Track Talk from Valvoline

THE BIG STORY


NASCAR got going at Daytona, with Martin Truex Jr. taking the pole for the Daytona 500 and Kevin Harvick leading only the last lap to claim Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout special event. Truex put his Chevrolet on the pole with a 188.001 mph lap. Mark Martin is locked-in for the other front row position with a 187.817 mph lap in his Chevy.
Also: The IRL said it is continuing talks on new engine rules for 2011 with Honda, Audi, Fiat, Porsche and VW. Proposed specs are for a four-stroke, two-liter, single turbo formula with cost-containment development restrictions… The Atlantic series champion will earn a $1 million bonus… Former Honda Performance Development president Robert Clarke became CEO of Gil de Ferran's ALMS team… Donny Schatz and Joey Saldana won the World of Outlaws season openers at Volusia Speedway… James Buescher, 18, won the ARCA 200 opener at Daytona in a Toyota.


NASCAR Sprint Cup Series


Kevin Harvick started 23d in the 28-car Budweiser Shootout, reformatted to put more focus on the four automakers. The first segment ran 25 laps, with Carl Edwards in front, followed by a 10-minute pause. The second segment was scheduled for 50 laps but a late caution added three laps. Harvick's Chevrolet went high around Jamie McMurray's Ford going into turn three on the last lap. A Casey Mears-Jimmie Johnson-Denny Hamlin accident behind them ended the race under yellow. Paul Menard drew the pole but finished 11th. Harvick struggled early, brushed the wall, and lost the lead draft. Dale Earnhardt Jr. led the most laps, 24, but was caught in an accident. Greg Biffle and David Stremme tangled to set up the green-white-checker finish. Tony Stewart was third, followed by Jeff Gordon and A.J. Allmendinger in the No. 44 Valvoline Dodge. Harvick got to victory lane for the first time since the 2007 All-Star race and earned $200,000. He averaged 127.243 mph over 195 miles with eight yellows for 23 laps. In Sunday qualifying, 56 caps attempted a lap. Ryan Newman, Juan Pablo Montoya and Bill Elliott rounded out the top five. Allmendinger had the 35th best speed.

NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series


Rain and cold weather forced continuation of the Kragen O'Reilly Nationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona until Monday. Only the first round in Top Fuel and Funny Car were completed. Tony Schumacher, Brandon Bernstein, Antron Brown, Mike Strasburg, Morgan Lucas, Steve Chrisman, Cory McClenathan and Doug Kalitta advanced in Top Fuel. Robert Hight, Ashley Force Hood, Ron Capps, Del Worsham, Jack Beckman, Bob Tasca III, Gary Densham and Jim Head moved ahead in Funny Car. Rain limited the racers to one qualifying pass. Brown ran a 1,000-foot record 3.708 seconds, but a wiring system malfunction was detected, so no qualifying points were awarded. Larry Dixon didn't qualify. Beckman qualified eighth in the Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger. Ron Krisher qualified 16th in the Valvoline Chevrolet Cobalt. NHRA and ESPN extended their relationship through 2016.


Racer of the Week


Martin Truex Jr. After his team merged during the off-season, Truex and crew put his Chevy on the Daytona 500 pole.


Yes, He REALLY Said That


Scott Atherton, ALMS president, promoting his series' "green" rules. "Racing has become better known for back flips and soap opera-like drama. And while there is nothing wrong with entertainment-based motorsport, the role of the automobile in the equation has been reduced to that of an irrelevant appliance of parity."


This Weekend


The Daytona 500 highlights Sunday, with the Truck opener Friday night and Nationwide debut Saturday. Daytona 500 qualifying races are Thursday.
Members, get ready to pick/post your Top 3 @ Daytona [8D]

 

Feb 08 2009 [/align][/align]
Gatorade Duel at Daytona LineupsPosted by admin& MCF `Space in News[/align]
The Gatorade Duel at Daytona start at 2pm/Eastern on Thursday and determine the starting spots for Sunday’s Daytona 500, and some who still need to qualify their way in. Here’s how they’ll lineup…



Duel #1
Duel #2

1 1 Martin Truex Jr
2 21 * Bill Elliott
3 48 Jimmie Johnson
4 8 Aric Almirola
5 24 Jeff Gordon
6 14 * Tony Stewart
7 98 Paul Menard
8 16 Greg Biffle
9 87 * Joe Nemechek
10 20 Joey Logano
11 17 Matt Kenseth
12 26 Jamie McMurray
13 6 David Ragan
14 47 Marcos Ambrose
15 36 * Scott Riggs
16 55 Michael Waltrip
17 34 John Andretti
18 09 * Brad Keselowski
19 9 Kasey Kahne
20 7 Robby Gordon
21 07 Casey Mears
22 2 Kurt Busch
23 77 Sam Hornish Jr
24 27 * Kirk Shelmerdine
25 37 * Tony Raines
26 66 * Terry Labonte
27 23 * Mike Skinner
28 46 * Carl Long
1 5 Mark Martin
2 39 Ryan Newman
3 42 Juan Pablo Montoya
4 28 * Travis Kvapil
5 96 Bobby Labonte
6 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr
7 78 * Regan Smith
8 18 Kyle Busch
9 82 Scott Speed
10 00 David Reutimann
11 08 * Boris Said
12 33 Clint Bowyer
13 11 Denny Hamlin
14 99 Carl Edwards
15 43 Reed Sorenson
16 19 Elliott Sadler
17 31 Jeff Burton
18 83 Brian Vickers
19 44 * AJ Allmendinger
20 12 David Stremme
21 41 * Jeremy Mayfield
22 71 * Mike Wallace
23 73 * Mike Garvey
24 29 Kevin Harvick
25 75 * Derrike Cope
26 51 * Kelly Bires
27 64 * Geoff Bodine
28 57 * Norm Benning

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Feb 08 2009 [/align][/align]
Ill-handling race cars draw concern following ShootoutPosted by admin in nascar.com[/align]There were a lot of complaints about ill-handling race cars both during and after Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway, but the final post-mortem seemed to be "business as usual."[IMG]http://rss.nascar.com/~r/rss/news_cup/~4/534690678" width=1> [/align][b][i][/align]


Feb 08 2009 [/align][/align]
Daytona 500 Front Row is set: Truex on the polePosted by admin in News[/align]

The front row is set for next weeks Daytona 500. Locked in are Mark Martin on the outside pole, and Martin Truex Jr. is the pole sitter, driving the #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. Everyone else needs to either qualify their way in, or set their starting spots on Thursday in the Gatorade Duels at Daytona.
Here’s how the top 10 stack up…
1 Martin Truex Jr.
2 Mark Martin
3 Ryan Newman
4 Juan Pablo Montoya
5 Bill Elliott
6 Jimmie johnson
7 Aric Almirola
8 Travis Kvapil
9 Jeff Gordon
10 Tony Stewart






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Mark Martin driving the full season for Hendrick Motorsports put his #5 car on the outside front row and is locked in. Tony Stewart and Stewart/Haas Motorsports put both of their cars inside the top 10 as well. Both of those cars will race in the 500, as Newman has the points, and Stewart is a past champion.
LIST OF LOCK INS (based on time)
Bill Elliott
Travis Kvapil
Tony Stewart
Terry Labonte (past champion)
Summary of Daytona 500 Qualifying
The bottom line – for the 2009 Daytona 500 - is that the top-two qualifiers are in. The remaining top-35 guaranteed starters are in. Four drivers will make the field based on their performance in the duels and the remaining positions will be filled based on qualifying times or being a past champion.[/align][/align]