Motorsports FanHouse http://motorsports.fanhouse.com Motorsports FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif Motorsports FanHouse http://motorsports.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Kyle Busch Wraps Up Nationwide Titlehttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/kyle-busch-wraps-up-nationwide-title/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/kyle-busch-wraps-up-nationwide-title/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/kyle-busch-wraps-up-nationwide-title/#commentsFiled under: ,

Kyle BuschHOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) -- Kyle Busch only needed the green flag to drop to win his first NASCAR title. His coronation was never in doubt and neither, really, was the outcome of the Nationwide Series finale.

Busch made it a double dose of celebration for Joe Gibbs Racing, wrapping up the series championship before turning a single lap and capping Saturday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway with his ninth trip to Victory Lane.

"It's not easy to win in any division in this sport when you're racing against some of the best," Busch said. "It's a big deal."

Busch held off a hard-charging Carl Edwards to win the 300-mile race, a fitting ending because the two NASCAR stars finished 1-2 in the final standings.

By the numbers, Busch was sensational in NASCAR's second-tier series.

He led a record 2,698 laps, had a record 11 second-place finishes, and finished 210 points ahead of Edwards.

Busch's championship run helped the cocky 24-year-old star get his swagger back and eased the sting from his failure to qualify for the Chase for the championship in the Sprint Cup series.

"It says a lot about the people I'm around," Busch said.

About the only bummer for Busch was missing the latest Denny Hamlin-Brad Keselowski fireworks behind him. Hamlin and Keselowksi wasted little time adding another combustible chapter to a feud that dates back to last season.

The latest run-in came when Hamlin made good on his promise to go after Keselowski as payback for a series of wrecks. Hamlin cashed in when he tapped Keselowski from behind and spun him out on lap 35, though not a serious enough hit to end his day.

The two raced side-by-side or bumper-to-bumper for most of the race, sparking some life into a finale that needed some juice after Busch wrapped up his title at the start.

NASCAR parked Hamlin for a lap for rough driving. Hamlin said crews from the other teams cheered and applauded as he pulled the No. 11 Toyota into pit road.

"I don't really hold any grudges. I'm ready to move on," Keselowski said. "Hell, I've already moved on. Hopefully, he feels the same way."

Well, Keselowski won't forget it quite yet. He quickly added that Hamlin "has a lot of problems on and off the racetrack" and didn't think the JGR driver would feel good about his conduct in the morning.

Hamlin laughed off those comments.

"I feel great right now," he said. "It was well worth it."


Hamlin was cheered by fans who heard his comments over the public address system. His aggressive, self-policing style was a hit with the crowd.

The escalating feud might have one more round in Sunday's Sprint Cup race.

"I challenge anybody to get wrecked as much as we have by one driver to not do anything," Hamlin said. "The weekend ain't over, either."

Keselowski met with top NASCAR officials last week at Phoenix International Raceway after his latest dust up with Hamlin. Contact between the two has led to five Hamlin wrecks dating back to last season, and Hamlin vowed revenge.

"It's tough to have a rivalry with a mid-pack driver," Hamlin said. "I shouldn't be racing him, anyway. ... I just wanted to send a message that I am a man of my word, and my father once told me, if you say you are going to do something, you've got to do it. And he told me I had to do it, so I had to do it."

Busch laughed as he talked his own novel idea about how to handle Keselowski: Get a stock car posse after him in next season's opener.

"What would be even better is if five drivers teamed up next year and knocked him out the first five races so he'd be out of the top 35," Busch said.

Jeff Burton, Joey Logano and Hamlin round out the top five. Keselowski, third in the final standings, was 12th.

Burton, a respected veteran, said Hamlin made the right choice.

"When you constantly get spun out by the same car, there comes a time where you've got to put your foot down and not take it," he said. "And the next time Keselowski thinks about spinning him out, he'll think about it."

Busch became the first Nationwide champ to win the season finale since Sam Ard in 1983.

"It hasn't been done in a long time, so I guess you know how hard it is to do for someone to come out here and win the final race of the year," Busch said.

Busch grabbed the Nationwide championship flag and wildly waved it from the top of his No. 18 Toyota. He high-fived every member of his JGR crew and seemed emotional talking about how much it meant to have his parents and brother at the race.

"It's cool," Busch said. "This win here means a lot for Joe Gibbs Racing."

Busch has 20 wins this season in the Trucks Series, Nationwide and Sprint Cup.

"It was fun to watch and fun to be a part of at the end," Busch said. "I felt like I wasn't the best driver here tonight, but the guys gave me a car capable of winning."

By DAN GELSTON, AP Sports Writer

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Kyle Busch Wraps Up Nationwide Title originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Kyle BuschFanHouse NewswireSat, 21 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST Keselowski Holds Off Busch in Memphishttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/10/24/keselowski-holds-off-busch-in-memphis/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/10/24/keselowski-holds-off-busch-in-memphis/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/10/24/keselowski-holds-off-busch-in-memphis/#commentsFiled under: , ,


MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Brad Keselowski held off points leader Kyle Busch on the final lap to win the Kroger On Track For the Cure 250 in a green-white-checker finish in Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Memphis Motorsports Park.

Keselowski was leading when a caution came out with two laps to go because Stephen Wallace spun after tangling with Matt Kenseth. Wallace banged into Kenseth's car after the race and the two had words on pit road.

Keselowski held onto the lead through the overtime segment. Busch finished second and leads Carl Edwards by 215 points in the standings.
More Coverage: Nationwide Race Results | Check Series Standings

Busch was on Keselowski's rear bumper coming out of the final turn. Keselowski got loose but held on for his fourth Nationwide win of the year.

Jason Leffler finished third, while Mike Bliss and Brendan Gaughan completed the top five. Edwards, who won this race last year, was sixth.

There were 14 cautions on the day, with the last one setting up an exciting finish.

Keselowski led 34 of the eventual 254 laps in earning his first victory at Memphis Motorsports Park.

Edwards, Busch and two other Sprint Cup drivers were sent to the rear of the grid to start the race because substitute drivers had qualified for them. The Cup drivers had been at Martinsville earlier in the day preparing for Sunday's race.

Edwards entered the race trailing Busch by 195 points, and his hopes of cutting into the lead appeared to take a hit on the 25th lap. Tony Raines got into the back of Edwards, sending him spinning between turns 3 and 4. Edwards took another shot to the back of his Ford before coming to a stop.

That was one of three early cautions brought on by crashes. The third included pole-sitter Justin Allgaier, who got together with Keselowski.

Allgaier, who entered the race fifth in the points, captured the pole in qualifying earlier Saturday with a lap of 118.1 mph. It was the rookie's first pole in 36 Nationwide races.

He led for the first 34 laps, and eventually finished 19th.

Meanwhile, Edwards and Busch kept moving up through the field. Despite the early crash, Edwards was in fifth and Busch eighth by the 54th lap. Edwards took the lead on lap 62, but Keselowski passed him four laps later.

Busch took over after a restart on the 95th lap, going outside to get in front. Bliss grabbed the lead two laps later and built his lead to 5 seconds as the race reached the halfway point.

After a yellow brought everyone in for pit stops, Busch left pit road first and the other four Cup drivers -- Edwards, Kenseth, Keselowski and David Reutimann -- were in the top 10.

Between cautions and restarts, Edwards held onto the lead through much of the second half of the race. But with 18 laps to go, he ended up in a wreck on the backstretch possibly started when Keselowski got into his back bumper.

That ended any hope Edwards had of repeating his trip to victory lane or cutting into Busch's series points lead.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Keselowski Holds Off Busch in Memphis originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brad keselowskikyle buschFanHouse NewswireSat, 24 Oct 2009 20:30:00 EST Logano Bests Busch for Fifth Career Nationwide Series Winhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/10/03/logano-bests-busch-for-fifth-career-nationwide-series-win/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/10/03/logano-bests-busch-for-fifth-career-nationwide-series-win/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/10/03/logano-bests-busch-for-fifth-career-nationwide-series-win/#commentsFiled under:

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) -- That horrific barrel roll at Dover, the one that looked more like a scene from "Talladega Nights" than a real NASCAR wreck?

Turns out it gave Joey Logano confidence, not fear.

Passing points leader Kyle Busch with three laps left, Logano won at Kansas Speedway on Saturday, pulling out his fifth Nationwide victory less than a week after that spectacular crash during a Sprint Cup race.

"If you can barrel roll a race car like that and come out OK, it's going to give you confidence to drive it harder," Logano said. "I didn't think it was a big deal at all coming into today. I knew a lot of people did and were wondering how I was going to be. This should put it all to rest, I hope."

In the days leading up to Kansas, Logano assured everyone the Dover crash wouldn't affect his aggressiveness on the track. Sure, he was shaky, even after walking away from the care center. Rolling a car seven times will tend to do that to a driver, even if he walks away unscathed, as Logano did.

Whether it was the nerves of a 19-year-old or the nature of a race-car driver, Logano wasn't about to let fear climb into his head.

He proved it at Kansas.

Overcoming early handling problems, Logano stayed near the front for most of the race, then made his move after a late caution. Even a near wreck didn't slow him down; Logano regrouped, hit the accelerator and passed Busch for his fifth career Nationwide win.

"I had no fear," Logano said. "I didn't think about anything like that and I don't think 90 percent of these race car drivers think like that."

Busch came up short against Logano yet again.

He had the strongest car most of the day, leading 173 of the 200 laps on the 1.5-mile oval. Busch has led 2,226 laps this season, breaking the season series record of 2,127 set by Sam Ard in 1984.

He just didn't have enough to hold off Logano, who came back to beat him in the final 10 laps for the fourth time this season. Busch still extended his lead over Carl Edwards (seventh) to 245 points with six races left, but has finished second in all four of Logano's Nationwide wins this season.

Brad Keselowski finished third.

