Kyle Busch Wins His Second Straight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Dover

        Like he has done all season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Kyle Busch dominated the race at Dover en route to his second straight Truck win at Dover and his fifth straight win in races he has entered dating back to Homestead in 2013. Busch won the season opener at Daytona, took the week off at Martinsville, and rattled off wins at Kansas, Charlotte, and today in Dover. Matt Crafton, who had been a contender to take the win from Busch in the previous races, was a threat again today. He stayed in second place for most of the race and was looking to battle for the win, but a tire problem late and a beat up truck put him behind the wall and out of contention. This left Ryan Blaney and Johnny Sauter to battle with Busch for the win. They were unable to unseat Busch and he took the win with ease over the rest of the Truck drivers. Ryan Blaney had a pit mistake cost him a few spots later in the event, but he managed to battle back to a second place finish. Johnny Sauter stayed consistent all evening and came home with a third place finish. Brandon Jones took his best career finish in the Truck Series, which was a fourth place finish. Joey Coulter continued his run of good finishes recently with a fifth place finish at Dover. John Hunter Nemechek battled extremely hard all evening and he was able to take a best career finish in sixth. A good many others finished behind these top six and a good many championship contenders were left without good finishes and some were left with good finishes. Dover has always been a track where the best are left without answers about why they were involved in accidents. Matt Crafton came in the points leader, but he came out of Dover third in points. Jeb Burton received a brand new sponsor, but his race didn't end with a great finish. The race was filled with wrecks, cautions, mechanical problems, and racing action while one driver dominated most of the race.

        Kyle Busch started on the pole. Qualifying scheduled for earlier in the afternoon was rained out and Busch was put on the pole thanks to being first in Owner Points four races into the season. The race went green and Busch was able to lead the first lap handily over Matt Crafton and the rest of the pack. Busch looked to run away from the field early in the event, but the first caution of the race waved quickly on lap 6. Bryan Silas broke loose underneath Mason Mingus in turn 2. Silas made contact with Mingus and Mingus went for a slide. He slid across the backstretch and towards the inside wall as Gray Gaulding made slight contact with him. Mingus made rather heavy contact with the inside wall and came to a stop. Mingus would be able to continue on, but he had heavy damage and would lose a good many laps. Norm Benning received the lucky dog. The drivers stayed on track early in the race and the race went back green with Kyle Busch holding onto the lead. Busch looked to drive away from the pack once again, but he wouldn't be able to as the second caution of the race quickly waved on lap 17. Justin Jennings broke loose underneath Jake Crum in turn 3. Jennings slid up the track and Jimmy Weller narrowly avoided him. Jennings backed into the outside wall slightly and received some damage. He made it to pit road, but he would continue on with slight damage. Norm Benning received the lucky dog. After two quick cautions early in the race, the field was looking to finally get the race started. 

        The race went back green and Kyle Busch once again held onto the lead after a short battle with Matt Crafton. Busch looked to run away once again, but the third caution of the race waved on lap 23. Brandon Jones made slight contact with Bryan Silas entering turn 3. Silas went around and up the track. Somehow, he avoided the outside wall and continued on without damage. Justin Jennings received the lucky dog. The caution brought the first strategy of the event. Timothy Peters and a couple of other drivers came down pit road for four tires while Kyle Busch and the rest of the leaders stayed on track. It would be interesting to see how this move worked out for Peters and the others. The race went back green and Kyle Busch was able to hold onto the lead after another short battle with Matt Crafton. Busch began to run away from the field slightly and it looked like the green flag run had set in. Laps started to click away and Busch was beginning to lap trucks left and right on track. The one fourth mark approached as Busch's teammate, Darrell Wallace Jr., came to pit road unexpectedly on lap 43. Wallace had a tire get cut on track and he was forced to come down pit road. His team replaced all four tires and he returned to the track, but he lost a good bit of time. The racing did not stop on track as Busch continued to set a torrid pace. Only about fifteen drivers remained on the lead lap as the first round of green flag pit stops approached. On lap 74, Kyle Busch began the green flag move to pit road with German Quiroga behind him, but the fourth caution of the race on lap 75 would put these drivers in a rather difficult situation. 

       Brennan Newberry made contact with John Wes Townley exiting turn 4. Newberry slid down the track and piled into the inside wall extremely hard. He slid for a few feet before he came to a complete stop. He had extreme damage to the front of his Chevrolet Silverado and he would not be able to return to the event. Ryan Sieg received the lucky dog. Meanwhile, Kyle Busch, who was on pit road when the caution lights came on, decided to drive through pit road and remain on the lead lap. German Quiroga, who was in the same situation as Busch, pitted and he lost a lap due to his stop. This caution brought the rest of the pit stops. Matt Crafton took two tires while Ryan Blaney, John Wes Townley, Johnny Sauter, and the rest of the lead lap drivers took four tires. Crafton came off pit road first ahead of the rest of the lead lap drivers. Busch made his pit stop and he came out eighth after the miscue before the caution. It would be interesting to see if he made his way to the front once again. The race went back green and Matt Crafton held onto the lead as Busch began his move to the front. He sailed to the outside line and he was in about third within around two or three laps. Busch seemed content to remain there as Crafton began to set a torrid pace. The laps were clicking by through the evening and the race was quickly approaching halfway. Busch and Crafton looked to be the major contenders, but the rest of the race had to be run before a winner would be crowned.

        The race continued on through the evening as the halfway point loomed closer. As lap 100 came, John Wes Townley, who was running in the top ten, came down pit road for an unscheduled stop. He felt a vibration and he came down pit road to replace all four tires. He returned to the track without damage, but he had lost a lot of time. Meanwhile, Matt Crafton remained out in front of the field, but Kyle Busch was making his way to the front. Busch began to close on Crafton as the laps clicked down. On lap 122, Busch finally returned to the front of the field as he passed Crafton. Busch began to lay down some fast times and he looked to run away from Crafton, but the fifth caution of the race waved on lap 134. Cole Custer ran out of fuel entering turn 1. He managed to coast down the backstretch, but he slowed down enough to force NASCAR to throw the caution. Brandon Jones received the lucky dog. The caution brought some more pit stops for the lead lap drivers. The few drivers remaining on the lead lap came down pit road for four tires with Kyle Busch coming out as the leader. Ryan Blaney came out second, but he had to come back down after having loose lug nuts and he would start at the back of the lead lap. The race went back green and Busch held onto the lead over Matt Crafton, who had inherited the second place spot. Crafton fell into second as Busch began to set a torrid pace once again. The race quickly approached the three fourths mark as Busch was flying out front. Crafton was looking to close on Busch, but his night took a huge turn with the sixth caution on lap 157. 

        Matt Crafton drove into turn 1 and his truck immediately pointed straight towards the outside wall due to a tire problem. He piled into the outside wall hard and rode it all the way into turn 2. He came to a stop with heavy damage to his Toyota Tundra. He was okay after climbing out, but his truck wasn't. After a promising night, Crafton would lose his points lead and settle with a terrible finish. Timothy Peters received the lucky dog. The caution brought the final pit stops of the race for the leaders and they were very important. Brandon Jones stayed on track while the rest of the lead lap drivers took four tires and Kyle Busch came off pit road first. Jones lined up as the leader, but the field was lined up behind him with fresh tires. The race went back green and Brandon Jones was no match for Kyle Busch as Busch took the lead. Busch looked to run away as the rest of the field began to battle  behind him. The race looked to enter a long green flag run as the checkered flag approached, but the run wouldn't last long as the seventh caution waved on lap 171. German Quiroga broke loose underneath Gray Gaulding in turn 3. Quiroga slid up the track and made slight contact with Gaulding. The contact sent Gaulding up the track and into Ben Rhodes. Both drivers rode the outside wall as Quiroga drove away. Both drivers had heavy damage and Rhodes would not continue on as Gaulding managed to drive away. No driver received the lucky dog because Quiroga, who was the first driver a lap down, was involved in the incident. The caution brought what would be the final run of the race and the final opportunity for the field to beat Kyle Busch.

         The race went green for the final time and Kyle Busch managed to hold onto the lead on the restart ahead of Johnny Sauter. Sauter fell into second place with Ryan Blaney running behind him. Busch began to run away from the field as the laps clicked down. Busch was holding his on with about twenty laps to go as Blaney looked to move into second place. Blaney moved past Sauter as the fifteen lap to go mark flashed on the board and Busch remained out front. The new second place driver looked to embark on a charge as Busch held station out front. Ten laps to go flashed on the board and Busch was the leader by a large margin. The only chance for Blaney was a caution or lap traffic. Five laps to go flashed on the board and neither one looked to be close to happening. Busch was cruising out front as the white flag lap approached. Busch hit his marks and he took the white flag in style ahead of Blaney. He made it through the first two turns with ease and looked to head into turn 3. He made it through 3 and into 4 with no one close to passing him. Busch crossed the line to take the checkered flag and take his fourth win of 2014 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Busch has been dominating for the entire year and his streak doesn't look like it will end anytime soon.

