Less than two days after Michael Waltrip Racing announced Elliott Sadler would run five Sprint Cup races later this season in MWR's No. 55 Toyota, Sadler went on several national media outlets Monday to say he was backing out of the opportunity -- which reportedly was nullified by Sadler's Nationwide Series owner, Richard Childress, within hours of it being announced.
Sadler initially went on Sirius/XM NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway show to say that, in the aftermath of his Nationwide Series victory last Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway, which propelled him into the lead in the Nationwide championship standings and came just hours after MWR's announcement, his car owner Richard Childress summoned him to a meeting in PIR's driver/owner RV lot.
On radio, and later on SPEED Channel's Race Hub, where Sadler is a regular NASCAR analyst, Sadler said he and his owner had agreed it would be more appropriate if Sadler concentrated on driving Richard Childress Racing's No. 2 Chevrolet. Sadler currently has a 10-point lead on his teammate, Childress' grandson and Nationwide rookie of the year leader Austin Dillon.
Sadler said the question of driving for different manufacturers was never raised by Childress, who has fielded General Motors products in all his racing endeavors for more than four decades, including at least a dozen NASCAR championships.
Waltrip needed a replacement driver in the No. 55 that Mark Martin will drive in 24 points races this season. Sadler's first start was scheduled to be next weekend at Bristol and would've included two events at Bristol, two at Martinsville and the July event at New Hampshire. MWR has yet to name a replacement for the replacement.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Sportvision extends partnership with NASCAR
CHICAGO -- Sportvision, Inc., partner of NASCAR since 2000 and the leading innovator of digital sports content, broadcast enhancements and tracking data, announced that it has extended its partnership with Emmy Award-winning NASCAR Media Group as the exclusive tracking partner for NASCAR-sanctioned events through the 2018 racing season.
As part of the extended agreement, Sportvision has broadened its RACEf/x system technology to the Camping World Truck Series broadcasts on SPEED, and has rolled out a new premium tier to the NASCAR.COM RaceView 360 subscription product available at www.nascar.com/raceview.
"Our longstanding partnership with NASCAR has truly changed how fans consume the sport on multiple platforms, and I'm thrilled to extend our agreement," said Hank Adams, CEO, Sportvision, Inc. "By capturing the complete digital record of a race, we will continue to develop innovative consumer-based applications that bring passionate fans closer to the action and their favorite drivers."
Sportvision's RACEf/x technology, the most advanced tracking technology created for televised sports, is now utilized in all three NASCAR national series after expanding to the Truck Series in 2012. Like Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series cars, the trucks are equipped with Vector II tracking devices. These devices are the latest generation of Sportvision RACEf/x technology and the first to utilize both Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) satellite navigation systems.
The technology debuted in the Sprint Cup Series at the 2001 Daytona 500 and was introduced to the Nationwide Series in 2007. This patented, state-of-the-art technology tracks the cars at speeds reaching 200 MPH to create a complete "digital record" of a NASCAR race in real-time.
With the addition, SPEED will now highlight a full slate of broadcast graphics during Truck Series broadcasts and the technology will continue to be an integral component utilized by other NASCAR broadcast partners through 2018.
"Sportvision is an excellent partner that continues to develop and introduce technologies that enable us to deliver a richer, deeper and more compelling race experience to our fans at-track, on television, on the internet and through the use of wireless devices," said Jay Abraham, COO, NASCAR Media Group.
In conjunction with NASCAR Media Group and Turner Sports Interactive, Sportvision has rolled out a new premium tier of the RaceView 360 subscription product available at www.nascar.com/raceview. The TrackPass RaceView application -- which won the 2011 Adobe Max Award in Entertainment and offers a live rendering of a NASCAR race in 3-D -- provides fans with advanced live virtual video and in-car audio, complete race coverage and driver stats, head-to-head action, multiple camera angles, and customized views.
In 2012, TrackPass RaceView has been updated to include every driver's real-time pit statistics, new advanced driver performance statistics and a breadth of virtual video options, including where a driver hits the gas and/or brakes, fuel estimates, and more.
As part of the extended agreement, Sportvision has broadened its RACEf/x system technology to the Camping World Truck Series broadcasts on SPEED, and has rolled out a new premium tier to the NASCAR.COM RaceView 360 subscription product available at www.nascar.com/raceview.
"Our longstanding partnership with NASCAR has truly changed how fans consume the sport on multiple platforms, and I'm thrilled to extend our agreement," said Hank Adams, CEO, Sportvision, Inc. "By capturing the complete digital record of a race, we will continue to develop innovative consumer-based applications that bring passionate fans closer to the action and their favorite drivers."
Sportvision's RACEf/x technology, the most advanced tracking technology created for televised sports, is now utilized in all three NASCAR national series after expanding to the Truck Series in 2012. Like Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series cars, the trucks are equipped with Vector II tracking devices. These devices are the latest generation of Sportvision RACEf/x technology and the first to utilize both Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) satellite navigation systems.
The technology debuted in the Sprint Cup Series at the 2001 Daytona 500 and was introduced to the Nationwide Series in 2007. This patented, state-of-the-art technology tracks the cars at speeds reaching 200 MPH to create a complete "digital record" of a NASCAR race in real-time.
With the addition, SPEED will now highlight a full slate of broadcast graphics during Truck Series broadcasts and the technology will continue to be an integral component utilized by other NASCAR broadcast partners through 2018.
