[SIZE=2]* Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Kurt and Kyle Busch all former Phoenix winners
* Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle lead pre-race Phoenix Loop Data statistics
* 5 for 5: Ken Schrader to follow triple-duty NASCAR weekend with Sunday double
NEWS AND NOTES
Yeley in Spotlight ... A closer look at J.J. Yeley's homecoming: His parents, Judy and Jack, still live in the metropolitan Phoenix area and will be at the track. Yeley also hopes to give the family reason to cheer. He has one top-10 finish through seven NASCAR NEXTEL Cup events (eighth at California) and three top-five starts -- fourth at California, fifth at Atlanta and second at Texas. A potential top-10 run at Texas two weeks ago was spoiled by an accident; Yeley finished 35th.
As for Raybestos rookie standings, Yeley currently ranks fifth, 10 points behind leader and JGR teammate Denny Hamlin. He's 24th in the series standings, and just as busy in the NASCAR Busch Series, where he's one of seven drivers competing fulltime in both the NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Yeley drives JGR's No. 18 Vigoro/Home Depot Chevrolet in the NASCAR Busch Series. He's fourth in those standings.
Watch Out For These Guys: Other Phoenix Threats ... Since 1988, the tight, flat track with the backstretch dogleg has seen 16 different winners in 19 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup events. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet), Mark Martin (No. 6 AAA Ford) and Dale Jarrett (No. 88 UPS Ford) are among those who have visited Victory Lane, but they aren't alone.
Earnhardt and Burton lead all active drivers with two wins each at Phoenix. Earnhardt won in 2003 and 2004. Burton won in 2000 and 2001.
Jarrett, who won in 1997, is one of three active drivers -- Martin and Ken Schrader (No. 21 Little Debbie/Motorcraft/U.S. Air Force Ford) are the others -- to compete in all 19 Phoenix events.
Martin won in 1993 and his 13 top-10 Phoenix finishes leading all drivers. His 471 laps led is the best mark of any active driver. Recently-retired Rusty Wallace leads all drivers with 868 laps led.
And don't forget Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge), who won last year's inaugural spring event, and brother Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet), who won the traditional November race. Kyle Busch's 4.5 average finish in two Phoenix events is the best of all drivers while Kurt Busch's four straight top-10 finishes is the longest current streak there.
"In the Loop" -- Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle lead PIR data ... Who to look out for Saturday at Phoenix? Numbers tell the tale. NASCAR Loop Data statistics from last year for Phoenix show Kurt Busch had the highest Driver Rating (150.0). He also was the Fastest Driver Late in a Run with a top speed of 123.270 mph and the Fastest Driver by Straightaway (Frontstretch) with an average speed of 116.107 mph.
Greg Biffle (No. 16 National Guard Ford) led seven categories -- Fastest Driver Early in a Run with a top speed of 126.628 mph; Fastest Driver by Straightaway (Backstretch) with a top speed of 147.874 mph; Fastest Driver in Turns 1, 3 and 4 with top speeds of 120.064 mph, 122.326 mph and 121.122 mph, respectively; Fastest Laps with a top speed of 131.111 mph and Fastest on Restarts with an average speed of 126.323 mph.
Harvick Going Full Speed Ahead ... Don't expect the just-completed Easter off-week to slow Kevin Harvick (No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet). He began the break as one of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series' hottest drivers and ended it by winning this past Sunday's NASCAR Busch Series event at Nashville Superspeedway, his first NASCAR Busch Series win this season.
Harvick -- one of seven drivers running fulltime schedules in both series -- also leads the NASCAR Busch Series standings.
Back in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 10 for the first time since last year's June event at Michigan, Harvick has jumped from 23rd to ninth place in three races. He's done it on the strength of three consecutive top-10 finishes, his most recent a fifth two weeks ago at Texas.
Harvick has one top-five finish (fourth in 2004) in six Phoenix events.
Things also are going well for Harvick the team owner. He and wife DeLana own Kevin Harvick Inc., which fields the NASCAR Busch Series team of Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate Burney Lamar (No. 77 Dollar General Chevrolet) and the No. 33 Outdoor Life Channel Chevrolet, to be driven at Phoenix by Ron Hornaday Jr. Lamar, who finished seventh behind Harvick at Nashville, is now 10th in that series' standings.
KHI also owns the No. 33 Chevrolet driven by Hornaday in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Crew Chief Changes Heading to Phoenix ... Several teams made leadership moves during the off-week, meaning new faces atop different pit boxes in Phoenix. Roush Racing led the way by moving Bob Osborne, formally Carl Edwards' (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) crew chief, to Jamie McMurray's (No. 26 Crown Royal Ford) team.
McMurray's crew chief, Jimmy Fennig, will oversee Roush Racing's NASCAR Busch Series teams and assumes the new title of senior crew chief. Fennig also will be crew chief for Matt Kenseth's (No. 17 DeWalt Power Tools Ford) NASCAR Busch Series team, the No. 17 Ameriquest/Pennzoil Ford.
Wally Brown, Roush Racing's head engineer, becomes Edwards' crew chief.
On Monday, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced that Steven Lane will become the new crew chief for David Stremme (No. 40 Coors Light/Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon Dodge). Former crew chief Jeff Vandermoss, who began the season as Stremme's crew chief, will assume Lane's old position as car chief for Reed Sorensen (No. 41 Target Dodge).
Raybestos Rookie Update ... Through seven events, a quick rookie rundown shows Denny Hamlin atop the Raybestos standings with 71 points. He's followed -- in order -- by Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniels Chevrolet) with 68 points, Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) with 64 points, Reed Sorenson (No. 41 Target Dodge) with 61 points, J.J. Yeley with 61 points, David Stremme with 47 points and Brent Sherman (No. 49 Serta Dodge) with 31 points. Hamlin won the non-points Budweiser Shootout in February. Bowyer, Hamlin and Truex are the highest-ranked rookies in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings, sitting 13th, 14th and 15th, respectively.
Pit Crew Spotlight: No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet ... Driver J.J. Yeley won't be the only NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competitor enjoying home cooking this week. Expect Richard Childress Racing's Jason Pulver to raid mom Terri Kennedy's kitchen at some point. The 27-year-old Phoenix native is the front tire changer for Kevin Harvick's No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet team, and promises his mom will enjoy watching him in action at PIR rather than whipping up a spread for teammates.
A six-year RCR veteran, Pulver spent his first season (2000) with the No. 31 team. In 2001, he joined Harvick's team, where he's found a home away from home. When he's not changing four tires in 13 seconds, he performs as a fabricator at RCR. Pulver admits to a time-eating hobby -- building a street hot rod (specifically, a 32 High Boy). As for nicknames? Well, he can use one. Teammates hail him as " 'Pretty much Jason'," Pulver said.