"It's pretty self-explanatory: it is frustrating," said Busch, who has 25 top-10 finishes this season. "We had a great race car today. We were good in the points. I've done that about 12 times this year so it ain't the first time and it certainly ain't going to be the last time."

Busch started strong, taking the lead from pole sitter Parker Kligerman at the start/finish line on Lap 9 and lost it just once on a non-caution lap over the first 196 laps.

Logano, who started seventh, had handling issues early and spent most of the race trying to figure which line to run on the track, struggling to find away around the drivers in front of him. Still, he was able to stay near the lead most of the day and clinged to Busch's bumper down the stretch, waiting for a window to pass.

Logano appeared to miss one chance coming out of a caution with six laps left, briefly losing control of his car and having to back while trying to pass Busch on the inside. He regrouped, quickly made up the lost ground and got Busch two laps later, racing past him on the outside then pulling away down the stretch.

Not bad for a guy who was flipped around like one of those stick helicopter toys just six days ago.

"I was quite frankly sick of hearing about it," Logano's crew chief Dave Rogers said of the crash. "I wanted to see him win this race and maybe stop the talk and talk about winning races and leading laps, like we should be."

Kligerman had a rough first Nationwide race after what had been an incredible start to the weekend.

The 19-year-old raced to his eighth ARCA victory of the season Thursday, moving with 15 points of series leader Justin Lofton. Kligerman then became the 10th driver in series history to win the pole in his first Nationwide start despite having never run a practice lap before this weekend.

The race was a bit of a struggle.

Kligerman, a developmental driver for Penske Racing, lost the lead to Busch early on and kept dropping through the field, falling to 21st after 60 laps. He made a small rally from there and finished 16th.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Logano Bests Busch for Fifth Career Nationwide Series Win originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>joey loganoJoeyLoganokyle buschKyleBuschFanHouse NewswireSat, 03 Oct 2009 20:45:00 EST Kevin Harvick Gets Past Dale Earnhardt Jr. Late to Win Nationwide Racehttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/09/05/kevin-harvick-gets-past-dale-earnhardt-jr-late-to-win-nationwide/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/09/05/kevin-harvick-gets-past-dale-earnhardt-jr-late-to-win-nationwide/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/09/05/kevin-harvick-gets-past-dale-earnhardt-jr-late-to-win-nationwide/#commentsFiled under: , ,

HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. won a late gamble on gas, but that wasn't enough to overcome Kevin Harvick's dominance.

Harvick led most of the race and then passed Earnhardt with two laps left to regain the lead and win the Degree V12 300 Nationwide Series race on Saturday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Harvick and Kyle Busch each went into the pits for gas and four tires with 14 laps remaining. Earnhardt and Brad Keselowski stayed on the track, gambling they had enough gas to finish the race.
More: Nationwide Race Results | Check Standings

Earnhardt and Keselowski had enough gas, but were still passed by Harvick and Busch, who finished second. Earnhardt was third, followed by Keselowski and Jeff Burton.

"I would have been glad to steal a win," said Earnhardt, who said the decision to remain on the track when the leaders stopped for gas was his only chance to beat Harvick.

"We had a pretty good chance of making it and that was our only real shot of getting a win. It didn't work out in our favor but that was the best call to make for us."

Harvick led 131 of the 195 laps. He led Busch by about 7 seconds and Earnhardt by about 15 seconds when Harvick and Busch made the late pit stops.

Busch's pit stop was faster than Harvick's, but Harvick had the advantage of the big lead before the stop.

Harvick's advantages of fresh tires and the faster car enabled him to pass Keselowski with six laps left before catching Earnhardt with two laps left.

"I cut it a little bit closer than I would like to at the end," Harvick said.

It didn't look so close to Busch.

"Harvick was gone," Busch said. "What a non-race that was, but hopefully it was a show at the end. ... Man that 33 was great. Flawless."

Harvick claimed his second Nationwide Series win of the season with the race team he built with his wife, Delana. He also won in Bristol, Tenn., in March.

Carl Edwards, racing for the first time since breaking his right foot playing frisbee with friends Wednesday, finished seventh.

Busch, Edwards and Keselowski have combined for 12 Nationwide Series wins this season, including six by Busch.

"It's tough when those guys are winning so many races," Harvick said. "We felt like we had been able to run with them a couple of times but hadn't been able to close the deal. Tonight we were able to close the deal."

Busch recorded his 22nd top-10 finish of the year. He is 221 points ahead of Edwards in the standings. Harvick is 15th in the points standings.

Harvick qualified 18th on Saturday for Sunday night's Pep Boys Auto 500 and is 24th in the Sprint Cup standings.

Harvick is winless in the Sprint Cup Series since winning the 2007 Daytona 500.

Owner Richard Childress said Monday that Harvick will remain with the team next season.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout following his win of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick
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    HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet celebrates with wife Delana, in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick;Delana Harvick

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    HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Race winner Kevin Harvick (center), driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, is congratulated in victory lane by Kyle Busch (R), driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, after the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick;Kyle Busch

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    HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

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    Driver Kevin Harvick poses with the trophy after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Glenn Smith)

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    Driver Kevin Harvick celebrates after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., Saturday, Sept. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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    HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

    Getty Images

    HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kyle Busch (L), driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (R), driver of the #5 Degree V12 Chevrolet, come in for pit stops during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch;Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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    HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout following his win of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

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    HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, crosses the finish line to win the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

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    HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, holds the checkered flag after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

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Kevin Harvick Gets Past Dale Earnhardt Jr. Late to Win Nationwide Race originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brad keselowskiBradKeselowskidale earnhardt jr.DaleEarnhardtJr.kevin harvickKevinHarvickkyle buschKyleBuschFanHouse NewswireSat, 05 Sep 2009 22:00:00 EST Keselowski Will Join Penske Teamhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/09/03/keselowski-will-join-penske-team/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/09/03/keselowski-will-join-penske-team/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/09/03/keselowski-will-join-penske-team/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Brad KeselowskiCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Brad Keselowski's long courtship with Penske Racing ended Tuesday when he finally took an offer to move to the Sprint Cup Series.

Keselowski, who had been hoping to move into a Cup ride with mighty Hendrick Motorsports, will instead drive the No. 12 Dodge next season. He'll replace David Stremme, and run full schedules in both the Cup and Nationwide Series.

"This was the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my life,'' Keselowski said. "But I woke up this morning feeling confident I had made the right one. It was clear to me this is the direction I want to head."

Keselowski said he relied upon advice from Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt, who own his current Nationwide team, as well as Rick Hendrick. He had turned down the No. 12 before this season in hopes of graduating into a Hendrick ride in 2010, but Mark Martin's decision not to scale back next year meant there wasn't a seat to offer NASCAR's hottest prospect.

"I have the blessings of Dale, Kelley and Rick to come out and do this,'' he said. "I am where I am at today because of their support.''

Terms of the contract were not announced, and a release sent by the team said only that Keselowski will drive for Penske next season.

Hendrick sent a message across the garage two weeks ago, warning other teams that wherever Keselowski drives in 2010 "he'll always be close enough for me to get him and bring him back.''

FanHouse Racing on TwitterPenske team president Tim Cindric would not address Hendrick's vow.

"We're not going to comment on contracts and how long they are,'' he said. "Brad has given us every indication that he's committed, and I am not aware of any promises to go back, or to have him back.''

Keselowski certainly talked the talk, insisting he's looking forward to adding to Roger Penske's storied racing history. Although Penske is the most successful owner in American open-wheel racing, he's yet to win a NASCAR title. His current Cup lineup includes Kurt Busch and three-time IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr., while 23-year-old prospect Justin Allgaier races in the Nationwide Series.

"My intent is to come to Penske Racing and build a home for my long-term career,'' he said. "There are very few teams that have the resources that can compete with Hendrick Motorsports, and this is one of them. I want to be the guy who comes to Penske Racing and gives them their first NASCAR championship.

"For everything they've accomplished, that's the one thing that's been missing.''

Keselowski, who is third in the Nationwide standings with three wins this season, will race for that series title next year. He won his first career Cup race with a dramatic last-lap pass of Carl Edwards at Talladega in April while driving a James Finch-owned car.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

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Latest NASCAR Photos
MONTREAL, QC - AUGUST 29: Carl Edwards, driver of the #60 CitiFinancial Ford celebrates by performing a backflip after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Napa Auto Parts 200 on August 29, 2009 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carl Edwards
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    American Sprint Car Series driver Jessica Zemken works on her car with NASCAR driver Tony Stewart after qualifying for an auto race in Dundee, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/ Charles Berch)

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    ** HAmerican Sprint Car Series driver Jessica Zemken talks with NASCAR driver Tony Stewart before qualifying for a Sprint car auto race in Dundee, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/ Charles Berch)

    AP

    American Sprint Car Series driver Jessica Zemken is push started by NASCAR driver Tony Stewart during qualifying for an auto race in Dundee, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Berch)

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    Hendrick Motorsports engineer Richie Parker, center, stands in the inspection line with the crew from Brad Keselowski before the NASCAR Carfax 400 Sprint Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009. Richie Parker was born without arms, but that didn't stop him from working his way through college at Clemson _ then combining the engineering degree he earned with his boyhood love of cars to go to work for Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR's equivalent to the New York Yankees. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

    AP

    Hendrick Motorsports engineer Richie Parker, right, stands in the inspection line with the crew from Brad Keselowski before the NASCAR Carfax 400 Sprint Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009. Richie Parker was born without arms, but that didn't stop him from working his way through college at Clemson _ then combining the engineering degree he earned with his boyhood love of cars to go to work for Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR's equivalent to the New York Yankees. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

    AP

    Hendrick Motorsports engineer Richie Parker, center, talks to a Tony Stewart crew member as they wait in the inspection line with the crew from Brad Keselowski before the NASCAR Carfax 400 Sprint Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009. Richie Parker was born without arms, but that didn't stop him from working his way through college at Clemson _ then combining the engineering degree he earned with his boyhood love of cars to go to work for Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR's equivalent to the New York Yankees. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

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    St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols exchanges comments with NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace seated above the Cardinals' dugout during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, on Tuesday, September 1, 2009. (Chris Lee/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/MCT)

    MCT

    NASCAR Nationwide driver Brad Keselowski smiles before the morning practice session in Montreal , Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. Keselowski signed with Penske Racing on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009, to drive in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series next season. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)

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    FILE -- This is a July 2, 2009, file photo showing Bobby Labonte climbing into his car during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Coke Zero 400 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Yates Racing is taking Bobby Labonte out of its No. 96 car for seven upcoming races because of sponsorship issues.(AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

    AP

    A member of the NYFD signs the hood of the NASCAR racecar custom-designed to commemorate 9/11 during a marketing event Monday, Aug. 31, 2009 in New York. Driver Benny Gordon and North South Motorsports will race the car to commemorate 9/11 on September 11, 2009 at the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

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Keselowski Will Join Penske Team originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brad keselowskiFanHouse NewswireThu, 03 Sep 2009 01:00:00 EST Stunned Edwards Thrives at Montrealhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/31/stunned-edwards-thrives-at-montreal/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/31/stunned-edwards-thrives-at-montreal/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/31/stunned-edwards-thrives-at-montreal/#commentsFiled under: ,

Carl Edwards celebratesMONTREAL (AP) -- Carl Edwards was as shocked as anyone.

