph)
34th: J.J. Yeley    52.918 (170.074 mph)
40th: David Green    55.032 (163.541 mph)#
41st: Matt Dibenedetto    53.096 (169.504 mph)
42nd: Carl Long     53.835 (167.177 mph)
43rd: Morgan Shepherd     53.980 (166.728 mph)
44th: Joey Gase     No Time*
(#: David Green used his past champion provisional to make the race.)
(*: Joey Gase wrecked when he was on his run.)

DNQs: Matt Dibenedetto, Carl Long, Morgan Shepherd, and Joey Gase




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-qualification.html
-Image:
https://twitter.com/NASCAR_NNS/status/361194343052238848/photo/1

Austin Dillon Makes History With a NCWTS Dirt Win at Eldora

          The first NASCAR race on dirt in 43 years was definitely one that will be remembered for a good while. It started off with a qualifying session that left Ken Schrader as the oldest pole winner in the history of NASCAR. He was able to win his first heat race and put himself at the front of the field for the feature event. Norm Benning and Clay Greenfield fought extremely hard for the the final transfer spot in the last chance qualifier with Benning taking the final starting spot for the race. After all these crazy events, it was time for the most anticipated race of the NASCAR season. It did not disappoint with Austin Dillon eventually taking the win after fighting with Kyle Larson and Ryan Newman for most of the night. It was an extremely good race with many championship contenders having trouble. Ty Dillon and Johnny Sauter were involved in an incident, James Buescher had trouble fighting with the dirt that led to a bad finish, and Jeb Burton received some damage from the Dillon and Sauter incident. Plus, many of the dirt rookies had better races than some of the dirt ringers. If you aren't excited yet, check your pulse.

       Ken Schrader started on the pole. He had won his heat race after qualifying on pole in the qualifying session for the race. His heat race victory allowed him to start at the front of the feature event and lead the field to history. The race went green and Schrader jumped out to the lead. He was able to lead the historic first lap. Early on in the race, the drivers fanned out through the field and raced side by side and sometimes three wide. Timothy Peters, one of the many surprises in the race, took the lead from Schrader on lap 16. Peters was able to hold the lead until one of the expected contenders in the race, Kyle Larson, made his way from a thirteenth place starting spot to take the lead on lap 39. One key thing here was how Larson was able to make his way around Peters. Larson used lap traffic to make his way past Peters and this was a theme a lot in the race. The race continued on until the first caution on lap 54. Debris off Scott Bloomquist's truck was spotted in turn 4. Max Gresham received the lucky dog. This led to the end of the first segment and the first pit stops of the race. The drivers could not race off pit road so the lineup stayed the same between segments with Kyle Larson leading. Stops finished and it was time for the race to go back green.

        The race went back green and it was a short time before one of the dirt track ringers would have trouble. Jeff Babcock, a dirt driver who was pulling double duty at Eldora, lost an engine on lap 63. He would retire from the race and finish in last spot. The race continued on until another lead change on lap 89. Austin Dillon finally made his way to the front of the field and was able to get past Kyle Larson for the lead. Immediately after the pass, the second caution of the race came out on lap 89. Debris was spotted on the track in turn 3. Max Gresham received the lucky dog. The field was lined back up and the race went back green. Larson and Dillon began an extremely hard fought battle that would last until the end of the second segment. Dillon was able to hold off Larson to lead at the third caution of the race on lap 110. This caution was used to signify the end of the second segment for pit stops. Ryan Blaney received the lucky dog. Once again, the drivers were unable to race off pit road which left Austin Dillon in the lead for the beginning of the third and final segment. It was sure to be the best segment of the night and one that would be remembered for a while.

        The race went back green and it was a short time before the fourth caution of the race on lap 114. Jared Landers got loose coming out of turn 2 after contact with Joey Coulter and slid down the track. Landers slid into the right rear of Ty Dillon which caused Dillon to slam into the outside wall. Johnny Sauter and Jeb Burton also received damage in the wreck. Sauter would have to retire from the race after a hole was punctured in the radiator of his truck. German Quiroga received the lucky dog. The field was lined back up and the race went back green. Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson, and Ryan Newman entered a hard fight for the lead as the field raced behind them. Larson worked hard to get by Newman and he finally did, but he could not catch Dillon as the fifth caution of the race waved on lap 139. Debris was spotted on the frontstretch of the track. Miguel Paludo received the lucky dog. The field lined up once again and the race restarted. Austin Dillon moved out to the lead and it looked like he would take the victory, but the sixth and final caution of the race waved on lap 148. Debris was spotted on the frontstretch of the track. Now, the race would end under a green-white-checkered that would definitely be full of hard racing.

        The race went green for the final time and Austin Dillon was able to jump out to the lead. Ryan Newman fell into second and Kyle Larson battled with Newman for the spot. The two made good charges at each other with Larson eventually taking the spot. Because of this, Austin Dillon was able to cruise to the win. It was definitely a memorable win for Dillon as he and his crew scooped up dirt from the start/finish line and took many pictures. Many drivers had hoped to win the first dirt race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, but they came just short. Others, Brendan Gaughan, Joey Coulter, and Darrell Wallace Jr., were just happy they made it out of Eldora with good finishes. 