"Sportvision is an excellent partner that continues to develop and introduce technologies that enable us to deliver a richer, deeper and more compelling race experience to our fans at-track, on television, on the internet and through the use of wireless devices," said Jay Abraham, COO, NASCAR Media Group.
In conjunction with NASCAR Media Group and Turner Sports Interactive, Sportvision has rolled out a new premium tier of the RaceView 360 subscription product available at www.nascar.com/raceview. The TrackPass RaceView application -- which won the 2011 Adobe Max Award in Entertainment and offers a live rendering of a NASCAR race in 3-D -- provides fans with advanced live virtual video and in-car audio, complete race coverage and driver stats, head-to-head action, multiple camera angles, and customized views.
In 2012, TrackPass RaceView has been updated to include every driver's real-time pit statistics, new advanced driver performance statistics and a breadth of virtual video options, including where a driver hits the gas and/or brakes, fuel estimates, and more.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Back-to-back thirds have Biffle in second
AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Phoenix race winner Denny Hamlin isn't the only driver looking to put behind him a disastrous 2011 season. Greg Biffle also is attempting a bounce-back season after his worst points finish in seven years.
After two races in 2012, Hamlin and Biffle sit 1-2, respectively, in the Sprint Cup Series standings, with Biffle bringing home his second consecutive third-place finish Sunday in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.
I've got all new guys. I've got guys working really hard on the car ... and a guy that's really, really smart paying attention to all the fine details, and that's Matt Puccia.
It's a far better start to the season for Biffle than last year, when after two races he was mired 28th in points; he finished 16th, missing the Chase for the first time in four years. Now, Biffle sits six points behind Hamlin after the best start in his Cup career -- in nine previous full seasons, he never had started off with consecutive top-fives and only once had opened with back-to-back top-10s.
Biffle credits the quick start to a new start, of sorts, as the No. 16 team has a considerable different look, beginning with crew chief Matt Puccia.
"I've got all new guys. I've got guys working really hard on the car ... and a guy that's really, really smart paying attention to all the fine details, and that's Matt Puccia," Biffle said. "The reason why we got two third-place finishes is because of his leadership and his decision-making on pit road on what to do to the car. He makes the decisions he wants, and that's why we're sitting here now."
Puccia had his work cut out for him at Phoenix, as Biffle had trouble getting a handle on his car at the wave of the green.
"We fought the car really bad at the beginning of this race," Biffle said. "Matt never gave up on the car. He kept adjusting on it and I never thought it would get that good. I thought I was in trouble. I was ready to write that thing off for a 15th- or 20th-place finish.
"I am excited about how they got the car going."
Biffle's difficulty began with the weekend schedule, as there were no Saturday practices leading up to the race. After two practices Friday, the only on-track action for the Cup drivers Saturday was qualifying. Adding to Biffle's concern was a considerably warmer day Sunday.
"You know, I certainly would have thought we'd run better [Sunday] than we did," said Biffle, who had high hopes after his qualifying effort. "I knew my car was just super fast. But I went a little more aggressive on the front end. I was a little nervous about it with the heat [Sunday] and how warm it was, if what I was going to do was going to work out.
"I guess the track is just a lot different than it was on Friday. It is difficult coming to a green race track and do all your race stuff in one day to get set up for the race and just qualify on Saturday. It was challenging and I missed it a little bit."
Despite starting seventh, Biffle reported a loose car on Lap 52 and had fallen to 20th in the running order by Lap 75. He labored for the next 100-plus laps; he still was running 20th on Lap 195. Then, he started to make his move.
"It started out really loose and then we would go dead right," Biffle said. "We got the balance much better toward the end of that race and got some track position.
"It was a great third-place finish."
A third-place finish that could have been a runner-up. In fact, Biffle has had second in his sights in both races this season -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. passed Biffle for second in the Daytona 500.
On Sunday, Biffle could have passed Kevin Harvick, who coasted to the checkered flag on fumes, for second place, but Biffle was concerned with his own gas mileage. Or more precise, his team was worried.
"With about 20 [laps] to go they were panicked to say the least," Biffle said. "I heard the panic in their voice. ... They wanted me to slow down and I felt like I had saved enough gas so I kept my rhythm about right where I had it. With about four laps to go he sounded desperate and I backed up a little more and started drafting those lap cars and then they were like, 'The No. 29 [Harvick] is running out, try to pass him, try to pass him!'
"I was like, 'Well, it is a little late for that ... you should have told me that a lap ago and I could have passed him.' I missed him by like 100 feet at the start/finish line and we still had gas in the car. I made the cool-down lap and came back and still was running with no flicker of fuel pressure so I know I at least had one more lap. That being said, I probably could have easily got the No. 29 since he ran out. Obviously not the No. 11 [Hamlin] though."
After two races in 2012, Hamlin and Biffle sit 1-2, respectively, in the Sprint Cup Series standings, with Biffle bringing home his second consecutive third-place finish Sunday in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.
I've got all new guys. I've got guys working really hard on the car ... and a guy that's really, really smart paying attention to all the fine details, and that's Matt Puccia.
It's a far better start to the season for Biffle than last year, when after two races he was mired 28th in points; he finished 16th, missing the Chase for the first time in four years. Now, Biffle sits six points behind Hamlin after the best start in his Cup career -- in nine previous full seasons, he never had started off with consecutive top-fives and only once had opened with back-to-back top-10s.
Biffle credits the quick start to a new start, of sorts, as the No. 16 team has a considerable different look, beginning with crew chief Matt Puccia.