"I can't believe I won the race,'' Edwards said Sunday after making a stunning pass of Marcos Ambrose on the final turn of the Nationwide race at Montreal. "I just figured he'd take off and run away with it. I guess that goes to show you never give up.''

It was another lost opportunity at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for Ambrose, who has had a chance to win all three Nationwide races conducted on the street circuit since NASCAR began racing here in 2007.

The despair was real on a day that started in sunshine and turned to gloom.
More Coverage: Nationwide Series Standings | Check Schedule

"I just made a mistake at the end there and lost the race,'' Ambrose said. "I feel pretty devastated.''

Edwards couldn't believe what happened because Ambrose led 60 laps over the 14-turn, 2.7-mile course - including 31 in a row before the rain moved in for the second straight year.

Still, the hard-charging Tasmanian figured to be a lock since he grew up racing in the rain. But after overcoming restart after restart in the crash-filled event, Ambrose slipped up at the wrong time.

Edwards won a two-lap sprint to the finish on a track that was both wet and dry in spots from a light rain, making up more than a second on the final lap. Edwards began to close fast on Ambrose entering turn 10, a right-handed hairpin, and that gave Edwards renewed hope.

"I drove a little bit deeper than him and I caught him, and that surprised me,'' Edwards said. "I didn't think I'd catch him in that corner, but I had the benefit of watching his car. He was kind of out there flying. Once I got to him, we came off turn 10, he was spinning the tires, and I thought I might have him.''

Seconds later, Ambrose slid sideways after hitting the rumble strips in turn 14. Edwards slipped past and outraced him down the final straightaway.

"That was an amazing gift,'' Edwards said. "Marcos just made that one mistake that gave me a chance to get by. The difference was the tires and the way the track was changing. As soon as it gets dry, there's so much more grip, and there were places out there I saw that had a little more grip. Maybe I could just see better through my windshield.''

Ambrose survived three other restarts in the final 12 laps of the race, which was plagued by 11 cautions. The race went two extra laps and lasted 3 hours, 49 minutes, 19 seconds, the longest in Nationwide Series history. The Gateway 300 in 1997 lasted 3:48.25.

Ambrose was out to right what went wrong in the previous two Nationwide races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. In 2007 he led 37 laps and was challenging for the win before he was spun out by Robby Gordon and finished seventh.

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MONTREAL, QC - AUGUST 30: Marcos Ambrose, driver of the #47 Armor All Toyota, and Carl Edwards, driver of the #60 CitiFinancial Ford, race along with others during the NASCAR Nationwide Napa Auto Parts 200 on August 30, 2009 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marcos Ambrose;Carl Edwards
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    FILE -- This is a July 2, 2009, file photo showing Bobby Labonte climbing into his car during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Coke Zero 400 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Yates Racing is taking Bobby Labonte out of its No. 96 car for seven upcoming races because of sponsorship issues.(AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

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    A member of the NYFD signs the hood of the NASCAR racecar custom-designed to commemorate 9/11 during a marketing event Monday, Aug. 31, 2009 in New York. Driver Benny Gordon and North South Motorsports will race the car to commemorate 9/11 on September 11, 2009 at the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

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    Driver Benny Gordon, third from left foreground, poses with firefighter, police officers, and the NASCAR racecar custom-designed to commemorate Sept.11 Monday, Aug. 31, 2009 in New York. Gordon and North South Motorsports will race the car on Sept. 11 at the Richmond International Speedway in Virginia. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

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    Driver Benny Gordon is photographed during a marketing event to unveil the NASCAR racecar custom-designed to commemorate 9/11, Monday, Aug. 31, 2009 in New York. Gordon and North South Motorsports will race the car on Sept. 11 at the Richmond International Speedway in Virginia. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

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    The NASCAR racecar custom-designed to commemorate Sept. 11 is unveiled Monday, Aug. 31, 2009 near the World Trade Center site in New York's lower Manhattan. Driver Benny Gordon and North South Motorsports will race the car on Sept. 11 at the Richmond International Speedway in Virginia to commemorate 9/11. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

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    MONTREAL, QC - AUGUST 30: Carl Edwards, driver of the #60 CitiFinancial Ford celebrates after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Napa Auto Parts 200 on August 30, 2009 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carl Edwards

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    MONTREAL, QC - AUGUST 29: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota is escorted on the grid prior to the start of the NASCAR Nationwide Napa Auto Parts 200 on August 30, 2009 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

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    MONTREAL, QC - AUGUST 30: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota smiles during pre-race activities for the NASCAR Nationwide Napa Auto Parts 200 on August 30, 2009 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

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    Carl Edwards hoists the winner's trophy after his victory in the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)

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    MONTREAL, QC - AUGUST 29: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota drives during the NASCAR Nationwide Napa Auto Parts 200 on August 30, 2009 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

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Last year in the rain, Ambrose led 27 laps but was caught speeding on pit road late in the race and Ron Fellows won the rain-shortened event, the first points race in NASCAR history to be run on rain tires.

It was the third win of the year and 23rd in his Nationwide career for Edwards, who moved within 192 points of series leader Kyle Busch.

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series star Andrew Ranger was third. Former Formula One star Jacques Villeneuve finished fourth on the track named for his father, and Brad Keselowski was fifth. Busch went from fourth to 10th on the final two laps.

Ambrose started from the pole, but everything changed when the rain moved in. The race was halted at the end of lap 61 so the teams could switch to rain tires, slap on windshield wipers, and hook up brake lights.

The race resumed on lap 64 with the street course damp but with no standing water like a year ago. Ambrose quickly cleared the second-place car of Ranger. Edwards then tangled with Ranger and Busch slipped past both for second, with Edwards and Ranger right behind.

Ambrose had a 2.8-second lead after the first time around, but the ninth caution of the race, for debris, erased that margin on the next lap.

Ambrose again assumed control when the race went green on lap 68, but several cars spun out before the 31 cars remaining in the race made a complete trip around. That brought out caution No. 10, six more than last year's race and twice as many as 2007.

Ambrose easily drew clear on the restart on lap 71 and Ranger passed Busch for second. But Steven Wallace set up the two-lap dash to the finish when he made contact with Victor Gonzalez Jr. and slid sideways into a big pack of cars in the second turn to bring out the race-changing final caution.

By JOHN KEKIS, AP Sports Writer

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Stunned Edwards Thrives at Montreal originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>carl edwardsmarcos ambroseFanHouse NewswireMon, 31 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST Cup Success Not a Lock for Keselowskihttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/29/cup-success-not-a-lock-for-keselowski/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/29/cup-success-not-a-lock-for-keselowski/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/29/cup-success-not-a-lock-for-keselowski/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's got to be tough to be in Brad Keselowski's shoes.

The full-time Nationwide Series driver has shown to be one of the brightest up and coming stars in NASCAR, and his surprise Sprint Cup victory at Talladega only added to the hype. Consider that he's got the best shot as a non-Cup regular to overtake Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards for the Nationwide points title and his 3 wins in 2009, and you're looking at a guy who's turned plenty of heads in Cup ownership.

Reports say that Penske Racing has agreed to put him in the No. 12 Cup car for 2010, but how well he'd do there as a full-time driver is very much up in the air.

For reference, Keselowski needs to look no farther than the guy he's expected to replace in the No. 12, David Stremme.

Stremme latched on to Penske in 2008 after Chip Ganassi Racing no longer had sponsorship to run his race team at the end of 2007 and served as the Penske's test driver for much of the season. In a similar fashion, Keselowski has worked for Hendrick Motorsports for five races in 2009 and two in 2008 as a driver for their No. 25 team that primarily focuses on research and development.

Late last season, Penske announced that Stremme would be elevated to replace a departing Ryan Newman in the No. 12 car after the team owner was impressed with his testing work and performance in the Nationwide Series with Rusty Wallace Inc. that netted half of his finishes in the Top-10.

2009, though, has been nothing short of a struggle for Stremme and No. 12 team. Stremme is currently 31st in the standings without a Top-10 to his credit. His struggles have been interesting to see after teammate Kurt Busch has been consistently inside the Top-5 in points throughout 2009 while Sam Hornish Jr. appears to be making big strides into becoming a successful stock car racer.

The Car of Tomorrow platform is certainly a reason why Stremme may have struggled in his first season with Penske. Numerous drivers have commented on how the new car takes such a different approach in driving style, handling and setup -- all of which require lap after lap, race after race to help master. Stremme's experience prior to 2009 was limited to testing for Penske in 2008 and just a few races with Ganassi in 2007.