        Kyle Busch has been one of the best drivers in NASCAR's two lower series recently. He has won four Truck races in only four starts this year and he has won two NASCAR Nationwide Series races this year thus far. Along with that, Busch has won a Sprint Cup race at Auto Club and he has been running well the entire year in all three of NASCAR's series. Still, though, Busch's main focus is the Cup Series with the Chase on the line and his first championship also on the line. It seems like he has been struggling in the Cup Series, but a few good finishes will get his season on track and he will ultimately be a championship contender. In the other two NASCAR series, he will most likely continue to win like Kyle Busch knows how to do. Ryan Blaney struggled the past two races in the Truck Series with finishes outside the top twenty, but he took a second place finish to redeem himself at Dover. Johnny Sauter has continually improved all season long and he took a third place finish at Dover to continue his rise up the points standings. Brandon Jones battled the entire evening to a career best fourth place finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Joey Coulter has been consistent to start the entire season, but he managed to move his way up the ladder at Dover and take a fifth place finish. The rest of the field followed behind the top five. One notable finisher was German Quiroga. He managed to battle back from a pit road miscue and an accident to take a ninth place finish, which continues his streak of five top tens to start the season. The bad finish for Matt Crafton in the event handed the points lead to Timothy Peters, but a good many drivers are within range of the Red Horse Racing driver. After a short track shootout at Dover, the series heads to another mile and a half track in Texas for a hard fought Friday night battle. Will Jeb Burton repeat at the site of his first career Truck win, will Matt Crafton rebound after a terrible race at Dover, or will another driver move into victory lane at Texas? We will have to wait until next Friday night to find out these answers and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions: 
1st Caution: Lap 6- Mason Mingus went for a spin down the track in turn 2 and slammed the inside wall after contact with Bryan Silas.

2nd Caution: Lap 17- Justin Jennings broke loose underneath Jake Crum in turn 3 and slid up the track into the outside wall.

3rd Caution: Lap 23- Bryan Silas went for a spin in turn 3 after contact with Brandon Jones.

4th Caution: Lap 75- Brennan Newberry made contact with John Wes Townley exiting turn 4 and Newberry slammed the inside wall hard.

5th Caution: Lap 134- Cole Custer ran out of gas in turn 1 and slowed on track down the backstretch.

6th Caution: Lap 157- Matt Crafton drove into turn 1 and slammed the outside wall hard after a tire problem.

7th Caution: Lap 171- German Quiroga broke loose underneath Gray Gaulding in turn 3. Gaulding went up the track and made contact with Ben Rhodes, which sent them into the outside wall.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Norm Benning
2nd Caution: Norm Benning
3rd Caution: Justin Jennings
4th Caution: Ryan Sieg
5th Caution: Brandon Jones
6th Caution: Timothy Peters
7th Caution: None

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Kyle Busch 
2nd: Ryan Blaney
3rd: Johnny Sauter
4th: Brandon Jones
5th: Joey Coulter

Notables Not in Top 5:
7th: Ben Kennedy
9th: German Quiroga
10th: Timothy Peters
11th: Ron Hornaday Jr.
16th: Darrell Wallace Jr. 
18th: Jeb Burton
23rd: Matt Crafton




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/camping-world-truck-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/camping-world-truck-series/lapbylap/view-all-laps.html?intid=lapbylap_lapbylapleaderboard_08292013
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/camping-world-truck-series/standings.live.html
http://racing-reference.info/race/2014_Lucas_Oil_200/C
-Image:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2081251-nascar-truck-series-at-dover-2014-results-winner-standings-and-reaction

My Thoughts: 2014 Charlotte

         I have said this a lot during certain editions of my thoughts, but it bears repeating. Mile and a half tracks are the meat of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule and, thus, they are the most important events of the season. Well, May has been full of them. Two weeks ago, it was the mile and a half track of Kansas where Jeff Gordon walked home a winner after a great night race. One week ago, it was the exhibition Sprint All-Star race at Charlotte where Jamie McMurray took a one million dollar prize. The race did not mean anything to the point standings, but it will affect tonight's race as the series will run again at Charlotte and points will be on the line in the six hundred mile Coca-Cola 600. The importance of last week's All-Star event is simple. Both races will finish at night and notes from the All-Star race will help in the Coca-Cola 600. Plus, last week's All-Star race will help determine who will be a factor tonight. Expect Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray, and others to be good once again. But here is the huge catch. Last week's exhibition was a short ninety laps and the event tonight will encompass four hundred hard fought laps. That means some drivers who were good in a short race last week could experience problems throughout the event and they wouldn't be around late. Let's summarize this up. Tonight's race is going to be almost unpredictable and after six hundred miles of torture to equipment, teams, and drivers, the winner will have earned the win. Before tonight's race gets underway, I have some topics I want to discuss with you guys. Topics include a driver moving up to Cup full time next year, a driver who has picked it up recently, a discussion of Jeff Gordon, a discussion of a driver looking to pull a rare feat, and, of course, my pick to win. Well, let us jump into these topics in preparation for the longest race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

1. Trevor Bayne Running Full Time in Sprint Cup Next Year: My Expectations For Him
        Yesterday, a piece of great news was announced for Trevor Bayne. Roush Fenway Racing announced that Bayne would run full time in Sprint Cup next year in the number six with full sponsorship from Advocare, which is his Nationwide sponsor this year. If you recall, Bayne was the 2011 Daytona 500 champion and he has taken two NASCAR Nationwide Series wins in his tenure there. I have been waiting for this announcement for about a year now. I mean, Bayne has more than proven he was worthy to drive in the Cup Series, but, of course, that is just my opinion. I do want to discuss with you guys my expectations for Bayne in his first full time season next year. I, honestly, believe he will do pretty good next year. One reason is the abilities he has shown in the Nationwide Series and his few Cup starts the past few years. In the Nationwide Series, he has started in one hundred and twenty nine races and he has finished in the top ten in sixty, which is nearly half the races. That proves he has a lot of consistency and can jump behind the wheel of a car and give it the best finish it has in it. Plus, you have to consider that Daytona 500 win. He battled all day long and he held off some good drivers late to take the win in NASCAR's most famous race. He showed so much maturity and that bodes well for him. A final reason is the situation he is moving into. Next year, he will join a Cup team with a few veteran and experienced drivers. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be in his third full season and he will be able to show a lot of things to Bayne. Greg Biffle will be in his thirteenth full season at Roush Fenway and he will be able to show Bayne even more things to help him out. I think the key driver, though, is Carl Edwards. Edwards was a position away from being the 2011 Sprint Cup champion and he will be able to be one of the best role models Bayne can have. The key thing is Edwards has to remain at Roush next year. He has been rumored to be in talks with Joe Gibbs Racing, but those rumors could mean nothing. Couple all those experienced drivers on Bayne's team with his abilities behind the wheel, Roush Fenway Racing is looking pretty formidable for next year and the 2011 Daytona 500 champion looks to be in great hands. 

2. Danica Patrick: Is She Finally a Contender in the Cup Series?
         If you haven't heard yet because your rock doesn't get television service, Danica Patrick has greatly improved recently in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in the past two races. She qualified seventh at Talladega and ended up finishing twenty second after a few problems late. But Kansas went extremely well for the Roscoe, Illinois driver. She shocked everybody as she took a ninth place starting spot at Kansas. Everybody was expecting her to come into the race and fall back immediately, but she didn't. She battled up front all night and passed a good many drivers as she walked away with a seventh place finish, which was her best career finish in NASCAR's highest series. After not making the All-Star race a week ago, she bounced back in Coca-Cola 600 qualifying by taking a fourth place starting spot, which is her best non-restrictor plate start in the Cup Series. Well, all that information leads me to a question for Patrick. Is she finally a contender in the Cup Series? I really didn't expect to say this, but it seems like she has this thing figured out. I mean, at the start of this year, I was pretty mad at her and Tony Stewart because Stewart, basically, screwed Ryan Newman out of a ride just for his money maker in Patrick. It seemed like all that was becoming true to start the season as she was struggling. Then, Kansas came and she blew me away. She made moves on that speedway I did not know she could do. She looked like a veteran and she battled some of the best in the sport all night to a seventh place finish. All this seemed to come about after she had some talks with Kevin Harvick. Harvick gave her some ideas for Kansas and they worked well. According to a few sources, they talked again this weekend and Danica is back starting out front. I didn't think I would ever say this, but we might see a woman win in NASCAR. Danica Patrick seems to have things figured out and she has certainly proven me wrong. I hope she does prove the haters wrong and we see her in victory lane soon.