Chevrolet Leads Manufacturers Standings ... While Chevrolet continues to lead in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup manufacturers' standings, its margin has been whittled to just two points over second-place Dodge. Thanks to Kahne's win at Texas, Dodge has moved up to 45 points, trailing Chevrolet (47) and is now four points ahead of Ford (41).
Where in The World is Ken Schrader? ... If it's got gas, four tires and faces a green flag, Ken Schrader will hop in the cockpit and drive it. The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series' oldest -- and some say funniest -- competitor just can't resist racing. In fact, it's the title of his autobiography, "Gotta Race," which he spent the Easter off-weekend signing between events at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway and the I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo.
Schrader, 50, will take a three-state tour this weekend, participating in all three NASCAR-sanctioned events at Phoenix before taking on two local-track races in Indiana and Illinois.
First Stop: Thursday's NASCAR Grand National West Series' Casino Arizona 150. Schrader will drive his own entry in the 150-lap event that begins at 8 p.m. ET.
Second Stop: Friday's NASCAR Busch Series' Bashas' Supermarkets 200. Schrader will drive Brewco Motorsports' No. 66 Yardman Ford in the 200-lap event that begins at 9 p.m. ET.
Third Stop: Saturday's Subway Fresh 500. Schrader will drive Wood Brothers Racing's No. 21 Little Debbie Ford in the 312-lap event that begins at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Fourth Stop: The Sunday afternoon ARCA event at Salem Speedway in Salem, Ind.
Fifth Stop: Sunday evening's dirt late-model event at Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Ill.
Setting the Field: Top 35 in 2006 Owner Points Locked In ... Teams ranked in the top 35 of the current 2006 car owner standings will be guaranteed starting positions each week.
Heading into Phoenix, the No. 14 Waste Management Chevrolet, fielded by MB2 Motorsports and driven by Sterling Marlin, is ranked 35th in the car owner point standings. Evernham Motorsports' No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge, driven by Jeremy Mayfield, is 36th and only five points behind Marlin. Other teams vying to cement their top 35 rankings include Bill Davis Racing's No. 55 NAPA Dodge driven by Michael Waltrip (34th in owner points) and the No. 45 Wells Fargo Dodge of Petty Enterprises and driver Kyle Petty (33rd). The 33rd-36th ranked teams are separated by just 35 points.
From The Archives ... Second-generation driver Davey Allison was the first driver to win back-to-back events at Phoenix International Raceway. He did it in 1991 and 1992, both times behind the wheel of Robert Yates Racing-prepared Fords.
In the 1991 race, Darrell Waltrip trailed Allison to the line by nearly half a lap; there were 18 lead changes among 13 drivers. Allison beat Mark Martin to the line by 3.22 seconds in the 1992 event for his 18th career win. Two other drivers have won consecutive events at Phoenix. Jeff Burton did it in 2000 and 2001 while Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the 2003 and 2004 races.
On Deck: Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway ... Race No. 9 on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series schedule will be Sunday, April 30 (1:30 p.m. ET, FOX) -- the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Jeff Gordon is defending champion; Kevin Harvick was last year's polesitter.
Fast Facts
Next race: Subway Fresh 500 (Race No. 8 of the 36-race NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season)
The track: Phoenix International Raceway, Phoenix, Ariz.
The date/time: Saturday, April 22, 8:25 p.m. (ET)
TV: FOX, 8 p.m. (ET).
Radio: MRN/XM Satellite
Posted awards: $4,866,887.
Race length: 312 miles, 312 laps
Track layout: 1 mile
2005 winner: Kurt Busch
2005 polesitter: Jeff Gordon
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 10: 1. Jimmie Johnson 1,063. 2. Matt Kenseth 1,048. 3. Kasey Kahne 1,017. 4. Mark Martin 1,017. 5. Tony Stewart 966. 6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 951. 7. Kyle Busch 950. 8. Jeff Gordon 911. 9. Kevin Harvick 859. 10. Casey Mears 845.
Practice/Qualifying Schedule: Thursday -- Practice, 2-3:30 p.m. Qualifying, 5:40 p.m. Friday -- Practice, 1-2 p.m. and 4:05-4:50 p.m.
everytemplate(); if (document.getElementById("titletemplate")) { document.getElementById("titletemplate").innerHTML =titletemplate.toUpperCase(); } April 18, 2006, 10:45PM
Foyt IV loses Busch sponsor after merger
Great Clips drops rookie because of Dodge affiliation
By NEIL HOHLFELD
A.J. Foyt IV's rookie season in the NASCAR Busch Series apparently is over after he was bumped from his ride with Great Clips racing due to a conflict with car manufacturers.
Foyt is under contract as a developmental driver with Ray Evernham Motorsports, which is affiliated with Dodge. Foyt had been racing for Akins Motorsports, which merged with Braun Racing last week.
At that point, Foyt lost his full-time ride with Great Clips, which added Jason Leffler and announced Foyt and Leffler would share time. Leffler, who had been driving the No. 32 Chevy, took over for Foyt at Nashville last week and finished 35th. Earlier this week, Braun and Akins announced that the No. 38 car, which had been Foyt's Dodge, was being shifted to a Chevy.
Because of Foyt's commitment to Evernham, he was removed from the ride and replaced by Ryan Moore. In seven Busch races, Foyt's best finish was 21st, and he was 35th or worse five times.
Moore has raced three times in the Busch Series last season. The Charlotte Observer said Moore will drive the No. 38 Chevy this weekend at Phoenix.
After that, a decision will be made concerning whether he will get additional races or if Braun-Atkins will go to Leffler on a full-time basis.
Foyt IV, who lives in Hockley, raced three seasons in the Indy Racing League under his grandfather, A.J. Foyt. Young Foyt branched out to the Busch Series when Evernham signed him to the developmental contract.
It's possible that Evernham will try to find another ride for Foyt, but Foyt might have to drop down a level and race in Auto Racing Club of America (ARCA/Remax) events. neil.hohlfeld@chron.com
Racing seriesNHRADate 2006-04-18
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VIPsports.com TAFC to Race at Indianapolis--
Milford, Michigan. The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season-opening race for Division 3 takes place April 21 -- 23 at Indianapolis Raceway Park, Clermont, Indiana. Originally scheduled for the same weekend the VIPsports.com team competed in Las Vegas, Nevada, the new date provides an unexpected early season race opportunity.
Frank Parker, team owner, said of the schedule change, "We were looking forward to some time off, after four straight race weekends. But, the chance to fit in another race is too good to pass up. We've won several times at Indy, including the U.S. Nationals, so it's a good track for us." The team will go to Indianapolis in fine standing. After four races, including a divisional win, the Mopar Hemi-powered Dodge Stratus is third in national TAFC points, second in Division 3 Jeg's All Stars and tied for first in Division 3.
