Shawn Whitfield & Casey Orr

Hello NASCAR Fans! The Rolex 24 at Daytona was last weekend. That's always the beginning of Speed weeks at Daytona. The excitement is heating up and Daytona 500 is on the way. Let's get right into the latest news in the world of NASCAR and gearing up for Daytona!

Stewart-Haas Racing Forms Collaborative Partnership with Tommy Baldwin Racing with an alliance that provides Danica Patrick and No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet Guaranteed Starting Spot in 54th Annual Daytona 500:

Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) has entered into a collaborative partnership with Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) where TBR will field the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet Impala for all 10 of Danica Patrick's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in 2012. The alliance guarantees a starting spot for Patrick in her Sprint Cup debut - the 54th annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. TBR's No. 36 car, which finished the 2011 season 33rd in points, becomes the No. 10 for 2012. For the 26 races where Patrick is not scheduled to drive, David Reutimann will pilot the No. 10 car. TBR has sponsorship inventory available for these 26 races. "Tommy Baldwin Racing has proven to be a very strong organization and it's a good fit with Stewart-Haas Racing," said Matt Borland, vice president of competition, SHR. "It's a Chevrolet team led by a racer who knows every inch of a racecar. That kind of technical expertise, along with a company mindset that is similar to ours, provides the ideal environment for Danica to learn and succeed." TBR was formed in 2009 and has matured from a single-car team to one that in 2012 will field two Sprint Cup entries and a NASCAR Nationwide Series entry. TBR is owned by Tommy Baldwin, who as a crew chief secured five victories, including the 2002 Daytona 500 with driver Ward Burton. "We're very proud of what we've established at Tommy Baldwin Racing, and the opportunity to partner with Stewart-Haas Racing and aid in the development of Danica Patrick is a testament to all the hard work we've put in over the years," Baldwin said. "Danica will have a great teammate in Dave Blaney, who has been instrumental in getting our race team to where it is today. And with David Reutimann driving the No. 10 car in the races where Danica is not, the team will remain in a strong and competitive position throughout the year." The agreement means TBR will also work with GoDaddy.com, the world's largest Web hosting provider and Patrick's longtime sponsor. "Go Daddy is a first-rate sponsor," Baldwin added. "Look how they've supported Danica over the last six years. Go Daddy is a sponsor that knows how to get things done right." Baldwin will maintain a hands-on presence with the No. 10 car and will work closely with Greg Zipadelli, who serves as SHR's director of competition. Baldwin and Zipadelli have similar backgrounds, as both grew up in the Northeast - Baldwin in Bellport, N.Y., and Zipadelli in Berlin, Conn. - and made a name for themselves as successful crew chiefs within the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour before rising up the ranks as crew chiefs in the elite Sprint Cup Series. "Working with Tommy will be like old times," Zipadelli said. "We both grew up together and competed against each other in Modifieds and we did the same thing when we got to Sprint Cup. To finally be able to work with each other and help Danica Patrick make a successful transition from Indy cars to stock cars is a challenge we're both looking forward to. "Partnering with Tommy and his team provides Danica with the foundation she needs to succeed. With a guaranteed starting spot, we can go into each weekend and simply learn. It's all about getting her comfortable in the car, and with the variety of tracks she's running; seat time will be incredibly valuable. A guaranteed spot in the race ensures that she'll have the opportunity to make as many laps as possible."

Patrick's 10-race Sprint Cup schedule is as follows:

Feb. 26:     Daytona 500

May 12:     Darlington (S.C.) Raceway

May 27:     Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway

Aug. 25:     Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway

Sept. 2:      Atlanta Motor Speedway

Sept. 16:    Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill.

Sept. 30:    Dover (Del.) International Speedway

Nov. 4:      Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth

Nov. 11:    Phoenix International Raceway

One more race is still to be determined, with the plan being to assess Patrick's development as the season progresses and then choose the remaining venue based on need and competitive reasoning. "Our goal with Danica's schedule is to try and maximize her 10 races so that she's as prepared as she can possibly be for a full-time Sprint Cup schedule in 2013," said Stewart, co-owner of SHR with Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation - the largest machine tool builder in the western world. "There are short tracks, intermediate 1.5-mile ovals, and some unique tracks like Darlington and Phoenix. The point is to expose her to as many challenges as possible so that she'll know what to expect in 2013."

About Stewart-Haas Racing:

Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team co-owned by three-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation - the largest CNC machine tool builder in the western world. The team fields two entries in the elite Sprint Cup Series - the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala for Stewart and the No. 39 U.S. Army/Quicken Loans Chevrolet Impala for 2008 Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman. Based in Kannapolis, N.C., Stewart-Haas Racing operates out of a 140,000-square-foot facility with more than 160 employees.

About Tommy Baldwin Racing:

Veteran NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009, where he saw opportunity amid a declining economy. With a stringent budget and a small, but talented, group of team members, Baldwin built a Sprint Cup team from humble beginnings to one that now competes fulltime and is a top-35 mainstay in the series' owner point standings. The Mooresville, N.C.-based team will field two Sprint Cup entries in 2012 - the No. 10 Chevrolet Impala for Danica Patrick and David Reutimann, and the No. 36 Chevrolet Impala for Dave Blaney - along with one NASCAR Nationwide Series entry for Ryan Blaney via the No. 36 SealWrap Repair Chevrolet Impala.

NASCAR to re-evaluate 'boys have at it' policy:

NASCAR officials plan to re-evaluate its "boys have at it" policy going into the 2012 season and could strengthen its stance against drivers retaliating on the track. NASCAR loosened the reins on drivers in 2010, allowing them to police themselves on the track and retaliate when they believed another driver had intentionally wrecked them. The incidents intensified in 2011, and NASCAR officials acknowledged that things might have gotten out of hand near the end of the season. "We reflect on that at the end of the year and the season hasn't started yet, but there are some things that a group of us will sit down and talk about, and that is one of them," NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Thursday. "There were times that it got out of hand, and we're going to discuss what out of hand really is moving forward." Pemberton said he doesn't believe the trend of retaliation in general got out of hand, although specific incidents may have crossed the line. Pemberton, who coined the phrase "boys have at it" in 2010, believes NASCAR's original position of allowing drivers to police themselves still works. "It's working pretty well. It goes in stages," he said. "It works pretty well, then somebody gets outside the box and everybody gets the message and it goes back to working pretty well. But we can't take all of that for granted."

NASCAR and Turner restructure and extend digital partnership: NASCAR and Turner Sports announced a restructuring and extension of their long-standing digital partnership. The new agreement takes the relationship through 2016, with NASCAR managing business and editorial operations for its digital platforms beginning in 2013 and Turner Sports continuing to oversee advertising sales and sponsorships across NASCAR-branded digital platforms. Under the new partnership, NASCAR will assume operational control in 2013 of all of its interactive, digital and social media rights including technical operations and infrastructure of all NASCAR digital platforms. Turner will continue to represent sponsorships and advertising for all NASCAR digital platforms, with the unique users from the NASCAR digital properties continuing to roll up to the Turner digital portfolio. NASCAR's comprehensive digital and social media portfolio includes NASCAR.COM. NASCAR.COM, and the sport's other digital and social media platforms, have been managed by Turner Sports since 2001.

NASCAR and MillerCoors extend partnership:

NASCAR, MillerCoors and Penske Racing jointly announced multi-year partnership extensions for the brewer's two biggest brands. For MillerCoors, the deals with the sanctioning body and one of the sport's most respected teams solidify its status among the most committed sponsors in NASCAR. In addition, MillerCoors has alliances with seven tracks that host NASCAR races. Coors Light is extending its sponsorship as the Official Beer of NASCAR.

That does it for me this week. Be sure and join us each and every Monday & Thursday at 6:00 pm for Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! The 2012 NASCAR season is revving up! Let's get right into the latest in NASCAR news.

NASCAR starting Speedweeks with restrictor plate that ended test:

NASCAR will return to Daytona International Speedway in February with the same restrictor plate that it left with when testing ended earlier this month. Teams were informed Friday of the rules configuration for Daytona, which includes a restrictor plate with holes 29/32nds of an inch in diameter. In hopes of limiting the use of the two-car draft used by the Sprint Cup cars during the Daytona 500, NASCAR officials have made changes that they hope would result in overheating if the two-car draft is used for an extended period of time during the race. The biggest change is the rear bumper has been moved two inches closer to the ground. Teams will have a front grille opening of 50 square inches - it was 40 square inches by the time testing ended last week at the 2.5-mile trioval. The radiator pressure release valve will be set at 25 psi, the same as it was when teams left Daytona on the final afternoon of testing.

2012 NASCAR Miss Sprint Cup Lineup Introduced:

Thousands of fans met the 2012 Miss Sprint Cup lineup during the NASCAR Preview Presented by Sprint in Charlotte, N.C. Sprint announced that returning members Kim Coon (Orlando, Fla.) and Jaclyn Roney (Ann Arbor, Mich.) have been joined by newcomer Kristen Beat of El Cajon, Calif. Coon, Roney and Beat make up the most geographically balanced Miss Sprint Cup lineup since the program's inception in 2008, representing the Southeast, Midwest and West Coast. Miss Sprint Cup represents the Sprint brand around the track and in Victory Lane wherever the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competes. The three representatives also serve as the fans' "friend on the inside," delivering via Facebook & Twitter behind-the-scenes updates, pictures and video, while highlighting Sprint products and offers. Beat adds a Southern California flare to the Miss Sprint Cup lineup. The former Fuel TV on-air talent and extreme sports reporter grew up racing motocross bikes and was a big supporter of her brother's pursuit of a professional racing career. When she isn't at the racetrack, Beat enjoys surfing, working out and honing her culinary skills with healthy recipes. After receiving her communications degree from the University of San Diego, Beat pursued her dream of a career in broadcasting, eventually becoming the youngest credentialed reporter in X-Games history. Coon returns for her second season as Miss Sprint Cup, which makes the former marketing and public relations professional the veteran member of this year's lineup. Rounding out the 2012 lineup is Roney, who is entering her first full season as Miss Sprint Cup. The Eastern Michigan University grad joined the program in July 2011 and is looking forward to attending her first Daytona 500 next month.

NASCAR welcomes 2012 Hall of Fame members:

During an emotional induction ceremony Friday night at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, a pair of three-time champion drivers, racing's quintessential crew chief, a founding father of the sport and the hands-down best modified driver who ever lived all took their rightful places among NASCAR's elite. The third class of five NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees evidences no fall-off in quality from the two classes that preceded it in 2010 and 2011. In fact, some would argue that the 2012 inductees all boast credentials worthy of consideration for an earlier welcome to the Hall.