3. Jeff Gordon: Is He Finally in Line to Take His Fifth Cup Title?
        Along with Danica Patrick succeeding at Kansas two weeks ago, Jeff Gordon was also stellar himself. He battled all night long and took the win in the end after a charge from second place finisher, Kevin Harvick. The win was Gordon's first of the year and the win will practically guarantee him a spot in the 2014 Chase. Really, it was just an added bonus for Gordon because he was and still is leading the points after eleven races. Gordon's recent success and abilities put one question in my mind for today's edition of my thoughts. Is Jeff Gordon finally in line to win his fifth Sprint Cup title? On Friday, when I decided on these topics, I was pretty sure he was, but now I have some questions after Saturday morning's early practice session. Near the end of practice, FOX Sports 1 did an interview with Gordon and he reported he had experienced back spasms all of the session and he would be sitting out happy hour practice later. That, to me, sounds very scary for Gordon. I've never had back spasms, but it seems like whenever an athlete has them, they are very uncomfortable. Don't quote me on this, but I believe the reason Tiger Woods, the golfer, had this back surgery that has put him out for a few months is because of back spasms. If I was Gordon's team, I would be worried. I mean, I'm not saying he is going to have to have surgery, but he is going to need to be careful. If Gordon does heal from these injuries rather quickly, I wouldn't worry. He has been very good this season and he will be a winner if he stays behind the wheel of the car. If he does manage to race the entire season without problems, Gordon will be a contender for this year's title.

4. Kurt Busch Doing the Double: How Will He Perform?
          Kurt Busch, driver for Stewart-Haas Racing in the number forty one, will perform a rare feat this afternoon and one that has received a lot of attention around the racing world. Busch will run in the historic Indianapolis 500 this afternoon and he will head on a flight after the race to run tonight's Sprint Cup Coca-Cola 600. For you math guys at home, that is 1,100 miles of auto racing in one single day. The feat has been done before, but this is the first time Busch will attempt “The Double” as it has been called. I have one single question for Busch as he embarks on this endeavor. How will he perform in the two races today? I, honestly, think he will do pretty good in both races. First, we will discuss the Indy 500. Busch qualified twelfth there and he has done great all of his time at Indy, except for a practice crash last week. Busch was forced to a back-up car, but he will start in the same spot he was scheduled for. Still, I think Busch is going to have a great race. He has been performing well and he has the ability to finish in the top ten and even win this race. Finally, let's talk about the Coca-Cola 600. Busch will roll off in a measly twenty eighth place and he has been pretty deep in the practice charts all weekend, but I'm not worried about all that. Busch won the 2010 running of this race and he has been good at Charlotte in his career. I expect him to take a good many laps to become accustomed to the stock car and by the end of the race, he will be in contention. We could be watching history unfold this afternoon and I am ready to see it take place as Kurt Busch looks to run 1,100 miles over one single day.

5. My Pick to Win
        Charlotte Motor Speedway used to be what some people called “Jimmie Johnson's House”. Recently, though, Johnson hasn't been running as well at Charlotte compared to some other drivers. In fact, take a look at the last three Coca-Cola 600 races. In 2011, Kevin Harvick passed Dale Earnhardt Jr. as Earnhardt ran out of fuel in the final corner to take the win. In 2012, Kasey Kahne dominated the entire night and took the win in style over the field. In 2013, Kasey Kahne was up to his usual domination, but a strategy call late handed Kevin Harvick the win at Charlotte with Kahne finishing second. Last week's All-Star race was, basically, the same story. Harvick and Kahne dominated the early part of the race, but they ended up out of contention late. The point is that Kahne and Harvick are going to be two guys to watch in tonight's event. I would also consider Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, and Matt Kenseth as contenders in the race. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Aric Almirola, Danica Patrick, Jamie McMurray, and Ryan Newman are underdog drivers to look at as contenders as well. Still, though, tonight's race is going to be an unpredictable affair. Equipment, patience, and the will of some drivers will be constantly tested. It is going to be a good show to watch and I am excited to see it. I won't be able to write about it, but I will definitely be watching it. Well, that is all for me today and until we meet again.





Credits:
-Image:
http://tireball.com/nascar/files/2013/05/patrickkeselwoski.jpg

Kyle Larson Holds Off Fellow Cup Regulars to Take the NASCAR Nationwide Series Win at Charlotte

         After a final restart and a shorter green flag run to end the race, Kyle Larson was standing on top in victory lane in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Charlotte after holding off Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch. Larson was one of the better drivers throughout the weekend, but he seemed to be a little bit behind most of the drivers in the early part of the race. His team, finally, made some nice adjustments and he took the lead for the first time in the race on lap 118. Larson surrendered the lead just one more time during green flag pit stops en route to taking the win in style. It was Larson's second win in the Nationwide Series for his career and both wins have come this year. Along with that, both of Larson's wins have come while holding off great drivers like Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and others. Larson has looked great this year in the Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series and he has looked to be a driver that will be around for a long while. Brad Keselowski battled hard for the entire race and led a lot of laps, but he was forced to settle with a second place finish. Kyle Busch started on the pole and ran well in the early part of the race, but mistimed adjustments and a lack of track position led to a third place finish for Busch. Kevin Harvick seemed to be a contender for the entire race, but he settled with a fourth place finish. Brian Scott had one of the fastest cars all afternoon and took a fifth place finish. Regan Smith, Trevor Bayne, Elliott Sadler, and other Nationwide championship contenders finished behind them, but one contender finished badly: Chase Elliott. Elliott, who came in as the points leader, was running well early in the event, but a suspension problem just after the first round of green flag pit stops put him behind the wall and a thirty seventh place finish was the result. The annual spring race at Charlotte for the Nationwide Series was an event without a lot of cautions, but lap traffic, battles for the lead, hard fought positions battles, and competitive drivers made this race one worth watching.

        Kyle Busch started on the pole. It was his second NASCAR Nationwide Series pole of 2014 and he was looking to take his third Nationwide Series win of the year. The race went green and Busch took  a huge jump on the field to lead the first lap. Busch began to cruise away as Brad Keselowski fell into second place and Matt Kenseth fell into third. Keselowski began to pull in on Busch as the leader began to lap cars. The laps began to click away as Busch still was on point. On lap 20, though, Busch's early lead almost came to a halt. He reached a huge knot of traffic and Keselowski and Kenseth began to fly up to him. Keselowski managed to run right behind his fellow competitor for a few turns, but Busch pulled away once again. Just a few short laps after this battle, the first caution of the race waved on lap 24. Ryan Sieg clipped the apron in turn 2. He began to break loose and he went for a slide down the backstretch. He managed to corral his car before hitting the inside wall. He continued on without damage, but he would need some fresh tires. Tanner Berryhill received the lucky dog. The caution brought the first pit stops of the race and they were without strategy. All the lead lap drivers took four tires with Kyle Busch once again coming out as the leader. After a short opening green flag run, the field would have to wait and see how long the next green flag run would go. 

        The race went back green and Matt Kenseth was able to blister past Kyle Busch after Busch decided to use the outside line. Busch began to fall back rapidly as Brad Keselowski moved into the second place spot. Kenseth remained pretty far out front as Keselowski looked to chase him down. The laps began to click by through the green flag run and Kenseth looked to be the guy to beat. He was fast around the track and he was negotiating traffic well. The fifty lap marked passed and Kenseth was still the guy to beat. A few positions were swapping in the top ten, but everything was very calm for most of the leaders. Green flag pit stops began to approach and these stops looked to be very important considering the long green flag run. The first round of green flag pit stops of the race began on lap 80. Drivers began to hit pit road quickly and Matt Kenseth finally came down. He returned to the track and remained the leader after pit stops cycled through. Just a couple of laps after the stops cycled through, the second caution waved on lap 87. Chase Elliott, who had just pitted a few laps before, had a suspension problem entering turn 3. He went up the track and slammed the outside wall hard. He ran slowly down the frontstretch with rather heavy damage to the side of his car. He made it to pit road, but his team sent him to the garage to fix the suspension part and he would lose a good many laps. Mike Bliss received the lucky dog. Due to the recent green flag stops, only a few drivers decided to come down pit road. Kyle Busch, Elliott Sadler, Ty Dillon, and others came down while the leaders stayed on track. After the Nationwide points leader had trouble, a good many championship contenders looked to make their way to the front of the field to gain some points.