Qualifying for the VIPsports.com car is at 4:00 pm on Friday, April 21 and again on Saturday, April 22, at 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm. Top Alcohol eliminations begin at 12:00 pm, Sunday, April 23. For more information on the track, and its weekend schedule, visit www.irponline.com or call 317-291-4090.
For a sample of Top Alcohol Funny Car racing, from the VIPsports.com team's latest event, watch ESPN2's broadcast of the 7th Annual NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals on April 27, from 2 -- 3 pm (EST).
Following the Indianapolis race, the team heads for Atlanta and the May 4 -- 7 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals.
-www.challengerconsultingllc.com
- The Preferred Line - Road racing news and commentary SPEED World Challenge Wednesday (April 19, 2006) By Jim Bourn
PHOTO: Jon Prall and his BMW lead Charlie Putman's Mazda and Hugh Stewart's Dodge SRT-4 through the streets of St. Petersburg during a practice session. "We're thrilled that Team Cadillac won the first World Challenge race held in Long Beach. This event has a terrific heritage, and we're proud to have the opportunity to put on an exciting race for Southern California fans. We'll remember this one for a long time." - Team Cadillac Team Manager David Spitzer
Can Open Wheel and World Challenge street racing take them all to a higher level?
If I learned nothing else from the 2006 World Challenge season thus far is that street races are where it's at and they would seem to be the definitive future for road racing and open wheel racing as well as the omnipresent NASCAR 300 pound gorilla doesn't seem interested in or capable of playing on temporary street tracks.
The street venues bring the race the race cars and the race drivers to the fans. It brings it right to their streets while offering the casual fan to chance to wander within the paddocks and byways of the tracks to witness auto racing up close and personally all within a carnival like atmosphere which screams entertainment.
The package works as street venues seem to be wildly popular to a broad demographic. Of course the only down side to street tracks is the extensive cost of building, maintaining and tearing back down the facility but based on attendance if the city in question sees the benefit in tourism then a street race should be a home run for everyone involved.
The street venues have also kept the Champ Cars alive as all of their premier venues are on street tracks. With what would seem to be a merger of Champ Car and the IRL imminent open wheel racing should increase in strength and it would seem logical that street venues would highlight their schedule.
I know that the schedule for World Challenge as a part of these programs usually sucks but the exposure is excellent and the World Challenge cars and the high powered open wheeled racers of the Indy Racing League and Champ Car would seem to be a great marriage and a promoters dream.
Hopefully the IRL and Champ Car will be able to keep the egos in check enough to bury their past differences, create a working formula for the cars and build a stronger racing body that can bring back open wheel racing to the force it once was and flourish in North America.
And the street tracks would seem to be the ideal presentation medium for this form of racing. I know the IRL seems married to oval track racing but with the exception of Indy the street venues seem to far out draw the oval track venues.
Again I would hope that SCCA Pro Racing can become part of this package, at least for the street track venues, as this would create a dynamite racing package for the fans seeing exotic high performance GT cars and really hot Touring Cars that mirror the cars they drove to the track on the same program with wickedly fast single seaters racing before their eyes and ears on their own city streets.
The SCCA's World Challenge Championship Series can give open wheel racing what it needs, two great second series to balance their own. There is no car over lap just a diverse racing package with something for each and every racing fan. This is all such a no-brainer that my glass-half empty side sees anything less as a failure on everyone's part!
Last edited by hemidakota : 04-19-2006 at 01:39 PM.
Racing seriesGRANDCUPDate 2006-04-19
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Team Sahlen: Three Cars, Two Classes for VIR Cup Race
North Canton, Ohio - Team Sahlen will be entered in two classes for the upcoming Grand-Am Cup race at VIRginia International Raceway. Team Sahlen cars will take on both the Grand Sport (GS) class and the Street Tuner (ST) class for the season's second race. With over 90 cars on the Grand-Am Cup entry list, the race at VIRginia is promising to be one of the largest Grand-Am Cup races ever.
"After coming off the win at Daytona, the team is really looking forward to getting back into Grand-Am Cup action. We have had nearly three months off and everyone is ready to be back at the track for a race. We did some testing a few weeks ago and have added some new equipment to our brand new shop. I can't wait to see what our cars and drivers will do at VIR," stated Will Nonnamaker.
Team Sahlen moved into their newly built 12 bay shop in October. The new shop sits on the grounds of the Akron Canton Airport in North Canton, Ohio and is only a few miles from Team Sahlen's previous shop. The team recently purchased a new dynamometer which has seen some excellent use since its installation in March. The team is hoping to make gains in horsepower while maintaining its current lead in the team point standings.
Starting off the Team Sahlen driver's lineup in the No. 43 car will be Joe Sahlen and Will Nonnamaker. Sahlen and Nonnamaker were co-drivers during the 2005 season and have plans to venture into the Grand-Am Cup ST class for upcoming races. Sahlen and Nonnamaker spent a lot of time behind the wheel during the three month break. Nonnamaker and his brother, Wayne, were featured in a recent issue of Grassroots Motorsports where the two test-drove seven turn-key race cars. Sahlen has spent time testing at both Barber Motorsports Park and VIRginia behind the wheel of the Team Sahlen Porsches.
In the No. 44 car will be the father-son combination of Joe and Wayne Nonnamaker. Joe and Wayne co-drove in the season opener race at Daytona International Speedway and qualified in the top ten. At last year's VIRginia race Joe and Wayne took fifth place despite an accident in practice that almost left them out of the competition entirely.
"We are really looking forward to coming to VIRginia with some very strong cars this year. Opening the season with a win was great but it is a long season and there are a lot of races in the next month or so. I'm looking forward to getting back behind the wheel," stated Wayne Nonnamaker.
Rounding out the Team Sahlen entry list is their No. 41 ST class entry of Matthew O'Toole and Mike Speck in the Team Sahlen Dodge SRT4. O'Toole and Speck spent time with Team Sahlen in early January at Daytona Test Days. O'Toole spent a lot of time in the driver's seat of the Team Sahlen Dodge during at Daytona. He joined the team later to drive at the team's mid-March test at VIR. O'Toole is looking forward to his first ever Grand-Am Cup race.
"The test at VIR was far better than I thought it was going to be. I was very comfortable and I have a lot of confidence in the car," stated O'Toole.
Team Sahlen will hit the track Saturday, April 22 at 3:15 PM EST for the Grand-Am Cup race. SPEED will air coverage of the race April 29th at 1:00PM EST. For more race related information visit www.GrandAmerican.com
-ts- http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=215106&FS=
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Mears, Riggs try to Dodge opponents Timothy Haddock, Staff writer
Casey Mears
Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch started the Dodge victory parade by winning three of the past four NASCAR Nextel Cup Series races. Now the big question is, who's next?
Some would say Casey Mears is the next Dodge driver in line to win a race. He will be the first to say he can't believe he hasn't won one yet.