        This is one race that Austin Dillon will always rank as one of best wins in his career. Kyle Larson will always remember that he finished second in the inaugural Mudsummer Classic and will look to one day put his name in history as winning the race. The dirt ringers in the race will look to put their first truck race on dirt behind them. Jared Landers had an incident that took away a good finish, Tracy Hines was never a factor in the race, Ken Schrader fell back after starting up front, Kenny Wallace fell way back after starting up front, Scott Bloomquist fell laps down early after handling problems didn't allow him to move up, and Jeff Babcock lost an engine early in the second segment. Still, even for the drivers who finished in the back, it will be a cool thing to say in the future that they raced in the first dirt race in NASCAR since 1970. In fact, Austin Dillon's memorable week might not be finished. He has a chance to win both the NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to complete the sweep. That would be extremely memorable if he could pull of the feat. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to the Pocono Raceway next week for a battle at The Tricky Triangle. Will Joey Coulter repeat at the place he won his first NCWTS race, will James Buescher rebound and continue his hopes for a title repeat, or will another driver come out with the victory at Pocono? We will have to wait until next week to find out. 
(More Stats Down Below!)





Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 54- Debris was spotted on the track in turn 4.

2nd Caution: Lap 89- Debris was spotted on the track in turn 3. 

3rd Caution: Lap 110- Caution to end the second segment for pit stops.

4th Caution: Lap 114- Jared Landers got loose in turn 2 and slid down the track into Ty Dillon. Dillon slammed the outside wall after Landers made contact with him. Johnny Sauter and Jeb Burton also received some damage.

5th Caution: Lap 139- Debris was spotted on the frontstretch of the track.

6th Caution: Lap 148- Debris was spotted on the frontstretch of the track.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Max Gresham
2nd Caution: Max Gresham
3rd Caution: Ryan Blaney
4th Caution: German Quiroga
5th Caution: Miguel Paludo
6th Caution: John Wes Townley

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Austin Dillon
2nd: Kyle Larson
3rd: Ryan Newman
4th: Joey Coulter
5th: Brendan Gaughan

Notables Not in Top 5:
8th: Matt Crafton
9th: Dave Blaney
14th: Ken Schrader
16th: Ty Dillon
17th: Kenny Wallace
19th: James Buescher
25th: Scott Bloomquist
29th: Johnny Sauter





Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/camping-world-truck-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://racing-reference.info/race/2013_Inaugural_Mudsummer_Classic/C
-Image:
http://ww4.hdnux.com/photos/22/72/56/4959131/3/628x471.jpg

Heat Races Decide Lineup For the Inaugural Event at Eldora

         Before the NCWTS makes history by racing on dirt, the lineup has to be set from five heat races and a last chance qualifying race. A qualifying session was also held to set the lineups for the heat races. The top 5 spots are the most important part of the session. They are the most important because those five drivers will be on the pole of their respective heat races. Ken Schrader qualified first with Jared Landers second, Timothy Peters third, Kenny Wallace fourth, and Jeb Burton fifth. Along with these drivers in the heat races, six other drivers will be in each one. Five drivers will move on to the feature in each heat race with four being previously locked in and one not being locked in. The drivers who don't make it from their heat race will be forced to race in a 15 lap last chance qualifier. Four drivers will move on after the last chance qualifier with a spot for a past champion spot left. If their isn't a past champion, then five drivers will move on from the last chance qualifier. This will leave five drivers out of history and thirty looking for the win. When it is all said and done, the heat races and last chance qualifier could provide a driver with the win. 

Heat Race #1: 
         Ken Schrader started on the pole. Earlier in the day, he had become the oldest to grab a pole position in a qualifying session in NASCAR history. This allowed him to start up front for the first heat race of the night. The race went green and immediately the drivers spread out and battled for position. The race eventually settled into a groove with Schrader in the lead and J.R. Heffner in his tracks. Heffner would fight hard for that spot. He made contact with Dave Blaney in the middle part of the race, but the two continued on in the same position. Heffner made it close in the last few laps with Schrader, but Schrader took the win after leading all eight of the laps. This put him through to the feature and relegated Heffner and Jimmy Weller to the last chance qualifier. Dave Blaney, Joey Coulter, Tracy Hines, and Scott Bloomquist also moved to the feature. With his win, Ken Schrader will take the pole for the feature and look to grab the win.
Results:
1st: Ken Schrader*
2nd: J.R. Heffner
3rd: Dave Blaney*
4th: Joey Coulter*
5th: Tracy Hines*
6th: Jimmy Weller
7th: Scott Bloomquist*
(*: Locked into the feature.)

Heat Race #2:
        Jared Landers started on the pole. The race went green and he immediately jumped out to the lead. Darrell Wallace Jr. moved into second while the rest of the drivers stayed behind and battled for positions. Wallace made fierce moves on Landers and these moves would cost him. Coming into turn 1 on lap 4, Wallace got loose underneath Landers and went for a spin. He was able to save the truck and continue on. This resulted in the first and only caution of the race. The trucks were lined back up and the race went green again. Matt Crafton immediately made his move to the front. He made it past Landers to lead a lap, but Landers quickly took the lead back. Landers eventually took the win after leading seven of the eight laps. This put him through to the feature with Jeff Babcock and Norm Benning moving to the last chance qualifier. Matt Crafton, Miguel Paludo, Darrell Wallace Jr., and Dakoda Armstrong also moved to the feature. With his heat race win, Jared Landers will start to the outside of Ken Schrader and will look to take a win in his first NCWTS start.
Results:
1st: Jared Landers*
2nd: Matt Crafton*
3rd: Miguel Paludo*
4th: Darrell Wallace Jr.*
5th: Jeff Babcock
6th: Dakoda Armstrong*
7th: Norm Benning
(*: Locked into the feature.)

Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 4- Darrell Wallace Jr. got loose underneath Jared Landers coming into turn 1 and went for a spin.

Heat Race #3:
        Timothy Peters started on the pole. He was the highest qualifying NCWTS regular, which could lead him to a huge points day if he is successful. The race went green and he immediately took the lead with Brendan Gaughan grabbing the second spot. The main battle in this heat race was with Jason Bowles and Kyle Larson. Both drivers had to race their way in and it showed. Larson made a slide job on Bowles early in the race, but it did not stick. On lap 4, Larson made another move and this one was successful. He took the third spot and held onto it for the transfer spot. Peters led all the laps and cruised to the victory. Larson moved on to the feature with Bowles and Clay Greenfield moving to the last chance qualifier. Timothy Peters, Brendan Gaughan, Ron Hornaday Jr., and Ryan Blaney also moved on to the feature. With his win, Timothy Peters will look to be the highest finishing NCWTS regular in the feature later tonight.
Results:
1st: Timothy Peters*
2nd: Brendan Gaughan*
3rd: Kyle Larson*
4th: Jason Bowles
5th: Ron Hornaday Jr.*
6th: Ryan Blaney*
7th: Clay Greenfield
(*: Locked into the feature.)

Heat Race #4:
        Kenny Wallace started on the pole. The race went green and Wallace immediately jumped out to the lead with James Buescher behind him. Max Gresham was able to hold off Brennan Newberry for the transfer spot and stay ahead of Austin Dillon. The top 4 made it very close at the end. Dillon attempted to grab third from Gresham, but he was unable to. On the last lap, Buescher made a move on Wallace, but he was unable to take the lead. Wallace would take the win after leading all the laps.  Gresham moved onto the feature while Newberry and Joe Cobb move to the last chance qualifier. Kenny Wallace, James Buescher, Austin Dillon, and John Wes Townley also moved on to the feature. With his win, Kenny Wallace will look to win the race after getting a ride at the very last minute and make a lot of people happy.  
Results:
1st: Kenny Wallace*
2nd: James Buescher*
3rd: Max Gresham*
4th: Austin Dillon*
5th: Brennan Newberry
6th: John Wes Townley*
7th: Joe Cobb
(*: Locked into the feature.)

Heat Race #5:
        Jeb Burton started on the pole. It was his first attempt on dirt and he looked really good. The race went green and Burton took the lead with Ryan Newman getting second. Newman was in the transfer spot and he would look to hold it. Newman finally got up to make a move on Burton and he did  that in turns 1 and 2 on lap 5. After the slide job move, Newman went up the track and made contact with the wall allowing Burton to get away a little bit. On the last lap, Ty Dillon and Johnny Sauter had a heated battle. Dillon made a move on Sauter in turn 2 and slammed into his door. Sauter ended up making contact with the wall and Dillon was finally able to get past Sauter and take third spot. Sauter was pretty angry with Dillon afterwards due to losing spots for the feature and the damage to his truck. At the end of the race, Jeb Burton was the winner after leading all the laps. Newman moved on in the transfer spot with Justin Jennings and Bryan Silas moving to the last chance qualifier. Jeb Burton, Ty Dillon, Johnny Sauter, and German Quiroga moved on as well. With his win, Jeb Burton will look to gain points on Matt Crafton and possibly grab the points lead.
Results:
1st: Jeb Burton*
2nd: Ryan Newman*
3rd: Ty Dillon*
4th: Johnny Sauter*
5th: German Quiroga*
6th: Justin Jennings
7th: Bryan Silas
(*: Locked into the feature.)

Last Chance Qualifier:
        J.R. Heffner started on the pole. After finishing second in his heat race, he looked like the driver who would win the last chance qualifier. The race went green and his chances went away. He did not get started in the race and he fell back. Coming out of turn 1 on lap 1, he slowed and exited from the race after problems. This meant that he would not make the race. Because he slowed up the field, Brennan Newberry was able to make it past the field and grab the lead. The race went a short time before the first caution of the race on lap 11. Jimmy Weller went for a spin in turn 2 while trying to make a move on Clay Greenfield. Weller saved it and avoided damage. Now, the drivers who were on the edge of the transfer spot would have to hold off on the restart. On the restart, Norm Benning, who was running fifth, was able to hold off the guys behind him to hold the last transfer spot. Clay Greenfield moved behind him and looked to take the transfer spot. On the last lap, Greenfield made his moves on Benning. The two made contact in each corner and slammed hard into the wall. In turn 4, both piled hard into the wall and after it was said and done, Benning walked away with the fifth and final transfer spot. Brennan Newberry grabbed the win after leading all fifteen of the laps along with a transfer spot for the race. Along with Newberry and Benning, Jeff Babcock, Jason Bowles, and Justin Jennings made the race through the last chance qualifier. Clay Greenfield, Jimmy Weller, Bryan Silas, Joe Cobb, and J.R. Heffner will head home after failing to race their way in. After five heat races and a last chance qualifier, 30 drivers are set to race for history. It will be amazing to see who will come out on top and all the action that is to come in the greatest race of the year.
Results:
1st: Brennan Newberry*
2nd: Jeff Babcock*
3rd: Jason Bowles*
4th: Justin Jennings*
5th: Norm Benning*
6th: Clay Greenfield
7th: Jimmy Weller
8th: Bryan Silas
9th: Joe Cobb
10th: J.R. Heffner
(*: Raced their way into feature event.)