        The race went back green and Matt Kenseth was once again able to hold onto the lead. He looked to run away again, but Brad Keselowski fell into second and remained close. Keselowski was able to make his way around Kenseth on lap 97 to take the lead. Keselowski had been a front runner all day, but now he was out front and looking to run away. Kenseth began to fall back and Kyle Larson made his first move to second place in the race. He kept a stable margin behind Keselowski as the race went a few laps past halfway. Larson looked to be stable in second, but the leader was running into lap traffic. Lap traffic had cost some drivers the lead early and it would happen again on lap 118. Keselowski approached a group of lapped cars in turn 3 and Larson was right there. Larson hit the outside line above the first car while Keselowski settled for the low line. They cleared the first lapped car easily and moved to the second one. The two held the same lines and Larson took the edge slightly around the second car. They made it to the frontstretch and they took the same lines around another driver. Larson was able to take the advantage and he began to run away from Keselowski. Shortly after Larson took the lead, green flag pit stops began to approach. On lap 134, Kevin Harvick hit the pit road a little early and took four tires before the stops began. Harvick's stop led the second round of green flag pit stops of the race to begin on lap 139. The pit stops began to cycle through and Kyle Larson returned to the lead after his stop. Now, most of the leaders could most likely make it the rest of the race, but strategy and cautions could still affect the race.

       Larson continued to hold the advantage out front as the field battled behind him. As the race passed the lap 150 mark, it looked like the drivers would have to survive the race without pitting again. The green looked to be set in and Larson would just have to hold off the field. As the race approached thirty five laps to go, the action started to increase a little bit. Drivers were looking to advance their position in hopes of moving up to the lead. The idea of the race going green for the rest of the way was quickly thrown out the window as the third and final caution waved on lap 170. Debris was spotted on the track in turn 3 and NASCAR was forced to throw the caution. Ty Dillon received the lucky dog. The caution brought the final and most important pit stops of the race. All the lead lap drivers came down pit road and Kyle Larson returned to the lead, but the running order was shaken up behind him. Kevin Harvick moved into second place ahead of Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch was able to move into fourth for the restart. The race would restart one final time and the battle would begin again.

        Kyle Larson lined up to the inside with Kevin Harvick above him and Brad Keselowski following Larson with Kyle Busch above him. The race went green and Larson took the advantage as the field battled behind him. Keselowski moved into second and Busch moved into third with Harvick falling back on the restart. After things sorted out, only twenty five laps remained. Larson began to pull away from the drivers behind him and he looked to be in cruise mode. Twenty laps to go flashed on the board and Larson has once again lengthened his advantage slightly. Keselowski and Busch raced behind the young driver in hopes of making the most of a mistake. Ten laps to go flashed on the board and no mistake looked to be in Larson's mind set as he passed through lap traffic quickly. His two fellow Sprint Cup competitors weren't making any ground and only a caution could help them take the win. Larson continued to fly out front as the five lap to go mark came and went. Larson was in complete control and a second Nationwide win looked to be sure. He hit his marks well in the final laps to take the white flag. He ran through the first two turns cleanly and made his way down the backstretch. He made it through turn 3 and then out of turn 4 with no trouble in sight and the two drivers still far behind him. He crossed the finish line with a second win in his hands. Larson has been a good racer this season and his future looks great.

        Kyle Larson ran his rookie campaign in the Nationwide Series a year ago. Even though he looked pretty good in most races, he still seemed a little immature out on track. He made some rookie mistakes and all those mistakes made it very surprising when Chip Ganassi tabbed him as Juan Pablo Montoya's Cup replacement. Questions were raised about his abilities at the next level, but Larson took them all in stride. Already this year in both of NASCAR's higher series, he has proved why he was given that opportunity. He has taken two wins in the Nationwide Series and he followed up an Auto Club win two months ago in the series with a hard fought second place finish in the Cup race at the same track. It seems like Larson is a cut above of the future drivers in the sport and he will be a force to reckon with for years to come. Brad Keselowski fought extremely hard all afternoon and he walked away with a respectable second place finish. After struggles all weekend at Charlotte and then a pole, Kyle Busch could only muster a third place finish. Kevin Harvick was in position on the final restart, but he did not take advantage and he was forced to settle with a fourth place finish. Brian Scott was a major factor for the entire weekend and he walked away with a top five finish for his efforts. A few other Nationwide contenders, like Regan Smith, followed behind these drivers, but Chase Elliott finished deep in the order with a thirty seventh place finish. It was Elliott's worst career finish in the series and he lost his points lead to teammate, Regan Smith, in the process. Elliott and the rest of the Nationwide Series contenders will have another chance in just a week at Dover. Dover is known as a one mile track with some short track tendencies. Wrecks will surely happen and drivers will have to fight all afternoon to take a win at “The  Monster Mile.” Will Joey Logano take his fifth straight Nationwide win at Dover, will Kyle Busch redeem himself after a bad strategy call last year, or will another driver head to victory lane after a two hundred mile event? We will have to wait one week to find out these answers and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)





Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 24- Ryan Sieg went for a slide down the backstretch after clipping the apron in turn 2.

2nd Caution: Lap 87- Chase Elliott slammed the outside wall in turn 3 after a suspension part failed.

3rd Caution: Lap 170- Debris was spotted on the track in turn 3.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Tanner Berryhill
2nd Caution: Mike Bliss 
3rd Caution: Ty Dillon

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Kyle Larson
2nd: Brad Keselowski
3rd: Kyle Busch
4th: Kevin Harvick
5th: Brian Scott

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Matt Kenseth
7th: Regan Smith
8th: Trevor Bayne
10th: Ty Dillon
12th: Elliott Sadler
17th: Brendan Gaughan
37th: Chase Elliott




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/lapbylap/view-all-laps.html?intid=lapbylap_lapbylapleaderboard_08292013
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/standings.live.html
http://racing-reference.info/race/2014_History_300/B
-Image:
http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/491925e7cbaa379c099dcd4538242228b69704e0/c=517-158-3352-2293&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2014/05/24//1400967078000-5-24-14-larson-nationwide-win.jpg

Kyle Busch Continues His Recent Dominance in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Charlotte With a Pole

          With a time of 29.493 seconds (183.094 mph), Kyle Busch took his second straight NASCAR Nationwide Series pole at Charlotte and his second NASCAR Nationwide Series pole of 2014. Busch has been completely dominate at Charlotte recently, but his weekend did not start off good in the Nationwide Series. On Thursday, he spun in practice and slammed the inside wall with enough force to damage the car. He went to the garage and his team decided to take the car back to their shop in Huntersville, North Carolina to fix it. They were able to fix it and his team brought it back on Saturday for qualifying. The car was still running great for Busch and he was the fastest driver in all three rounds of qualifying en route to the pole position for this afternoon's event. Brad Keselowski was the second fastest driver throughout qualifying and he remained there to grab a front row starting spot for today's event. Kyle Larson battled throughout the qualifying session and took a third place starting spot. Dylan Kwasniewski was extremely fast all session and he was able to take the fourth place starting spot behind his teammate. Kevin Harvick led the trio of JR Motorsports drivers with a fifth place starting spot. His teammates, Regan Smith and Chase Elliott, will roll off eighth and ninth, respectively. The rest of the Nationwide field is filled with some brand new drivers to the series, championship contenders, and Sprint Cup guys looking to take a Nationwide win. The qualifying session was without a lot of craziness and incidents, but this morning’s qualifying session will definitely decide who wins today's three hundred mile race for the Nationwide Series.

        John Wes Townley was the first driver on track to start the twenty five minute first round. He ran a decent lap and he would have to battle to make the second round of qualifying. Early on, Matt Kenseth was able to jump to the top of the board to start the first round. Three minutes into the round, Kyle Busch jumped to the top of the board with ease. Busch was extremely fast in his fixed up car, but he would have two more rounds to contend for the pole with. The minutes began to click by in the session and the few drivers on the track were drivers looking to move on to the second round. With about five minutes left in the round, the battle for the twenty fourth and final transfer spot began to heat up. Ryan Reed, David Starr, John Wes Townley, Josh Wise, and others were all in the battle for the spot. A few drivers on the outside looking in headed on track in the final minute, but Ryan Reed remained in the final transfer spot and he was able to move on. Kyle Busch remained the fastest out front and moved on. Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Elliott Sadler, Regan Smith, Kevin Harvick, and others also moved on while John Wes Townley, Dakoda Armstrong, and others missed the second round. After a rather calm first round, the next two rounds would definitely heat up.