"Yeah, it's a little annoying," Mears said. "We came so close over last year; the last 10 races we were so competitive and leading laps and running up front. This year, even though we've run well, we've had a good start to the season, but we just haven't been as fast as we were last year."
Then again, Scott Riggs, teammate to Kahne and Evernham Motorsports, has been creeping up in races lately and could be the next Dodge driver to win a race.
"The only difference is we have a little bit different paint scheme every week, that's all," said Riggs, when asked to compare his team to Kahne's. "All three teams have the same information. All three teams work together as brothers across the board from the engineering side to the testing side to anything."
Dodge is experiencing a bit of a renaissance. Somewhat unexpectedly, the Dodge camps have become the envy of NASCAR. Especially at Evernham Motorsports and Penske Racing South, Dodge drivers are running up front and winning races.
But it wasn't always that way.
It wasn't that long ago when some of the Dodge camps were undecided on which body to use. Some teams wanted to try the old Intrepid body. Busch's team actually used it in a race.
But the Ganassi teams and the Evernham teams stuck with the Charger. It paid off with two wins for Kahne. And it has made Mears a Chase contender. The recent Dodge successes have made Riggs more confident about the Dodge program.
Absolutely, it makes us feel confident in what we're doing," Riggs said. "It makes us feel confidence in our cars and confidence in our team."
Next up for the Nextel Cup Series is Sunday's race at PhoenixInternational Raceway. Busch won the spring race at Phoenix last year, but that was in a Ford for Roush Racing.
It will be interesting to see if he can be as successful at Phoenix in a Dodge.
But given Dodge's record over the past two months, it wouldn't be surprising to see him win there again.
It wouldn't be surprising to see any of the Dodge drivers win in Phoenix.
"There are two things you can't buy. You can't buy confidence and experience," Riggs said. "Those are two things you have to earn and build on. When that confidence starts rising and you get on that roll, that momentum roll that Kasey and the (No.) 9 team are on right now, it makes it better for everyone around ...
"That's usually when everybody is relaxed and your best ideas and work come forward. It's definitely inspiring for me to have my teammate run well." Tim Haddock covers motor sports for the Daily News. His column appears Thursdays.
Given the fact that Dodge has won three of the last four races, Texas, Bristol and Atlanta, the issue with the Dodge noses may now be a closed subject. Dodge has been mildly lobbying NASCAR for some help with the Dodge Charger front ends aero-wise and some teams have even taken to running the two year old Intrepid.
Dodge recently suggested, strongly, that the teams all use the Charger. That's what they were in business to sell and the Intrepid has no place in today's market. Texas Motor Speedway was the last track that the Intrepid would run if the teams wanted continued support from the company.
But it would be difficult to ask NASCAR for help with the Charger noses while you're winning. Ray Evernham, owner of Evernham Motorsports, thinks there probably won't be any request for help in the near future.
"Honestly, I think it's a dead deal all around," said Evernham while preparing for the Busch race at Nashville last Saturday. "I can't officially speak for Dodge, I'm just going to give you my opinion. Evernham Motorsports has no intentions to go ask Dodge to go ask NASCAR for anything. We feel like we've got to work on our cars and continue to The try and get them better. The official plan for Dodge would have to go though John Fernandez, (the Director of Dodge Motorsports Operations). We're getting ready to do the car of tomorrow anyway, Maybe there'll be a change for '07 and maybe not. I still don't feel like we're getting all the potential out of the Charger, so we're going to continue to work on it.
The teams have all been presented plans for the Car of Tomorrow and Evernham says they will participate in the next test. Will the car be successful, will it bomb, will it be a hit or a miss with the fans.
"If it works, if we do it right, I think it will be a good thing for the sport," Evernham explained. "If we do it wrong, it will hurt the sport. Now that we've got some good plans, we're building two of them. I want to try and help to be a part of the solution and I guess I could stand and complain and moan and cry about it but the bottom line is, we're going to do it. I want to be sure it gets done properly to save everybody some money and make the sport safer for the drivers.
"There's going to be a test the Monday after the Charlotte race and we're going to be ready for that one. We're going to go ahead and go there. We're currently building two of them, one speedway version and one downforce version. We plan on jumping on board and being part of the testing.
Evernham Motorsports waited until the last minute, like many other owners did, to get started on the project.
"You got to go, we're going to do it -- so you got to go," said Evernham. "All we can do is to jump on board and to help them develop it and hope they're willing to listen and work with the owners. The people in the garage area, they are some of the smartest people in the world when it comes to racing, if NASCAR will just embrace them and listen to them a little bit, it will save a whole lot of time and money.
What will become of the Cup cars that are racing now? With 43 team now running each week and say that each team has an average of 10 cars, and that's probably a low figure, there could be at least 430 Nextel Cup cars for sale at a good price.
Will NASCAR change some of the rules so that they will be able to utilize some of those cars?
"I don't know, but there's at least 70 ARCA cars (teams) so that might be a little bit of an idea of what's going on," Evernham explained. "I don't know what their plans are. I really haven't talked to them in depth about that. The market will be pretty flooded with that many cars. I know you'll see a lot more ARCA cars.
"Again, that is an issue, but you can't really start something (with the cars we have) because in two or three years, there will be no more supply of them, so again, I look at the ARCA series. All those ARCA owners are going to benefit because they are probably going to but this Cup stuff for ten-cents on a dollar."
Maybe the owners could just donate them to charity and use them for a tax write-off?
"Maybe we could build a little track up there in Statesville," Evernham said jokingly, "and have some of the crew members go knock some fenders in. Let them race the cars."
Evernham turned semi-serious at this point. He's looking for Bill Elliott and apparently doesn't have his phone number.
"If I could find my friend Bill Elliott, maybe...ahh.. do me a favor," said Evernham. Whatever you going to write about this, just say "Ray (Evernham) wants to know -- where's Bill (Elliott). If you see Bill Elliott, tell him to call me.
Bill still works for you, right?
"Bill has never worked for me," Evernham said. "He's always worked with me.
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NayKid Racing Looks to Overcome Major Obstacles at Buttonwillow
Lux and White Prepare for Heat of the Summer Schedule
BUTTONWILLOW, Calif., April 19, 2006 -- This weekend's Double National at Buttonwillow (Calif.) Raceway Park marks a pivotal point in the season for the two KUMHO Tires/ Dodge Viper SRT10s of NayKid Racing. Drivers Cindi Lux (Aloha, Ore.) and Scotty B. White (Puyallup, Wash.) have each taken race victories in the pair of black Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupes that they debuted this season for the Touring One (T1) class of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).
However, both are facing major obstacles as they enter the two feature events on the three-mile Southern California race course. Lux, who won her first two races with the new Coupe version of America's premier supercar, is recovering from a broken right forearm. White's year took an equally disabling start after debris at an early-season race at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway resulted in a crash and damage to his year-old Viper Roadster. When coupled with the fast approach of the heart of the 14-race schedule, Buttonwillow can make or break the season for Lux and White.