Darrell Waltrip, for instance, won three Sprint Cup titles and is tied for fourth on the career win list with 84 victories. Cale Yarborough, the only driver to win three straight Cup titles before Jimmie Johnson equaled and then eclipsed the feat in the first decade of the 21st century, is sixth in all-time wins with 83. As far as championships are concerned, Dale Inman is the most prolific winner among NASCAR crew chiefs, having accumulated seven Cup titles during his pioneering run at Petty Enterprises and a series-record eighth with driver Terry Labonte and owner Billy Hagan in 1984. Glen Wood, who with brother Leonard Wood founded the most enduring team in the sport's history, was an innovator who nurtured the careers of a litany of elite drivers, most notable among them Hall of Famers Yarborough and David Pearson. Richie Evans, a nine-time modified champion, simply was without peer. The "Rapid Roman" clinched his first NASCAR National Modified title in 1973. On Oct. 24, 1985, a week after securing his ninth modified championship, Evans was killed in a crash during practice at Martinsville Speedway. He was 44.

New 2013 Ford Fusion Brings the "Stock Car" Back to NASCAR:

The 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup car, unveiled today as part of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour, was worked on by Ford designers in an effort to bring brand identity back to the sport. The result is undeniable with the 2013 Sprint Cup car mirroring the recently unveiled 2013 Ford Fusion production car. Featuring a completely redesigned sleek new silhouette and fresh face, the 2013 Fusion Sprint Cup car was designed to be the face of a new era of stock car racing. "We wanted Fusion to be the car that helped return 'stock car' to NASCAR." stated Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing. "I think fans, when they see the car, are just going to smile and cheer. It is going to reengage them with the sport and make the sport better because there is just something natural about seeing race cars that look like cars in their driveways." This marks the third time Ford simultaneously launched production and NASCAR versions of a new model. The first dual launch came in 1968, with the sleek fastback Ford Torino. Legendary NASCAR driver David Pearson drove the Torino to back-to-back NASCAR championships in 1968 and 1969. The second time came in 2006, when the then newly introduced Ford Fusion appeared in showrooms and on the track. Ford took a different approach with the development of the 2013 Fusion racer. Ford Design Center staff, led by Garen Nicoghosian, and Ford aerodynamicist Bernie Marcus, spent the past year doing the early design development, freeing up the Ford race teams to concentrate on weekly NASCAR competition. "This is a seminal moment in the sport where we had a chance to get it right once again and make sure the race cars are race versions of street cars. And I am proud because I believe we have accomplished just that," continued Allison.

Appeals court to listen to former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield in drug case:

A federal appeals panel in Virginia is set to hear arguments in former stock-car driver Jeremy Mayfield's lawsuit against NASCAR over his suspension for failing a random drug test. Mayfield is asking the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate his lawsuit. A federal judge dismissed the suit, ruling that Mayfield signed documents that waived his right to sue. NASCAR suspended Mayfield in 2009 after he failed a drug test at Richmond International Raceway. He sued NASCAR, its owner and the drug testing company for defamation, unfair and deceptive trade practices, breach of contract and negligence. Mayfield has argued that a combination of over-the-counter allergy medication and the prescription drug Adderall led to a positive test. In November, Mayfield was arrested in North Carolina and charged with possessing methamphetamine.

Kyle Busch says he's learned from mistakes:

Kyle Busch has learned from the mistakes he made last season and ready to make a fresh go of it in 2012. Busch said during Monday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Media Tour he knows he can't continue to display the kinds of emotional actions that led to so much controversy - and trouble - last year. "I've got fans all the time that tell me they don't want to see me change," Busch said. "I've tried to keep that, but ultimately, it's not going to work. If you keep getting in trouble, you're not going to be here very long. I'm trying to change something." Although Joe Gibbs Racing management hasn't officially commented on Busch's limited Nationwide Series schedule this season, which will see time spent in both a Kyle Busch Motorsports entry as well as a JGR ride but no truck series starts, it is speculated sponsor M&M's also had a say in the decision. Busch insists he has support from his race team, sponsors and most importantly his family and friends that have helped him work through the situation and concentrate on moving ahead in his life both professionally and personally.

SPEED Announces Changes to NASCAR Programs:

Several NASCAR on SPEED programs take fresh approaches in 2012, with the network's longest-running NASCAR program, Trackside, frequently splitting into two 30-minute editions, one on Friday evenings and the second on Saturday. Krista Voda hosts with Kyle Petty, Rutledge Wood and Marianela Pereyra all returning to the show. NASCAR RaceDay, which saw huge audience increases during last season's 10-race NASCAR Chase for the Championship, returns with John Roberts as host, Petty, Kenny Wallace and [Larry] McReynolds providing analysis and Wendy Venturini, Wood and Matt Clark [replacing Hermie Sadler] reporting from the garage. Trotta adds to her responsibilities for 2012, taking on a host role for the popular tech show NASCAR Performance, and working with McReynolds, Jeff Hammond and Chad Knaus from SPEED's Charlotte-based studio. Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain, rolling into its 10th season on SPEED, gets a prime time television look, and the popular post-race show, NASCAR Victory Lane, also takes a new slant, immediately following NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races with a second airing in prime time.

That does it for me this week. Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105, starts this Monday, January 30th at 6:00 p.m. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! The boys have been revving up there engine at Daytona. The 2012 NASCAR season is officially here! NASCAR held a three day test last week at Daytona. It wasn't a mandatory test of all the NASCAR Sprint Cup teams. However, there were thirty two teams in attendance. Let me share with you how the NASCAR test went.

Day 1 at Daytona

A full field of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers tackled Daytona International Speedway for the first of a three-day test as teams make their final preparations for the 54th running of the Daytona 500, February 26.

"It's important for us to test down here, not only for the teams, but for us," said Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. "We've had track tests at Daytona and Talladega and we've been in the wind tunnel several times. We think we're making some great strides.  The test is going pretty good for us.  The teams are learning about their equipment and the limits they will be under with water temperatures and things like that. We've seen softer springs, a smaller spoiler and a reduction in downforce. We're pleased with the progress we've made so far."

Jeff Gordon led 31 cars during the morning session of practice with a top speed of 192.773 mph.  Teams practiced single and two-car runs in the morning session, but for most, the excitement of returning to Daytona and the thrill of the "The Great American Race," only 45 days away, certainly added to the intensity of the day.

"A lot of effort goes into this race," said Dale Earnhardt, Jr. "Winning the 500 is the biggest race of the year.  It is the greatest feeling.  The effort is quadruple when it comes to how much goes into the engines just for that race and the bodies of the cars.  So it's a pretty big deal when you win."

The winning car of this year's Daytona 500 will be the first car in the history of the sport to score a victory with a fuel injected engines.

Day 2 at Daytona

In addition, they lowered the pressure relief valve settings from 30 pounds per square inch to 25 psi and narrowed the grille openings of the cars, thereby decreasing airflow to the engine. Both measures were designed to decrease the number of laps one car can push another without overheating.

As stated by NASCAR officials, this is not only a test for the teams but for NASCAR as well.  "Our goal and our responsibility is to try to make decisions so that racing is as good as everybody expects it to be or better during the Daytona 500," said NASCAR President Mike Helton, addressing the media during the lunch break of today's session. "We watch the speeds and everybody knows we watch the speeds and there's a balance between what we're comfortable with," Helton said.

NASCAR asked drivers to participate in a pack drafting session during the afternoon session to assist in the gathering of information teams and officials were looking for in hopes to be able to apply to a baseline when we come back for Speedweeks next month.

"We did some drafting, which is very interesting," said four-time NASCAR series champion Jeff Gordon.  "With the smaller spoiler and restrictor plate, cars have a lot of power, a lot of speed and that has changed things a bit."

Following the afternoon session, NASCAR conferred with its notes and decided to implement additional changes for Saturday, the third and final day of Preseason Thunder. Changes implemented included the closing of the bottom of the radiator opening; reducing radiator pressures approximately four pounds and a return to the restrictor plate used in Thursday's test session.

Day 3 at Daytona

As the final day of Preseason Thunder wrapped, there was certainly no shortage of information NASCAR and the teams gathered during this three-day test as speeds continued to stand close to the 200-mph mark. Kasey Kahne led the morning session with a speed of 201.545 mph, with Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jimmie Johnson also posting times near the top of the charts. Teams continued to collaborate with NASCAR throughout the day, in particular with the afternoon pack drafting session, to work towards the goal of reducing the ease of the tandem draft and making it an exception instead of the norm.

"Once we leave here, obviously there will be a lot of energy spent on looking through all of the data that we've collected this week," said NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby. "We're looking through lap times, speeds, and watching film and footage. I would like to have the final rules package out as quickly as we can just to make sure the teams have enough time to react to everything."

Drivers and crew chiefs have been very positive regarding the test, the sharing of information and the adjustments being made by NASCAR.  "They're (NASCAR) definitely thinking ahead and doing a lot of research and development back at their shop," said 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion crew chief Darian Grubb. "Just coming here with a pre-planned effort with some of the changes and things that they've already done has been a real positive. They've got the data being collected and have a good idea of what they want to do and what they want to accomplish. As they filter that out to us, we go out and hit the race track with it and see how that changes our cars."

"AJ Allmendinger and I were able to log a lot of laps today and I feel good about our package for the 500," said Penske Racing driver Brad Keselowski. "It's getting harder to perform the two-car draft so maybe we'll see some pack racing when we come back. I had a blast running in the pack today."

NASCAR officials were also pleased with the test and will be taking this data back to the Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C. to assist in getting the final rules package together for next month's Daytona 500.

That does it for me this week. I'll keep you with all the latest NASCAR news, getting you ready for the Daytona 500.

Join Casey Orr and me for Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105, beginning January 30th @ 6:00 p.m.  I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Did you ever wonder where a lot of the money is going in NASCAR? According to the recent SEC filing with Dover Motorsports, you're getting ready to find out!

Where's all of the NASCAR TV Money Going?

If Dover International Speedway's sanction agreements with NASCAR are an indication, NASCAR has kept the tracks' sanction fees and contribution to the race purse flat for 2012 and is requiring the same conditions from its tracks in 2012 as it did in 2011. Dover Motorsports filed its 2012 Sprint Cup sanction agreements last week with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and disclosed estimated television revenues and purse and sanction fees. Its purse and sanction fees for 2012 are $6.236 million for its Sprint Cup race in June and $5.567 million for September, compared with $6.097 million for its spring 2011 race and $5.45 million for the fall. Its television revenues, before its contribution to the purse, are estimated to be $13.573 million for June 2012 and $11.242 million for September 2012. That represents about a 3.4 percent increase over its estimated 2011 television revenues.