Cautions
1st Caution: Lap 11- Jimmy Weller got loose underneath Clay Greenfield in turn 2 and went for a spin.




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/07/24/nascar-eldora-speedway-camping-world-truck-series-qualifying-recap-results.html
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/07/24/nascar-eldora-speedway-camping-world-truck-series-qualifying-recap-results.html
-Image:
http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/The+CarCash+Mudsummer+Classic+jYKwWUAYXk8l.jpg

Joey Logano Grabs the Lead On a Late Restart To Win at Chicagoland

        After grabbing the lead from Sam Hornish Jr. on a restart with fifteen laps to go, Joey Logano was able to hold him off to cruise to his second NASCAR Nationwide Series victory of 2013. It was not an easy win or race for Logano or any of the Nationwide Series regulars. Logano fell back to fifth after a late race strategy call, Sam Hornish Jr. was caught speeding on pit road early in the race, Travis Pastrana made contact with the wall after a blown tire, Alex Bowman lost a lot of time after voltage problems caused him to replace the battery, and Regan Smith went for a spin after getting loose coming out of turn 4. Plus, Sam Hornish Jr. took the points lead from Regan Smith. It was a very important race for the series and one that could affect how the season finishes.

        Sam Hornish Jr. started on the pole. It was his first pole of 2013 and second of his NASCAR Nationwide Series career. Before the race could even run a complete green lap, the first caution of the race came out. Joey Gase lost an engine as he crossed the line for the start of the race. No driver received the lucky dog. Sam Hornish Jr. was able to lead the first lap as it was under caution. The race went green and it finally entered a green flag stretch. The race continued on until the second caution of the race on lap 48. Harrison Rhodes lost an engine on the frontstretch of the track. Johanna Long received the lucky dog. The major effect of this caution was what happened during the first round of pit stops of the race.

        Sam Hornish Jr., who had led the whole race up to the second caution, led the field onto pit road. He started off very slow down pit road and had the field immediately behind him. As he went down pit road, Hornish began to move a little out in front of the field. As the field was lined up after the stops, Hornish was given a penalty for speeding on pit road. He was forced to make a pass through and start at the rear of the field. It would be interesting to see if he could make his way from the back to the front of the field in only one hundred and fifty laps. The race went back green and went a little while before a rookie contender would have trouble. On lap 89, Alex Bowman made an unscheduled pit stop. It was reported to be a voltage problem on his car. The crew decided to replace the battery, which cost him a lot of time and a good finish. The race continued on until the first round of green flag pit stops of the race on lap 102. There was an exchange for the lead. Elliott Sadler, who had been leading since pit stops after the second caution, had a slow stop which gave the lead to Austin Dillon. Shortly after this, a well known Nationwide Series regular would have trouble.

        Travis Pastrana had been running decent all day. His day was about to take a turn for the worst. Pastrana blew a tire in turn 1 and made contact with the outside wall on lap 114. He was able to continue on with a little damage, but his chances for a top 15 were finished. This resulted in the third caution of the race. Mike Bliss received the lucky dog. This is where strategy began to take shape in the race. Regan Smith and Joey Coulter decided to pit while the rest of the field stayed out on the track. Smith did not get tires, but he did get some fuel. The plan was to save his two sets of tires for the end of the race. This decision would help him very soon. The race went back green and continued until the fourth caution of the race on lap 129. Regan Smith got loose coming out of turn 4 and went for a slide down the frontstretch. He slid through the grass, but his splitter was not ripped off the car and he continued on without damage. Luckily for Smith, he had not taken tires on the previous stop, so he could take tires after the spin and still have a set left for later in the race. Matt Crafton received the lucky dog. Even more strategy took place during the stops. Joey Logano decided to take two tires while the rest of the top 10 took four tires. Kyle Larson and Mike Bliss decided to stay out and gain some track position. The race want back green and the drivers who took four tires began to move up as Bliss and Larson fell back with no tires. As the run continued on, Joey Logano began to lose spots and he fell all the way back to fifth as the fifth caution of the race came out on lap 171. Mike Bliss, who had not pitted on the last set of stops, made the move to pit road, but he had too much speed. He made a quick move to avoid the entrance and the car went for a spin. He was able to get back going and avoid damage. Dakoda Armstrong received the lucky dog. Drivers decided to make their last stop of the race during the caution. It seemed like some drivers would take the gamble and get only two tires or just fuel, but all drivers in the top 10 took four tires. It would be interesting to see who could move to the front and take the lead and possibly the win.

        The race went back green and it was a short time before the sixth and final caution of the race came out on lap 179. Reed Sorenson lost an engine on the frontstretch. Nelson Piquet Jr. received the lucky dog. Now, the final mad dash to the finish was set up and it would be a good one. The drivers lined up with Joey Logano on the inside of row 1 and Sam Hornish Jr. to his outside. Austin Dillon lined up behind Joey Logano and Elliott Sadler lined up behind Sam Hornish Jr. The race went green for the final time and Logano stayed side by side with Hornish until they made it to turn 3. Logano jumped out to the lead and he looked to hold on. Hornish made it close in the final laps, but Logano held on for the win. It was a dominating race for Penske as Logano and Hornish took the top 2 positions.