"I've got all new guys. I've got guys working really hard on the car ... and a guy that's really, really smart paying attention to all the fine details, and that's Matt Puccia," Biffle said. "The reason why we got two third-place finishes is because of his leadership and his decision-making on pit road on what to do to the car. He makes the decisions he wants, and that's why we're sitting here now."
Puccia had his work cut out for him at Phoenix, as Biffle had trouble getting a handle on his car at the wave of the green.
"We fought the car really bad at the beginning of this race," Biffle said. "Matt never gave up on the car. He kept adjusting on it and I never thought it would get that good. I thought I was in trouble. I was ready to write that thing off for a 15th- or 20th-place finish.
"I am excited about how they got the car going."
Biffle's difficulty began with the weekend schedule, as there were no Saturday practices leading up to the race. After two practices Friday, the only on-track action for the Cup drivers Saturday was qualifying. Adding to Biffle's concern was a considerably warmer day Sunday.
"You know, I certainly would have thought we'd run better [Sunday] than we did," said Biffle, who had high hopes after his qualifying effort. "I knew my car was just super fast. But I went a little more aggressive on the front end. I was a little nervous about it with the heat [Sunday] and how warm it was, if what I was going to do was going to work out.
"I guess the track is just a lot different than it was on Friday. It is difficult coming to a green race track and do all your race stuff in one day to get set up for the race and just qualify on Saturday. It was challenging and I missed it a little bit."
Despite starting seventh, Biffle reported a loose car on Lap 52 and had fallen to 20th in the running order by Lap 75. He labored for the next 100-plus laps; he still was running 20th on Lap 195. Then, he started to make his move.
"It started out really loose and then we would go dead right," Biffle said. "We got the balance much better toward the end of that race and got some track position.
"It was a great third-place finish."
A third-place finish that could have been a runner-up. In fact, Biffle has had second in his sights in both races this season -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. passed Biffle for second in the Daytona 500.
On Sunday, Biffle could have passed Kevin Harvick, who coasted to the checkered flag on fumes, for second place, but Biffle was concerned with his own gas mileage. Or more precise, his team was worried.
"With about 20 [laps] to go they were panicked to say the least," Biffle said. "I heard the panic in their voice. ... They wanted me to slow down and I felt like I had saved enough gas so I kept my rhythm about right where I had it. With about four laps to go he sounded desperate and I backed up a little more and started drafting those lap cars and then they were like, 'The No. 29 [Harvick] is running out, try to pass him, try to pass him!'
"I was like, 'Well, it is a little late for that ... you should have told me that a lap ago and I could have passed him.' I missed him by like 100 feet at the start/finish line and we still had gas in the car. I made the cool-down lap and came back and still was running with no flicker of fuel pressure so I know I at least had one more lap. That being said, I probably could have easily got the No. 29 since he ran out. Obviously not the No. 11 [Hamlin] though."
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Martin makes his mark with pole run at PIR
AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Mark Martin didn't need a second qualifying lap Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway.
Driving the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota, Martin claimed the pole for Sunday's Subway Fresh Fit 500 at the 1-mile track with a speed of 136.815 mph (26.313 seconds) on his first qualifying lap.
The next-to-last driver to make an attempt, Martin waited as Tony Stewart tried to knock him off the pole but fell one position short, qualifying on the outside of the front row at 136.126 mph.
Video: Out Front with Miss Coors Light
The pole award was the 52nd of Martin's career -- eighth-most all-time -- his second at Phoenix and his first since joining MWR this year.
Regan Smith (135.998 mph) qualified third, followed by Jimmie Johnson (135.583 mph) and Juan Montoya (135.547 mph). Ryan Newman (135.491 mph) was sixth-fastest in a backup car necessitated by a brush with the Turn 3 wall in Friday's practice.
Martin credited the equipment he's driven over the years with his success at winning poles and winning races.
"I've driven really good stuff, ever since 1988," Martin said. "I did drive a couple of slugs back in the early '80s, but since then ... you can't do that without superior effort and equipment -- but effort on top of that. It's more than equipment that does that.
"I think all of you know that I do work real hard at it, and I know that I have to work harder at it than the guys that are 20 years younger than me. I'm willing to do that to be able to continue to compete. But make no mistake -- MWR and [crew chief] Rodney Childers have good stuff."
Martin turned his pole-winning lap on a track that was appreciably warmer and slicker than it was during Friday's practice sessions. The forecast for Sunday calls for even hotter temperatures, in the mid-80s, and that suits Stewart's driving style.
"I always like it when it's hotter and slicker, to be honest," said the 2011 Sprint Cup Series champion. "I'm actually more excited that it will be hotter [Sunday]. I think that'll hopefully separate some of the cars that we think are good cars now [but] may not be quite so good [on Sunday]."
Timmy Hill failed to qualify for the 43-car field. Last year's Nationwide Series rookie of the year had hoped to make his Cup debut at Phoenix.
Driving the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota, Martin claimed the pole for Sunday's Subway Fresh Fit 500 at the 1-mile track with a speed of 136.815 mph (26.313 seconds) on his first qualifying lap.
The next-to-last driver to make an attempt, Martin waited as Tony Stewart tried to knock him off the pole but fell one position short, qualifying on the outside of the front row at 136.126 mph.
Video: Out Front with Miss Coors Light
The pole award was the 52nd of Martin's career -- eighth-most all-time -- his second at Phoenix and his first since joining MWR this year.