         Ty Dillon was the first driver on track to start the ten minute second round. He ran a pretty good lap and only time would tell if he would make it to the final round. Early on, Brad Keselowski jumped to the top of the board. Three minutes in to the round, Kyle Busch once again jumped to the top of the board with ease. Busch looked to remain out front as the round began to wind down. Drivers were still running laps, but it looked like Busch was safe at the top. With about two minutes left, the battle for the twelfth and final transfer spot was heating up. Trevor Bayne, Landon Cassill, James Buescher, Chris Buescher, and others were in contention for the final spot. A few of them went out in the final minute, but they all fell short. Elliott Sadler was the only driver left with a chance to unseat Chris Buescher for the final transfer spot in the final seconds and he was flying. Sadler nipped the line and jumped into the top twelve as the red and black flag waved. Chris Buescher fell out of the top twelve and Dylan Kwasniewski fell into the final transfer spot. Kyle Busch was once again the fastest on track and he moved on to the final round. Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Matt Kenseth, Brian Scott, Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, Ty Dillon, Regan Smith, and Jeb Burton also moved on while Chris Buescher, Trevor Bayne, and others missed the final round. Now, a five minute final round would decide the pole winner at Charlotte.

        Ty Dillon was the first driver on track for the start of the five minute final round. He ran a decent lap to start the round, but it looked like the pole battle would be between other drivers. The twelve drivers began to head on track and Brad Keselowski took the provisional pole. Just seconds later, Kyle Busch jumped to the top of the board with ease. Busch was out front and looking to be the next pole winner as the rest of the drivers ran runs to beat his time. Kyle Larson and Dylan Kwasniewski came close in the final minutes of the session, but they settled for third and fourth, respectively. With a minute and a half left, Elliott Sadler was the only driver who hadn't run a lap. He went out and ran a good lap, but he could only take the tenth spot as Busch was still at the top. The twelve drivers stayed on pit road and as the red and black flag waved, Busch was on the provisional pole and he would grab the pole. Busch has been a great driver at Charlotte recently and today does not look like it will be any different.

        The words Charlotte Motor Speedway, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and Kyle Busch go better together than anything else in NASCAR. At Charlotte in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Busch has eight wins and two poles. Not many other drivers can have those good statistics at a single track like Busch. Not only has Busch finished well at Charlotte, by he has completely dominated the races. Last year, Busch led two hundred and twenty two laps of four hundred laps in his two wins at Charlotte in the Nationwide Series. Another thing to look at is that the last time he sat on the pole at Charlotte and won was just last October. All signs seem to be pointing in the direction of a win for Busch today, but don't count out the drivers behind him. Brad Keselowski will roll off second today and he looks to be a good contender to fight for the win with Busch. Kyle Larson seems to have Charlotte figured out and a third place starting spot could lead him to the win. Dylan Kwasniewski has struggled a little bit throughout the start of the season, but a fourth place starting spot will most likely lead him to a good finish on the mile and a half track. Kevin Harvick has been great for JR Motorsports this season in the Nationwide Series and he will look to take the win from his fifth place starting spot. Other drivers like Chase Elliott, Regan Smith, Elliott Sadler, and Matt Kenseth look to use their great starting spots to take the win at Charlotte. Today's race will definitely be one to watch as forty drivers look to take a win at one of NASCAR's fastest tracks. It will be a three hundred mile shootout and a lone driver will be on top when all is said and done. Will Kyle Busch take his third straight win at Charlotte in the Nationwide Series, will Kyle Larson take his second win in the Nationwide Series, or will another driver take the win at Charlotte? We only have to wait a few hundred miles to found out these answers and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)





Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Kyle Busch      29.493 (183.094 mph) 
2nd: Brad Keselowski     29.564 (182.655 mph)
3rd: Kyle Larson     29.638 (182.199 mph)
4th: Dylan Kwasniewski     29.705 (181.788 mph)
5th: Kevin Harvick     29.745 (181.543 mph)

Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
7th: Matt Kenseth      29.942 (180.349 mph)
8th: Regan Smith      30.015 (179.910 mph)
9th: Chase Elliott      30.018 (179.892 mph)
10th: Elliott Sadler      30.050 (179.700 mph)
11th: Ty Dillon     30.165 (179.015 mph)
16th: Trevor Bayne     30.222 (178.678 mph)
20th: Brendan Gaughan      30.323 (178.083 mph)
23rd: Ryan Reed      30.693 (175.936 mph)

DNQs: None





Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-qualification.html
http://racing-reference.info/getqualify/2014-11/B
-Image:
https://twitter.com/NASCAR_NNS/status/470237912165265408/photo/1

Jimmie Johnson Steals His Fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pole at Charlotte in Style

         With a time of 27.705 seconds (194.911 mph), Jimmie Johnson was able to grab his first pole of the year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and his fourth career pole at Charlotte in NASCAR's highest series. Johnson wasn't a major factor in the first two rounds of qualifying as Stewart-Haas Racing teammates, Kevin Harvick and Danica Patrick, took the top spot in the first two rounds, respectively. Coming into the third round, speeds were expected to pick up. Johnson went out and unseated Brad Keselowski about three minutes into the session for the provisional pole. Patrick lacked some speed and couldn't back up her fast second round time while Harvick misjudged his third round exit from pit road and didn't even record a time. Johnson took the pole ahead of some other winners at Charlotte. Brad Keselowski remained behind Johnson and took his sixth second place starting spot in only twelve races this season. Kasey Kahne continued his recent momentum wave to a third place starting spot for Sunday's marathon race. Danica Patrick remained fast through the entire session and she took a fourth place spot, which is her best start on a non-restrictor plate track. Clint Bowyer remained quiet throughout the session and he was able to take away a fifth place starting spot. Behind these top five drivers was a mix of surprises and contenders near the front and back. Kurt Busch, who is making the Double on Sunday by running the 600 and the Indianapolis 500, will roll of twenty eighth just behind Jeff Gordon. Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch led the charge of Joe Gibbs Racing with sixth and seventh place starting spots, respectively. The qualifying session was one without a lot of speed compared to previous qualifying sessions at Charlotte. Of course, one hundred and ninety four miles per hour is not something to joke about. Still, a lot of good drivers are starting out front and a few contenders are in the back, which makes yesterday's qualifying session even more important for Sunday's race.

        Kasey Kahne was the first driver on track to start the session and the twenty five minute first round. Kahne ran a great lap and he, practically, locked himself into the second round. Kevin Harvick went out seconds after and he jumped to the top of the board with ease. As Harvick took the top spot, a trend began to become noticeable. Speeds had dropped significantly since All-Star race qualifying and previous Charlotte qualifying sessions. This left a lot of guys within tenths and hundredths of each other, which would mean close battles to move on in the rounds and for positions. Harvick remained on top as the minutes clicked away in the session. After a quick twenty minutes, Harvick was still on top, but the battle for the twenty fourth and final transfer spot was heating up with five minutes left. Tony Stewart, Joey Logano, Jamie McMurray, Martin Truex Jr., and others were all battling hard for the final spot. With about two minutes remaining, Kyle Larson was holding onto the spot, but a few drivers were heading on track. Brian Vickers went out with about a minute remaining and Kyle Larson followed him. Vickers began to cruise around the track and he ran a lap that put him in the top twenty four and pushed Larson out along with putting Brad Keselowski on the bubble. Larson was on a hot lap too, but Ryan Newman began to slow slightly in front of him and Larson lost a little bit of time, which kept him out of the top twenty four. Brad Keselowski took the final transfer spot after the battle ceased. Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, and others moved on while Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, and others missed the second round. After a frantic twenty five minutes, a ten minute second round would follow.

         Denny Hamlin made his way on track first for the start of the second round. He ran a good lap and would have to hope to make the third round of qualifying. Early on, Kevin Harvick once again jumped to the top of the board. He wouldn't stay there long as Kyle Busch made his way to the top of the board three minutes in. Danica Patrick went out a couple of minutes after Busch and managed to jump to the top of the board as well. Like the first round, the battle for the final transfer spot would go down to the end. With about two minutes left, Joey Logano, Aric Almirola, Trevor Bayne, Brian Vickers, and others began to battle hard for the final spot. Almirola held it in the final minute as Denny Hamlin headed on track to see if he could make his way into the top twelve. Hamlin blistered around the track and he was able to make his way into the top twelve with seconds remaining. Almirola wouldn't be able to head on track and he missed the third round. Danica Patrick remained the fastest as Hamlin took the final spot. Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Marcos Ambrose, Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. also moved on while Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne, and others missed the third round. Five minutes would end up deciding the pole winner for the annual Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.

         Kasey Kahne was the first driver to head on track for the start of the five minute third round. He ran a great lap and jumped to the provisional pole spot at the beginning of the session. Kahne remained the only driver to have recorded a lap for at least a minute. The other drivers were waiting for the perfect time to head out and with about three minutes left, the action began to pick up. Brad Keselowski took the provisional pole and just seconds later, Jimmie Johnson was on top of the board with the fastest lap of the session. Other drivers began to head on track, but they were not able to surpass Johnson at a track some people call his home. With about a minute left, Johnson still wasn't a lock for the pole as Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth still were on pit road without a lap recorded. Both headed on track with thirty seconds remaining, but they were pushing it to run a lap. They ran as fast as possible through the final two turns of the speedway, but the red and black flag waved before either one had crossed the line to begin a lap. This meant they didn't have a time and they would have to start eleventh and twelfth. Their failure to run a lap in the final round also handed the pole to Jimmie Johnson. Johnson took Hendrick Motorsports's first pole of the season and his team will certainly be one to contend with on Sunday.