Part of that experience is a big part of why Keselowski might find it tough to be competitive as he needs to be in Cup from the start. His Car of Tomorrow experience also consists of a little bit of testing and ten Sprint Cup races.

Should Keselowski end up with Penske, one would expect that he'd be pressured to perform better than Stremme nearly immediately or find himself in Stremme's situation by the end of 2010 with drivers rumored to be filling his spot. Granted, Keselowski would probably have a year more of slack than Stremme due to Stremme having sub-par previous Cup experience.

Keselowski currently drives for JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series, a team run cooperatively by Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. His win in the Sprint Cup Series at Talladega in April came with the James Finch-owned Phoenix Racing.

Keselowski made it known earlier in the season that he would have heavily favored staying with Hendrick or a Hendrick-satellite team -- who wouldn't? -- but the sheer numbers of seats that would be open in 2010 equaled zero. Obviously, his desire to go Cup racing in 2010 is pretty high, and that combined with an opportunity in a Penske ride probably sounds pretty appealing.

It'll be interesting, for sure, to watch what happens if Keselowski does replace Stremme.

On one side, he'll be a moderate success and build his stock higher with possible future team owners and on the other, he could wallow arond the Cup schedule in 2010 running 20th every weekend and diminish some of the high thoughts observers may have of his talent that could have been sustained or increased just by waiting out another year with JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series.

Penske offers what Keselowski wants -- a Cup ride immediately -- but should he have stayed with the Hendrick camp (and JR Motorsports) and hope a better door opens for 2011?

Like I said, it's tough to be in Brad Keselowski's shoes.

Cup Success Not a Lock for Keselowski originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 13:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brad KeselowskiDavid StremmeHendrick MotorsportsJR MotorsportsNationwide SeriesPenske RacingSprint CupGeoffrey MillerSat, 29 Aug 2009 13:24:00 EST David Ragan Wins as Kyle Busch Wrecks At Bristolhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/21/david-ragan-wins-as-kyle-busch-wrecks-at-bristol/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/21/david-ragan-wins-as-kyle-busch-wrecks-at-bristol/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/21/david-ragan-wins-as-kyle-busch-wrecks-at-bristol/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

David RaganBRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) -- David Ragan held off teammate Carl Edwards on a two-lap sprint to the finish Friday night to win the Nationwide Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Edwards settled for second, but shaved 91 points off the commanding lead Kyle Busch brought into the race. Busch, who started the night with a 339-point lead over Edwards, was wrecked by Chase Austin while leading early in the race and finished 28th.

Edwards now trails him by 248 points, and wasn't disappointed to lose to his Roush Fenway Racing teammate.

"We didn't come here to finish second, but he's a great guy, a great teammate," Edwards said. "If you guys don't have a David Ragan hat or T-shirt, you need to go get one. There's no better guy out there."

Brad Keselowski finished third by overcoming his own early accident.

Amid mounting speculation he'll leave Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Nationwide team next season to drive in the Sprint Cup Series for Roger Penske, Keselowski coincidentally ran into Penske driver Justin Allgaier.

"Just 100 percent my fault," said Keselowski, who declined to comment on his 2010 plans. "I was racing hard. I guess I was racing a little bit too hard."

Austin, in just the fourth Nationwide race of his career, could relate.

The 19-year-old was a lap down when Busch passed Kevin Harvick for the lead. As Busch and Harvick rounded Turn 4, Austin inexplicably cut down the track and directly into Busch.

Replays showed his hand was out the window motioning his intent to move down the track, but he never knew the traffic was on his inside. He was radioing his team to inform them of a tire problem at the exact time his spotter tried to tell him about Busch and Harvick.

"I heard a lot of fans were happy about it - that's how I knew it was Kyle," Austin said of the crowd's positive reaction to Busch wrecking.

Busch needed a few minutes to compose himself inside his team truck, but seemed sympathetic to Austin's error when he finally emerged.

"Real unfortunate that it happened," Busch said. "I've made mistakes too. Chase, I guess, didn't have the spotter telling him the leaders were bearing down. It stinks."

The bizarre accident allowed Edwards to climb back into the championship race, but he said a Busch wreck wasn't how he wanted to chip away at the points lead.

"That was some raw excitement," Edwards said. "That was unexpected. We made up some points, but that's not the way we want to do it."

Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five.

It was only the second NASCAR victory for Ragan, who also won the Nationwide race at Talladega in April. He was thrilled to run up front at Bristol, where he'd never finished higher than eighth in five previous starts.

"We're usually just mediocre here," he admitted.

He had a decent lead over Edwards until debris on the track brought out the eighth caution of the race with eight laps remaining. He selected the outside for the double-file restart, then had to nervously circle around the track as NASCAR waved off the green flag each time Ragan thought the racing was about to resume.

"I felt like a field goal kicker, they kept calling timeouts," Ragan said. "One to go, call it off. One to go, call it off"

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

David Ragan Wins as Kyle Busch Wrecks At Bristol originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 22:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>David RaganFanHouse NewswireFri, 21 Aug 2009 22:55:00 EST Keselowski Snags Nationwide Win as Sparks Fly Between Busch and Vickershttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/15/keselowski-snags-nationwide-win-as-sparks-fly-between-busch-and/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/15/keselowski-snags-nationwide-win-as-sparks-fly-between-busch-and/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/15/keselowski-snags-nationwide-win-as-sparks-fly-between-busch-and/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Kyle Busch races Brian VickersBROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) -- Brian Vickers didn't see it coming. Brad Keselowski sure did.

With Vickers and Kyle Busch fighting it out on the final lap, Keselowski swooped in to grab the lead in the final turn and hold on to the Nationwide Series race Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.

"I knew they'd do what they did and that's why I was sitting there lurking,'' said Keselowski, a Michigan native. "The two of them together are a recipe for what you saw -- that's just putting it the way it is.''

Vickers finished second and Busch third, and they exchanged some heated words on pit road afterward.
More Coverage: See Race Results | Nationwide Series Standings

Busch said in a television interview that Vickers' tactics were "just stupid,'' and Vickers responded by saying that Busch came over to his car on pit road "crying like a little baby'' but ran off when Vickers offered to get out and "talk about it like men.''

It also was a rough afternoon for Carl Edwards, whose hopes of a championship in NASCAR's second-tier series took a hit when he crashed early.

"Man, just early in the race,'' he said, "and I probably should have been more cautious.''

After trading the lead for much of the race, Busch and Vickers pitted with most of the lead-lap cars after a caution with 20 laps to go. They lined up in the second row for the restart behind Justin Allgaier, who didn't pit, and Keselowski, who took only two tires, for a 12-lap dash to the finish.

Busch immediately took the lead when Vickers got hung up behind Allgaier, but Vickers came back to challenge and the two were side-by-side when another caution came out with 10 laps left.

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Brad Keselowski (88) does a burnout after winning the CARFAX 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Bob Brodbeck)
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    ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Paulie Harraka, driver of the #12 NAPA Auto Care/Adaptive One Brakes Toyota, looks on in the garage during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Paulie Harraka

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    ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Blake Koch, driver of the #21 GodSpeaks.com Chevrolet, laps the track during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Blake Koch

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    ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Blake Koch, driver of the #21 GodSpeaks.com Chevrolet, laps the track during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Blake Koch

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    ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Jason Bowles, driver of the #6 Sunrise Ford.com Ford, laps the track during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jason Bowles

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    ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Jason Bowles, driver of the #6 Sunrise Ford.com Ford, looks on from behind the wheel in the garage during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jason Bowles

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    ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Brett Thompson, driver of the #61 Rich Thompson Trucking Chevrolet, gets behind the wheel during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Greg Pursley

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    ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Eric Holmes, driver of the #20 NAPA Toyota, walks to his car for qualifying as he went on to win the pole position for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Eric Holmes

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    ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Jason Bowles, driver of the #6 Sunrise Ford.com Ford, laps the track during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jason Bowles

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    ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Greg Pursley, driver of the #26 Gene Price Motorsports/Star Nursery Chevrolet, laps the track during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Greg Pursley

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    ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Greg Pursley, driver of the #26 Gene Price Motorsports/Star Nursery Chevrolet, laps the track during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Greg Pursley

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Vickers chose the outside lane on the final restart with seven laps to go and was poised to run away with the race. Busch caught back up and the two appeared ready to fight it out on the final lap when Keselowski came seemingly out of nowhere and passed them both.

Busch apparently bumped Vickers' car pulling onto pit road and the two exchanged words, but the confrontation didn't escalate. Then came a delightfully awkward news conference where they sat together and talked about one another while staring straight ahead.

"Ever since Richmond, I've had a trouble racing with (Vickers) so it's just another escalation of that,'' Busch said.

Busch criticized Vickers for not giving him enough room or paying attention to Keselowski.

"I knew (Keselowski) was coming and man, I was stuck,'' Busch said. "I didn't have anywhere to go.''

Vickers admitted he didn't know Keselowski was coming so quickly, but wasn't willing to entertain Busch's second-guessing.

"I race everybody the way they race me,'' Vickers said. "We were racing for the win. Kyle, if you want to be upset with that, I'm sorry. That's my job to try and win the race. If anyone else disagrees, if anyone else thinks I should have just rolled out of it and let Kyle win, please raise your hand. I'm fine. The only thing I'm upset with is how he handled it after the race. I'm sure we can get past that.''

The confrontation is unlikely to spill over into Sunday's Sprint Cup race, when Vickers will start from the pole and Busch will start near the back.

"He'll be up front tomorrow and I'll be in back, so we won't have anything,'' Busch said.

Both drivers then sped away on separate golf carts.

Keselowski admitted he probably wouldn't have won if Vickers and Busch had stayed single-file at the end.

"They didn't, so I guess it's irrelevant,'' Keselowski said.

It was a big moment for Keselowski, and up-and-coming talent who was thrilled to win a race in his home state and put on a pretty good show in the process.

"It was just good racing,'' said Keselowski, a native of Rochester Hills, Mich. "I sure hope everybody enjoyed it -- it's not very often you get a three-wide battle for a lead with one to go.''