Regan Smith (135.998 mph) qualified third, followed by Jimmie Johnson (135.583 mph) and Juan Montoya (135.547 mph). Ryan Newman (135.491 mph) was sixth-fastest in a backup car necessitated by a brush with the Turn 3 wall in Friday's practice.
Martin credited the equipment he's driven over the years with his success at winning poles and winning races.
"I've driven really good stuff, ever since 1988," Martin said. "I did drive a couple of slugs back in the early '80s, but since then ... you can't do that without superior effort and equipment -- but effort on top of that. It's more than equipment that does that.
"I think all of you know that I do work real hard at it, and I know that I have to work harder at it than the guys that are 20 years younger than me. I'm willing to do that to be able to continue to compete. But make no mistake -- MWR and [crew chief] Rodney Childers have good stuff."
Martin turned his pole-winning lap on a track that was appreciably warmer and slicker than it was during Friday's practice sessions. The forecast for Sunday calls for even hotter temperatures, in the mid-80s, and that suits Stewart's driving style.
"I always like it when it's hotter and slicker, to be honest," said the 2011 Sprint Cup Series champion. "I'm actually more excited that it will be hotter [Sunday]. I think that'll hopefully separate some of the cars that we think are good cars now [but] may not be quite so good [on Sunday]."
Timmy Hill failed to qualify for the 43-car field. Last year's Nationwide Series rookie of the year had hoped to make his Cup debut at Phoenix.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Drivers feel lessons learned as they return to PIR
AVONDALE, Ariz. -- When NASCAR last visited Phoenix International Raceway, drivers were met with a new track of sorts, as PIR completed a repaving project between its February and November races that also included a reconfiguration, notable among the changes a widening of the frontstretch, readjusted dogleg, and progressive banking in the corners.
Between a tire test, open test and practices, drivers had ample opportunity to acclimate themselves to the new racing conditions. But nothing prepares you for the real thing than does the real thing itself -- which is why drivers are eager for their second go-round at the new-look PIR.
Ryan Newman and Michael McDowell both had problems in practice at Phoenix and will have to go to a backup car.
Watch video
"I feel like we have learned a bit and can apply some things to the race car to take on the track this time," said Jimmie Johnson, echoing a similar refrain among drivers.
Johnson, of course, had his streak of 10 top-five finishes at Phoenix, including four wins, snapped with a respectable but, for PIR, un-Johnson-like 14th-place finish (one lap down) in November.
"The tough thing here -- just to summarize a race run, the car gets tight relatively quick so you need to start the car really loose at the beginning of a run to be good over the long haul. That difference makes it tough," Johnson said. "Your balance of the car from the start of the run to the end of the run, there is a huge swing in events there and that is what we fought so badly here in the fall. I feel like we know where to go this year."
Others weren't as fortunate as Johnson, chief among them his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jeff Gordon, who followed a victory in February with a 32nd-place finish in November, when he was plagued by mistakes and brake issues.
"Somebody sent a tweet to me this week saying, 'When did preparation for Phoenix start?' I said, 'Since the last time we were here and we stunk so bad.' Obviously, we learned a lot the last time we were here. We were not very good, we didn't qualify very good, we weren't very good in the race," said Gordon, who posted the fifth-fastest speed in final practice (138.244 mph) Friday, covering the 1-mile track in 26.041 seconds, and his 59 laps in the session was the most of all drivers in the top five.
Johnson made 63 laps -- second-most in the practice to Kyle Busch's 64 -- with a top speed of 137.799 (26.125 seconds), good for seventh on the chart. Among the 22 drivers who ran 10 consecutive laps in the final practice, Johnson was second with an average speed of 135.758 mph. Only new teammate Kasey Kahne was better (136.451 mph).
"It just takes a little time to figure out race tracks from time to time. We have always been good at adapting and I think that this weekend we will run a lot better than we did in the fall," Johnson said.
Martin Truex Jr. led final practice with a speed of 139.481 mph (25.810 seconds). He was followed by Clint Bowyer, Juan Montoya and Kurt Busch. Montoya, who was sixth in the first session, and Ryan Newman were the only drivers to post top-10 speeds in both sessions.
Obviously, we learned a lot the last time we were here. We were not very good, we didn't qualify very good, we weren't very good in the race
Newman, however, used the final 90-minute practice to get acclimated to his backup car after wrecking between Turns 3 and 4 during the closing minutes of the first session.
"I opened my entry up a little too far. I got a little aggressive and just got loose getting in, and that was it," Newman said. "We'll just plug in the same game [to the backup car] and we'll be all right."
Newman was fourth-fastest in the first practice before the accident, and his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, Tony Stewart, led the session, giving Newman and Stewart confidence in the No. 39 backup.
"Like I told him, that is why we bring two cars to the race track," Stewart said. "The second car is just as good as his first one is. It will be fine."
As for the track, Stewart is the proverbial exception to the rule, and doesn't view a return trip to the track as any kind of advantage. And he backed that statement by posting the third-fastest 10 consecutive lap average (135.534 mph) in final practice.
"You know we got to do the Goodyear tire test here and then the open test and then the race. By the time the end of the race weekend was over it was our third time on the new track," said Stewart, who finished third in the race. "I think we probably made our biggest gains between the tire test and the open test and then the open test to the race. More so than what we did coming back here in the spring.
"It is not changed much from when we were here last fall."