        Jimmie Johnson's six time championship winning team has been struggling a little bit to start this season. Johnson doesn't have a pole this season and he, surprisingly, doesn't have a win. Along with that, Johnson has struggled at some tracks and in some races he usually doesn't. One example is last Saturday's All-Star race. Johnson ran okay all evening and came home in a decent sixth place, but Johnson won the past two All-Star events and he dominated both. Saturday he seemed out of it and he was a bit frustrated by the strategy his team worked. Johnson and his team made up for their All-Star struggles by taking the pole in style for the 600 and they will be a definite threat on Sunday. Brad Keselowski and his team continued to be the masters of this new knockout qualifying format by taking another second place start. Kasey Kahne returned to one of his favorite tracks with a third place starting spot. Danica Patrick continued to improve this season with a fourth place starting spot to back up her seventh place finish at Kansas two weeks ago. Clint Bowyer struggled at Kansas two weeks ago, but he made the Sprint All-Star race a week ago and he took the fifth place starting spot for Sunday's 600 mile event. Behind them, there is a mixed bag of veterans, rookies, and surprises in the qualifying field. A six hundred mile race on Sunday opens a lot of opportunities for drivers to move up and move back in the field. The longest race of the year is usually the race where the best driver doesn't walk away the winner. Just ask Kasey Kahne about that. For some, it will be a great race and the momentum will continue on, but others will have to persevere through a tough night of racing. It will be a great race and one worth watching. Will Jimmie Johnson take his pole to a Charlotte win, will Kasey Kahne redeem himself after losing last year's race on the final restart, will Kevin Harvick repeat in the 600, or will another driver head to victory lane? We will have to wait just a few short days before we find out these answers and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)





Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Jimmie Johnson     27.705 (194.911 mph)
2nd: Brad Keselowski     27.754 (194.567 mph)
3rd: Kasey Kahne     27.890 (193.618 mph)
4th: Danica Patrick      27.931 (193.334 mph)
5th: Clint Bowyer     27.944 (193.244 mph)

Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
6th: Denny Hamlin     27.962 (193.119 mph)
7th: Kyle Busch     27.966 (193.092 mph)
8th: Joey Logano     28.056 (192.472 mph)
10th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.     28.232 (191.272 mph)
11th: Kevin Harvick     No Time*
12th: Matt Kenseth     No Time*
18th: Tony Stewart     28.136 (191.925 mph)#
22nd: Carl Edwards     28.424 (189.980 mph)
27th: Jeff Gordon     28.470 (189.673 mph)
28th: Kurt Busch     28.488 (189.553 mph)
42nd: Ryan Newman      28.894 (186.890 mph)
(*: Harvick and Kenseth didn't make it on track in the third round to run a lap.)
(#: Stewart was faster than drivers in the top twelve, but he missed the final round.)

DNQs (With Times):
44th: J.J. Yeley      28.714 (188.062 mph)     
45th: Dave Blaney      28.855 (187.143 mph)





Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-qualification.html
http://racing-reference.info/getqualify/2014-12/W
-Image:
http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/images/1412HH44943-lg.jpg

Sam Hornish Jr. Makes the Most of His Opportunity By Taking the Win in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Iowa

         Making his second start of the season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Sam Hornish Jr. was able to take his first win for Joe Gibbs Racing in the series at Iowa. Hornish, who was a championship contender a season ago in the series at Penske Racing, was without a ride at the end of the season. Joe Gibbs decided to give him a part-time job to drive the number 54 whenever Kyle Busch wasn't behind the wheel. Well, Hornish has made the most of his opportunity at Joe Gibbs Racing. He took a fifth place finish last time out at Talladega and he walked away on Sunday with a win at Iowa. Hornish definitely looked good in his first two starts of the season and a full time ride for next year in any of NASCAR's top three series seems very likely. Ryan Blaney battled hard in another one of his infrequent NASCAR Nationwide Series starts and walked away with a second place finish. Regan Smith continued his success to start the Nationwide season with a very hard fought third place finish. Chase Elliott battled bad pit stops for most of the race and a lack of track position to take a fourth place finish and hold onto the points lead. Elliott Sadler rode the momentum wave from his Talladega win to take a fifth place finish and remain close in the points battle. One major key for this race was the lack of Cup ringers. The annual spring race at Iowa remained a stand alone event and the field was full of young drivers looking to make great runs and grab great finishes. Most of them did, but there were a few who left Iowa with bad finishes compared to what they were looking for. The race ended up lacking big wrecks and a large amount of cautions, but Ryan Blaney and Sam Hornish Jr.'s battle for the win and the battling on track made it a race worth watching from start to finish.


        Ryan Blaney started on the pole. It was his first career NASCAR Nationwide Series pole in one of his infrequent starts in the series. The race went green and Sam Hornish Jr. quickly flexed his muscles as he took the lead in the first turn and led the first lap of the event. Hornish began to run away from the field as Blaney settled into second place and the rest of the field chased behind them. The laps began to click by quickly through the Sunday afternoon and the race was looking to be entering a long green flag run. The run ended before it became too long with the first caution of the race on lap 40. Cale Conley had a right front tire problem in turn 2. He slowed down and moved to the apron due to the flat tire. Conley made it to pit road without damage, but his sway bar was broken, which caused the flat tire, and he would need lengthy repairs. Chad Boat received the lucky dog. The caution brought the first pit stops of the race and they were without strategy. All the lead lap drivers took four tires with Sam Hornish Jr. coming out as the leader. Hornish remained the only leader of the race and he looked to keep it that way, but the field was ready to battle behind him.

        The race went back green and Hornish managed to hold onto the lead. Once again, Ryan Blaney maneuvered into second place as the field raced behind the two leaders. Blaney made a few charges up to Hornish in the laps immediately after the restart, but Hornish remained the leader. Hornish began to streak away just a little bit as the field looked for an answer to his domination. The laps began to click by really quick through the afternoon as Hornish remained out front. He was lapping cars left and right and lap traffic began to cause him some problems. Blaney was able to move up to Hornish and as the two leaders came to lap 90, the lap traffic would cost the leader the lead. Hornish ran up on Dakoda Armstrong entering turn 3 and Armstrong took the outside line, which Hornish inhabited. Blaney shot to the inside line and passed Hornish in taking the lead for the first time in the race. He began to cruise as the run began to become the longest of the race. Blaney clicked some laps down out front and the field was looking towards green flag pit stops as the second caution of the event waved on lap 105. A piece of track banner had started to peel off on the frontstretch of the track. NASCAR threw a caution to allow the track officials to pick up the banner. J.J. Yeley received the lucky dog. The caution brought some more pit stops. All the lead lap drivers took four tires with Ryan Blaney coming out first and returning to the lead. The race was approaching the halfway point and the win looked to be up for grabs.

        The green flag waved once again and Ryan Blaney was able to hold onto the lead. Blaney streaked away from the field as Sam Hornish Jr. fell into second. The laps continued to click away as Blaney remained fast at the front of the field. The race crossed the halfway mark and Blaney had checked out as he continued to lap the field. He looked to keep the field behind him until green flag pit stops or a caution came, but he wouldn't have to wait long before the third caution waved on lap 143. Carlos Contreras's car began to smoke heavily heading down the frontstretch. He hit the apron heading down the backstretch with a blown engine. He made it to pit road, but his race was finished. J.J. Yeley received the lucky dog. The caution brought some more pit stops and the first strategy of the afternoon. Landon Cassill, who had been running great just around the top ten, took two tires while the rest of the lead lap drivers took four tires. Even with Cassill's strategy call, Blaney came off of pit road first. With only about one hundred laps to go, the action would surely heat up and the battle for the lead would become very intense. 

        The race went back green and Sam Hornish Jr. managed to take the lead away from Ryan Blaney once again. Hornish began to check out as Blaney looked for a chance to take the lead away. The field raced behind the two leaders, but it was still their race to decide. Hornish continued to stay out front as drivers started to really jostle positions in the top ten. The run was beginning to lengthen and the move to pit road under green was approaching. Hornish continued to lead as the fifty lap to go mark passed, but Blaney was coming. Blaney made his way up to Hornish and on lap 208, he was through for the lead. In a couple of laps, green flag stops looked like a must. On lap 213, Dylan Kwasniewski made the first move to pit road. He hit the pit lane and made it to his box. He took four tires and left, but he lost a lap and his race would take a turn as the fourth caution waved on lap 213. Debris was spotted on the track in turn 1. Ryan Sieg received the lucky dog. Kwasniewski was stuck a lap down, but he was able to take the wave around and he would just have to gain the positions he lost back. The caution brought what turned out to be the final pit stops of the race and a little strategy. Michael McDowell took two tires while Ryan Blaney and the rest of the lead lap drivers took four tires. McDowell managed to come off pit road first, but he was off sequence and he would have to battle hard. Now, the race was within thirty five laps of completion and it would be an all-out brawl.