         It was certainly a good day for Joey Logano. Since it was an off weekend for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Roger Penske asked Logano if he would drive the car and boost their chances for the owner points championship. Logano did not disappoint with a win and a domination of the race. Plus, Sam Hornish Jr. came home second and gave himself the points lead. It was not a good day for former points leader Regan Smith. He finished thirteenth and lost his points lead that was 58 points at one time. He will look to gain it back while other Nationwide Series regulars will look to move into the points battle. It will be a good show as the series heads to the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Will Brad Keselowski back up his win from last year, will Elliott Sadler gain retribution after a restart penalty cost him the win last year, or will another driver win at the famed Brickyard? We will have to wait until this Saturday to find out.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 1- Joey Gase lost an engine on the frontstretch. 

2nd Caution: Lap 48- Harrison Rhodes lost an engine on the frontstretch.

3rd Caution: Lap 114- Travis Pastrana blew a tire in turn 1 and made contact with the wall.

4th Caution: Lap 129- Regan Smith got loose coming out of turn 4 and went for a slide down the frontstretch.

5th Caution: Lap 171- Mike Bliss went for a spin after he missed the pit road entrance.

6th Caution: Lap 179- Reed Sorenson lost an engine on the frontstretch.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: None
2nd Caution: Johanna Long
3rd Caution: Mike Bliss
4th Caution: Matt Crafton
5th Caution: Dakoda Armstrong
6th Caution: Nelson Piquet Jr.

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Joey Logano
2nd: Sam Hornish Jr.
3rd: Austin Dillon
4th: Elliott Sadler
5th: Brian Vickers

Notables Not in Top 5:
7th: Trevor Bayne
8th: Justin Allgaier
10th: Matt Crafton
13th: Regan Smith
14th: Joey Coulter
18th: Travis Pastrana




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2013_STP_300/B
-Special thanks to thelp2008 for uploading the full race. I missed a few laps and I was able to finish watching because he had uploaded it and I got to thank him for it.
http://thelp2008.com/
-Image:
http://www.13wmaz.com/images/640/360/2/assetpool/images/130721091128_joey%20logano%20nationwide%20chicagoland.jpg

Brian Vickers Makes A Charge Late To Win at New Hampshire

         Brian Vickers completely came out of nowhere late in the race to take his first win since 2009 at New Hampshire. One thing said throughout the weekend was that the modified race would probably end up being the best race at New Hampshire, but that was not true as the Sprint Cup Series race was probably one of the best of the year. It was full of action and the win was always up for grabs. In fact, Brian Vickers looked like he was out of the race early. He received a penalty for taking equipment out of the box and he had to hold off Kyle Busch and Jeff Burton on the only green-white-checkered, but he was able to come back from the penalty and hold Burton and Busch off. It was a great bit of retribution for Vickers. Since a blood clot problem cost him his 2010 season, Vickers hasn't been in a real situation to win until he was given a part time ride at Michael Waltrip Racing last year. Now, he is a championship contender in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and he has a win to boost his chances at a full time ride with Michael Waltrip next year. It was definitely a race for the year and one that I am glad I was able to see.

       Brad Keselowski started on the pole. It was his first pole of 2013 and his third career. He was able to get out and lead the first lap. It was a short time before the first caution of the race came out on lap 4. Joey Logano had an apparent tire failure in turn 1 and went for a spin. He slammed the outside wall and received a good bit of damage which eliminated his chances for a good finish. No drivers received the lucky dog. The race went back green and went for a short time until the second caution of the race on lap 14. Kevin Harvick bumped Marcos Ambrose coming out of turn 4. Ambrose slid down the frontstretch and went back up the track into Casey Mears. A.J. Allmendinger also made contact with the wall trying to avoid the two, but it was very slight. No drivers received the lucky dog. Early on in the race, it looked like nobody would take anything from their fellow competitors and that theme continued on throughout the race.

        The race went back green and continued on until the first round of green flag pit stops of the race on lap 73. Two contenders would have trouble during the stops. Denny Hamlin had to come back in a second time because one of his lug nuts had not been tightened. Brian Vickers had taken equipment out of the box and had to come back down  pit road for a pass through penalty. Immediately after the stops, the third caution of the race came out on lap 78. Debris was spotted on the track in turn 1. Joe Nemechek received the lucky dog. The race went green once again and continued on until the fourth caution of the race on lap 122. Denny Hamlin blew a tire coming into turn 3, but he had slowed the car down enough to avoid the wall and continue on after replacing the tire. David Ragan received the lucky dog. This is where strategy began to take shape in the race. Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart, and Juan Pablo Montoya decided to take two tires while the rest of the drivers took four tires. It would be interesting to see which strategy would work out for the win. 

       The race went back green and continued on until the fifth caution of the race on lap 156. Debris was spotted on the track in turn 3. Joe Nemechek received the lucky dog. Most of the drivers up front took two tires with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. taking fuel only. This decision would hurt him as he fell back on the restart. The race went back green once again and continued on until the sixth caution of the race on lap 202. Debris was spotted on the backstretch. Travis Kvapil received the lucky dog. Most of the front runners took only two tires. The race went back green and it was a short time before the seventh caution of the race on lap 210. Debris was spotted on the track in turn 2. Denny Hamlin, who had a tire problem earlier, received the lucky dog. The race went back green once again and continued on until the eighth caution of the race on lap 217. A.J. Allmendinger made contact with Danica Patrick which caused Patrick to spin in turn 2. She avoided the cars around her and continued on without damage. A.J. Allmendinger received the lucky dog. This is where the strategy really decided the race. Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Juan Pablo Montoya, Aric Almirola, Ryan Newman, and Brian Vickers decided to stay out. Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, and others decided to just take fuel. It would once again be interesting to see who could win the race with their strategy.