Stewart's ease has to be of extra comfort for Gordon, who is looking for all the help he can get when it comes to setup. His newest teammate, Kasey Kahne, will have much to add to the conversation. Driving for Red Bull, Kahne won the first race on the repaved surface.
"We got a lot of information from our teammates including Stewart-Haas that we share data with of what they had in their car, as well as now [crew chief] Kenny Francis and Kasey Kahne being at Hendrick -- we feel like we've got a lot of really valuable information from what we learned as well as what they learned to come back here and be a lot more competitive," Gordon said.
Besides Newman, other drivers forced to backups are Matt Kenseth, Brendan Gaughan and Michael McDowell. Kenseth and Gaughan each had trouble in final practice.
Kenseth, who sat on the pole in the first race at repaved PIR, got in only 10 laps in the session and only mustered a top speed of 135.186 mph, more than 4 mph slower than Truex. Kenseth side-swiped the wall coming out of Turn 2; the car sustained severe damage to the right-front corner.
The only other incident in final practice came 53 minutes into the session when Montoya made right-side contact with the wall but was able to return after repairs.
In the first practice, McDowell hit the wall along the frontstretch, requiring his car to be towed to the garage. He was brought to the infield care center, where he was examined and released. He'll go to a backup. McDowell, who must make the race on time, did not turn a lap in the final session. He was the second-slowest of 44 cars in the first practice.
Between a tire test, open test and practices, drivers had ample opportunity to acclimate themselves to the new racing conditions. But nothing prepares you for the real thing than does the real thing itself -- which is why drivers are eager for their second go-round at the new-look PIR.
Ryan Newman and Michael McDowell both had problems in practice at Phoenix and will have to go to a backup car.
Watch video
"I feel like we have learned a bit and can apply some things to the race car to take on the track this time," said Jimmie Johnson, echoing a similar refrain among drivers.
Johnson, of course, had his streak of 10 top-five finishes at Phoenix, including four wins, snapped with a respectable but, for PIR, un-Johnson-like 14th-place finish (one lap down) in November.
"The tough thing here -- just to summarize a race run, the car gets tight relatively quick so you need to start the car really loose at the beginning of a run to be good over the long haul. That difference makes it tough," Johnson said. "Your balance of the car from the start of the run to the end of the run, there is a huge swing in events there and that is what we fought so badly here in the fall. I feel like we know where to go this year."
Others weren't as fortunate as Johnson, chief among them his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jeff Gordon, who followed a victory in February with a 32nd-place finish in November, when he was plagued by mistakes and brake issues.
"Somebody sent a tweet to me this week saying, 'When did preparation for Phoenix start?' I said, 'Since the last time we were here and we stunk so bad.' Obviously, we learned a lot the last time we were here. We were not very good, we didn't qualify very good, we weren't very good in the race," said Gordon, who posted the fifth-fastest speed in final practice (138.244 mph) Friday, covering the 1-mile track in 26.041 seconds, and his 59 laps in the session was the most of all drivers in the top five.
Johnson made 63 laps -- second-most in the practice to Kyle Busch's 64 -- with a top speed of 137.799 (26.125 seconds), good for seventh on the chart. Among the 22 drivers who ran 10 consecutive laps in the final practice, Johnson was second with an average speed of 135.758 mph. Only new teammate Kasey Kahne was better (136.451 mph).
"It just takes a little time to figure out race tracks from time to time. We have always been good at adapting and I think that this weekend we will run a lot better than we did in the fall," Johnson said.
Martin Truex Jr. led final practice with a speed of 139.481 mph (25.810 seconds). He was followed by Clint Bowyer, Juan Montoya and Kurt Busch. Montoya, who was sixth in the first session, and Ryan Newman were the only drivers to post top-10 speeds in both sessions.
Obviously, we learned a lot the last time we were here. We were not very good, we didn't qualify very good, we weren't very good in the race
Newman, however, used the final 90-minute practice to get acclimated to his backup car after wrecking between Turns 3 and 4 during the closing minutes of the first session.
"I opened my entry up a little too far. I got a little aggressive and just got loose getting in, and that was it," Newman said. "We'll just plug in the same game [to the backup car] and we'll be all right."
Newman was fourth-fastest in the first practice before the accident, and his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, Tony Stewart, led the session, giving Newman and Stewart confidence in the No. 39 backup.
"Like I told him, that is why we bring two cars to the race track," Stewart said. "The second car is just as good as his first one is. It will be fine."
As for the track, Stewart is the proverbial exception to the rule, and doesn't view a return trip to the track as any kind of advantage. And he backed that statement by posting the third-fastest 10 consecutive lap average (135.534 mph) in final practice.
"You know we got to do the Goodyear tire test here and then the open test and then the race. By the time the end of the race weekend was over it was our third time on the new track," said Stewart, who finished third in the race. "I think we probably made our biggest gains between the tire test and the open test and then the open test to the race. More so than what we did coming back here in the spring.
"It is not changed much from when we were here last fall."
Stewart's ease has to be of extra comfort for Gordon, who is looking for all the help he can get when it comes to setup. His newest teammate, Kasey Kahne, will have much to add to the conversation. Driving for Red Bull, Kahne won the first race on the repaved surface.
"We got a lot of information from our teammates including Stewart-Haas that we share data with of what they had in their car, as well as now [crew chief] Kenny Francis and Kasey Kahne being at Hendrick -- we feel like we've got a lot of really valuable information from what we learned as well as what they learned to come back here and be a lot more competitive," Gordon said.