While the start of the 2006 season has been sporadic, the Buttonwillow event marks the start of the core of the National event schedule for the Northwest-based team. The V10 Viper engines will power the pair of Lux Performance, LLC-prepared machines through nine races before July. Lux and White will each have one Division race within their region as well as events scheduled at Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City and Heartland Park in Topeka, Kan. The first of two of the SCCA's premier events, Kohler/ Chicago Region June Sprints ®, will be held in late June. Additional events at Heartland Park will happen in quick succession as well before the schedule slows to prepare for the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Heartland Park in on October 10-15.
"Boy, I am not going to sugar coat it, it has been a crazy, miserable start to our year," said Lux. "Somehow our racing 'mojo' got temporarily misplaced. Either the cars or drivers are getting banged-up in 2006. It's weird. But I would rather stumble a little bit at the start of the year because once the train gets going, and I know it will, it's not going to stop for anything. Getting our momentum back this weekend will be the key for our summer swing of races. These new Vipers are so cool to race. I know that Scotty and I will be fighting tooth and nail for that checkered flag this weekend."
Lux is pursuing her fourth-straight Northern Pacific Divisional title in 2006. She currently leads the T1 class in the division with two victories in the No. 78 KUMHO Tires/ Dodge Motorsports/ SRT/ Nike/ MOMO USA/ Forgeline Viper. White continues his attack to claim his sixth-straight, seventh overall, title in the Southern Pacific Division with the No. 3 KUMHO Tires/ Dodge Motorsports/ SRT/ CORSA Exhaust/ Red Line Oil Viper. As the two race this weekend, they are very aware that beating the other can be the difference between a Division title and a second-place.
"We're kinda behind the eight ball here on the Divisional deal," offered White. "We have certainly given away some points this year. With wallin' my hot rod at Phoenix in December and then a back marker taking me out at Cal Speedway, it put us behind big time. I love Buttonwillow and especially the Cal Club workers [SCCA's California corner workers]. I need to have a good weekend here to have a shot at a Divisional title. But I brought my biggest obstacle with me... Cindi Lux and her 78 KUMHO Dodge Viper SRT10."
Racing seriesNASCAR-CUPDate 2006-04-20
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CASEY MEARS (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge Charger) -- 12th
"It was a good lap for the time of day. Fortunately we went out later and were able to get a good lap in. I was really loose in. We struggled with the car in practice, but it wasn't a very fair playing field today. The guys that went out early had a track that wasn't as close to being as good as it is now. The guys going out late have an advantage on who went out in the middle, too. We're starting 12th, so we'll just have to work on the car tomorrow in practice and get it ready to haul the mail Saturday night."
***
KURT BUSCH (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger) -- 7th
"It was good. It was a little tight on the first lap and then I overdrove it on the second lap trying to get everything out of it I could. I thought I hit one and two pretty good. To be quickest in practice and then just pick it up a little bit in qualifying usually doesn't work because other guys usually pick up a lot. We'll be OK. That should give us a top 10 spot. I haven't really gone for a pole all year. I got one at California, but it was a surprise to us. I really charged it today and got really tight through three and four. Maybe if I had backed it off a little bit we could have been in second place right behind my little brother. It seems like the Young Jedi (Kyle Busch) has done well. He learns quick. He's putting all his knowledge from his own team and what I've given him to work. He's got the fastest car in the county today. The car seems to do something different here and different there. I'll get that Busch car out of my mind tomorrow and we'll focus on the Cup car and we'll be all right."
***
KASEY KAHNE (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger) -- 22nd
"It was consistent, but my first lap was faster and I should have picked up on the second. I missed turn three a little bit. I got too loose. I entered the corner a little too hard and just blew the corner. I think we should have run better. This is a difficult track because you have a couple of different corners. Everything changes here. It's always a pretty fun race. We'll have to get the car better tomorrow. I think we've got a shot at getting a good run."
***
RYAN NEWMAN (No. 12 Alltel Dodge Charger) -- 13th
"Pit selection is very important here. It wasn't a perfect lap by far, but I'm really comfortable with the track. This is the car we had here last year and we had a shot to win until it got crashed in practice. We're working hard trying to turn things around. It's nice to be able to pick up speed like that for qualifying, but I didn't think it would be the poll. We had a pretty tough offseason, so we're doing our best to play catch up. It was a total regroup at Penske Racing in the offseason. We haven't put as much emphasis in qualifying this year because we're struggling in the races. It would be nice to where we could focus on both equally and be good at both."
***
BOBBY LABONTE (No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge Charger) -- 21st
"I like our racecar. It ran really good in practice. We knew qualifying would be hit or miss. Hopefully we'll have a good practice tomorrow and get ready for Saturday night's race. I wish we could have qualified better, but we'll take it and go from here."
***
JEREMY MAYFIELD (No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger) -- 28th
"It seems like everything was stacked against us again. We didn't have a good draw. That's the best we've run. We picked up from practice. We're doing all we can do. Every time we get down we come right back up. We're kind of like a Dandelion. You chop us down and we just keep popping back up."
*** SCOTT RIGGS (No. 10 Valvoline/Stanley Tools Dodge Charger) -- 24th
"Every time we went out today we were tight except the very first run. We were free on the first run, but we've been tight since then. We know the direction we should go. I think me having more laps in the Busch car tomorrow will hopefully help us figure out the racetrack better and figure out the problems everybody is going to have with the racetrack and the problems we might have with our car so we can make it better."
***
DAVID STREMME (No. 40 Coors Light Dodge Charger) -- 29th
"We just kept digging and at least we got in the show. It didn't help going out early. We just kept working. This is a work in progress, so we've just got to keep digging."
-dodge motorsports-
BELLE ROSE, La. -- Troy Coughlin drove his Jeg's Mail Order Cavalier to a win in the Didier Communications Top Sportsman Shootout held Saturday at the Jegs.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals in Belle Rose, La. Coughlin emerged from the No. 1 qualifying spot to take the title with consistent runs of 6.69, 6.68, and a 6.68 in the final round against runner-up Greg Lair, who ran a 6.97. The Sportsman Shootout is a special heads-up, no breakout race for the quickest eight qualifiers.
"After qualifying, I felt like I had a car that could win this race," said Coughlin. "On race day, the weather changed and we had to make some adjustments but everything went very smoothly. Hopefully, this is a good omen for tomorrow's race."
In the final rounds of Saturday's Mopar Performance Hemi Challenge, Coughlin's brother Jeg drove Michael Ogburn's SS/AH Barracuda to a semifinal finish. After qualifying third, Jeg Coughlin defeated James Caro and West Coast Hemi's teammate Jerry Jenkins before losing to eventual winner Bucky Hess in the final. Hess, of Bunkerhill, W.V., gained a slight starting line lead against Jeg and won with an 8.70 to Coughlin's quicker 8.68.