        The race went back green and went a short time before the ninth caution of the race on lap 225. Matt Kenseth made slight contact with Kurt Busch causing Busch to go up the track on Ryan Newman in turn 2. Busch and Newman went for a spin and Newman slammed the wall as Busch slid to a stop. It was pretty unfortunate for the two and revenge could come to Kenseth soon. David Stremme received the lucky dog. The race went back green once again and a contender would have trouble. Kasey Kahne, who had run up front all day, got turned coming out of turn 2. Somehow, he made an amazing save and was able to save the car. He continued on, but he lost a lot of positions and his chances for a top 10 were pretty much gone. The race went a short time before some relationship drama occurred with the tenth caution on lap 237. Danica Patrick got loose under braking coming into turn 1 and bumped Ricky Stenhouse Jr. causing Stenhouse to slide up into Travis Kvapil. All three drivers slammed the outside wall and received a good amount of damage. Kvapil was pretty unhappy with Patrick, but his revenge would have to wait another day. Joe Nemechek received the lucky dog. Now, the race moved into the late stages and a winner would be decided.

        The race went back green once again and continued on until the eleventh caution on lap 258. Paul Menard bumped Jeff Gordon in turn 2 causing Gordon to go for a spin. There were a lot of people angry with that move, but Gordon was being too aggressive and he took the damage. Joe Nemechek received the lucky dog. The race went back green once again and Brian Vickers began to become the class of the field. He made it past Kyle Busch for second late in the race and he finally passed Tony Stewart with fourteen laps to go for the lead. He started to run away and it looked like he would cruise to his first win since 2009. But all that changed with the twelfth and final caution of the race on lap 296. Debris was spotted on the backstretch. Joe Nemechek received the lucky dog. Now, Vickers would have to hold off the field on a green-white-checkered finish.

        The race went back green for the final time and the action began to ramp up. Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, and Brian Vickers ended up three wide going into turn 1. Somehow, Vickers got the run on the outside coming out of turn 2 and went straight to the lead. Tony Stewart, who had lead some of the race, ran out of fuel on the restart and ended up finishing 26th. This did not affect Vickers as he cruised to his third career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory. It was a popular win among the drivers. On the cool down lap, Vickers was congratulated by most of his closest rivals. He burnt the tires down and gave high fives to fans and his pit crew. It was an exciting win and one of the coolest of the year.

       With this win, it looks like Brian Vickers will get the full time ride in Michael Waltrip's #55 next year. He has the experience and he has the ability to win races and finish good. Also, the points were shaken up a lot. Kasey Kahne moved into the top 10 in points with Tony Stewart running out of gas and Brad Keselowski also moved into the top 10 with his good run. Finally, Jimmie Johnson was able to move his way from the back of the field to the sixth place and stay on top of the points. It was an awesome race and the series needs a week off to relax and they get it. In two weeks, the series heads to the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Will Jimmie Johnson repeat at the Brickyard, will Paul Menard win his second race at the Brickyard, or will another driver further solidify their chase hopes? We will have to find out in two weeks.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 4- Joey Logano blew a tire in turn 1 and slammed the outside wall after a spin.

2nd Caution: Lap 14- Kevin Harvick bumped Marcos Ambrose coming out of turn 4 which caused Ambrose to spin and slide up into Casey Mears. A.J. Allmendinger received some damage as well.

3rd Caution: Lap 78- Debris was spotted on the track in turn 1. 

4th Caution: Lap 122- Denny Hamlin blew a tire coming into turn 3, but he avoided the wall.

5th Caution: Lap 156- Debris was spotted at the entrance to turn 3.

6th Caution: Lap 202- Debris was spotted on the backstretch.

7th Caution: Lap 210- Debris was spotted in turn 2.

8th Caution: Lap 217- A.J. Allmendinger bumped Danica Patrick in turn 2 and sent her for a spin.

9th Caution: Lap 225- Matt Kenseth made slight contact with Kurt Busch causing Busch to slide up into Ryan Newman and both drivers to hit the wall in turn 2 with Newman receiving the most damage.

10th Caution: Lap 237- Danica Patrick got loose coming into turn 1 and slammed into Ricky Stenhouse Jr. which caused Stenhouse to slide up into Travis Kvapil. All three drivers slammed the outside wall. 

11th Caution: Lap 258- Paul Menard bumped Jeff Gordon in turn 2 causing Gordon to go for a spin.