Besides Newman, other drivers forced to backups are Matt Kenseth, Brendan Gaughan and Michael McDowell. Kenseth and Gaughan each had trouble in final practice.
Kenseth, who sat on the pole in the first race at repaved PIR, got in only 10 laps in the session and only mustered a top speed of 135.186 mph, more than 4 mph slower than Truex. Kenseth side-swiped the wall coming out of Turn 2; the car sustained severe damage to the right-front corner.
The only other incident in final practice came 53 minutes into the session when Montoya made right-side contact with the wall but was able to return after repairs.
In the first practice, McDowell hit the wall along the frontstretch, requiring his car to be towed to the garage. He was brought to the infield care center, where he was examined and released. He'll go to a backup. McDowell, who must make the race on time, did not turn a lap in the final session. He was the second-slowest of 44 cars in the first practice.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Newman happy to leave Daytona
To say that I was ready to leave Daytona and head to Phoenix is quite the understatement. In fact, I think I told one of the drivers I was ready to go to Phoenix after the Budweiser Shootout. Racing at Daytona just isn't one of my favorite things to do.
It's an honor to be able to race in the Daytona 500 and even to have won one, but I'm looking forward to getting back to a race track where I have a little more control of the situation than I do in the pack racing at Daytona. Daytona ended up being a disappointment for us.
That fire was one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen. It was pretty amazing to look up in the stands and see how many race fans were there to see the Daytona 500 in prime time on a Monday night.
I don't have a lot to say about Daytona except for one thing -- we have the best fans of any sport. Our fans hung in there through two rain postponements and a massive fire and cleanup. And yes, that fire was one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen. It was pretty amazing to look up in the stands and see how many race fans were there to see the Daytona 500 in prime time on a Monday night. Thank you for being fans. And I hope we made even a few more fans along the way.
So, what was the best thing about getting out of Daytona? For me and Krissie, it was getting home in time to find out on Tuesday that we are going to have a baby girl in late July. Brooklyn is really excited to have a little sister.
It's going to be a great year, and we're both very excited to meet our little girl. July will be here before we know it, especially considering all the time we will be on the road before then.
But now, it's on to Phoenix. I'm really looking forward to getting to Phoenix. I've often said I don't feel like our season really gets started until the second race of the season because Daytona is such a crapshoot.
Phoenix, on the other hand, is a driver's race track, and it's probably one of my favorites. It's a unique track that can be pretty challenging because of the design and how the track is different on both ends. Therefore, the crew chief can only get one end perfect, it seems, and the other one the driver has to adapt to. It's not a compromise if your crew chief does a good job setting up the race car because you can do things to try to manipulate those opposite ends of the race track. But, when your car is not working, it's up to the driver to make up what you can of what's left, and that I think separates the men from the boys at Phoenix. The driver really has to drive and hustle the car a little bit more and a little bit differently and still be smooth. It's those aspects that make the track a lot of fun to me.
I really thought Phoenix did a nice job getting the track ready for us last fall. The racing itself was good, and the track, I don't think, is a huge difference. I was pleasantly surprised with how good it was to drive. They worked really hard to put rubber down on the track, and we had two grooves for the better part of the race. The track was probably at its best when the checkered flag fell and, with time, weather and a couple of months of aging, I'm sure it has already improved. I think it will only be better by the time we race this Sunday.
The biggest thing for the No. 39 WIX Filters Chevy this weekend is that we have a good run. We didn't get the finish we wanted in Daytona, so we are in a little bit of hole, which is kind of familiar territory for us. But we need to take advantage of the tracks where we run well and maximize the points we can get. Phoenix is one of those tracks. We have had very strong runs at Phoenix recently, and we want to continue that. We have a good setup for that race track, and we have been able to capitalize on that.
It's an honor to be able to race in the Daytona 500 and even to have won one, but I'm looking forward to getting back to a race track where I have a little more control of the situation than I do in the pack racing at Daytona. Daytona ended up being a disappointment for us.
That fire was one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen. It was pretty amazing to look up in the stands and see how many race fans were there to see the Daytona 500 in prime time on a Monday night.
I don't have a lot to say about Daytona except for one thing -- we have the best fans of any sport. Our fans hung in there through two rain postponements and a massive fire and cleanup. And yes, that fire was one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen. It was pretty amazing to look up in the stands and see how many race fans were there to see the Daytona 500 in prime time on a Monday night. Thank you for being fans. And I hope we made even a few more fans along the way.
So, what was the best thing about getting out of Daytona? For me and Krissie, it was getting home in time to find out on Tuesday that we are going to have a baby girl in late July. Brooklyn is really excited to have a little sister.
It's going to be a great year, and we're both very excited to meet our little girl. July will be here before we know it, especially considering all the time we will be on the road before then.
But now, it's on to Phoenix. I'm really looking forward to getting to Phoenix. I've often said I don't feel like our season really gets started until the second race of the season because Daytona is such a crapshoot.
Phoenix, on the other hand, is a driver's race track, and it's probably one of my favorites. It's a unique track that can be pretty challenging because of the design and how the track is different on both ends. Therefore, the crew chief can only get one end perfect, it seems, and the other one the driver has to adapt to. It's not a compromise if your crew chief does a good job setting up the race car because you can do things to try to manipulate those opposite ends of the race track. But, when your car is not working, it's up to the driver to make up what you can of what's left, and that I think separates the men from the boys at Phoenix. The driver really has to drive and hustle the car a little bit more and a little bit differently and still be smooth. It's those aspects that make the track a lot of fun to me.