"My team gave me a great car but unfortunately, we weren't able to get the job done today," said Coughlin. "Nobody likes to lose on a holeshot but I have to congratulate Bucky. He made some great runs today and definitely earned the trophy.
Jeg is also racing in the Top Dragster class with hisJEG'S Mail Order dragster. The two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion ran a best of 7.43 during qualifying and will start eliminations from the No. 22 qualifying spot. The Coughlin brothers will now concentrate on their efforts on final eliminations, which are scheduled to get underway Sunday, April 23 at 9 a.m.
-teamjegs.com
Gilbertson breaks Nitro Funny Car record at The Rock
Gilbertson breaks Nitro Funny Car record at The RockIHRA eMax Drag Racing Series
Posted Sunday, April 23, 2006
Gilbertson Shatters Nitro Funny Car Mark
Sets Rockingham Dragway track record while securing #1 qualifying post Saturday
By Mike Perry | IHRA Communications
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (April 22, 2006) – Rain washed away the final pro qualifying round at Rockingham Dragway Saturday. Prior to that Bob Gilbertson washed away the Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car track record. Gilbertson, from nearby Gastonia, N.C., clocked a 4.837 second / 312.86 mph pass during afternoon qualifying to claim the top spot and erase Cruz Pedregon’s previous Rockingham best of 4.884 set in 1998. When thunderstorms washed out the evening qualifying session Gilbertson found himself atop the ladder at the Nicko’s NY Style Pizza Spring Nationals presented by Advance Auto Parts.
“This is wonderful,” Gilbertson said. “Being at our home track and breaking the track record…it just doesn’t get any better than that. It felt real good, but that was a mediocre run for me. We left a lot on the table but we wanted to make sure we got down the track.”
Gary Densham (Bellflower, Cal.) claimed the second qualifying spot with a 5.050/234.13 pass while Dale Creasy, Jr. (Beecher, Ill.) closed out the top three with a 5.132/250.92 run Friday.
Vincent Arcadi (Lancaster, N.Y.), Terry Haddock (Lynwood, Wash.), Paul Lee (Bala Cymwyd, Pa.), Jack Wyatt (Corydon, Iowa) and Gary Cooper (Omaha, Neb.) rounded out the Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car field.
Cory McClenathan (Lake Havasu City, Ariz.) claimed the top qualifying spot in Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Top Fuel, but it was Andrew Cowin’s Saturday afternoon pass that sent a buzz through Rockingham Dragway. Cowin, originally from Sydney, Australia but now residing in Wrightsville Beach, N.C., drove the Scott Griffin Motorsports/Serta Mattresses ’06 Hadman Dragster to the #2 qualifying position with a time of 4.559 and a speed of 322.88.
Griffin hired Cowin to drive his entry in December, and Cowin was pleased to be able to put down a strong number at his boss’ home track.
“Scott gave me a chance to drive this car and I am so grateful for that,” Cowin said. “This was the second time I have run a .55 at Rockingham and it meant a lot for me that I was able to do it for Scott Griffin Motorsports. We’re getting a handle on this car, if I can put a couple of runs like that together tomorrow it could get really interesting.”
After failing to break into the top eight Friday, five-time defending Top Fuel World Champion Clay Millican (Drummonds, Tenn.) and the winner of the season-opening Amalie Oil Texas Nationals Doug Foley (Sewell, N.J.) were able to jump into the field Saturday. Millican’s 4.641/308.57 pass put his Werner Enterprises dragster into the #4 position while Foley’s 4.628/319.67 placed him third.
Rick Cooper (Boise, Id.), Michael Gunderson (Middleburg, Fla.), Rhonda Hartman-Smith (Williamston, S.C.) and Bruce Litton (Indianapolis, Ind.) rounded out the Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Top Fuel field.
Rob Atchison (London, Ontario) laid down the best Alcohol Funny Car pass Saturday, posting a 5.774/245.14 to vault into the #1 qualifying spot. The three-time defending AFC World Champion fell to Mark Thomas in the finals at the season opener in San Antonio, but he nosed in front of Thomas in Rockingham. Thomas (Louisville, Ohio) posted a 5.826/243.02 to claim the second seed while Fred Tigges (Holbrook, Mass.) finished third with a 5.840/242.63 pass.
Trevor Lebsack (Slave Lake, Alb.), Neal Parker (Millville, N.J.), Melinda Green-King (Norfolk, Va.), Larry Dobbs (Welland, Ont.) and Thomas Carter (Cuero, Tex.) rounded out the Alcohol Funny Car field.
Tommy D’Aprile (Port Charlotte, Fla.) proved his Torco Pro Modified finals appearance in San Antonio was not a fluke. In his first year of driving Quain Stott’s second car, D’Aprile ran a 6.132/230.69 to end up on the pole when qualifying was finished. Three weeks ago D’Aprile fell in the final to Glen Kerunsky at the San Antonio Raceway.
Former Pro Mod World Champion Mike Janis (Lancaster, N.Y.), trying to overcome a difficult ’05 race season, continued his strong ’06 campaign by running a 6.138/230.84 pass to finish in the #2 qualifying position. Calgary resident Rick Distefano, the #1 qualifier in San Antonio, ended up in the third position while ’05 World Champion Mike Castellana (Westbury, N.Y.) was fourth.
Frank Gugliotta (Mt. Airy, Md.) followed up his Torco Pro Stock victory in San Antonio by claiming the pole at Rockingham Dragway. Gugliotta’s 6.420/216.51 put him in front of the #2 man Robert Patrick (Fredericksburg, Va.), who posted a 6.428/214.35 pass. Tony Gillig (Lake Bluff, Ill.), John Nobile (Dix Hills, N.Y.) and Jeff Dobbins (Wilmington, N.C.) rounded out the top five.
The Nicko’s NY Style Pizza Spring Nationals will continue Sunday morning at Rockingham Dragway with professional elimination rounds beginning at 11 a.m. Gates open at 8 a.m. Saturday tickets will be honored Sunday with corresponding ticket stub.
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. -- First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the Nicko's NY Style Pizza Spring Nationals presented by Advance Auto Parts at Rockingham Dragway, the second of 11 events in the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday.
Top Fuel -- 1. Cory McClenathan, 4.549 seconds, 326.32 mph vs. 5. Rick Cooper, 4.664, 314.17; 2. Andrew Cowin, 4.559, 322.88 vs. 6. Michael Gunderson, 4.677, 316.23; 3. Doug Foley, 4.628, 319.67 vs. 7. Rhonda Hartman-Smith, 4.790, 299.40; 4. Clay Millican, 4.641, 308.57 vs. 8. Bruce Litton, 4.794, 304.94.