The third-place finish put a slight damper on what has been a remarkable streak for Busch, who hadn't finished worse than second in his previous 10 Nationwide races. With Edwards' wreck Saturday, Busch now holds a commanding 339-point lead in the standings.

Edwards was uninjured in his early crash with Trevor Bayne, who managed to continue while Edwards took his damaged car to the garage.

Bayne, an 18-year-old driving for Michael Waltrip's team, was making only his ninth career Nationwide start but was second-fastest in qualifying earlier Saturday.

"It definitely looked like I didn't give Trevor enough room,'' Edwards said.

By CHRIS JENKINS, AP Sports Writer

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Keselowski Snags Nationwide Win as Sparks Fly Between Busch and Vickers originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brad keselowskibrian vickerskyle buschFanHouse NewswireSat, 15 Aug 2009 20:28:00 EST Marcos Ambrose Pulls Fast One on Kyle Busch for Nationwide Victoryhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/09/marcos-ambrose-pulls-fast-one-on-kyle-busch-for-nationwide-victo/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/09/marcos-ambrose-pulls-fast-one-on-kyle-busch-for-nationwide-victo/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/09/marcos-ambrose-pulls-fast-one-on-kyle-busch-for-nationwide-victo/#commentsFiled under: ,

Marcos AmbroseWATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) -- A year ago Marcos Ambrose used pit strategy to win at Watkins Glen International. The second time around he used a little aggression.

The hard-charging Tasmanian passed series points leader Kyle Busch with a daring move through the chicane Saturday and won the Nationwide Zippo 200 for the second straight year for JTG-Daugherty Racing.
More Coverage: See Nationwide Series Standings

It was the 10th consecutive top-two finish in Nationwide for Busch, breaking the series record set by Jack Ingram in 1983. Carl Edwards was third, followed by polesitter Kevin Harvick and Canadian road racer Ron Fellows. Jeffrey Earnhardt, grandson of the late Dale Earnhardt, finished 24th in his Nationwide debut.

Busch started seventh and gained the lead for the first time in the 82-lap race over the 11-turn, 2.45-mile road course when he passed Steven Wallace on a restart in the first turn of lap 49. It marked the 19th straight series race Busch has led, tying Sam Ard's series record.

Ambrose, who started second, also moved past Wallace, and when Paul Menard brought out the fourth caution with a spin on lap 52, Ambrose's crew assured him he had enough fuel to make it to the end.

"We need to get him (Busch) on the restart and just cruise,'' said Ambrose's crew chief, Frank Kerr.

The caution also gave Busch the fuel cushion he needed, and he withstood Ambrose's hard charge when the race went green on lap 56.

Ambrose stalked Busch for six laps and finally passed him entering the chicane at the top of the high-speed esses.

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Marcos Ambrose (47) celebrates the win as he drives next to Kyle Busch (18) in the esses during the NASCAR Nationwide Series' Zippo 200 at The Glen auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/ Joanne Hamilton)
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    Marcos Ambrose (47) celebrates the win as he drives next to Kyle Busch (18) in the esses during the NASCAR Nationwide Series' Zippo 200 at The Glen auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/ Joanne Hamilton)

    AP

    J. R. Fitzpatrick spins out in turn 11 as Steve Wallace passes during the NASCAR Nationwide Series' Zippo 200 at The Glen auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/ Charles Berch)

    AP

    Marcos Ambrose celebrates winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series' Zippo 200 at The Glen auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/ Charles Berch)

    AP

    Marcos Ambrose, of Australia, leads Kyle Busch into turn one late in the race during the NASCAR Nationwide Series' Zippo 200 at The Glen auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. Ambrose went onto win. (AP Photo/Tom Ryder)

    AP

    Marcos Ambrose celebrates winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series' Zippo 200 at The Glen auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/ Russ Hamilton)

    AP

    Marcos Ambrose wins the NASCAR Nationwide Series' Zippo 200 at The Glen auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/ Chris Trotman, pool)

    AP

    Honorary starter Terri Carty waves the green flag to start the NASCAR Nationwide Series' Zippo 200 at The Glen auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/ Chris Trotman, pool)

    AP

    Driver Marcos Ambrose, of Australia, receives kudos from crew members after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series' Zippo 200 at The Glen auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Ryder)

    AP

    Sonja Ambrose was on the edge of her seat with two laps to go as her husband Marcos Ambrose held on to win the NASCAR Nationwide Series' Zippo 200 at The Glen auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

    AP

    Pit crew members celebrate after Marcos Ambrose, of Australia, wins the NASCAR Nationwide Series' Zippo 200 at The Glen auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

    AP


"I had to surprise him,'' Ambrose said after just his second NASCAR victory. "We didn't have the top-end speed to make a classic pass. I knew I had to bomb him some way. He wasn't going to make a mistake. I was going to have to force one on him. I just stormed up in there. I knew it was a high-risk move, but it needed to be made.''

Forced to the side after near contact with Ambrose, Busch had to stop in the paved runoff area to avoid a penalty, then got back in line in third.

"I think we would have wrecked if one of the cars didn't give,'' said Busch, who now leads Edwards in the standings by 212 points. "I don't think it was a fair move. It won the race and he had to do something. Yea for him. I wouldn't have been able to do it.''

"I've seen Kyle knocks guys out for the win,'' Ambrose said. "He clearly reacted late to me. I don't know what he's got to complain about. I passed him without touching.''

When Robby Gordon blew his right front tire two laps later after a run-in with Joey Logano, it brought out another caution and set up a double-file restart with Busch and Ambrose side-by-side.

"Is he mad at me or not?'' Ambrose asked over his radio.

Yep.

"I felt like I got cheap-shotted there,'' said Busch, who banged fenders with Ambrose after the checkered flag to show his dismay. "I had no idea he was there. I had to do what I had to do. I would have wrecked.''

Ambrose elected to take the inside on the double-file restart and got the jump as Edwards briefly got past Busch. But just as Ambrose began to pull away, Gordon and Logano tangled again. Gordon ran Logano off course into a tire barrier on lap 72, crumbling the hood on Logano's No. 20 Toyota and causing a fire that brought out another caution.

"Apparently, we got in a little grudge match after I cut down his tire,'' Logano said after visiting the care center. "It's a pretty raw deal. You can't fix stupid, it's forever. You put that in your memory bank.''

Ambrose easily got clear of Busch on the final restart with six laps remaining and won by just over a second.

By JOHN KEKIS, AP Sports Writer

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Marcos Ambrose Pulls Fast One on Kyle Busch for Nationwide Victory originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 02:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>marcos ambrosewatkins glenFanHouse NewswireSun, 09 Aug 2009 02:00:00 EST Keselowski Wins Battle With Buschhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/01/keselowski-wins-battle-with-busch/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/01/keselowski-wins-battle-with-busch/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/08/01/keselowski-wins-battle-with-busch/#commentsFiled under: ,

Brad KeselowskiNEWTON, Iowa (AP) -- The inaugural Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway came down to a two-man battle between points leader Kyle Busch and top series regular Brad Keselowski.

In a twist that's becoming all too common for Busch, he was forced settle for yet another second-place finish. This time, it was Keselowski who pulled off the victory with a gutsy move down the stretch.

Keselowski passed Busch with eight laps left and held on to win Saturday for his fourth career NNS win. Keselowski stayed on the track during a caution flag late in the race, a risk that paid off with his second victory of the year.

Keselowski also won at Dover on May 30, in addition to a Sprint Cup Series victory at Talladega in April.

"I couldn't have asked for a better finish,'' Keselowski said. "It's lot more fun to say I beat Kyle heads-up. That means a lot to me.''

Busch, who started at the back after spending the morning in Pennsylvania practicing for the Sprint Cup race Sunday at Pocono, lead for 84 laps. He has nine consecutive top-two finishes, tying the series record set by Jack Ingram in 1983.

Busch wasn't all that thrilled about such a distinction. It was the fourth time in five Nationwide races that Busch finished second, though he still has a 207-point edge over Carl Edwards in the season points race.

"Apparently, I don't know what I need in my race cars in order to win these races at the end of them,'' Busch said. "It's a frustrating day.''

Jason Leffler was third, followed by Edwards and Kelly Bires.

Keselowski and Busch broke free from the rest of the field with about 60 laps to go. Busch then slipped past Keselowski with 25 laps left and looked to be in the clear. But the 12th caution flag of the day came with just 10 laps later. Keselowski made his move shortly after the restart, slipping past Busch - who wasn't comfortable with his car for most of the race - for the win.

"I wouldn't say we say caught a good break, but we played the odds and I would say that 75 percent of the time, that what we did would win the race,'' Keselowski said of his critical decision not to pit and instead stick with his tires. "It would take things to line up just perfectly against us for us not to win the race, which at one point it appeared that's how it was going to happen. But it's the right call.''

As an added bonus, Keselowski picked up an extra $75,000 by taking the Dash 4 Cash bonus offered to Nationwide regulars at stand-alone races.

Nationwide rookies Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Allgaier posted identical qualifying times earlier Saturday, but Stenhouse was awarded the pole on owner's points. Allgaier grabbed the early lead and kept it for 35 laps, by far the most of his young Nationwide career, but he was bumped on pit row and Keselowski surged ahead.

It didn't take long for Busch to catch the leaders. Busch quickly vaulted from the back to fourth and grabbed the lead about a third of the way through the race.

Though a few other drivers threatened from time to time, Keselowski and Busch combined to lead all but 45 of the 250 laps.

This was a very important weekend for the Iowa Speedway, which in just its third full season landed IndyCar, Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide series races, and it couldn't have had better weather or crowds.

The temporary stands erected for Saturday's race were full, pushing attendance to over 56,000, and temperatures in the mid 70s greeted fans who've waited a long time to see a major NASCAR event in their backyard.

According to NASCAR records, it was the highest-level NASCAR points race run in Iowa since Herb Thomas won at Davenport Speedway in 1953.