I really thought Phoenix did a nice job getting the track ready for us last fall. The racing itself was good, and the track, I don't think, is a huge difference. I was pleasantly surprised with how good it was to drive. They worked really hard to put rubber down on the track, and we had two grooves for the better part of the race. The track was probably at its best when the checkered flag fell and, with time, weather and a couple of months of aging, I'm sure it has already improved. I think it will only be better by the time we race this Sunday.
The biggest thing for the No. 39 WIX Filters Chevy this weekend is that we have a good run. We didn't get the finish we wanted in Daytona, so we are in a little bit of hole, which is kind of familiar territory for us. But we need to take advantage of the tracks where we run well and maximize the points we can get. Phoenix is one of those tracks. We have had very strong runs at Phoenix recently, and we want to continue that. We have a good setup for that race track, and we have been able to capitalize on that.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Despite bad start, Patrick thankful for experience
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- What ultimately was a brutal debut Sprint Cup Series weekend for Danica Patrick continued Monday night in the Daytona 500.
But despite getting caught up in a swirling, six-car melee on just the Great American Race's second lap -- the third no-fault accident she's been involved in during a five-day stretch -- Patrick spent a workmanlike 138 laps getting as much experience as she could once her Stewart-Haas Racing crew repaired her wounded car.
There wasn't much to gain, as far as position-wise, but what there was to gain was for me to get the experience of running out there.
"Every lap that I turn is a progression, that's for sure," Patrick said on pit road after the race. "That's why I was so proud of everyone working so hard -- and they were working hard -- to get me back on the track. There wasn't much to gain, as far as position-wise, but what there was to gain was for me to get the experience of running out there."
The most positive aspect of her 500 came immediately after Patrick left the garage in a car which she had no idea how it would perform. Patrick immediately jumped into the midst of a drafting pack and, after working for several laps with SHR teammate Ryan Newman, set her best lap of the race to that point after swinging to the outside to pass Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Once she was up to speed, Patrick cranked off consistent laps of 45.97 seconds, 45.287, 45.377, 45.348, 45.341, 45.237, 45.724, 45.629, 45.576 and 45.007 on lap 78, her best to that point. It definitely left her wondering "what if..."
Patrick eventually clocked her best lap of the night at 44.763 seconds, an average speed of 201.059 mph. Having enough speed to compete wasn't enough though.
"I've got to get further up the grid [because] the further you are up front, the less things happen," Patrick said of her three days of wrecks. "Every time the accident happened I was further back in the field. The further up front you are the better off you are -- but then again, you need that experience to get further up front, which is what I'm trying to get.
"So I'm sure this is not new territory for a new driver, I just wish it could have gone better for everybody that was so excited -- especially the fans. It was great to see them cheering all the way around the track, even when we were parked on the back straight [under a red flag with 40 laps to go]. But it would have been nice to have a solid finish."
Patrick's stock car career, in its first 29 races, has been marked by patience, a level head and applying every lesson she learns. Every one of those attributes was tested Monday evening and into Tuesday morning, when the race finally ended.
Patrick started the Great American Race in 29th after she was an innocent bystander in a devastating wreck during her Gatorade Duel 150-mile qualifying race.
After just one lap in the Daytona 500, which was delayed more than 30 hours, eighth starter Jimmie Johnson's car was turned sideways entering Turn 1. Just before she got to Johnson, Patrick's car was tipped, and it slid into Johnson's car with her car's left-rear. Patrick slid into the infield and passed between the still-wrecking cars of David Ragan and Trevor Bayne without making additional contact.
Patrick was instructed to drive her car to its garage stall on the race's third lap. Once it was there, her crew cut and hacked and even welded -- replacing the complete rear-end assembly and the left-side truck arm -- a critical rear-suspension piece.
After effecting body repairs to the left side, between the driver's door and the left-rear wheel, as well as to the left front fender with liberal applications of Bearbond adhesive sheets, Patrick was back on track, 62 laps down to the leaders.
Patrick's affinity for her team was borne out when she came on her in-car radio and said "thanks for working so hard to get me back out."
As she drove to the garage's exit gate, where her spotter, Mark Robertson, instructed her to wait until the cars racing had completed their pit cycle, Patrick displayed her level-headed mastery of her latest situation.
"I'll let you know if anything feels weird," Patrick said, before questioning Robertson on where she should start out running. "I'd rather learn. I don't want to ruin anyone's day, but I want to learn, too."
As the race restarted, Patrick immediately got up to speed and Robertson instructed to help Newman in the draft, which she did before he moved high and went on. Five laps later, she moved up and past Stenhouse Jr.
During several caution periods, Patrick proved capable of providing detailed feedback to Robertson and her crew chief, Greg Zipadelli. Later, she tried to sum up her experience.
"I kind of feel like I almost need to put the whole week in perspective -- it's just been up and down," Patrick said. "Everything from running good in the Duels to crashing on the last lap, to qualifying on the pole [in the Nationwide Series], to running well in the Nationwide to crashing; and a lot of this stuff, obviously, is out of your control at times and that's kind of the exciting thing about Daytona and big tracks is that anything can happen and will happen as we've seen.
"But I learned a lot. I got a lot of experience and I'm really proud of the crew putting the car back together. They had to do some welding and whatnot. But I got back out there. It felt all right considering the fact that they were welding. I think it felt really good."