Pro Modified -- 1. Tommy D'Aprile, Chevy Corvette, 6.132, 231.24 vs. 9. Mike Bell, Ford Mustang, 6.198, 229.35; 2. Mike Janis, Chevy Cobalt, 6.138, 230.84 vs. 10. Chip King, Dodge Daytona, 6.201, 231.95; 3. Rick Distefano, Corvette, 6.141, 231.16 vs. 11. Josh Hernandez, Chevy Camaro, 6.201, 231.28; 4. Mike Castellana, Chevy Cavalier, 6.157, 229.70 vs. 12. Alan Pittman, Chevy Bel Air, 6.208, 227.15; 5. Quain Stott, Corvette, 6.173, 230.80 vs. 13. Steve Vick, Corvette, 6.214, 222.66; 6. Jim Halsey, Camaro, 6.183, 224.92 vs. 14. Jason Hamstra, Corvette, 6.216, 226.73; 7. Burton Auxier, Corvette, 6.190, 223.47 vs. 15. Carl Spiering, Corvette, 6.218, 226.77; 8. Glen Kerunsky, Bel Air, 6.196, 228.04 vs. 16. Matt Hagan, Corvette, 6.218, 227.46.
Alcohol Funny Car -- 1. Rob Atchison, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.774, 246.08 vs. 5. Neal Parker, Monte Carlo, 5.963, 235.39; 2. Mark Thomas, Monte Carlo, 5.826, 243.02 vs. 6. Melinda Green-King, Dodge Avenger, 5.967, 232.87; 3. Frederick Tigges, Avenger, 5.840, 242.63 vs. 7. Larry Dobbs, Chevy Corvette, 5.975, 232.63; 4. Trevor Lebsack, Ford Mustang, 5.905, 231.08 vs. 8. Thomas Carter, Chevy Camaro, 5.988, 234.94.
Pro Stock -- 1. Frank Gugliotta, Ford Escort, 6.435, 216.90 vs. 9. Michael Bruno, Pontiac GTO, 6.488, 214.93; 2. Robert Patrick, Ford Cobra, 6.438, 214.93 vs. 10. Dan Sweeney, GTO, 6.492, 213.94; 3. Jeff Dobbins, Escort, 6.446, 215.86 vs. 11. Steve Spiess, Chevy Cobalt, 6.496, 214.14; 4. John Nobile, Ford ZX2, 6.449, 215.62 vs. 12. Bert Jackson, Chevy Cavalier, 6.520, 212.33; 5. Cary Goforth, Cobalt, 6.466, 216.17 vs. 13. Tony Gillig, Ford Mustang, 6.522, 212.39; 6. Jason Collins, Mustang, 6.473, 214.52 vs. 14. Doug Kirk, Escort, 6.529, 214.31; 7. John Bartunek, Cobalt, 6.483, 213.03 vs. 15. Ron Miller, Cavalier, 6.541, 210.80; 8. Larry O'Brien, Dodge Stratus, 6.484, 214.35 vs. 16. Bob Bertsch, Mustang, 6.550, 211.83.
Nitro Funny Car -- 1. Bob Gilbertson, Dodge Stratus, 4.837, 312.86 vs. 5. Terry Haddock, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.421, 266.11; 2. Gary Densham, Monte Carlo, 5.050, 234.13 vs. 6. Paul Lee, Chevy Camaro, 5.908, 163.99; 3. Dale Creasy Jr., Monte Carlo, 5.132, 250.92 vs. 7. Jack Wyatt, Pontiac Firebird, 6.441, 157.50; 4. Vincent Arcadi, Camaro, 5.402, 281.71 vs. 8. Gary Cooper, Stratus, 6.521, 170.32.
Terry Brown Confident Going into 2006 PMRA Season Season
4-25-2006
With a new blower for the engine and fresh new copperhead orange paint for the Challenger body, Terry Brown and his team are energetic to start the 2006 Pro Modified Racing Association season.
The three-time OSCA Outlaw Champion and driver of the Terry Brown Racing 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T Pro Modified is poised for the PMRA special event schedule.
“The new PSI Screw Blower should give us a powerful edge over last year,” said Brown. “Over all we’ve had back-to-back–to-back great seasons. The PMRA has some good competitors and we have our work cut out for us with these guys”.
Brown’s, www.terrybrownracing.com, 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T Pro Modified is powered by a 526-cubic inch Keith Black Hemi engine, a PSI Screw Blower, a Watermen fuel system, hooked to a Lenco three-speed transmission with a Crowler clutch.
“We are hoping to continue right where we left off last year,” said team crew chief Jason Greenland. “The team is strong, our driver is one of the best, and are plan is to win some races and repeat our championship form.”
The Pro Modified Racing Association, www.ProModifiedRacing.com, has five events confirmed for the 2006 season, the KC Auto Parts Family Day Celebration at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, ON, Saturday, June 24, at Lancaster Raceway Park in Clarence, NY on September 15 and the Pro Modified Racing Association is pleased to be running inaugural events at St. Thomas Dragway in Sparta, ON, August 5 and 6, the Eaton PMRA Challenge at Sanair near Montreal scheduled for Saturday, August 19, and at the Grand Bend Motorplex, over the Labor Day weekend.
Started late in 2004 and entering its second year of operation, the Pro Modified Racing Association ran five events in 2005 at four Ontario, Quebec, and New York locations, with a different winner at each track. The PMRA provides drag race fans the opportunity see, hear and to experience the popular Pro Modifieds, known as “the world‘s fastest door slammers”.
The PMRA is a self-governing organization with its own set of technical and safety rules based on the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Pro Modified division. Cars in the PMRA capture the true spirit of hot rodding, and the class is one of drag racing’s most exciting and volatile classes, capturing the true spirit of hot rodding and offering a wildly diverse group of racecars with different types of 2,000-horsepower engines. Combining classic body styles and modern equipment, constructors are permitted to extensively modify and enhance both appearance and performance. The cars burn gasoline or methanol, propelling them down the quarter-mile in low six-second times at over 225 miles per hour. The PMRA Pro Modified field is composed of the eight quickest teams from the qualifying rounds.
NayKid Racing Buttonwillow double national summary
Racing seriesSCCA-RACEDate 2006-04-24
[SIZE=2]
NayKid Racing Back on Top at Buttonwillow
Lux and White Return to the Front of T1 Class
BUTTONWILLOW, Calif., April 24, 2006 -- NayKid Racing entered this weekend's Double National events at Buttonwillow (Calif.) Raceway Park with the clear objective to set their 2006 Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Touring One (T1) class season back on the right track. Mission accomplished. Scotty B. White drove his No. 3 KUMHO Tires/ Dodge Motorsports/ SRT/ CORSA Exhaust/ Red Line Oil Dodge Viper SRT10 to victory lane in both events but it did not come easy for the Puyallup, Wash. resident.