        The race went back green and McDowell's two tires could not hold off Blaney's four as he took the lead. Blaney looked to run away from his closest competitor, Sam Hornish Jr., but the fifth and final caution waved on lap 221. Mike Bliss had a tire problem entering turn 3. Bliss shot up the track and piled hard into the outside wall. He kept his car running, but he came to a stop on the frontstretch. His car had a good bit of damage and his race was over. James Buescher received the lucky dog. The wreck was cleaned up and the field was ready to restart for what would be the final time. The race went back green and Blaney tried extremely hard to hold onto the lead, but Sam Hornish Jr. was able to fly past him. Hornish began to look to run away as only twenty or so laps remained. Hornish was running away and Blaney was thrashing to make his way to the front. Regan Smith made his way into third and he was also looking to move into the battle. Hornish was still out front by a decent margin with ten laps to go and the field raced behind him. He continued to hit his marks like he had all race and he was running a torrid pace. Five laps to go flashed on the board and Blaney and Smith were thrashing to try and close the advantage, but Hornish seemed out of reach. Hornish, meanwhile, kept the pressure behind him and he took the white flag with absolute ease. Hornish looked like he had been doing it every single week this year and he crossed the finish line to take the win in his second opportunity with Joe Gibbs Racing. Hornish proved he still has it and he was definitely worth signing.

        A key word for Sam Hornish Jr. throughout the race on Sunday was opportunity. Hornish's opportunities in NASCAR have been well documented. Roger Penske gave him a shot in the Cup Series in 2008 and Hornish held the ride until 2010 when he was let go after a less than stellar  performance in three seasons. He took, basically, the season off from NASCAR and Penske gave him a shot again in a few races in the Nationwide Series in 2011. Hornish won a race and came back for 2012 and 2013 to run full seasons, but he fell a few points short of a championship in 2013 and his opportunity ended. Now, he has another opportunity with Joe Gibbs Racing. He did not miss out on this opportunity early as he took the win at Iowa in only his second start behind the wheel of the Monster Energy Toyota. When he is able to win a race in a car that is usually piloted by the winningest driver in the history of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, heads turn and Hornish will have more opportunities in the very near future. Ryan Blaney battled hard all day in Roger Penske's usual Nationwide entry to take a second place finish. Regan Smith continued his momentum to start the season with a very nice third place finish. Chase Elliott barely missed a step in his Iowa Nationwide Series debut as he took a fourth place finish. Elliott Sadler rode the Talladega momentum train to a well deserved fifth place finish. The rest of the Nationwide regulars followed behind Sadler and the usual culprits could be found in the top ten. It was definitely a great show of young drivers in the Nationwide Series at Iowa, but the Cup regulars will be back next week at Charlotte. Charlotte has been home to some very good Nationwide races and Saturday afternoon's event will be one to watch. Will Kyle Busch take his third straight win at Charlotte, will Regan Smith or Chase Elliott take another win for JR Motorsports, or will another Nationwide driver shine at home in Charlotte? We only have to wait a few days to find out these answers and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 40- Cale Conley had a tire problem in turn 2, but he did not hit the wall.

2nd Caution: Lap 105- A track banner was spotted on the frontstretch of the track.

3rd Caution: Lap 143- Carlos Contreras lost an engine heading down the frontstretch and left some oil on track.

4th Caution: Lap 213- Debris was spotted on the track in turn 1.

5th Caution: Lap 221- Mike Bliss had tire problems in turn 3 and slammed the outside wall hard.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Chad Boat
2nd Caution: J.J. Yeley
3rd Caution: J.J. Yeley
4th Caution: Ryan Sieg
5th Caution: James Buescher

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Sam Hornish Jr.
2nd: Ryan Blaney
3rd: Regan Smith
4th: Chase Elliott
5th: Elliott Sadler

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Brian Scott
8th: Ty Dillon
9th: Trevor Bayne
11th: Dylan Kwasniewski 
12th: Brendan Gaughan
19th: James Buescher
30th: Cale Conley





Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/lapbylap/view-all-laps.html?intid=lapbylap_lapbylapleaderboard_08292013
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/standings.live.html
http://racing-reference.info/race/2014_Get_To_Know_Newton_250/B
-Image:
http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20140518&Category=SPORTS03&ArtNo=305180047&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Sam-Hornish-Jr-wins-Nationwide-race-Iowa

Kyle Busch Leads All But Four Laps to Take the Win in the Camping World Truck Series at Charlotte

        After leading one hundred and thirty of one hundred and thirty four laps, Kyle Busch was able to stand on top in victory lane in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Charlotte. Busch was the best truck all night. On every restart, he beat every single driver through the gears and was leading by a large margin in only about ten laps. Near the end of the race, though, strategy began to change. Good drivers on track, like Brad Keselowski, had fresh tires and only needed a caution while Busch, with a lack of fresh tires, was still out front and wishing against a caution. The caution did come late, but it came out after Busch had taken the white flag and the race was over. Busch was happily in victory lane to win his fourth straight Truck race in four starts going back to last year at Homestead. Busch looks great in the Truck series this year, but the Truck regulars have been doing well also. Matt Crafton took his second straight second place finish after a win at Martinsville in March. Brad Keselowski continued to chase his first Truck victory, but he came home third. John Wes Townley took his best career Truck finish with a fourth, but it was not without a little controversy. Timothy Peters continued to chase Crafton for the points lead and he finished three spots behind in fifth. Even though Busch dominated the race, the race was not without its share of action. Huge crashes, battles throughout the field, and a few tempers flaring were just a few of the moments that made Charlotte a must watch race for the Truck Series. Kyle Busch continued his dominance, but not without a little bit of hard Friday night racing.

        Kyle Busch started on the pole. It was his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole of 2014 and his second consecutive pole on the year. The race went green and Busch immediately jumped out ahead of Ron Hornaday Jr. and the field. Busch was able to lead the first lap and he began to cruise. Lap started to click away and Busch was running fast out front while the field battled behind him. It looked like the race would start with a rather long green flag stretch, but the first caution waved on lap 20. Justin Jennings had a tire problem in turn 1. His truck immediately broke sideways and he slid up the track. He backed into the outside wall hard and began to slide down the embankment. Jennings came to a stop on the apron with heavy damage and he would need some repairs before returning. Jake Crum received the lucky dog. The caution brought the first pit stops of the race and a little bit of strategy. Jeb Burton decided to take fuel only while Timothy Peters took two tires and Kyle Busch, Ron Hornaday Jr., and the rest of the lead lap drivers took four tires. Kyle Busch made his way out as the leader and he was still the only driver to be out front during the event. It would be interesting to see, though, if Peters and Burton had their moves work out. Now, the drivers had made one stop and they were ready to really get the race under way.

        The race went back green and Kyle Busch once again jumped out to the lead. Busch began to run away from the field, but he wouldn't move into a rhythm as the second caution waved on lap 29. Ryan Ellis and Jake Crum had some issues in turn 2. Ellis had a tire go down and the two began to spin towards the apron. Both drivers easily slowed down on track and didn't hit anything. They straightened their trucks out and continued on in the event. Jimmy Weller received the lucky dog. The drivers stayed on track and the field was lined up for the restart. The race went back green and Kyle Busch immediately jumped out to the lead. Busch moved into another rhythm and the laps clicked away as the field continued to race hard behind him. As lap fifty passed, Busch was still out in front and lapping cars lap after lap. He was still moving away from the rest of the field just as green flag pit stops and the halfway point of the race were approaching. Just before those pit stops began, the third caution of the race waved on lap 68. Tyler Young's truck began to smoke exiting turn 4 due to an engine problem. Young made it back around the track and he pulled down pit road with a blown engine and a finished race. Bryan Silas received the lucky dog. The caution brought some stops without strategy. All the lead lap drivers took four tires with Kyle Busch once again coming out as the leader. As the race was only a few laps away from halfway, the drivers would start to battle hard for the win and cautions would begin to fly.