12th Caution: Lap 296- Debris was spotted on the backstretch.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: None
2nd Caution: None 
3rd Caution: Joe Nemechek
4th Caution: David Ragan
5th Caution: Joe Nemechek
6th Caution: Travis Kvapil 
7th Caution: Denny Hamlin
8th Caution: A.J. Allmendinger
9th Caution: David Stremme
10th Caution: Joe Nemechek 
11th Caution: Joe Nemechek
12th Caution: Joe Nemechek

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Brian Vickers
2nd: Kyle Busch
3rd: Jeff Burton
4th: Brad Keselowski
5th: Aric Almirola

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Jimmie Johnson
9th: Matt Kenseth
10th: Jeff Gordon
11th: Kasey Kahne
14th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
26th: Tony Stewart
37th: Danica Patrick




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://racing-reference.info/race/2013_Camping_World_RV_Sales_301/W
-Image:
http://abcnewsradioonline.com/storage/sports-news-images/brian_vickers_loudon_71413_nscs_victory_lane.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1373838275851

Kyle Busch Smashes the Track Record and Grabs the Pole at New Hampshire

        With a time of 28.873 seconds (131.916 mph), Kyle Busch grabbed his fourth pole of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season at New Hampshire. In the end, Busch had no competition for the pole, but some drivers looked like they would make it close. One storyline to follow during the session was the amount of drivers having to go on the five minute clock because of inspection. In total, seven drivers did not go out in their scheduled spot. A final storyline to follow is the top 10 starters. In the last eight races at New Hampshire, no driver had won the Nationwide race from outside the top 10. It would be interesting to see who would fall in the top 10 after qualifying and see who could go on to win.

        Tony Raines was the first driver to go out on track. Mike Harmon had been scheduled to go out first, but he was put on the five minute clock because he had not shown up for his run. The clock eventually ran out and he missed the race. Carl Long was supposed to go out before Raines, but he received some time and ran a lap later in the session. Morgan Shepherd was also put on the clock due to problems with the tire pressure. He was able to make a run, but it was very slow. The next driver, Mike Wallace, was also put on the clock, but he did run a lap. Stanton Barrett, the next driver scheduled to go out, was also put on the clock and he was finally able to run a lap. Reed Sorenson was also put on  the clock later in the session, but he was able to make a run later on. The most notable driver to not qualify in his scheduled spot was Kyle Larson. His team had trouble getting his car through inspection, but he finally was able to make a lap a little later. Shortly after this, Kasey Kahne would grab the provisional pole, but only for a short time. Kyle Busch went out next and blistered Kahne's lap and the track record for the pole. Nelson Piquet Jr. went went out a little later and had some trouble. Coming out of turn 4 on his second lap, Piquet was trying to get everything he could get and the car went really wide. He tagged the wall and received enough damage to move to a back-up car. The session continued on and it seemed like somebody would be able to grab the pole from Busch. Brian Scott, Brian Vickers, Regan Smith, and Justin Allgaier made charges at Busch's lap, but they were not enough as Busch cruised to his thirtieth pole in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

        In his dominating fashion this year, Kyle Busch has won three poles and has won the races he started out front as well. Plus, he is the only driver in NASCAR Nationwide Series history to win more than one race at New Hampshire. The numbers foretell a possible win for Kyle Busch, but it should be interesting with the drivers running for the Dash 4 Cash and the other Cup regulars in the field looking for the win. It should be a good race later this afternoon and I hope you guys are able to watch it and maybe we can avoid another complete domination from Kyle Busch.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Kyle Busch     28.873 (131.916 mph)
2nd: Brian Vickers    29.029 (131.207 mph)
3rd: Kasey Kahne    29.073 (131.008 mph)
4th: Regan Smith    29.083 (130.963 mph)
5th: Brian Scott    29.103 (130.873 mph)

Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
7th: Joey Logano    29.106 (130.860 mph)
8th: Matt Kenseth    29.134 (130.734 mph)
9th: Elliott Sadler     29.141 (130.702 mph)
11th: Austin Dillon    29.188 (130.492 mph)
12th: Sam Hornish Jr.    29.251 (130.211 mph)
17th: Travis Pastrana    29.401 (129.547 mph)

Go-or-Go Homers (With Times):
8th: Matt Kenseth    29.134 (130.734 mph)
22nd: Billy Johnson     29.558 (128.859 mph)
25th: Jeff Green    29.779 (127.902 mph)
27th: Ryan Preece    29.874 (127.495 mph)
28th: Jamie Dick    29.953 (127.159 mph)
30th: Josh Wise    30.004 (126.943 mph)
31st: Blake Koch    30.025 (126.854 mph)
32nd: J.J. Yeley    30.179 (126.207 mph)
37th: Carl Long     30.340 (125.537 mph)*
40th: Joey Gase     30.416 (125.224 mph)
41st: Dexter Stacey    30.453 (125.071 mph)
42nd: Morgan Shepherd      31.366 (121.431 mph)
43rd: Mike Harmon     No Time
(*: Carl Long withdrew after the session which moved Dexter Stacey into the field.)

DNQs: Morgan Shepherd and Mike Harmon





Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-qualification.html
-Image:
https://twitter.com/NASCAR_NNS/status/356078043569205250/photo/1

Brad Keselowski Breaks the Track Record and Grabs His First Pole of the Season at New Hampshire

         With a time of 28.022 seconds (135.922 mph), Brad Keselowski destroyed the track record at New Hampshire and grabbed the pole. In fact, ten drivers would eventually break the previous track record held by Ryan Newman since 2011. Because of so many drivers breaking the track record, the pole was a tough thing to come by. It was not easy for Keselowski as he only beat Jimmie Johnson's lap by four one thousandths of a second. But Johnson would have trouble before and after the session that would be extremely costly for the race. All in all, it was a very eventful session with some drivers getting loose and others going really fast.