Teammate Cindi Lux (Aloha, Ore.) set a track record for the class on Saturday and followed that with a quicker time on Sunday earning the pole position for both events in the No. 78 KUMHO Tires/ Dodge Motorsports/ SRT/ Nike/ MOMO USA/ Forgeline Viper. With Divisional titles in the balance for both drivers, and this being a Southern Pacific (SoPac) Division race for White, onlookers expected team orders to prevail at the Northwest-based team. However, in true NayKid Racing fashion, the two longtime teammates and friends would fight for each piece of real estate as if they were holding off their worst enemy.
Lux was quick throughout the weekend but White was within tenths of a second of her each time on track. The nose-to-tail battle that ensued between the two black and neon orange V10-powered Vipers delighted, and surprised, all in attendance. With only a handful of Divisional events remaining in the season, the NayKid Racing teammates each needed strong runs at the three-mile track in Southern California to keep their divisional title hopes alive after a difficult early season. In the first race, while Lux started from the pole position, White made a daring outside pass into turn one taking his No. 3 KUMHO Tires/ Dodge Motorsports/ SRT Viper to the point. He would hold-off Lux's constant bombardment to take the win and the all-important points.
"The Dodge Vipers were flawless all weekend," said White about his two race wins. "This Buttonwillow configuration has 25 turns and tons of massive braking. I think the Corvettes were running out of brakes and we didn't have any trouble at all. Cindi was faster than me all weekend and we battled hard the whole time. In that first race we had a little difference of opinion in how to enter the first turn and we almost got together. Anyone that thinks we don't race each other hard is pretty confused. We needed these points but we still have a ton of work to do. All-in-all, it feels pretty good to be back on course with where we need to go."
In the second race, Lux got the better jump at the green and held the lead into one. She kept the top-spot until an unusual for Lux mistake took her wide and off-course allowing both White and another entry to sneak passed.
White then drove-away to the checkered flag. Lux dropped two laps back making a precautionary pit stop due to a bad vibration following the off-course excursion. She would make up one lap on the field to finish third, one lap down to White.
"What a fun weekend of racing," commented Lux. "The configuration SCCA ran at Buttonwillow was more like a large go-kart track. Trying to get momentum with these cars was tricky but the Viper really stepped up to the plate, especially in the handling department. In the first race, Scotty and I challenged each other pretty hard for turn one and he held his ground and got the lead. It was pretty much nose-to-tail after that. However in the second race, things were different exiting turn one and I held the lead for five or so laps. Then I made bizarre, silly mistake which Scotty and one of the Corvettes totally took advantage of. I felt bad letting the crew down on that one but the car was absolutely flawless all weekend long! Scotty knew he was going to have to fight for these wins on track this weekend and he did a stellar job. Our success train is starting to move again. Hopefully, no more bad luck is over our heads and we are ready to take-off running."
As they were in 2005, the NayKid Racing teammates are the other's major nemesis on the track. However, since pioneering the Dodge Viper SRT10 Roadster in T1 competition last year, Lux and White have seen an onslaught of other Viper teams to the class. When coupled with the strong presence of competitors such as the Corvette and Porsche 911, T1 has become one of the most hotly contested battles in SCCA competition. It has been, however, the NayKid Racing Vipers, now the SRT10 Coupe, that continue to be the biggest threat to the Corvette T1 stranglehold. White is fighting for his sixth-straight, seventh overall, SoPac Division title and has three victories in the Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe. Lux is racing for her fourth-straight Northern Pacific (NorPac) Divisional title and has scored two victories for the Viper SRT10 Coupe
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VIR's Poor Weather and Yellow Flag Challenges Team Sahlen in Second Cup Race of the S
2006-04-25
Ninety-one cars were entered in this weekend‘s Grand-Am Cup race at VIRginia International Raceway. Sporadic showers and a heavily congested track resulted in 37 laps under caution. Team Sahlen and its drivers led a solid competition but were unable to capture a second win of the season. The team leaves VIR with focus shifting to the upcoming month‘s busy race schedule.
“It was a difficult race for everyone. We had an excellent strategy had it rained in the last 20 minutes of the race. We had already pitted early in the race and didn‘t need to come to pit lane again. We decided to stay on rains while many others went to slicks. As the race ended under several laps of dry green-flag racing, we just slipped backwards in position,” states Wayne Nonnamaker.
Intermittent showers throughout the race left many teams gambling on either rain or slick tires. Team Sahlen saw no reason to switch back to slicks as lingering clouds hung over the Danville, VA course for the majority of their track time. Unfortunately for the team, the gamble did not pay off and they were unable to repeat a trip to the podium at this season‘s second race.
Wayne Nonnamaker co-drove the Team Sahlen No. 44 Porsche with his father Joe in this weekend‘s race. With qualifying cancelled due to heavy rain, the Daytona race determined the official starting grid. With the No. 44 car winning the January Daytona Grand-Am Cup race, Joe and Wayne were able to start in front of the pack. The duo dropped back several positions but gained ground through the rain to bring the car to fourth place. As the rain slowed, their tires did not enable them to regain ground on the large Grand Sport field.
Joe Sahlen and Will Nonnamaker joined as co-drivers once again at VIRginia International Raceway. Sahlen and Nonnamaker sat behind the wheel of the No. 43 Team Sahlen Porsche during the weekend and ran well with the field until being hit by a competitor. Damage to the car caused the No. 43 Porsche to pit but it did not keep Sahlen and Nonnamaker from completing the race. Crew members were able to make quick repairs and have the car return to competition.
The Team Sahlen Street Tuner class car did not see much track time when a competing car stuck the No. 41 Dodge SRT-4 early on in the race. Rain also did not help the driver who tried to regain control during the incident and the car hit a wall just off of turn three. Driver, Matthew O‘Toole was ok through the collision but the No. 41 Dodge endured significant damage due to the contact. The car did not return to the race, and will undergo major repairs before the team leaves for the Laguna Seca race.
The Nonnamaker family is looking forward to the race schedule in the month of May which takes the team to three races in four weeks. The team will travel to Monterey, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Lime Rock, CT all in the month of May. The first race will be held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca where the team hopes to gain another win for the season.
“It will be very hectic these next few weeks especially with the repairs we have to make to the cars. We have a very full schedule but our crew is ready for it and we are looking forward to being back in Grand-Am Cup racing,” states crew chief Mike Thomas.
Team Sahlen will race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Saturday, May 6th at 2:45 PM PST in the third installment of the 2006 Grand-Am Cup season. The team competes in the Grand-Am Cup Grand Sport class and Street Tuner class with support from HRPWorld.com, GOJO, Kempthorn AutoMall, TheRaceSite.com, TheRaceMarket.com, Grassroots Motorsports, and Racetech Seats.
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Phoenix: News of note, schedule
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