        The race went back green and Kyle Busch once again held onto the lead. Busch looked to run away again, but the fourth caution waved on lap 73, just a few laps after the restart. Ron Hornaday Jr. broke loose in turn 4. His truck began to spin as the entire field took evasive action behind him. Hornaday slid through the grass and made it back on the frontstretch with little to no damage. He would continue on without damage, but the field narrowly avoided a huge accident. Mason Mingus received the lucky dog. The drivers stayed on track during the caution as the end of the race quickly approached. The race went back green and Kyle Busch once again jumped out to the lead. Busch began to run away and the laps clicked away through the night. The race looked to be moving into a green flag run and the strategy was beginning to shape up as only about fifty laps remained. Just as the field was beginning to make calls for strategy, the fifth caution of the race waved on lap 86. Jake Crum deliberately turned down the track on the backstretch above Ryan Ellis. Crum turned Ellis and Ellis piled hard into the outside wall. He rode the wall backwards until the entrance of turn 3. Ellis's truck was too damaged to continue on and he was very unhappy with Crum. Jimmy Weller received the lucky dog. The caution brought what turned out to be some of the last stops of the race for some of the leaders. All the lead lap drivers came to pit road and took fuel only with Kyle Busch coming out as the leader. Joe Nemechek was the only driver to stay on track and he was the first driver to lead a lap in the  race other than Busch. Now, the race was nearing the conclusion and the action would heat up.

        The race went back green and Joe Nemechek began to battle Kyle Busch for the lead hard. The two were side by side exiting turn 2 on the restart just as the sixth caution waved on lap 93. Scott Riggs went up the track on Tayler Malsam exiting turn 2. The contact sent Riggs up the track and into Darrell Wallace Jr. Wallace slammed the outside wall while Riggs rode his side. Malsam spun to the inside of the track and backed into the inside wall hard. Riggs and Wallace drove to pit road while Malsam stopped on track with heavy damage. All three drivers would not return to the event after the crashes. Jennifer Jo Cobb received the lucky dog. The field was quickly lined back up and the race restarted. Joe  Nemechek couldn't stay with Kyle Busch on this restart and Busch pulled away with the lead. Others began the charge to the front, but it was still Busch dominating. The race moved into a short run before the seventh caution waved on lap 105. John Wes Townley went down the track on Ryan Blaney on the frontstretch. Blaney hit the grass and his front splitter was immediately destroyed. He shot up the track and Brian Ickler was there. The two made heavy contact and piled into the outside wall. Blaney began to drive away as Ickler's truck came to a stop with a fire. He was okay, but his truck definitely wasn't. Blaney went to the garage with race ending damage as two contenders fell out of the event. Jennifer Jo Cobb received the lucky dog. The caution brought some late race strategy. Kyle Busch, Matt Crafton, and others stayed on track while Ron Hornaday Jr. and others took two tires and Brad Keselowski and others took four tires. The battle would be on now as Kyle Busch was off strategy compared to some other drivers on track.

        The race went back green and Busch once again jumped out to the lead. He began to drive away as the field jostled for positions behind him. The race approached twenty laps to go as Busch continued to run hard out front. The race only went a few more laps before the eighth caution waved on lap 114. Ron Hornaday Jr. made a move in front of Ben Kennedy entering turn 3. Hornaday wasn't clear and he went for a spin. He spun down the track and immediately went back up the track. Mason Mingus and Jake Crum were already there. Mingus piled hard into the back of Hornaday and Crum sailed into Mingus's back bumper. All three managed to drive away, but they went to the garage with heavy damage. Jennifer Jo Cobb received the lucky dog. The field remained on track and Kyle Busch was continuing to lead with only about seventeen laps to go. Busch would have to hold off a few drivers on fresher tires and it would be a frantic final few laps. 

        The race went green and Busch managed to clear Matt Crafton to remain the leader. Busch began to streak away from the pack as Brad Keselowski made his move to the front. The ten lap to go mark came on the board and Busch was still setting a torrid pace. His truck seemed unmatchable, but Matt Crafton was looking for the lead and, possibly, a caution. Five laps to go came and Busch was still the guy to beat. The field was racing hard, but Busch was still the fastest truck like he had been the entire night. Two laps to go and the odds of a caution were disappearing. Busch took the white flag and, just as he did, the ninth and final caution came on lap 134. While exiting turn 4, Jeb Burton and German Quiroga tried to pass the lapped car of Norm Benning. The three ran out of room and made contact. Benning and Quiroga slammed hard into the outside wall while Burton went sliding through the grass. Burton's truck began to lose pieces as the grass tore them off. He pulled onto the frontstretch with a fire, but he climbed out okay. Benning and Quiroga drove away with heavy damage as well. Busch had already taken the white flag as the leader and a green-white-checkered could not be run. Busch took the checkered flag and the yellow flag to take his third win of the season in the Truck Series. Busch has been on fire this season and it could very well continue on.

        Through twenty four races in all three of NASCAR's highest series this year, Kyle Busch has six wins in those twenty four races. For the statistics fans at home, that is twenty five percent of the NASCAR races this year. Busch has been extremely dominant with three Truck wins, consistent with two Nationwide wins, and a little off in the Cup Series with a single win at Auto Club. Of course, Busch's most important series is the Cup Series, where he has seemingly struggled the most all season. Still, winning in NASCAR is important to gaining confidence and Busch has done that and some this season. He looks to continue to run well all year and he will most likely do that as the season progresses on to many different race facilities. Matt Crafton continued his very consistent run to start the 2014 season with a second consecutive second place finish. Brad Keselowski jumped into his own truck and made a very valiant run to take a third place finish, but he is still chasing a first Truck win. John Wes Townley finished a career best fourth, but the story of the night for him was the accident he practically caused with Ryan Blaney and Brian Ickler. Timothy Peters came close to winning at Daytona and has stayed close to Crafton in the points battle as he took a fifth place finish at Charlotte. The rest of the field was a mixed bag of finishers. Jennifer Jo Cobb, Jimmy Weller, Bryan Silas, Norm Benning, and others took some great finishes for some underdog teams. Brian Ickler, Darrell Wallace Jr., Ryan Blaney, Ron Hornaday Jr., and others brought home terrible finishes as they looked to gain points in the standings. Charlotte was definitely a battle and the Trucks will take a week off before heading to a very tough track known as Dover. Dover is a track where battles will definitely occur and tempers will most likely flare throughout the evening. Will Kyle Busch come back to take three straight wins and repeat at Dover, will Matt Crafton take a win after two straight second place finishes, or will another driver stand tall in victory lane after a two hundred mile battle? We will have to wait two weeks to find out these answers and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 20- Justin Jennings had a tire problem in turn 1 and spun before hitting the outside wall.

2nd Caution: Lap 29- Ryan Ellis and Jake Crum went for spins in turn 2.

3rd Caution: Lap 68- Tyler Young's truck began to smoke exiting turn 4 due to a blown engine.

4th Caution: Lap 73- Ron Hornaday Jr. broke loose exiting turn 4 and went for a spin down the frontstretch.

5th Caution: Lap 86- Jake Crum turned down on Ryan Ellis on the backstretch and Ellis's truck slammed the outside wall hard.

6th Caution: Lap 93- Scott Riggs went up the track on Tayler Malsam exiting turn 2 and Riggs slammed into the outside wall and Darrell Wallace Jr. Malsam slid down the track and piled into the inside wall.

7th Caution: Lap 105- John Wes Townley drove down on Ryan Blaney in the frontstretch and Blaney clipped the grass. He shot up the track and slammed into Brian Ickler. The two piled into the outside wall hard.

8th Caution: Lap 114- Ron Hornaday Jr. tried to clear Ben Kennedy entering turn 3 and he wasn't clear. Hornaday spun and went up the track where Mason Mingus and Jake Crum piled into the wreck.

9th Caution: Lap 134- Jeb Burton and German Quiroga tried to pass Norm Benning in turn 4, but they ran out of room. Benning and Quiroga slammed the outside wall and Burton went for a spin through the frontstretch grass.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Jake Crum
2nd Caution: Jimmy Weller
3rd Caution: Bryan Silas
4th Caution: Mason Mingus
5th Caution: Jimmy Weller
6th Caution: Jennifer Jo Cobb
7th Caution: Jennifer Jo Cobb
8th Caution: Jennifer Jo Cobb
9th Caution: None

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Kyle Busch
2nd: Matt Crafton
3rd: Brad Keselowski
4th: John Wes Townley
5th: Timothy Peters

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Johnny Sauter
7th: Austin Dillon
9th: German Quiroga
11th: Joe Nemechek
15th: Jeb Burton
19th: Ron Hornaday Jr.
22nd: Ryan Blaney
23rd: Brian Ickler
26th: Darrell Wallace Jr.




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/camping-world-truck-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/camping-world-truck-series/lapbylap/view-all-laps.html?intid=lapbylap_lapbylapleaderboard_08292013
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/camping-world-truck-series/standings.live.html
-Image:
http://ww2.hdnux.com/photos/30/05/63/6315253/3/628x471.jpg