NASCAR + more 9-2-08
#1
09-02-2008, 11:34 AM
NASCAR + more 9-2-08
[/color]THE BIG STORY[/color]
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Jimmie Johnson won NASCAR's Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway, but the holiday weekend's biggest story was at the Big Go - NHRA's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals - drag racing's most important event. Tony Schumacher won in Top Fuel, a record sixth consecutive victory, and record 11th of the season. He tied Joe Amato for the class record with his 52d national win. Robert Hight was the Funny Car winner, with Dave Connolly taking Pro Stock, and Steve Johnson Pro Stock Motorcycle. Points will now reset for the Countdown to One playoffs, with Schumacher, Tim Wilkerson, Greg Anderson and Matt Smith the top seeds. Phil Hill, America's first world champion, died of complications from Parkinson's disease at age 81. He also won Le Mans and Sebring three times.
Also: Reed Sorenson will drive for Gillett Evernham Motorsports in 2009, with car number and sponsor to be announced… Joey Logano was confirmed to drive Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 20 in Cup next season. He'll debut for Gibbs later this season and also drive five races in the No. 96 Toyota in preparation for full-time duty next year… The Feb. 7 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona will have a new format. The field of 24 will include the top six teams from each of the four manufacturers based on 2008 owner points. Race distance will increase to 75 laps, in two segments… As a result of their post-Bristol bumping, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch were put on six-race probation by NASCAR.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
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Jimmie Johnson got the pole Friday at California with a 180.397 mph lap. Sunday, his Chevrolet immediately went to the lead. On lap four, Jamie McMurray created the first yellow due to a flat tire. A bizarre yellow came on lap 20 when a trackside light fell onto the track. Kurt Busch had a tire go flat on lap 43. Joe Nemechek wrecked on lap 68. On another debris caution, Johnson came into the pits first, but went out sixth. Greg Biffle, whose crew changed two tires, got the lead. Johnson passed him for the lead within two laps of the restart. With 70 laps to go, Robby Gordon spun. On that pit exchange, Carl Edwards exited first, with Johnson fourth. Johnson got the lead within two laps of the green. With 33 laps remaining, Marcos Ambrose brushed the wall, triggering another yellow. Biffle came out of the pits first but Johnson moved by in turn four after the restart. After leading 227 of the 250 laps, Johnson finished two seconds ahead of Biffle. Denny Hamlin was third, followed by Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 11th and Jeff Gordon 15th. Patrick Carpentier qualified fifth in the Sears Auto Center/Valvoline Dodge, had to move to the back after transmission repairs, and finished 18th. Johnson averaged 138.857 mph with eight yellows for 34 laps. Kyle Busch (seventh) is 208 points ahead of Edwards (sixth). With one race to go before the Chase, Clint Bowyer is 17 points up on David Ragan for the last Chase position.
NASCAR Nationwide Series
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Kyle Busch led 144 of the 150 laps in Saturday night's Camping World RV Service 300 in California. His No. 18 Toyota started on the pole and was only challenged briefly by Carl Edwards' Ford on a late restart. Edwards finished second, under yellow, due to a last-lap incident. Brian Vickers was third. Busch averaged 144.212 mph with five cautions for 15 laps. Clint Bowyer (seventh) is 204 points clear of Brad Keselowski (33d; engine problems.) Stephen Leicht will share the No. 29 RCR Chevy with Jeff Burton next season, replacing Scott Wimmer.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
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NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series
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Tony Schumacher's all-time all-everything NHRA season continued Monday in the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park, near Indianapolis. His Army dragster powered to a 3.916 second, 309.13 mph win over Doug Kalitta's 4.036, 299.86 mph. In Funny Car, Robert Hight's Ford Mustang clocked 4.312, 283.85 mph to best Jack Beckman's 4.438, 254.04 mph in the Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger. Beckman qualified 10th. John Force didn't qualify for the second straight year. In Sunday's $100,000 U.S. Smokeless Showdown special event, Cruz Pedregon's Toyota Solara ran 4.184, 291.32 mph to best Tim Wilkerson's 4.280, 278.58 mph in a Chevy Impala. In Pro Stock, Dave Connolly ran 6.743, 206.04 mph in a Chevrolet Cobalt to take out Larry Morgan's Dodge Stratus, 6.797, 204.70 mph. Ron Krisher qualified sixth in the Valvoline Chevrolet Cobalt and lost in the first round. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Steve Johnson's Suzuki got by Andrew Hines' Harley, 7.034, 189.79 mph vs. 7.063, 187.63 mph. In Saturday's $25,000 Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle, Eddie Krawiec won when Harley teammate Hines fouled. Krawiec ran 7.060, 188.15 mph. Crew chief Alan Johnson will leave Don Schumacher Racing after this season to start a two-car Top Fuel-Funny Car team. His partner in Al-Anabi Racing is His Highness Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar. No drivers were revealed. Drivers formalized a safety committee, headed by Bob Vandergriff Jr. with Larry Dixon and Ron Capps the other representatives.