That figure is consistent with International Speedway Corp. projections earlier this year that the overall NASCAR television rights would go up about 3.5 percent for 2012, from $565 million to $585 million. Of the $585 million, an estimated $548.5 million (93.75 percent) is for Sprint Cup races, while the rest is for Nationwide ($33.6 million) and truck events ($2.9 million).

The NASCAR television revenues are split three ways - 65 percent to tracks, 25 percent to competitors through the purse and 10 percent to NASCAR. Tracks actually get 90 percent of the television revenue and then the competitor allotment is included in the track's contribution to the purse.

Not including what it gets from the NASCAR television contract, Dover is paying approximately $2.46 million in purse and sanction fees for its June race and $2.44 million for its September race. Its contributions are virtually flat - up about $11,000 for the year when compared with 2011.

NASCAR didn't immediately respond to questions about whether the Dover sanction agreement is consistent with other tracks' financial commitments.

Because it has only two Cup events, each sanction agreement is such an integral part of Dover Motorsports' financial performance that it must file those with the SEC while the two biggest publicly traded track operators (International Speedway Corp. and Speedway Motorsports Inc.) do not have to file.

The actual sanction fee that goes directly to NASCAR is not disclosed in Dover's documents filed with the SEC, just what it pays combined for purse and sanction fees.

Purses for NASCAR races - which primarily include what the track pays, the television allotment to the competitors, plus contributions from contingency sponsors - vary by track, with nine races in 2011 paying more than $6 million (including TV money) to the field. Nineteen of the 36 races had purses between $4.7 million and $5.2 million (including TV money). Dover's races had purses of $5.74 million for its spring 2011 race and $5.07 million for its fall race.

The standard 2012 sanction agreement for Dover had no new provisions from its 2011 sanction agreement. Sanction agreements do not change considerably from one track to another.

The sanction agreements cover everything from track responsibilities to what NASCAR will require television networks to do.

Among the television requirements:

  *   NASCAR will require the television network broadcasting the event to use the official event title, excluding any presenting sponsors, at least once during the opening segment of the telecast and at least once during each hour. It cannot sell title sponsorship for the race or use another name of the race at any time and must use the name of the facility as the track mandates.

  *   The networks get 300 tickets to the race, one suite, a logo on the infield grass and a one-page ad in the program.

• Local television coverage is limited to no more than two minutes of video footage from the race and must be used within 96 hours of the event.

Among the other provisions:

  *   Insurance: Tracks must carry $50 million per occurrence of spectator injury, property damage, legal liability, product liability and advertising liability and $1 million in medical malpractice liability insurance. If a track doesn't provide coverage, NASCAR can obtain it at the promoter's expense or cancel the event. Television networks must have NASCAR and the track listed in its general liability insurance policy with $1 million per occurrence and $2 million for the year.

  *   While NASCAR can ask for any improvements to the track, the track is responsible for all claims arising from the safety of the event. Tracks cannot make improvements to the track (resurfacing, sealing, and painting) or to barriers, fencing, the garage area, pit area, or race control without NASCAR approval. The start/finish line must be freshly painted for the race.

  *   NASCAR does not guarantee the number of cars in each event nor bear responsibility for the financial success of the event.

  *   Tracks must consult with NASCAR on all race weekend entertainment, national anthem singers, the prerace invocation, grand marshals, honorary starters, celebrities, sports figures and political representatives who take part in prerace ceremonies.

  *   Tracks are responsible for jet driers, operation of jet driers and all security, including 24-hour security of the garage area.

  *   Tracks must adhere to the NASCAR testing policy and cannot allow any race-car practice of any kind seven days prior to the event without NASCAR approval.

  *   NASCAR gets 225 reserved grandstand seats and 325 parking passes for officials and competitors near the garage area plus 50 near the suites.

  *   Tracks can use drivers' likenesses to promote an event, although all use is subject to NASCAR approval. NASCAR has approval over victory lane backdrops and any use of all NASCAR marks. Tracks can't enter into any agreements in conflict with the series sponsor or official fuel supplier.

  *   NASCAR can cancel the race if, among other things, the track fails to pay financial guarantees, changes ownership, files for bankruptcy or engages in any activity that "NASCAR determines to be detrimental to the sport or to NASCAR."

2012 NASCAR Preseason Thunder at Daytona set for this Week:

NASCAR is back in full gear as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams hit the pavement at Daytona International Speedway this week for three days of preseason testing. The main focus of the test is for teams to work on their final preparations for 2012 Speedweeks in particular, the 54th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 26. "This is an opportunity we are providing to the competitors to implement and test the new Daytona rules package for 2012," said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition. "It's a chance for them to get comfortable with the cooling package, the smaller spoiler and to practice drafting for next month's Daytona 500." The new rules package is a result of information gathered during recent tests at Talladega last October and at Daytona last November. "While we have had other tests with these set-ups, this is the first opportunity for the entire field to test together and get more comfortable with this package as it relates to their cars," Pemberton said.

The new rules package includes:

* Smaller radiators

* Maximum of 2 gallon capacity

* Smaller overflow tank

* Maximum capacity of ½ gallon

* Radiator inlet is moved up closer into the front center bumper area

* Rate reduction in the springs  softer springs

* Smaller rear spoiler

* Base line restrictor plate of 29/32 inch (1/64 inch larger than plate size for the 2011 Daytona 500)

"This three-day test will allow the engine tuners for these teams to be able to work with their engine packages and see how they relate and react to the new cooling regulations," Pemberton said. Next month's Daytona 500 will be only the third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points event ran on the repaved Daytona International Speedway. This year's Preseason Thunder will continue to be an opportunity for teams and drivers to test their skills on a relatively fresh surface in addition to the new rules. Complementing the testing portion of this weekend's festivities, the track is also offering fans an opportunity to be part of a special two-day Fan Fest event. Fan Fest sessions are scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 12 and Friday, Jan. 13 and include autograph sessions, driver question and answer sessions, show cars and displays, music and a photo opportunity with the 2012 Harley J. Earl Daytona 500 trophy.

SPEED will broadcast live coverage of testing on all three days from 1-5 p.m. ET. Additionally, SPEEDTV.com will stream testing live from 9 a.m.-noon ET each day.

Rusty Wallace Racing suspends operations:

Officials of Rusty Wallace Racing, LLC (RWR) announced last Friday that the NASCAR Nationwide Series team's on-track activities will be put on a temporary hiatus. While the organization's day-to-day competition activities will temporarily cease, key elements of RWR's business staff will remain in place to continue development of future opportunities. #66 driver, Steve Wallace, in exploring several exciting opportunities for 2012.

That does it for me this week. We'll begin our 11th NASCAR season of Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105, begins on January 30th. I'm Shawn Whitfield and I'm keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Happy New Year! NASCAR 2012 has begun. Here's the latest in NASCAR news for this week.

Michael Waltrip Racing could buy Red Bull Racing assets:

Michael Waltrip Racing is negotiating to purchase the assets of the former Red Bull Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. Multiple sources say Michael Waltrip Racing and Red Bull are close to an agreement on the sale, awaiting NASCAR approval for an owner point swap that would allow MWR to field a third Toyota Camry in the 2012 Daytona 500. MWR finished 18th and 28th in Sprint Cup owner points with drivers #56-Martin Truex, Jr. and #00[now #55]-David Reutimann last season, and holds two guaranteed starting spots for the upcoming Daytona 500. MWR is expected to field three cars in the Great American Race for Truex, #15-Clint Bowyer (no points) and #55-Mark Martin, using one of the guaranteed starting spots held by Red Bull Racing. Those points would transfer to MWR in the event of a sale. Michael Waltrip could also compete in the 2012 Daytona 500, but is believed unlikely to do so in an MWR Toyota. Sources say MWR is also interested in acquiring cars and equipment from Red Bull, including fabrication equipment and a shaker rig. If included in the sale, the former Red Bull Racing building would likely be used by MWR co-owner Rob Kauffman to house his RK Motors muscle car restoration and performance company, as well as his personal collection of classic and vintage automobiles. Red Bull Racing closed its doors last month, after failing to find a buyer to continue operations.

Evernham settles lawsuit with Gillett:

Ray Evernham has settled his lawsuit against George Gillett over money owed from the 2007 sale of his Sprint Cup organization. Evernham, the former owner of Evernham Motorsports and a three-time Cup champion as the crew chief for Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports, was seeking $19 million from Gillett. The case was settled outside of court and dismissed last week. No details of the settlement were released.

David Reutimann joins Tommy Baldwin Racing:

Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) added NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) driver David Reutimann to the team's 2012 driver lineup alongside Dave Blaney. Still seeking sponsorship for both Reutimann and Blaney, details regarding car number, sponsors and team members will follow in the upcoming weeks. "Tommy has built a really good organization from the ground up in a really short amount of time," said Reutimann. "One of the things I like about Tommy and what's refreshing about him is that he is just a racer. There are lots of things he could be doing but instead he is at the shop every day working hard to build the organization from the ground up. There are not a lot of true racers in the garage, and he is one of them. It's the way I was raised with my Dad, so we are on the same page. I'm just really looking forward to the season and see what we can do." TBR competed in every event in the 36-race NSCS schedule in 2011 and raced into the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points, meeting the team's 2011 season goals. Blaney drove to the team's best finish of third in the October event at Talladega Superspeedway. The team also fielded a second car for five events in the second half of the season. "Reutimann will be a great addition to our program and to Dave Blaney," commented team owner Tommy Baldwin. "Last season, we met our goal of running the entire schedule and making the top-35 in points. This season, our goals are to continue our progress on the competition side. Having two veteran drivers in Reutimann and Blaney is a very important step in our program's growth. We are still working on finding funding for next year, but having a car guaranteed in the first five races, including the Daytona 500, is a big step for our team. We had success last year with our partners. Although Golden Corral will not return in 2012, they were very happy with the exposure they received. We hope they have shown other companies the value of our program and that our program will once again align with their business objectives." TBR competed in every race and locked the #36 Chevy in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. TBR also fielded a second [#35 Chevy] car for select races in the past two seasons with multiple drivers.