But the 0.875-mile Rusty Wallace-designed oval was new to most of the drivers. That unfamiliarity contributed to 12 yellow flags and 56 laps under caution.

Keselowski survived all the flags and received a rousing ovation afterward from an enthusiastic crowd that had given Busch a mixed reception during introductions.

"Everybody loves someone that beats Kyle Busch,'' Keselowski said.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Keselowski Wins Battle With Busch originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brad keselowskikyle buschFanHouse NewswireSat, 01 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EST NASCAR Sprint Cup Pocono Qualifying Rained Outhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/31/nascar-sprint-cup-pocono-qualifying-rained-out/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/31/nascar-sprint-cup-pocono-qualifying-rained-out/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/31/nascar-sprint-cup-pocono-qualifying-rained-out/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader Tony Stewart will be on the pole for Sunday's Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway. Qualifying for the race was rained out Friday.
Being the points leader in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has its advantages. During the 2009 season, there has been more to this than usual.

Sunday's Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway is the 21st race on the 36-race slate this year. On Friday, the scheduled qualifying runs were called off by rain for the fifth time this season. It can be quite the annoying theme, unless you're the points leader.

Because of the washout, points leader Tony Stewart will sit on the pole for Sunday afternoon's race. It's the fourth time this year Stewart will start from the pole without running a qualifying lap. Since he took the points lead, qualifying has been rained out at Pocono's first race, as well as the June race at New Hampshire, and the July 4 Coke Zero 400.

The rest of the front of the field for the start of Sunday's race will be Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, and Carl Edwards fifth. Because there were only 43 cars entered for the race, there were no "go or go home" drivers for qualifying. Sterling Marlin, Scott Speed, David Gilliland, Joe Nemechek, Dave Blaney, Patrick Carpentier, Mike Wallace, and Tony Raines will bring up the rear.

Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway -- the first time the series has run at that track -- should not have any weather issues. There is a chance of rain late Friday night, but skies should be mostly sunny by the time cars hit the track for qualifying Saturday. Points leader Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, and Kevin Harvick are the only Cup drivers pulling double duty for the weekend.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Pocono Qualifying Rained Out originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bruce CiskieFri, 31 Jul 2009 16:15:00 EST Busch Breezes to Nationwide Win Againhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/19/busch-breezes-to-another-nationwide-win/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/19/busch-breezes-to-another-nationwide-win/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/19/busch-breezes-to-another-nationwide-win/#commentsFiled under: ,


MADISON IL. (AP) -- Kyle Busch dominated the NASCAR Nationwide Series again, cruising to victory in the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 on Saturday.

Busch, who leads the series standings by 212 points (3,121-2,909) over Carl Edwards, won for the sixth time in 19 races season and also captured the 27th win of his career. The 27 wins ties him for fourth all-time in Nationwide wins with Jeff Burton.
More: Dodge Dealers 250 Results | Nationwide Series Standings

Reed Sorenson finished second and Carl Edwards was third. Mike Bliss and Brad Coleman rounded out the top five.

"The car drove really well,'' Busch said. "It was like a rocket ship. We just drove right up to the front.''

Busch, who started from the fifth row, has finished first or second in the last seven Nationwide races including wins at Loudon, N.H., and Nashville, Tenn.

"We've really worked hard to improve on our short track program,'' said Jason Ratcliff, Busch's crew chief.

Busch was one of four full-time Sprint Cup series drivers competing in the event with the Sprint Series taking the weekend off. Edwards, Sorenson, and Kevin Harvick also race regularly on the Sprint Series.

The win was the first for Busch in three career starts at the 1.25-mile oval.

Busch took over the lead on lap 172 of the 200-lap event when Harvick ran out of gas. Busch finished 1.001 seconds ahead of Sorenson.

Harvick, who finished 17th, led 92 of the first 150 laps, but made a mistake in calculating his fuel down the stretch. Busch felt he had the best car and would have passed Harvick even if Harvick had not run out of gas.

"That was a bummer for him,'' Busch said of Harvick's bad break. "But we had a little bit better car at that point in the race.''

Busch jumped out from the start and hustled up to third place after the first 10 laps. He remained in the top three during 189 of the final 190 laps.

Latest NASCAR Images

    MADISON, IL - JULY 18: An aerial tanker plane performs a fly-over prior to the NASCAR Nationwide Series Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway on July 18, 2009 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

    Getty Images

    MADISON, IL - JULY 18: An aerial tanker plane performs a fly-over prior to the NASCAR Nationwide Series Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway on July 18, 2009 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

    Getty Images

    MADISON, IL - JULY 18: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 New Balance Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway on July 18, 2009 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

    Getty Images

    MADISON, IL - JULY 18: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 New Balance Toyota, performs a burnout after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway on July 18, 2009 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

    Getty Images

    MADISON, IL - JULY 18: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 New Balance Toyota, performs a burnout after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway on July 18, 2009 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

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    MADISON, IL - JULY 18: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, leads the field off pit road prior to the NASCAR Nationwide Series Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway on July 18, 2009 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

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    MADISON, IL - JULY 18: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 New Balance Toyota, performs a burnout after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway on July 18, 2009 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

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    SPARTA, KY - JULY 18: Ron Hornaday Jr., driver of the #33 Longhorn Chevrolet leads the field during the The Built Ford Tough 225 NASCAR Camping World Truck Race at the Kentucky Speedway on July 18, 2009 in Sparta, Kentucky. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images)

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    SPARTA, KY - JULY 18: Ron Hornaday Jr., driver of the #33 Longhorn Chevrolet celebrates winning the The Built Ford Tough 225 NASCAR Camping World Truck Race at the Kentucky Speedway on July 18, 2009 in Sparta, Kentucky. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images)

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    SPARTA, KY - JULY 18: Ron Hornaday Jr., driver of the #33 Longhorn Chevrolet runs side by side with Tayler Malsam, driver of the #81 One-Eighty Toyota during the The Built Ford Tough 225 NASCAR Camping World Truck Race at the Kentucky Speedway on July 18, 2009 in Sparta, Kentucky. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images)

    Getty Images


A Las Vegas resident, Busch also has wins at Richmond, Virginia and Fort Worth, Texas this season.

Edwards was pleased with his third-place finish even though he lost 20 points in the overall series standings.

"We gave it all we had, all night,'' he said. "We were just a little off. We just weren't quite good enough.''

Sorenson continued to race well at Gateway. His second-place finish was his fourth top 10 in five races at Gateway.

The race featured seven cautions covering 34 laps with an average speed of 103.286. There were 12 lead changes among five drivers in the 2-hour, 27-minute race.

NOTES: The leader in the Nationwide Series standings after 19 races has won the season title nine times in the past 10 years .... Brad Keselowski won his second pole in 88 races, but finished eighth ... Edwards arrived at Gateway by riding his bike 190 miles from his hometown of Columbia, Missouri on Tuesday ... The first 67 laps were run without a caution, the cleanest start in the 13-year history of the event... Steve Wallace was penalized one lap for an improper hand gesture toward Scott Legasse Jr. following a mix-up on lap 84.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Busch Breezes to Nationwide Win Again originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>kyle buschFanHouse NewswireSun, 19 Jul 2009 05:00:00 EST Hall Call Could Lead to Confusionhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/10/hall-call-could-lead-to-confusion/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/10/hall-call-could-lead-to-confusion/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/10/hall-call-could-lead-to-confusion/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Speed TVWe're still a few months away from learning who the first five inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be, giving us a little time to banter back and forth about who should be in that critical first class.

I'm curious to see how everything plays out with the criteria for induction. With three premier but separate series - the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - how do you arrive at the finalists given the dominant success several drivers have enjoyed across the three different divisions?

For example, a look at Kevin Harvick's accomplishments as a driver in the Nationwide Series shows he certainly is Hall of Fame material. A two-time champion, he is one of the series' standouts but his Cup stats aren't Hall of Fame-worthy at this stage. Would the Nationwide Series weigh in on Harvick's resume when the day comes or would he need outstanding Cup results to garner a vote?

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Ironically, Ron Hornaday, who drives for Harvick in the Truck Series, is the series all-time winningest driver and if there was a Hall of Fame strictly for the Truck Series, he would top the list. But would that be enough to merit induction up against the Cup Series giants? Then again, the Cup Series is considered the premier group of drivers, so is it just natural for all the early inductees to spring from that division?

Or should the Hall members be divided into the Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series?

I propose as much because it is so difficult to contrast the accomplishments of drivers across the three levels. Each series has drivers who have written their names in the history books and helped the sport grow to the level it currently enjoys.

This isn't a discussion so much for the first class as for those down the road, because five annual members is an excessive amount. For the Hall of Fame to attain and retain its prestige and exclusivity, I think that number needs to taper off after the first year or two so we're not placing people in there just to hit a number. They need to be true legends and icons of NASCAR. But if NASCAR plans to continue to induct five new members each year, I think the members should be categorized by Truck, Nationwide, media and "general" categories, which likely would mean a Cup driver or owner.

Seven-time Cup Series champion Richard Petty made the comment last week that the first class of inductees should include those who founded the sport and not those who helped propel it forward, thereby saying he shouldn't be included. Petty's humility is part of what makes him such an ambassador for the sport and while I would never argue with the man, I must adamantly oppose him on this one. He's had more success than anyone else and is a no-brainer for the first ballot.

As for the first ballot, I'd say Bill France, Petty and Dale Earnhardt are a shoe-in for three of the first five slots. The France family's vision and work ethic grew the sport by gargantuan proportions both on and off the track. Petty single-handedly revolutionized the popularity of driver autographs and access, while Dale Earnhardt gave NASCAR one of its first true controversial heroes. France, Petty and Earnhardt helped launch NASCAR into the behemoth it has become and without them, the sport would be a mere shadow of itself. But after these three, I am not sure who belongs in the inaugural class because so many guys come to mind who have achieved equitable success . Their impact on the sport hasn't been as meteoric as the aforementioned trio.