       Clint Bowyer was the first driver to go out on the track. He ran a faster lap than he did in practice, but the session would get more competitive and he would fall just outside the top 20. David Stremme would be the first driver to have trouble in the session. Stremme got loose coming out of turn 2 on his first lap and slapped the outside wall with the back end of his car. He had a little damage and tried to attempt a lap, but it ended up being extremely slow. Immediately after Stremme's run, Kyle Busch went out and became the first driver to best the track record. Dale Earnhardt Jr. came out two drivers later and bested Busch's lap. Up to that point, the pole had switched back and forth between the first few drivers, but Earnhardt solidified his spot on the provisional pole. Shortly after this, Jimmie Johnson was interviewed on pit road without his car next to him. The cameras panned out and it could be seen that the team was having trouble getting the car through inspection. The car did not meet NASCAR's minimum weight requirements and there was a problem with the length of one of the side skirts. The team finally got his car through inspection, but his spot had passed and he was put on the five minute clock. He went out three spots after his original placement and it seemed like nothing was wrong. He quickly destroyed the old track record and grabbed the provisional pole. But it wasn't over yet. Brad Keselowski went out next and his lap barely beat Johnson's lap for the pole by four one thousandths of a second. After holding off runs from Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, and Jamie McMurray, Keselowski was able to walk away with the pole. It seemed like the session was finished, but one last thing happened before the line up was put in the books. Jimmie Johnson, who had trouble during the session with inspection, had his time disallowed after his car failed post qualifying inspection because it was found to be too low. Now, he will have to start in last after qualifying in second place. It will be interesting to see if he can make his way to the front.

        This year, Brad Keselowski, the 2012 champion, was unable to compete in the 2013 Sprint Unlimited because he did have a pole in 2012. Now, he has punched his ticket for the 2014 race and will look to win it for the first time. Before that happens, he has to also look for his first win of 2013. He has been struggling recently after a hot start, but the eight races before the Chase were the ones that propelled him to the championship last year. Other drivers, like Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch, will look to grab a win to further solidify their Chase position. It will certainly be a good show on Sunday and I am looking forward to it. One key is that any driver in the field can make it 300 miles, but which one will come out on top after 301 miles?
(More Stats Down Below!)




Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Brad Keselowski    28.022 (135.922 mph)
2nd: Jimmie Johnson     28.026 (135.902 mph)*
3rd: Kurt Busch     28.040 (135.835 mph)   
4th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.    28.050 (135.786 mph)
5th: Kyle Busch     28.056 (135.757 mph)
(*: Jimmie Johnson's time was disallowed because his car was found to be too low in post qualifying inspection. He will have to start in last place.)

Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
6th: Jeff Gordon    28.104 (135.525 mph)
9th: Kasey Kahne    28.144 (135.333 mph)
13th: Matt Kenseth    28.212 (135.006 mph)
17th: Tony Stewart     28.265 (134.753 mph)
19th: Kevin Harvick     28.320 (134.492 mph)
33rd: Danica Patrick     28.658 (132.905 mph)

DNQs: None




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-qualification.html
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/07/12/new-hampshire-sprint-cup-qualifying-coors-light-pole-award.html
-Image:
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2013/0712/rpm_g_brad-keselowski_mb_600.jpg

No Penalties For Teams Using Unapproved Roof Flap Spacers

         
         A very interesting story came out of Daytona for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series. 16 Sprint Cup Series teams and 15 Nationwide Series teams were found to be using unapproved roof flap spacers. The roof flap spacers are metal disks that sit in the tray and give the roof flaps something to rest on so that they remain level with the roof surface. The 16 Sprint Cup Series teams include Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Trevor Bayne, Aric Almirola, Marcos Ambrose, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Michael Waltrip, Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr., Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears. The 15 Nationwide Series teams include Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Trevor Bayne, Brian Vickers, Travis Pastrana, Michael Annett, Cole Whitt, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Landon Cassill, Blake Koch, Mike Bliss, Reed Sorenson, Robert Richardson Jr., Jason White and Dexter Stacey. In total, 31 teams were found to be in violation and facing possible penalties. Any show, practice, qualifying, or race you would have seen, commentators or race teams would be talking about the penalties that will come out of Daytona. It was said that the spacers would cause safety to be harmed and possibly affect the racing due to a lack of weight. The NASCAR world sat waiting for the news to come on Tuesday, but it never came. Finally, the news came on Wednesday what the penalties would be, but it was a complete shock. NASCAR decided that no penalties would be handed to the 31 teams found using unapproved roof flap spacers. NASCAR decided that since the parts were found in a non routine inspection, the part could not be enforced with a penalty. All I have to say on the matter is: What? I mean, have you seen some of the penalties NASCAR has handed out this year? This is something major, in my opinion. As much as NASCAR can say this didn't affect safety, they have to prove it to me and the drivers. I care about drivers getting cheated with stupid penalties, but this could have affected the sport largely. Before I get too far into my opinion, I will stop here and just let the story stay like it is. In case you guys did not know about the issue or the finish off the issue, I hope this helps give you an answer and maybe you feel like leaving your opinions below.  I will be writing some more things this weekend and I hope you guys can check them out.




Credits:
-Stories:
http://www.jayski.com/cupnews.htm#20130710d
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/07/10/nascar-penalties-roof-flap-spacers-announced.html
-Definition of a Roof Flap Spacer:
http://www.buildingspeed.org/blog/tag/aero/
-Image:
http://www.motorracingnetwork.com/~/media/85884E2EEFF24655AED45223DA4A2AB7.ashx?w=602&h=345