Carl Edwards to Co-Host "LIVE! with Kelly":

Carl Edwards will take a turn co-hosting the syndicated morning program "LIVE! with Kelly" on Tuesday, January 10, during a special themed week of sports co-hosts with Kelly Ripa. Edwards was selected along with Reggie Bush, Boomer Esiason, Jesse Palmer and Apolo Anton Oh# Actress Kate Beckinsale will be a guest on the show when Edwards co-hosts with Ripa. Edwards was a guest on the popular show last June after his win in the Sprint All-Star race, and has appeared in the past with the NASCAR Chase contenders. This will be his first stint as co-host. "LIVE! with Kelly" airs in more than 200 markets across the U.S.

NASCAR Targets New Audiences:

After a few bumpy years marked by declining TV ratings and weakened traction in the vital 18- to 34-year-old male demographic, NASCAR regained some footing in 2011. TV viewership rose year-over-year in all three NASCAR [National] series, both overall and among the target group of young men. And the sport landed several key sponsorship renewals, including Sprint, UPS and Kraft Foods. But if NASCAR is to continue its assault on the professional team sports occupying much of the nation's bandwidth, it needs to reach new audiences in new places. With that in mind, it has embarked on a five-year plan with five key goals: Build the star power of individual drivers, increase engagement among children and college-age consumers, attract a multicultural fan base, craft more cohesive digital- and social-media strategies and improve the racetrack experience for fans. NASCAR CMO Steve Phelps is overseeing the execution. While some efforts kicked off in 2010, work over the next 18 months on the digital-media and multicultural-marketing fronts will be crucial. Mr. Phelps, star of a 2010 episode of "Undercover Boss," sat down with Ad Age to discuss the process of individual brand-building, the promise of a Hispanic fan base, and why the sport's legacy digital partnership won't work long term.

Scott Speed settles lawsuit with Red Bull Racing:

Scott Speed has settled his lawsuit with Red Bull Racing over his firing that followed the 2010 season. Speed had field a lawsuit in North Carolina Superior Court in Statesville, N.C., in December 2010. He asked that Red Bull Racing pay him $6.5 million for the salary he would have received from 2011-2013 in addition to a $500,000 reduction of his 2010 salary that he accepted in January 2010. According to court documents, the two sides met Nov. 30 in a settlement conference where they came to an agreement on all issues. Speed filed the dismissal documents Dec. 19. No terms of the settlement were disclosed.

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and I'm keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Even though we're in the off-season, there's still plenty of NASCAR talk. Let me share with you some of the latest NASCAR headlines.

More Than 50 NASCAR Drivers To Appear At NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented By Sprint:

More than 50 drivers from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series are now confirmed to appear at the inaugural NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint, scheduled for Jan. 21 in Charlotte, N.C. Race fans will have the chance to meet top competitors of the sport during the all-day fan event located inside the Charlotte Convention Center.

NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint will offer a festival-like experience for fans that features driver autograph and question-and-answer sessions, show car appearances, simulators, games and more. The fan event is one of several events that comprise NASCAR Acceleration Weekend, which begins Friday, Jan. 20 with the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for Class of 2012 inductees Richie Evans, Dale Inman, Darrell Waltrip, Glen Wood and Cale Yarborough. Following Saturday's NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint event will be the unveiling of the Class of 2012 exhibits in the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Sunday, Jan. 22.

There's going to be plenty of chances for race fans to see their favorite drivers and get excited for another great season. It's also a great opportunity to raise awareness of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the Induction Ceremony that is taking place on that Friday. 2011 champions Tony Stewart, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Austin Dillon plus other drivers from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will sign autographs in the Ballroom and the Exhibit Hall at the Charlotte Convention Center starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21.

Driver Appearance Times (Ballroom)

9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. - Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth

10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. - Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson

11:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. - Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski

12:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. - Greg Biffle

12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman

2:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. - Dale Earnhardt Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya

3:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. - Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart

*Please note, Kevin Harvick will now be appearing from 11:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.

Driver Appearance Times (Exhibit Hall)

9 a.m. - 11 a.m. - AJ Allmendinger, Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte, Joey Logano, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, David Ragan, Justin Allgaier, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Timmy Hill, Blake Koch, Travis Pastrana, Timothy Peters

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Marcos Ambrose, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Regan Smith, Brian Vickers, Aric Almirola, Trevor Bayne, Brian Scott, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Brad Sweet, Cale Gale, Justin Lofton, Todd Peck

12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Michael Annett, Elliott Sadler, Mike Wallace, Dakoda Armstrong, Johnny Sauter, Parker Kligerman

2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Danica Patrick, Martin Truex Jr., Austin Dillon, Morgan Shepherd, Kenny Wallace, Joey Coulter, Ty Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, Tim George Jr.

Beginning Saturday at 7 a.m. in the Charlotte Convention Center Ballroom, wristbands will be distributed to a limited number of fans to get into the Ballroom where several of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers will be signing autographs. Recipients must have an event ticket to be eligible to receive a wristband.

Additional driver appearances from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, plus all four living 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees, will be announced at a later date. Appearance times are subject to change.

Fans will have the opportunity to purchase new 2012 NASCAR merchandise at the NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint. New items for 2012 include NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee merchandise, new 1:24 and 1:64 scale die cast cars, 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule t-shirts and new driver merchandise featuring Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne and more.

Tickets to NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint are available now starting at just $10 for individual event admission at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets will also be available the day of the event for $15. A discounted $20 combo ticket includes admission to both the Preview event and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, while a $299 VIP weekend package includes all NASCAR Acceleration Weekend events, including the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Kurt Busch to driver for Phoenix Racing in 2012:

Busch will drive the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy in 2012, and his first race will be the non-points Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway where he is the defending winner. Phoenix Racing General manager Steve Barkdoll said Busch has a one-year deal to drive the car, which finished 30th in points last season with Landon Cassill driving most of the 36-race schedule.

Kurt Busch still expected to drive for Kyle Busch:

On Thursday, Phoenix Racing announced it had hired [Kurt Busch] to drive for its #51 Chevy team next season. The #51 entered every Cup race in 2011 with several different drivers. The news release announcing Busch's move said he would drive a "full schedule" with the team. Busch is also expected to join forces with his younger brother, Kyle, and drive for Kyle's Nationwide series team in 2012. One option being considered is for Kurt Busch to run the full Nationwide schedule and compete for the series championship, multiple sources said. Under NASCAR's current system, Busch will only be able to earn driver points in only one series. It remains unclear what effect Thursday's Cup announcement will have on the Nationwide plans. A spokesman for Kyle Busch Motorsports said Friday the team was still finalizing its driver lineup and would not have any official announcements until after Jan. 1.

Computer theft compromises NASCAR driver & crew info:

NASCAR has informed more than 1,000 drivers and crew members that a laptop computer containing social security numbers, driver's license numbers and other personal information was stolen last month from an employee of Aegis Laboratories, the company that oversees the sanctioning body's substance abuse testing program. Aegis administers planned and random drug tests to NASCAR license holders throughout the season, screening samples for banned substances and reporting back to the sanctioning body. The laptop computer was reported stolen on November 22nd, but many licensees were not informed of the theft until this week. NASCAR Director of Communications Kerry Tharp said the stolen laptop contained no medical or lab records, only driver's license and Social Security numbers. He said there have been no reports of any identity theft, adding, "in all likelihood, the person who stole the laptop sold it at a local Pawn Shop without ever knowing what was on it." Since the computer file in question was created in 2009, NASCAR and Aegis have instituted a new data-processing system that prevents such an incident from happening again. Aegis is revising its security procedures, encrypting data on laptop computers, and retraining affected employees on confidentiality and security procedures. Aegis has also agreed to supply all involved parties with two years of complimentary credit monitoring. NASCAR said it "apologizes to the affected individuals for this unfortunate incident involving one of our vendors, and we are pressing Aegis to do everything necessary to mitigate this situation".

That does it for me this week. We'll begin the 2012 NASCAR season of Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105, on January 30, 2012. Join me again next week and I'll keep you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! The NASCAR news continues so let's get right to it!

Best Buys to Sponsor #17 Matt Kenseth:

Best Buy Co., Inc. announced a new sponsorship deal for the 2012 Sprint Cup Series Season. Best Buy will serve as primary sponsor of Carl Edwards' #99 Ford for two races and the Matt Kenseth #17 Ford for nine races. In addition, Best Buy will serve as associate sponsor for each. "Best Buy is thrilled to announce this new NASCAR sponsorship deal with Roush Fenway Racing," said Drew Panayiotou, senior vice president of marketing for Best Buy. "Roush Fenway Racing is a great fit for Best Buy Racing. NASCAR continues to be a relevant way for us to connect with our customers. Our goal is to reach our target audiences in a meaningful way, while maximizing the value of our marketing and sponsorship investments." Best Buy has been a NASCAR sponsor for the past 7 years.

NASCAR looking to regain digital rights:

NASCAR is close to reaching an agreement to buy its digital rights back from Turner Sports, a move that could see the sanctioning body manage its own digital business as soon as 2013. Specific terms of the pending agreement were not available, and sources said the deal is not expected to be official until next year. It's not clear how much NASCAR will pay to reclaim its rights, but sources said it would be in the mid-eight figures. The move puts NASCAR in a stronger position to sell its media rights, which are expected to go on the market next year. NASCAR's current eight-year, $4.48 billion media deal with Fox, ESPN and Turner ends in 2014. The company is preparing to put those rights up for sale, and its executives know that any network that bids on TV rights will also want digital rights to stream races online. Though NASCAR is moving now to reclaim its rights, Turner will continue to run NASCAR.com for at least a year. That will give NASCAR time to build up an infrastructure that can support and manage its digital assets independently. The group will hire staff to oversee the site and likely base the group in Charlotte. NASCAR has been looking to reclaim its digital rights for some time. The sanctioning body sold its interactive rights to Turner in 2000. In 2008, it extended that partnership through 2014. But in recent years, NASCAR officials began to regret taking a big paycheck from Turner rather than controlling the sport's digital future. During the last few years, senior NASCAR officials, who declined to speak on the record, complained that the deal was so restrictive that even simple digital initiatives were difficult to undertake. For example, if NASCAR wanted a Facebook page or Twitter handle, it had to get Turner to create or approve them. The sport and its tracks also couldn't create mobile applications without Turner's approval.

Max Jones joining Earnhardt Ganassi:

Max Jones is joining Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Jones most recently was president and general manager at Richard Petty Motorsports but left RPM in the fall of 2010. He is expected to serve as team manager at EGR, a role previously held by Tony Glover from 2000 until he was released at the end of the 2011 season. Jones was a longtime general manager at what is now Roush Fenway Racing and before then had a successful road-racing career. He was also a former co-owner of Yates Racing.