While it becomes more difficult to select members after the obvious first three, one factor that has no place in the Hall is popularity, but as is the case with any sport's Hall of Fame, it's almost inevitable that it will play some role. In baseball's hall of fame, Don Mattingly has a chance of inclusion by virtue of playing for the New York Yankees for so many years and his media savvy in the country's largest media market. Mattingly may never be inducted, but his popularity with the vote-wielding media in New York will increase his odds.

The same is true with the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the fan vote. Race fans are so unique and have helped build the sport, and for that reason, I support giving them a voice. But on the other hand, because they are so loyal and emotional, part of me thinks they should have no input because that raw emotion could vote in members whose accomplishments might not truly merit the recognition.

All this aside, the NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees should earn their place on the strength of their wins, championships and unmatched contributions to the sport. Who would you vote for?

Adam Alexander is a SPEED reporter in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races on TNT, in addition to his duties hosting NASCAR in a Hurry and The SPEED Report.

Hall Call Could Lead to Confusion originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>bill franceBillFrancedale earnhardtDaleEarnhardtkevin harvickKevinHarvicknascar hall of fameNascarHallOfFamerichard pettyRichardPettyron hornadayRonHornadayAdam AlexanderFri, 10 Jul 2009 16:36:00 EST Milwaukee Mile May Be on Last Legshttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/03/milwaukee-mile-may-be-on-last-legs/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/03/milwaukee-mile-may-be-on-last-legs/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/07/03/milwaukee-mile-may-be-on-last-legs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Races like this IndyCar event may be a thing of the past at the Milwaukee Mile, as the track promoter struggles to pay the bills.
Wisconsin is not regarded by many people as a mecca for auto racing. However, it does have a fair history in the sport. Tracks like Road America (Elkhart Lake) and Madison International Speedway have been around for over 40 years, while the Milwaukee Mile has been around for over 100 years.

The historic racetrack on the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in West Allis is in trouble. After its most recent run of major events, the Milwaukee Mile may be about to shut its doors for good.

The NASCAR Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series races run at Milwaukee two weeks ago are the biggest events the sanctioning body brings to Wisconsin on an annual basis. The IndyCar series has typically run at the Mile the weekend after the Indianapolis 500.

All of these races are in serious jeopardy, thanks to the inability of Mile promoter Claude Napier to pay the bills from those events.
Napier's organization owes NASCAR nearly $1.9 million for staging two races in June and owes the Indy Racing League an undisclosed amount for its weekend in May. The organizer of a spectator event in August - the track's final opportunity for a significant payday this season - said this week that he is ready to walk away from his commitment.
This isn't child's play. The Milwaukee Mile, at 107 years of age, is the oldest racing facility anywhere in the United States. It hosted its first racing event way back in 1903, even before there was an Indianapolis 500. In a state that features legendary venues such as Lambeau Field and Camp Randall Stadium, the Milwaukee Mile is Wisconsin's most historic sports facility.

Former promoters Dominic and Frank Giuffre tell the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that they think it's "too late" to save the Mile, though they say they'd like a crack at it.

Current NASCAR drivers like Matt Kenseth, Paul Menard, Kelly Bires, Johnny Sauter, Travis Kvapil, and Scott Wimmer all hail from the Badger State. Matt's father, Roy, has organized a stock car event at the Mile in August, but he may be on the verge of pulling that event from the track.

Wisconsin race fans will still have opportunities to see some great racing at Road America and at MIS if the Mile closes. The problem is it can be argued Road America is the only other track in the state configured to host a NASCAR or IRL event. The IRL probably has enough road-course races as is, and NASCAR appears to be allergic to the concept.

Meanwhile, the Giuffres, according to the Journal Sentinel, are doing what they can to make it clear to State Fair Park management that they want a shot at resurrecting the speedway.
The Giuffres made their most recent contact with fair management this week, sending a letter to Chairman Susan Crane and members of the board. In it, they estimated the value of the track at $150 million, called the Mile "one of Wisconsin's crown jewels, and yet it is tarnishing the reputation of the state," and said its demise would be an "incalculable" loss to the state.
Racing will continue in Wisconsin. Just this week, Kenseth and Sprint Cup points leader Tony Stewart drove in a race at Madison, near Kenseth's hometown of Cambridge. That said, the loss of either the IRL or NASCAR events at Milwaukee would be a blow to Wisconsin's visibility on the racing map.

It would leave either Iowa Speedway and Chicagoland as the closest tracks for Wisconsin fans to catch NASCAR or Indy racing.

Milwaukee Mile May Be on Last Legs originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>johnny sauterKelly Biresmatt kensethpaul menardScott Wimmertony stewarttravis kvapilBruce CiskieFri, 03 Jul 2009 11:50:00 EST Busch Tops Logano for Nationwide Winhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/27/busch-tops-logano-for-nationwide-win/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/27/busch-tops-logano-for-nationwide-win/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/27/busch-tops-logano-for-nationwide-win/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Kyle BuschLOUDON, N.H. (AP) -- Kyle Busch figured out a way to win again in NASCAR's Nationwide Series.

After two straight frustrating runner-up finishes in the second tier series, Busch passed Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano near the end of the Camping World 200 on Saturday and held off the precocious 19-year-old to get the victory at New Hampshire International Speedway.

Logano, who started from the pole and led 108 of the 200 laps, beat Busch out of the pits by the length of a hood on the final pit stop by the two leaders. But Busch was able to stay with the leader and eventually drive past him with 36 laps left.

"We just kept adjusting on our car all day,'' said Busch, who had led the most laps in the last eight Nationwide races while winning only two of them. "Normally, when we're out front, we don't adjust on it. Today we didn't have the winning car, we made the winning car.

"(Crew chief) Jason (Ratcliff) and myself, we talked this past week about what we need in order to get better, in order to take this team to Victory Lane instead of finishing second week in and week out. This is a good step in the right direction.''

Logano said the handling on his car changed too much during the final run and it slowed him down enough for Busch to move ahead.

"We had a pretty good car today,'' the teenager said. "Just not good enough. It's not like he beat us by a lot. (We were) just too tight at the end. ... I guess this is how Kyle felt lately, leading all the laps and finishing second.''

Busch, who led a total of 37 laps Saturday, picked up his fifth Nationwide win of the year and 26th of his career. The 24-year-old, who also is a star in Sprint Cup and the Camping World Truck Series, now has a total of 52 wins in his NASCAR career.

Saturday's victory was his 10th of the season, including three in Cup heading into Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 on the same track and two in trucks.

Busch's latest victory also added to the remarkable string of 23 different winners in 23 Nationwide races on the 1.058-mile New Hampshire oval.

Former series champion Carl Edwards challenged Logano in the early going, leading 51 laps. But his crew had problems changing the right front tire on a pit stop just past halfway and he fell out of contention, finishing sixth. That left Edwards 162 points behind Busch in the championship after 16 of 25 races. Logano, in his first full season in Nationwide, is fifth.

Brad Keselowski finished third, followed by Mike Bliss and Kevin Harvick.

As the leaders crossed the finish line, Scott Speed hit Brian Vickers from behind and spun out his Cup teammate while they battled for ninth place. Vickers recovered to finish 12th. The angry Vickers bumped the rear of Speed's car several times as the two drove slowly along pit road after the race.

By MIKE HARRIS, AP Sports Writer

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Busch Tops Logano for Nationwide Win originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>joey loganokyle buschFanHouse NewswireSat, 27 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EST NASCAR Implements Double-File Restarts for Nationwide Series http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/26/nascar-implements-double-file-restarts-for-nationwide-series/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/26/nascar-implements-double-file-restarts-for-nationwide-series/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/26/nascar-implements-double-file-restarts-for-nationwide-series/#commentsFiled under: ,

Noting the "excitement" double file restarts have added to NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series racing in the past month, NASCAR has decided to institute the format in the Nationwide Series as well, effective next week in the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

"Double-file restarts -- shootout style will add to even more close competition in our series. ... and the format will also help give us more standard restarts every time," Nationwide Series Director Joe Balash said Friday in announcing the change.

The move comes as little surprise to the competitors or teams, who have seen the format enthusiastically received in the Cup ranks.

"There are going to be times it hurts you, but I think more often than not, it is going to be a benefit,'' said driver Jason Leffler. "I'm looking forward to it and I think the fans are going to love it!''

Under the new rules, all restarts in the race will feature two lines of cars with the first and second place cars starting alongside each other and the race leader holding the option of starting on the inside or outside lane. In the previous format the lead lap cars would restart in a single file line and the lapped cars would start in a line next to them.

NASCAR Implements Double-File Restarts for Nationwide Series originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Holly CainFri, 26 Jun 2009 18:30:00 EST Kyle Busch Dominates Field at Kentucky, But Joey Logano Winshttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/13/kyle-busch-dominates-field-at-kentucky-but-joey-logano-wins/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/13/kyle-busch-dominates-field-at-kentucky-but-joey-logano-wins/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/13/kyle-busch-dominates-field-at-kentucky-but-joey-logano-wins/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It almost seems like a broken record.

While Kyle Busch continues to own the NASCAR Nationwide Series points standings, he is having awful issues finishing races. He's had some bad luck, no doubt about it. However, Saturday night in the Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway, Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano simply had a better racecar. It helps that he picked a good time for what could have been his best restart of the night.

With 15 laps to go, a Mike Bliss wreck caused a red flag. After the track was cleaned up, the field was brought to green with 13 to go.

Not long after the restart, Logano got a great run on the low side of Busch, who had led for most of the race, and he made the clean pass. The combination of a popular young driver in Logano and a driver in Busch who is perceived (right or wrong) to be a complete jerk led to a loud roar from the 70,000 fans when Logano took the lead. He didn't give it up, winning by over a second.

For Busch, it was another race where he was dominant throughout, but couldn't cross the finish line first. It's the seventh straight Nationwide race where Busch led the most laps, but he has just two wins in that span.