IndyCar Series
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Officials decided Helio Castroneves blocked Justin Wilson's passing attempt and ordered the double Indy 500 winner to allow Wilson to pass him on lap 73 of 87 and he won Sunday's Detroit Grand Prix on Belle Isle. It was Wilson's first IRL win. He finished 4.4 seconds ahead of an unhappy Castroneves and averaged 89.911 mph. Tony Kanaan was third. Poleman Scott Dixon finished fifth and is 30 points ahead of Castroneves going into the season ender at Chicagoland.
American Le Mans Series
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Andretti Green Racing, not announced as part of Acura's 2009 plans, won Saturday's Detroit Sports Car Challenge on Belle Isle with drivers James Rossiter and Franck Montagny. Their P2 class Acura took the lead with about 69 minutes left in the two hour, 45 minute event and got to the finish line 3.9 seconds ahead of the David Brabham-Scott Sharp Acura after 104 laps. In P1, the diesel Audi of Emanuele Pirro and Marcel Fassler won, and were third overall. In GT1, the Chevrolet Corvette of Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta won. In GT2, Jorg Bergmeister and Wolf Henzler won in a Porsche. Acura will move two cars to the P1 category next season, fielded by the de Ferran and Highcroft teams. Fernandez Racing will continue in the P2 class.
Rolex Sports Car Series
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Oswaldo Negri Jr. edged Max Angelelli by .459 second Sunday to win the Supercar Life 250 at the new New Jersey Motorsports Park. Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas clinched the Daytona Prototype team championship with a ninth-place finish in a backup car. During Thursday testing, Pruett crashed against the end of the pit road barrier, splitting his car in two. He was checked and released from a local hospital but his team had to go back to its Indianapolis base to prepare a backup Lexus-Riley and didn't get back to the track until Saturday evening, so a sore Pruett didn't qualify and started from pit lane. He drove about 90 minutes before handing the car over to Rojas. Negri led the final 45 laps in a Ford Riley started by Mark Patterson. They averaged 85.440 mph over 105 laps. Angelelli teamed with Michael Valiante in a Pontiac Dallara. Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand were third in a Porsche Riley. Assuming Pruett and Rojas each complete the minimum driving time required in the season finale in Utah, they will share the championship. In GT, Tim George Jr. and Andy Lally won in a Porsche GT3.
Valvoline Winner Last Weekend
Tony Schumacher, NHRA Top Fuel class, Indianapolis.
Racer of the Week
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Scott Pruett. Battered from a major crash in testing, he drives a backup car in the first pro race at the new New Jersey track, and all-but clinches the Daytona Prototype championship.
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Yes, He REALLY Said That
Gary Scelzi, NHRA Funny Car driver, on not advancing in the Countdown. "We'll just finish off the year by causing havoc for everyone else in the playoffs." [:-]
[color=#0000cc]This Weekend
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[color=#0000cc]NASCAR's "regular season" wraps Saturday night at Richmond, after Friday night Nationwide racing. Trucks try Gateway Saturday. IRL concludes at Chicagoland. Formula One tours Belgium.
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