Zipadelli Named Competition Director for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Greg Zipadelli, winner of two championships and 34 victories as a crew chief in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has been named competition director at Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). He will work with Vice President of Competition Matt Borland and oversee the #14 and #39 teams, while also building the #10 team for which Danica Patrick will run a 10-race Sprint Cup schedule with in 2012. Zipadelli comes to SHR from Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) where he served as crew chief for the #20 team since 1999. It's where the 44-year-old from Berlin, Conn., began a 10-year tenure with Tony Stewart, the co-owner of SHR along with Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation. From 1999 through 2008, Zipadelli was Stewart's crew chief, with the duo winning Sprint Cup titles in 2002 and 2005 while claiming 33 victories and 10 poles. When Stewart left JGR following the 2008 season to form SHR, Zipadelli stayed and spent three years as the crew chief for Joey Logano, where he helped deliver Logano's first career Sprint Cup victory on June 28, 2009 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.

NASCAR looking at banning driver-to-driver communications:

NASCAR is expected to revise its policy on in-car radio communications, including a possible ban on drivers communicating with other drivers over their in-car radios for at least restrictor-plate events in 2012. The sanctioning body is reviewing its current policy, which does allow driver-to-driver radio contact, a series spokesman said, and expects to have a revised policy in place in 2012. The practice was used heavily during the restrictor-plate races as drivers worked in two-car tandems. The drivers would use one spotter and be able to communicate with each other. NASCAR is expected to make other rule changes in hopes of getting rid of the two-car drafts at Daytona and Talladega. Smaller spoilers and different cooling systems are the most likely changes.

Eligible drivers announced for the Bud Shootout @ Daytona in February:

NASCAR announced today the list of eligible competitors for the 2012 Budweiser Shootout. The 34th annual season-opening event launches Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 18 with start time set for 8:10 pm/et. FOX Sports and MRN Radio will broadcast live nationally. Criteria for the non-points race are based upon the following qualifications, with eligibility based on a driver having been active in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series during the 2011 season:

"The highest ranked 25 competitors in 2011 Driver Points" Previous winners at Daytona, including the Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola, and Budweiser Shootout events (not already in by being in top 25]"The criteria for the 2012 Budweiser Shootout ensures race fans that the best NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will battle for a coveted victory on the historic high banks," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. "Throughout its long history, the Budweiser Shootout has produced plenty of fireworks on the track and race fans can expect another exciting star-studded night of racing as we kick off the new NASCAR season." "By taking the top 25 competitors in last year's driver points and combine that with former race winners at Daytona, you have all the ingredients for an extremely deep and talented field of drivers for the 2012 Budweiser Shootout," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. "When you take a look at the roster of drivers that this entails, I have to believe this is one of the most competitive fields that have ever been assembled for this event." The race distance will again be 75 laps (187.5 miles), consisting of two segments 25 and 50 laps. Both green-flag laps and yellow-flag laps will count. Between segments there will be a 10-minute pit stop allowing teams to pit to change tires, add fuel and make normal chassis adjustments. Crews will be permitted to work on cars and will be allowed to perform functions they would do on a normal pit stop in a regular NASCAR Sprint Cup event. All work must be performed on pit road or in the garage. Changing of springs, shock absorbers or rear-ends will not be permitted. Starting positions will again be determined by a blind-draw at the annual Budweiser Shootout Draw Party on Friday, Feb. 17 at 8 pm/et on the SPEED stage in the Midway, outside Turn 4.

The Budweiser Shootout was first held in 1979 and was originally known as the Busch Clash. Kurt Busch is the defending race champion.

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and I'll keep you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! NASCAR continues, even in December. I want to re-cap the top 10 NASCAR moments in 2011, and bring you the latest in NASCAR news!

Top 10 NASCAR moments of 2011:

1-Tony Stewart's Homestead-Miami Clincher

Stewart trailed Carl Edwards by three points entering the 10th and final race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup(tm). Both drivers had predicted the championship wouldn't be decided until the final lap, and they were right. Edwards, who started on the pole, led the most laps while Stewart yo-yoed through the field after fixing damage to the front of his Chevrolet. Amazingly, Stewart took the lead with 36 laps remaining. Edwards, in second place, stayed in full-out pursuit mode until the checkered flag waved, but finished 1.306 seconds behind Stewart. Both drivers scored 2,403 points with the tiebreaker - five wins to one - falling in Stewart's favor.

2-Trevor Bayne's Daytona 500 Win

Winning The Great American Race is a career achievement no matter how many races or championships are won elsewhere. Example: Seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt needed 20 starts to win his Daytona 500 at age 46. All of which made Bayne's victory both surprising and historic. Bayne, at age 20 years and one day, was making just his second NASCAR Sprint Cup start, although his team - the legendary Wood Brothers - had won the Daytona 500 on four previous occasions. Bayne, who started 32nd and led only the final six laps as a record 74 lead changes were recorded became the youngest Daytona 500 winner and just the seventh to make the race his first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory. The win was Ford's 600th and 98th for the Wood Brothers.

3-Brad Keselowski's Wreckers-to-Checkers Win at Pocono

Playing hurt is the measure of athletic success, as Brad Keselowski won August's Good Sam RV Insurance 500 at Pocono Raceway just days after breaking his left ankle in a road course testing accident. Few might have projected a healthy Keselowski as a Pocono favorite. He'd won at Kansas Speedway earlier in the summer, but came to Pennsylvania ranked 21st in points. The race turned out to be a coming-out party for the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion, who followed the performance with three more top-three finishes capped by a Bristol victory, a Chase wild card berth and a fifth place finish in final NASCAR Sprint Cup standings.

4-Jeff Gordon's 85th NASCAR Sprint Cup Win

Four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon fell short in his title bid, but the 2011 season was his first with multiple victories since 2007. He broke a 66-race winless streak at Phoenix International Raceway in February, added another win at Pocono Raceway in June and scored a historic 85th career victory in a weather-delayed AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in September. Atlanta's victory gave Gordon sole possession of third among all NASCAR Sprint Cup winners, breaking a tie with NASCAR Hall of Fame member Bobby Allison and soon-to-be-inducted Darrell Waltrip.

5-Regan Smith's Southern 500 Win

What Trevor Bayne began in February, Regan Smith continued in May. Smith entered Darlington Raceway's SHOWTIME Southern 500 with a lean resume to say the least: no wins, top fives or top 10s in 104 NASCAR Sprint Cup starts. Smith, then 27, became the upset winner of NASCAR's oldest "crown jewel." He led just the final 11 laps and held off Carl Edwards by 0.196 seconds to give Furniture Row Racing - a team headquartered in Colorado - its first series victory.

6-Jimmie Johnson's Aaron's 499 Win at Talladega

At the time, Jimmie Johnson's final-lap victory - with an assist by teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. - appeared to be an early harbinger of a sixth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. Johnson's second Talladega Superspeedway win - and 54th overall - boosted him from fourth to second in the point standings. The race matched records for lead changes (88) and margin of victory under electronic scoring (0.002 seconds).

7-Paul Menard Holds Off Jeff Gordon to Win Brickyard 400

Surprise winners in 2011, take three. For much of its 19 years, Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Brickyard 400 had been won by the greatest names in NASCAR: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Jarrett, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt, bill Elliott - champions all. No first-time winners in the bunch - until this July. Midwesterner Paul Menard wound up kissing the start-finish line bricks after prevailing in a torrid battle with four-time Brickyard 400 winner Jeff Gordon. Menard joined Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne and SHOWTIME Southern 500 winner Regan Smith to score a first victory on the schedule's largest stages.

8-Austin Dillon Becomes Youngest NASCAR Camping World Truck Champion

Though a number of young drivers have used their experience in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series as a springboard to NASCAR Sprint Cup success - think Carl Edwards, among others - veteran drivers, for the most part, have had a stranglehold on its championships. Only Travis Kvapil (age 27 in 2003) was younger than 30 in the series' first 16 seasons. All that changed in 2011 as third-generation driver Austin Dillon, 21, became the youngest to win an NCWTS title. Dillon, a two-time winner, finished six points ahead of NASCAR national series veteran Johnny Sauter. Dillon, Richard Childress' grandson, returned a title to RCR that Mike Skinner won in the series' 1995 inaugural season.

9-Danica Patrick Posts Best Finish in NASCAR by a Female Driver

All agreed that Danica Patrick's part-time NASCAR career was on the upswing in its second season. Patrick proved that with an exclamation point on March 5 with a solid, fourth-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The performance was record-setting: Patrick became not only the highest-finishing female driver in a NASCAR Nationwide Series race but also in any NASCAR national series event. Patrick's feat broke a record from NASCAR's earliest years - Sara Christian's fifth-place finish in a NASCAR Sprint Cup (then Strictly Stock) race on Oct. 2, 1949 at Heidelberg, Pa.

10-2010 Sunoco Rookies-of-the-Year Win Championship

Two NASCAR national series champions gave media and fans yet another reason to keep an eye on the newcomers. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., whose uneven performance nearly cost him his job with Roush Fenway Racing in 2010, recovered to claim NASCAR Nationwide Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. Roush's faith was rewarded as Stenhouse won twice en route to the 2011 championship. Austin Dillon's rookie of the year run in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series wasn't quite so dramatic but like Stenhouse, he "graduated" to the champion's chair. The season marked the first time that both Nationwide and truck rookies became champions in their sophomore years.

President of SPEED Channel resigns from network:

Hunter Nickell, President of SPEED, is leaving the network at years end. During Nickell's tenure, SPEED reached several significant milestones, adding nearly 16 million homes to its current Nielsen Household reach of 84 million homes in North America. Nickell will finish several projects with SPEED over the next few months and continue to explore opportunities within the FOX Sports Media Group. An interim replacement will be named shortly. Increasing its relationship with NASCAR under Nickell's leadership, SPEED added several high-profile events to its programming lineup, including the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies and all three of the NASCAR post-season awards banquets. Nickell also generated increased SPEED programming and marketing presence at every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on the circuit, giving SPEED unmistakable leadership in on-site network visibility. Nickell came to SPEED in 2005 after 12 years as general manager of FSN South, where he oversaw the nation's largest regional sports television network.