His frustration was evident in a short postrace chat with ESPN's Mike Massaro. Asked about his widening point lead (Carl Edwards, second in points, ran 20th Saturday, so Busch picked up 47 points on the lead), Busch simply said "Would be nice to have 12 wins," before walking off.

Give him credit, though. He predicted a second-place finish earlier in the day, after a second-place finish in the Truck Series race at Michigan that saw him get passed late.

Kyle Busch Dominates Field at Kentucky, But Joey Logano Wins originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>carl edwardsjoey loganokyle buschBruce CiskieSat, 13 Jun 2009 23:30:00 EST GM Pulls Support from NASCAR Nationwide and Truck Series Teamshttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/12/gm-pulls-support-from-nascar-truck-series-teams/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/12/gm-pulls-support-from-nascar-truck-series-teams/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/12/gm-pulls-support-from-nascar-truck-series-teams/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Everyone had a feeling something had to give. And it has.

A week removed from Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, General Motors has pulled its factory support for teams in NASCAR's Nationwide and Camping World Truck series. And as the company evaluates its financial commitment to motorsports, there is concern that further cost-cutting may involve the Sprint Cup Series too. Several teams fielding Chevrolets in the Nationwide Series confirmed the news on Friday in statements.

"Obviously the automotive industry is dealing with unprecedented business challenges and we understand the need for restructuring to accommodate the need to reduce costs and maximize returns,'' said Kelley Earnhardt, general manager of JR Motorsports, a Nationwide team owned by her brother Dale Earnhardt Jr.



"The manufacturer support GM provides in the NASCAR Sprint Cup level is more critical in nature than in the Nationwide Series and I hope Chevy is able to continue supporting that level as the promotion of NASCAR works well for its demographics.''

Win on Sunday, sell on Monday is one of NASCAR's oldest refrains. Now it's a lifeline.

With the country's auto makers suffering major financial setbacks -- GM and Chrysler have already accepted government bailouts -- it's only natural to question whether the companies regard racing, and NASCAR specifically, as an essential expense.

Ironically, or maybe not, the marquee Sprint Cup Series is racing just outside Detroit this weekend as this major bit of news comes down. There will be a lot of focus, and serious talk, about the factory involvement as the companies are in the middle of shutting down plants, laying off thousands of workers and cinching their purse strings.

"Chevrolet's involvement in racing is a sound business decision that translates directly into the sale of cars and trucks,'' GM said in a statement to the Sports Business Journal.

"It is essential, however, that we continue to look at every penny we spend as General Motors takes the necessary steps to become a leaner company with a significantly stronger balance sheet.

"While Chevy Racing is talking to its business partners about ways to reduce cost and maximize the return on investment, it is our policy to not talk about the details of business relationships with our partners.''

Perhaps, but everyone else is talking. And worrying.

"Although this will require some internal restructuring, our commitment to our sponsors to provide the best possible product on the race track will not change,'' said Kevin Harvick, a Cup Series driver that fields and has won a championship with Chevy-backed teams in both the Nationwide and Truck series.

A large, high profile team such as Harvick's and JR Motorsports typically would receive manufacturer support in terms of engineering and engine development in addition to cash payments. It's unclear the immediate impact GM's cutbacks will have for these established teams.

Already in the Sprint Cup Series, there are rumors that teams are exploring other options. Richard Petty Motorsports is rumored to be interested in switching from Dodge to Toyota, for example.

"Chevrolet is going through some very challenging times,'' Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Friday at Michigan International Speedway. "I had a true understanding that this would be coming down the pipe and they would have to make some adjustments.

"Every company not only in this sport but particularly having a company of my own I've had to make adjustments due to how the economy has turned so it wouldn't be any different for anybody else. I've been a loyal supporter of Chevrolet for a very long time and will continue to be.''

Ford Motor Company has proven itself on more solid ground than its GM and Chrysler counterparts. It hasn't had to take government money and to date hasn't made any major changes in its financial dealings with its race teams.

Matt Kenseth, a Ford driver and the Cup Series' 2003 champion, joined several drivers at Ford's headquarters this week before on-track activity started at MIS. And while he said the tone of the meeting wasn't as upbeat as years past, he remains optimistic about Ford's involvement in NASCAR.

"It's always been strong and they've always said that the very last thing they would ever cut is the NASCAR funding because they realize how important it is to their brand and to their success in selling vehicles,'' Kenseth said Friday.

"I think they're seeing some signs of recovery, but certainly I don't think they're comfortable where they are because they're not at levels where they were a few years ago. Auto sales aren't at that level overall.

"Obviously it's a struggle for everybody, I don't know what's gonna happen with basically the government running two auto companies and another one running itself, so I don't know what that's gonna work out.

"But certainly, I'm proud to drive a Ford and I'm glad they haven't had to go down the avenue the other two have.''

GM Pulls Support from NASCAR Nationwide and Truck Series Teams originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>General MotorsGeneralMotorskelley earnhardtNationwide SeriesNationwideSeriesHolly CainFri, 12 Jun 2009 15:14:00 EST Kyle Busch: Good or Bad for NASCAR?http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/10/kyle-busch-good-or-bad-for-nascar/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/10/kyle-busch-good-or-bad-for-nascar/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/06/10/kyle-busch-good-or-bad-for-nascar/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Saturday night at Nashville Superspeedway, Kyle Busch handled the coveted guitar trophy in a manner that about 99.931 percent of the world would never think to do.

Yet, when we're thinking about the most dominant driver in the sport in terms of race wins over the past year and a half, a little more thought could have almost anticipated seeing Busch doing exactly what he did in smashing that custom-painted Gibson Les Paul into the victory lane concrete.

Whether or not you found the "celebration" to be a complete slap in the face to numerous people or just another much-heralded "Kyle being Kyle" moment, there remains a stirring question: Is this 24-year-old polarizer making NASCAR into a sport that is better or worse?

If you're a believer in the school of thought that any publicity is good publicity, Busch might be the best thing since ESPN's meteoric and sudden increase in NASCAR coverage that suspciciously conincided with their resumption of race broadcasting.

Face it -- the now-famous (or infamous) guitar smash has been played hundreds if not thousands of times on various sports channels and thoroughout the sports blogosphere since it landed body-first on that painted Nashville concrete. One Youtube video of the incident has over 14,000 views of it.

The impact of Busch's smash -- I'm not talking about how he failed to actually break the guitar in a rock-star fashion -- is probably more important, though, than the overall coverage.

NASCAR isn't a sport that people have never heard of at this point, and its not some web phenomenon.

Because of that, the publicity the sport is receiving can't exactly be the best in the eyes of the same crowd who won't support basketball's Indiana Pacers after their melee in Detroit or baseball players that have been accused of medically enhancing their on-field performance.

Watching Busch smash a beautiful trophy to pieces just looked disrespectful and, in my case, left me with a sick feeling in the stomach. Does that bring in viewers to NASCAR's next race?

I'm not entirely sure.

Then, there's the argument that NASCAR needs Kyle Busch just as it needs good tires at the Brickyard or a close finish at the Daytona 500 because he's a character without robot-like tendencies that many drivers -- including the reigning three-time champion Jimmie Johnson -- have been accused of in this era of sponsor-driven racing.

Several writers in the NASCAR media contingent this week have argued that Busch's guitar smash was a "so what?" moment, and that it's just another way that Busch is evolving into that villain of the sport people have clamored for since it lost Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart became a car owner. They've questioned why people aren't applauding Busch for his out-of-the-box actions and praised him for being different.

Aren't villians, though, supposed to be hated, booed and generally frowned on against by a good majority of a sport's fans? And isn't the true test of a guy that has the gall to take that role how well he can overcome mass hatred from the stands and still produce?

Kyle Busch has succeeded in that area, but where he hasn't succeeded is finding someone who is willing to take the staunch opposite role that will gladly throw numerous verbal barbs at the No. 18 or be a shoe-in for on-track fireworks whenever they run together.

Instead, Busch seems to the be the black-caped villian of a city that doesn't care what he does because they have no motivation to stop him.

In fact, that motivation has been sorely lacking from the Sprint Cup Series where Busch, at the moment, is 9th in points and just 53 markers from losing his lock-in spot to the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Sure, it's a little different in the Craftsman Truck Series and Nationwide Series where Busch has already tallied six total wins in 2009. That'll happen -- especially in the Nationwide Series where he should legitmately have two more wins and a bigger points lead -- when you're driving a Nationwide team with the resources of a Sprint Cup team.

I'll grant the fact that Kyle Busch is an acorn in a sport filled mostly with apples, and that his dominance certainly has energized and grown his fan base.

But when it comes to thinking that he's making the sport a better place, he seems to be following the pattern of one step forward and two steps back. He's claimed to have a deep respect for past NASCAR stars and made a huge donation to former Nationwide Series driver Sam Ard's health costs. He's given money to charities and donated a lot of time in that direction.

He's got no problem with talking at length about a race win, but when it comes to a narrow defeat, he's had a tough time figuring out how to let his fans know what happened but routinely avoiding that same media.

Smashing a coveted guitar in front of the whole world -- and more importantly Nashville track staff, artist Sam Bass and race sponsor (who walked out of victory lane according to Bass) Federated Auto Parts -- appears as a deep, deep disrespect for nearly everything in NASCAR.

A deep disrespect regardless of an intention to reward a team for their hard work with a piece of the guitar.

It's one thing to play the on- or off-track villian by spinning other cars or calling out other drivers, but when people who are in victory lane to congratulate a win and they leave with a nasty taste of disrespect because of a sheepish act, it's simple: Kyle Busch didn't do the right thing.

He's good for the sport on many, many levels right now, but there's still too much in Kyle Busch that isn't good for NASCAR right now.

Kyle Busch: Good or Bad for NASCAR? originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Joe Gibbs RacingKyle BuschNashville SuperspeedwayNationwide SeriesSprint CupGeoffrey MillerWed, 10 Jun 2009 10:24:00 EST