There was no mistaking the fact that the large crowd of fans that persevered through a day and a half of bad weather cheered raucously when Patrick came out of the garage with her tape-plastered day-glo green-and-orange car.
She smiled wanly at the thought.
"It's disappointing," Patrick said of finishing 38th, 64 laps behind race winner Matt Kenseth. "I would have loved to have gotten a great finish. I would have loved to have been able to run on the lead lap there at the end. I feel bad for disappointing my fans who were cheering for me -- especially going out so early.
"But I'll come back stronger."
But despite getting caught up in a swirling, six-car melee on just the Great American Race's second lap -- the third no-fault accident she's been involved in during a five-day stretch -- Patrick spent a workmanlike 138 laps getting as much experience as she could once her Stewart-Haas Racing crew repaired her wounded car.
There wasn't much to gain, as far as position-wise, but what there was to gain was for me to get the experience of running out there.
"Every lap that I turn is a progression, that's for sure," Patrick said on pit road after the race. "That's why I was so proud of everyone working so hard -- and they were working hard -- to get me back on the track. There wasn't much to gain, as far as position-wise, but what there was to gain was for me to get the experience of running out there."
The most positive aspect of her 500 came immediately after Patrick left the garage in a car which she had no idea how it would perform. Patrick immediately jumped into the midst of a drafting pack and, after working for several laps with SHR teammate Ryan Newman, set her best lap of the race to that point after swinging to the outside to pass Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Once she was up to speed, Patrick cranked off consistent laps of 45.97 seconds, 45.287, 45.377, 45.348, 45.341, 45.237, 45.724, 45.629, 45.576 and 45.007 on lap 78, her best to that point. It definitely left her wondering "what if..."
Patrick eventually clocked her best lap of the night at 44.763 seconds, an average speed of 201.059 mph. Having enough speed to compete wasn't enough though.
"I've got to get further up the grid [because] the further you are up front, the less things happen," Patrick said of her three days of wrecks. "Every time the accident happened I was further back in the field. The further up front you are the better off you are -- but then again, you need that experience to get further up front, which is what I'm trying to get.
"So I'm sure this is not new territory for a new driver, I just wish it could have gone better for everybody that was so excited -- especially the fans. It was great to see them cheering all the way around the track, even when we were parked on the back straight [under a red flag with 40 laps to go]. But it would have been nice to have a solid finish."
Patrick's stock car career, in its first 29 races, has been marked by patience, a level head and applying every lesson she learns. Every one of those attributes was tested Monday evening and into Tuesday morning, when the race finally ended.
Patrick started the Great American Race in 29th after she was an innocent bystander in a devastating wreck during her Gatorade Duel 150-mile qualifying race.
After just one lap in the Daytona 500, which was delayed more than 30 hours, eighth starter Jimmie Johnson's car was turned sideways entering Turn 1. Just before she got to Johnson, Patrick's car was tipped, and it slid into Johnson's car with her car's left-rear. Patrick slid into the infield and passed between the still-wrecking cars of David Ragan and Trevor Bayne without making additional contact.
Patrick was instructed to drive her car to its garage stall on the race's third lap. Once it was there, her crew cut and hacked and even welded -- replacing the complete rear-end assembly and the left-side truck arm -- a critical rear-suspension piece.
After effecting body repairs to the left side, between the driver's door and the left-rear wheel, as well as to the left front fender with liberal applications of Bearbond adhesive sheets, Patrick was back on track, 62 laps down to the leaders.
Patrick's affinity for her team was borne out when she came on her in-car radio and said "thanks for working so hard to get me back out."
As she drove to the garage's exit gate, where her spotter, Mark Robertson, instructed her to wait until the cars racing had completed their pit cycle, Patrick displayed her level-headed mastery of her latest situation.
"I'll let you know if anything feels weird," Patrick said, before questioning Robertson on where she should start out running. "I'd rather learn. I don't want to ruin anyone's day, but I want to learn, too."
As the race restarted, Patrick immediately got up to speed and Robertson instructed to help Newman in the draft, which she did before he moved high and went on. Five laps later, she moved up and past Stenhouse Jr.
During several caution periods, Patrick proved capable of providing detailed feedback to Robertson and her crew chief, Greg Zipadelli. Later, she tried to sum up her experience.
"I kind of feel like I almost need to put the whole week in perspective -- it's just been up and down," Patrick said. "Everything from running good in the Duels to crashing on the last lap, to qualifying on the pole [in the Nationwide Series], to running well in the Nationwide to crashing; and a lot of this stuff, obviously, is out of your control at times and that's kind of the exciting thing about Daytona and big tracks is that anything can happen and will happen as we've seen.
"But I learned a lot. I got a lot of experience and I'm really proud of the crew putting the car back together. They had to do some welding and whatnot. But I got back out there. It felt all right considering the fact that they were welding. I think it felt really good."
There was no mistaking the fact that the large crowd of fans that persevered through a day and a half of bad weather cheered raucously when Patrick came out of the garage with her tape-plastered day-glo green-and-orange car.
She smiled wanly at the thought.
"It's disappointing," Patrick said of finishing 38th, 64 laps behind race winner Matt Kenseth. "I would have loved to have gotten a great finish. I would have loved to have been able to run on the lead lap there at the end. I feel bad for disappointing my fans who were cheering for me -- especially going out so early.
"But I'll come back stronger."
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