NASCAR will use HD instant replay system:

Telestream, the leading provider of video transcoding and workflow automation systems, announced that it has created a new High Definition (HD) instant replay system for NASCAR race control officials. Developed for the start of the 2012 racing season, Telestream's new Replay multichannel video player combines with its Pipeline HD video capture system to provide instant capture and display of 18 high definition 720p camera feeds. This allows race officials to instantly see detailed information to make rapid decisions about on-track aspects of the race. Telestream's Pipeline HD video capture system simultaneously acquires multiple camera feeds in high-quality Apple ProRes 720p as well as other HD and SD formats. Video feeds are delivered to shared storage where they are available for immediate playback, editing during capture, or transcoding to other file formats. Telestream's Replay multichannel video player provides instant, synchronous multichannel playback of multiple HD camera feeds for simultaneous review and analysis of incidents from different camera angles. The player also allows officials to easily locate any camera and scrub forward or backward through any portion of the event video.

Sprint signs a multiyear agreement with NASCAR:

NASCAR and Sprint have signed a multiyear agreement for Sprint to remain the entitlement partner of the sport's premier series. The extension keeps NASCAR and Sprint as partners through 2016, and ensures that the No. 1 finisher in the sport's top series will be a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. The agreement coincides with NASCAR's Five-Year Industry Action Plan, which is designed to help grow the sport and reach new audiences.

#11 Denny Hamlin has a new crew chief:

Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Darian Grubb has been named crew chief for its #11 FedEx Toyota NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team.

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we'll keep you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! NASCAR news continues. This week we continue with some major headlines.

Kurt Busch OUT at Penske Racing:

Penske Racing has announced that it has reached a mutual agreement with driver Kurt Busch to end its driver/race team relationship, effective immediately. The team will evaluate its options for the driver of the #22 Sprint Cup Series car in the future while Busch will seek new opportunities with another race team.

Which NASCAR driver will replace Kurt Busch in the #22:

Speculation points to David Ragan as the leading candidate for the job. Ragan spent the 2011 season with Roush Fenway Racing, but his future has been in doubt since the team lost sponsorship for next season. He earned his first career Sprint Cup victory this season, at Daytona International Speedway. Other candidates for the job include David Reutimann and Brian Vickers, two drivers who drove in the Sprint Cup Series this past season but are without a ride for 2012 and Sam Hornish Jr., who has previously driven for Penske at the Sprint Cup level.

Kurt Busch Statement:

Kurt Busch issued the following statement Monday regarding the news that the 24-time NASCAR Sprint Cup winner and 2004 Cup champion had reached a mutual agreement with Penske Racing to leave the team: "I am grateful to Penske Racing for six very productive years. Together we won a lot of races  16 in all. I'm proud that we won on a variety of tracks and this past season reached Victory Lane four times. Another highlight was pushing my teammate to a Daytona 500 win. I also appreciate the lasting friendships I've made while working with our great sponsors through the years, including Miller Lite, Shell and Dodge. Coming to a mutual agreement to go our separate ways is a positive step for me. Over the Thanksgiving holiday I took time to reflect on what is most important to me and realized I need to find a way to put the fun back into racing. It's time for a fresh start. Leaving a great organization and a lucrative contract is not easy, but it allows me to take a deep breath and work on things that can make me a better driver and a better person. I recognize the passion and emotion that have helped me succeed on the track need to be better channeled off the track. The past few months I began working with a sports psychologist to help me better deal with my emotions, especially following moments of frustration during competition. I never want to take for granted that it's a privilege to earn a living as a NASCAR driver. As I begin this new chapter in my career, I'm excited about the future and committed to making the changes necessary for me to enjoy racing again, to compete for championships and to better represent NASCAR, my sponsors, my team and my fans. I want to personally thank Roger Penske for the opportunity he gave me and for his friendship, which will continue long into the future.”

Penske Racing president comments on Kurt Busch parting:

Penske Racing had stood by Kurt Busch despite an array of emotional outbursts in recent years. And Busch didn't think Penske was improving its performance as he finished outside the top 10 in points in three of the last four years. And that meant it was time for both sides to move on, Penske Racing President Tim Cindric said. Busch is no longer the driver of Penske's Shell/Pennzoil-sponsored #22 car in a move that Busch and the team said was by mutual consent. Cindric said Shell/Pennzoil executives did not force the firing. As far as who will replace Busch, Cindric said the job is open and he wants to hire a new driver as soon as possible. He said there has been no decision on who will drive the car next year. Cindric said he has talked to David Ragan, one of several free agents looking for rides on a list that includes Brian Vickers and David Reutimann. "He is somebody that we would consider," he said. "He certainly is not someone that has the job by any means. But he's one of a handful that's out there that is a quality driver.”

ESPN2 to Air NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series Season Reviews:

With one of the most competitive NASCAR seasons in history now in the record books, ESPN2 will take a look back at the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series seasons in a pair of programs to air later this week. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, which ended with Tony Stewart winning his third championship in a hotly-contested battle that went to the final lap of the final race, will be reviewed on Friday, Dec. 9, at 3 pm/et. The NASCAR Nationwide Series season, in which Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won his first NASCAR championship, will be reviewed on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 3 pm/et. Both 30-minute programs, produced by the NASCAR Media Group, will feature highlights and interviews with drivers and other newsmakers who contributed to the competition in 2011. In 2012, ESPN networks will again televise the final 17 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, including all 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. In addition, ESPN networks will again be the home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series all season. NASCAR Now, ESPN2's daily NASCAR news and information program, will return in February. All NASCAR programming on ESPN and ESPN2 throughout 2012 will be available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app.

Kyle Busch Led NASCAR Drivers in Securing TV Exposure for Sponsors:

Kyle Busch's memorable 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series campaign led to $68 million of television exposure for his sponsors, a figure higher than any other driver managed to generate this past season and nearly $1.7 million more than Series Champion Tony Stewart. According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc.  which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 27 seasons. Busch's sponsors as a group appeared for 27 hours, 23 minutes, 10 seconds (27:23:10) during live and replayed telecasts of the season's 36 points races. When also factoring in verbal mentions (292) of Busch's sponsors, the 12th-place driver amassed more than $68.3 million of in-broadcast exposure value for his backing brands. Joyce Julius calculates television exposure value by comparing the in-broadcast visual and verbal exposure to the estimated cost of a national commercial during the telecast and applying Joyce Julius Recognition Grading which takes into account such factors as size and placement of the image on screen, as well as brand clutter and integration of the brand into the activity. While Busch hung on to lead the driver exposure battle wire-to-wire, Stewart's stellar run during this year's Chase may be more impressive, as the newly crowned champion moved up from 9th to 2nd in cumulative sponsor brand exposure, improving from $30 million at the start of the final 10 races to $66.7 million by season's end. Stewart's dominance during the Chase race broadcasts is further evidenced by the attention paid to him by the TV announcers. Stewart began the Chase 6th in individual driver mentions, but ended the season on top, collecting 57% of his driver mentions for the entire season during the final 10 races. Stewart also amassed the most interview time of any driver, appearing on camera for more than one hour, 20 minutes throughout 2011. Series points runner-up Carl Edwards managed to accrue the most mentions for his sponsors (610), while he was also interviewed most frequently (75 times) of any other driver. Not surprisingly, Stewart was the top exposure-gathering Chevrolet driver, collecting $6.3 for the auto brand. Edwards led the Ford drivers, delivering $8.1 million of in-broadcast exposure, while the attention Busch drew during 2011 race broadcasts led to $11.9 million for Toyota.

Chattanooga Businessman in NASCAR / Hamilton Means Racing plans to make Cup debut in 2012:

Hamilton Means Racing, a team created by four principal owners with various levels of involvement in NASCAR, has announced their intentions to go NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing in 2012. Dell Hamilton, Jimmy Means, Arash Khorsandi and Kelly Owen will team up and look to make their first start in the Cup series at Daytona in February. The team is still reviewing their options for the driver of their newly formed #52. Recruiting talented individuals available in NASCAR and obtaining additional equipment vital to the team's effort, is the focus of the group at this point. Their plans are to operate from Means Motorsports race shop located in Forest City, NC alongside his fulltime Nationwide team. Means, no stranger to the NASCAR scene, has many years of experience as a Driver/Owner with 455 starts in the Cup series dating back to 1973. He has also owned and managed the #52 Nationwide team for the past 10 season since retiring as a driver. Hamilton, a businessman from Chattanooga Tennessee, operates Crusader Staffing who has been, and will continue to be, a longtime supporter of MacDonald Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Owen and Khorsandi, Floridian natives, longtime friends and fans of the sport, see this opportunity as a way to fulfill a lifetime dream of being involved in the operations as well as creating new relationships in the sport of NASCAR. Owen entered the sport as a sponsor and has been involved with operations at Means Motorsports dating back to the summer of 2010.

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and I'll keep you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! The 2011 Season Most Competitive In NASCAR Sprint Cup History Tony Stewart can add this to the growing list of reasons why his championship season ranks among the greatest ever: He won the title in the most statistically-competitive season in the 63-year history of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Two major NASCAR Sprint Cup competition records were broken this past season: average lead changes and leaders per race. There was an average of 27.1 lead changes per race in 2011, the most in the history of NASCAR Sprint Cup competition. Additionally, there was an average of 12.8 leaders per event, also the highest average since the series' inaugural year of 1949. For the second consecutive season, the record books were rewritten. The previous record-highs in both statistics were set in 2010, when there were averages of 25.4 lead changes and 11.4 leaders. In addition, there were 131,989 total green flag passes (an average of 3,666 per race), which is a series-high since NASCAR began tabulating passing numbers in 2005. From green flag to checkered, races during the 2011 unfurled in a tight, unpredictable manner. Averaging a margin of victory of 1.321, a record 23 races featured an MOV less than one second. That's the most since the inception of timing and scoring in 1993. This season welcomed five new drivers to the list of all-time winners - a roster that grew to 182 in 2011. Trevor Bayne was the first, at age 20, becoming the youngest driver ever to win the Daytona 500. Regan Smith (Darlington), David Ragan (Daytona-2), Paul Menard (Indianapolis) and Marcos Ambrose (Watkins Glen) followed as first-time winners. Five first-time winners is the most since 2002. In all, 18 different drivers visited Victory Lane, the most since 2002 and one short of the all-time record.

All those numbers set the stage for a storybook Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and a stunning finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In a race that featured a track-record 26 lead changes, Stewart made 118 green flag passes. Stewart won for the fifth time in the Chase (another record), outdueling Carl Edwards, who set a record of his own. Carl Edwards, who finished outside the top 10 only once during the Chase, averaged a finish of 4.9 over the final 10 races. That, too, is an all-time Chase best.

Changes at Earnhardt Ganassi:

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing has confirmed that Steve Hmiel, Tony Glover and Ed Nathman have been released from the NASCAR Sprint Cup organization. Hmiel was the competition director for the team while long-time employee Glover was the team manager. Nathman was the lead engineer before John Probst was named technical director earlier this season.

RCR Annouces Crew Chief for the #31 of Jeff Burton:

Richard Childress Racing has named Drew Blickensderfer as the crew chief for the #31 Caterpillar/Wheaties Racing team with driver Jeff Burton for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Luke Lambert, interim crew chief during the latter part of the 2011 season for the #31 team, will assume a yet-to-be announced new position at RCR. Blickensderfer begins his RCR career after nearly a decade with Roush Fenway Racing. He spent the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season leading the #6 team and has been a crew chief, in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, since 2007.

Stewart Hass Racing Announces Crew Chief for Tony Stewart for 2012:

Steve Addington, winner of 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races as a crew chief, has been named to the same position for three-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart and the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 team of Stewart-Haas Racing effective immediately. The Spartanburg, S.C., native is only the third crew chief Stewart has had during his 13-year Sprint Cup career, and it comes just a week after Stewart captured the 2011 Sprint Cup title. Addington replaces Darian Grubb, who served as Stewart's crew chief since the inception of SHR in 2009. "Darian was a very important part of the success we've had at Stewart-Haas Racing," Stewart said. "I'm very proud of everything he helped accomplish, especially this year when we all rallied to win the championship. He's a great person and I know he'll continue to be successful in this sport.

Wilson replaces Martin as Kevin Harvick's crew chief for the #29:

Richard Childress Racing has made organizational changes to its competition department in preparation for the 2012 NASCAR season. Long-time RCR crew chiefs Shane Wilson and Gil Martin have taken new assignments with the 14-time championship-winning organization. Wilson has been named the crew chief of the #29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John's team with driver Kevin Harvick after three seasons in the same position with RCR's #33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper team. Martin, the #29 team crew chief since May 2009 and a crew chief at RCR since August 2000, has been named director of team operations, reporting to director of competition Kent Day. Further personnel changes within RCR's competition department will be announced in the coming weeks.

Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip's car will be #55 rather than #00:

Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip's Toyota Camrys will carry the #55 during the 2012 and 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series seasons. The number commemorates Charlie Loudermilk's founding of Aaron's, Inc. in 1955. Martin will drive in 25 Sprint Cup events each of the next two seasons, sharing the #55 Aaron's Dream Machine with Waltrip who will drive seven events with Aaron's sponsorship. Martin will join #15-Clint Bowyer and #56-Martin Truex Jr. in the MWR stable of drivers. Martin will begin his tenure with MWR at the 2012 Daytona 500. Waltrip will run the remaining restrictor plate races plus the race in his home state of Kentucky. MWR plans to run a combination of drivers and sponsor partners to fill the remaining races when Martin and Waltrip are not behind the wheel.

Homestead NASCAR race earns largest NASCAR Sprint Cup viewership ever

for ESPN:

The final race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup featured a down-to-the-wire battle for the championship and earned the largest viewership ever for a NASCAR Sprint Cup race telecast on ESPN. With a peak audience of 10.5 million when the checkered flag fell on champion Tony Stewart at 8:08 p.m. ET, ESPN's telecast of the Ford 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, Nov. 20, averaged 6,799,000 viewers and earned a 4.6 household coverage rating (4.0 U.S. rating), according to the Nielsen Company. The viewership average broke ESPN's previous record of 6,668,000 viewers for the 2008 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. Final figures do not include a rain delay from 4:45-6 p.m. Viewership was up 21 percent and the rating was up 18 percent from last year's event, which also aired on ESPN and earned a 3.9 coverage rating and averaged 5,605,000 viewers. In addition, the 2011 race out-delivered the 2009 race that aired on ABC and earned 5,607,000 viewers and a 3.6 U.S. rating. Ratings for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup on ESPN and ABC increased 14.8 percent from 2010, averaging a 3.1 U.S. rating compared to 2.7 for last year (not including the rain-delayed Chicagoland Speedway event, which was run on a Monday). Also, excluding rainout races, ESPN and ABC's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage for 2011 averaged a 3.2 U.S. rating, up more than six percent from a 3.0 for last year.

That does it for me this week. I'll keep you Up To Speed in the NASCAR offseason. We'll begin Valvoline Racing Radio on ROCK 105, January 30, 2012.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Tony Stewart wins Homestead and the Championship! Tony Stewart won the Ford 400 for his 44th career win and 5th of the season and the chase. With the win Stewart captures his 3rd NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship. Stewart and #99-Carl Edwards, who finished 2nd, tied with 2403 points, but Stewart wins the champions by the tiebreaker, 5 wins to 1. It is the 2nd time in Edwards career that he has finished 2nd in the Championship. Stewart is the first owner-driver to win the championship since Alan Kulwicki in 1992. Carl Edwards finished 2nd followed by Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Jeff Burton. There were 26 lead changes among 15 drivers and 8 cautions for 54 yellow flag laps and a 1 hour and 14 minute red flag for rain.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Fast Facts:

#14-Tony Stewart won his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

His other titles came in 2002 and 2005.

Stewart is the ninth driver to win three or more championships. The other drivers with three: Darrell Waltrip, Lee Petty, Cale Yarborough and David Pearson are either NASCAR Hall of Fame members or nominees. Stewart tied second-place Carl Edwards in points, but won the tiebreaker: five wins to Edwards one. Stewart is the seventh champion to win the season finale in his title-winning season. Stewart won a record five Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup races in 2011. His average finish during the Chase was 6.3. Runner-up Carl Edwards had a Chase-record average finish of 4.9.

Stewart is the second consecutive driver to overcome a points deficit going into the season finale to win the championship. Only three other drivers have accomplished the feat since the inception of the position-based points system in 1975 (Richard Petty in 1979, Alan Kulwicki in 1992 and Jimmie Johnson in 2010).

Stewart finished the 2011 season with five wins, nine top fives and 19

top 10s.

Owner Champion: Stewart-Haas Racing

This is Stewart-Haas Racings first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

Tony Stewart has been co-owner with Gene Haas since 2009. Stewart has won 11 races as driver-owner.

Crew Chief Champion: Darian Grubb

This is Darian Grubb's first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

Grubb won the Daytona 500 as crew chief for Jimmie Johnson in 2006.

Grubb has 14 career wins (11 with Tony Stewart; two with Jimmie Johnson; one with Casey Mears).

2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Chase Points Standings:

[after Homestead, race 36 of 36 and Chase race 10 of 10]

1) #14-Tony Stewart [5 wins], 2403 - 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion

2) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 2403

3) #29-Kevin Harvick [4 wins], 2345, -58

4) #17-Matt Kenseth [3 wins], 2330, -73

5) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins], 2319, -84

6) #48-Jimmie Johnson [2 wins], 2304, -99

7) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 2290, -113

8) #24-Jeff Gordon [3 wins], 2287, -116

9) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 2284, -119

10) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 2284, -119

Top 10 go to the banquet in Vegas

11) #22-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 2262, -141

12) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 2246, -157

Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Daytona in

2012:

#38 remains stayed 35th over the #71 team, with a lead of 28 pts.

34) #32-Bell/FAS Lane, 499, +33

35) #38-Kvapil/Front Row, 494, 28 points ahead of 36th

These teams / drivers will need to qualify by speed:

36) #71-Bliss/TRG, 466, 28 points out of top 35

37) #21-Bayne/Wood Brothers 347, -147

The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.

NOTE: there are a few teams in the top 35 that may not return in 2012 or points transferred to other car owners such as the #6, #33, #4, #83 teams, so the #71, #21 and others could move up into the top 35

Brad Keselowski fined by NASCAR:

Brad Keselowski has been fined by NASCAR for criticizing electronic fuel injection. NASCAR has been privately punishing drivers for making disparaging remarks about the series over the last two years. The fine is believed to be $25,000.

NASCAR announces the 2012 schedule for the NASCAR Camping World Truck

Series:

The sport's return to historic Rockingham Speedway for the first time since 2004 and a number of familiar venues known for the typically intense battles among the tough trucks. "The 2012 schedule has a great mix of tracks that will continue to deliver great racing for our fans," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. "We're excited to bring the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to the famed Rockingham Speedway, along with the addition of a second date at Iowa Speedway. Looking ahead, interest in the truck series continues to grow in a number of different markets and we're excited about what the future holds for next season and beyond." The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will race at Rockingham for the first time in its 17-year history; marking the first time the 1.017-mile track will host a NASCAR national series race since February of 2004. Next season's schedule, which features 22 races, opens with the traditional Daytona International Speedway Friday night bout, on Feb. 24. The championship will once again be decided at the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 16. With a nod to the sport's - and the series' - roots, the trucks will race on short tracks five times, at three different tracks, next season. Martinsville Speedway hosts the first short-track event, on March 31, with a return engagement on Oct. 27. Iowa Speedway, the popular 7/8th-mile short track, also hosts two NASCAR Camping World Truck events next season - on July 14 and Sept. 15. Bristol Motor Speedway's high banks will hold its traditional Wednesday night show, on Aug. 22. For the third consecutive season, the series will race at the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway triangle for its fast 50-lapper.

That does it for me this week. What a great 2011 NASCAR season we've had. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we'll continue in the NASCAR off-season to keep you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Kasey Kahne won the Kobalt Tools 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway for his 12th career win 1st of the season and first in 81 races, since Atlanta in Sept. 2009. It is Kahne's first win in a Toyota after 11 wins in a Dodge. Kahne becomes the 18th different race winner in 2011, one behind the record of 19 [set in 1956, 1958, 1961 & 2001]. Carl Edwards finished 2nd followed by #14-Stewart, #31-Burton, #39-Newman, A.J. Allmendinger, David Reutimann, Marcos Ambrose, Paul Menard and Clint Bowyer. Carl Edwards still leads the Chase by 3 points over Tony Stewart with one race to go, all other drivers are out of Chase contention. There were 14 lead changes among 7 drivers and 8 cautions for 30 yellow flag laps.

Now, we head to the final race of the year. Three points, two drivers and one race! It all comes down to Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Chase. It's going to be a shootout! Below is the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Drivers Standings as we head into the season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Chase Points Standings:

[after Phoenix, race 35 of 36 and Chase race 9 of 10]

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 2359

2) #14-Tony Stewart [4 wins], 2356, -3

These drivers below are officially eliminated from the Csase:

3) #29-Kevin Harvick [4 wins], 2308, -51

4) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins], 2294, -65

5) #48-Jimmie Johnson [2 wins], 2291, -68

6) #17-Matt Kenseth [3 wins], 2289, -70

7) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 2257, -102

8) #22-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 2252, -107

9) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 2252, -107

10) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 2249, -110

Top 10 go to the banquet in Vegas

11) #24-Jeff Gordon [3 wins], 2247, -112

12) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 2224, -135

This Is It: Carl Edwards & Tony Stewart compete for It all:

All the laps (10,071 so far in 2011), all the miles (13,524.24 of them), all the tracks (22 so far, 23 after this weekend) and all the drivers (81 have started at least one race in 2011) have brought us to this point - a championship showdown that has been whittled down to two drivers and three points going into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' 36th and final race of 2011.

Rarely - as in twice in the past three-plus decades - does the championship battle get closer than this. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader Carl Edwards holds a scant three-point advantage over second-place Tony Stewart. Under the previous points system, three points roughly translates to 13 points, making this the third-closest margin between first and second going into the final race since the inception of the position-based points structure in 1975. In 1979, Darrell Waltrip held a two-point advantage over Richard Petty. And in 1990, Dale Earnhardt led by six points over Mark Martin heading into the finale. A unique situation could unfold in Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami speedway - a walk-off win. If Edwards wins on Sunday, he's the 2011 champion. If Stewart wins, he's the champion for the third time in his career. For Edwards, he needs only to finish ahead of Stewart to clinch. For Stewart, he needs only to tie Edwards to clinch. (Stewart owns the tie-breaker, with four wins to Edwards' one). A closer look at the two contenders going into the final race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup...

Carl Edwards

A picture of consistency, Edwards owns series-best numbers in top fives (18) and top 10s (25). But the reason he owns the points lead: his win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this season. Both Edwards and Stewart have scored the exact same amount of points over the first nine Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup races (356), but Edwards holds his three-point edge thanks to the three Chase bonus points he earned for his win at Las Vegas. If Edwards holds on to his lead, he'll join Bobby Labonte as the only two drivers to win both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup championships. History is on his side. There have been only three season-finale comebacks since 1975. In 1979, Petty overcame the aforementioned two-point deficit to overtake Waltrip; in 1992, Alan Kulwicki erased Davey Allison's 30-point lead in the finale; and last season, Jimmie Johnson trailed Denny Hamlin by 15 points, but came back to win his fifth consecutive championship. Another reason for optimism: His success rate at Homestead is practically unmatched. He has two wins, four top fives and six top 10s in seven Homestead starts. He owns the top average finish (5.7) and the top Driver Rating (117.5). He hasn't finished outside the top 10 since his first visit to the track, a 14th-place run in 2004.

An Edwards's championship would be the third for Roush Fenway Racing, following its title with Matt Kenseth in 2003 and Kurt Busch in 2004.

Tony Stewart

A third championship in 2011 would put Stewart on another NASCAR prominence level, historically speaking. Here are the names of those drivers with three series championships: David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Lee Petty and Darrell Waltrip. All are either in the NASCAR Hall of Fame or will be inducted in January. Stewart already boasts this unique statistic: He's the only driver to win a series championship under the Chase (2005) and pre-Chase (2002) formats. Now he looks to add another unique accolade that of driver-owner champion. The last driver-owner to win a series championship was Alan Kulwicki in 1992. At Homestead, Stewart has two wins, three top fives and six top 10s in 12 starts. His two wins came in the first two races at Homestead, in 1999 and 2000.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Clinch Scenarios Set For Homestead:

Only one finish guarantees Carl Edwards his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship a victory in Sunday's season-finale Ford 400. Just three points separate point's leader Carl Edwards and second-place Tony Stewart, a margin so tight, no other finish would clinch the title for Edwards regardless of where Stewart finishes. Stewart owns the tie-breaker (best finishes), and therefore could tie and win his third series championship. All other drivers are officially eliminated from championship contention. Edwards' three-point lead roughly translates to 13 points under the previous points system. That makes it the closest margin between first and second going into the final race in Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup history, and third-closest since the inception of the position-based point's structure in 1975.

Red Bull Racing still looking for investor / buyer:

Red Bull Racing announced in June that it would sell the team [#4-Kahne, #83-Vickers] by the end of the year or shut it down. While there have been inquiries, no deal has been announced. Red Bull Racing has notified the state of North Carolina of potential layoffs, but employees say they have been told there will be no layoffs before Dec. 9. A few members of Kahne's crew will go with him and crew chief Kenny Francis to [#5 Chevy]

Hendrick Motorsports next year, but many in the Red Bull shop will be looking for work after the season while hoping that if the team does get bought, they could return. Jay Frye, who runs the team, has been answering calls from potential investors and would like to keep the team going. It doesn't appear that Vickers is in the future plans as he seeks a full-time ride for 2012.

The Race: Ford 400

Distance: 400.5 miles (267 laps)

The Date: Sunday, Nov. 20

The Time: 3 p.m. (ET)

TV: ESPN, 2 p.m. (ET)

Radio Pre-Race Show: 1:00 p.m. Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Tony Stewart won the AAA Texas 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway for his 43rd career win and 4th of the season, all of them coming in the chase. Carl Edwards finished 2nd followed by Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Martin Truex, Jr., Clint Bowyer, and A.J. Allmendinger. Carl Edwards now leads the Chase by 3 points over Tony Stewart. There were 23 lead changes among 10 drivers and 5 cautions for 21 yellow flag laps.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Chase Points Standings:

[after Texas, race 34 of 36 and Chase race 8 of 10]

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 2316

2) #14-Tony Stewart [4 wins], 2313, -3

3) #29-Kevin Harvick [4 wins], 2283, -33

4) #17-Matt Kenseth [3 wins], 2278, -38

these drivers are more then a race out:

5) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins], 2267, -49

6) #48-Jimmie Johnson [2 wins], 2261, -55

7) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 2237, -79

8) #24-Jeff Gordon [3 wins], 2235, -81

9) #22-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 2229, -87

These drivers are officially eliminated:

10) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 2217, -99

top 10 go to the banquet in Vegas

11) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 2216, -100

12) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 2213, -103

NASCAR Fines Kyle Busch; Places Him On Probation For Remainder Of Year:

NASCAR has fined Kyle Busch $50,000 and placed him on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31 for his actions during the Nov. 4 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch violated Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the 2011 NASCAR Rule Book. NASCAR took immediate action, parking Busch for the remainder of Friday night's event and maintaining the parked position for the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. On Monday, the parking directive was lifted by NASCAR. In issuing Monday's penalty, NASCAR went on to say that "if during the remaining NASCAR events in 2011 there is another action by the competitor that is deemed by NASCAR officials as detrimental to stock car racing or to NASCAR, or is disruptive to the orderly conduct of an event, the competitor will be suspended indefinitely from NASCAR.

Former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield indicted on drug charges:

A week after a raid at his home that deputies say turned up meth, 69 guns and $100,000 in stolen goods, Jeremy Mayfield has been indicted by a grand jury on drug charges. Mayfield, a former NASCAR driver, was indicted by the Catawba County grand jury on Monday for felony possession of methamphetamine. Deputies say they found 6 baggies of meth in his home during a search they did on Nov. 1 for stolen goods. Although they say they found stolen property in the home, Mayfield was not charged with possession of stolen property or any charges other than drugs. About $100,000 worth of stolen merchandise was found on Mayfield's property. Police are working now to figure out if Mayfield knew the items were stolen and he had something to do with it. The Sheriff's Office says there are 69 guns that have been logged and are still waiting to see if any are stolen. In addition to these potential theft charges, Mayfield is also facing tax problems. Catawba county tax officials say Mayfield owes more than $82,000 in back taxes on his four properties. Authorities say he is one step from foreclosure. No word when or if theft charges will come for Mayfield. Mayfield is due in court on Nov. 14th.

Mark Martin in at Michael Waltrip Racing & David Reutimann OUT in 2012:

Michael Waltrip Racing announced it has hired Mark Martin to share in driving duties of the #00 Toyota and extended its 30-race sponsorship with Aaron's, Inc. through the 2013 Sprint Cup season. Martin will drive in 25 Sprint Cup events each of the next two seasons, sharing the #00 Aaron's Dream Machine with Michael Waltrip, who will drive five events with Aaron's sponsorship. Martin will join Martin Truex Jr. and recently acquired Clint Bowyer in the MWR stable next season. Martin will begin his tenure with MWR at the 2012 Daytona 500. Waltrip will run the remaining restrictor plate races plus the race in his home state of Kentucky. MWR plans to run a combination of drivers and sponsor partners to fill the remaining races when Martin and Waltrip are not behind the wheel.

Stewart Hass Racing Announces Danica's NASCAR plans for 2012:

The wait is over. Go Daddy Girl Danica Patrick's limited NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) is known, as is the car number that will adorn her GoDaddy.com Chevrolet Impala. Patrick, a seven-year veteran of the IZOD IndyCar Series where she became the first woman in series history to win a race, is making the full transition to stock cars in 2012, competing in the entire NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule for JR Motorsports and a 10-race Sprint Cup schedule for SHR.

Patrick's Sprint Cup debut will come in the 54th annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Her remaining Sprint Cup races are as follows:

*         May 12:     Darlington (S.C.) Raceway

*         Aug. 25:     Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway

*         Sept. 2:      Atlanta Motor Speedway

*         Sept. 16:    Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill.

*         Sept. 30:    Dover (Del.) International Speedway

*         Nov. 4:      Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth

*         Nov. 11:    Phoenix International Raceway

Two Sprint Cup races are to be determined, with the plan being to assess Patrick's development in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series as the season progresses and then choose the remaining venues based on need and competitive reasoning. "Our goal with Danica's schedule is to try and maximize her 10 races with us so that she's as prepared as she can possibly be for a full-time Sprint Cup schedule in 2013," said Stewart, co-owner of SHR with Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation - the largest machine tool manufacturer in the western world. "In the GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, she'll handle short tracks, intermediate 1.5-mile ovals, and some unique tracks like Darlington and Phoenix. The point is to expose her to as many challenges as possible so that she'll know what to expect in 2013.

NEXT RACE: Kobalt Tools 500

The Place: Phoenix International Raceway

The Date: Sunday, Nov. 13

The Time: 3 p.m. (ET)

TV: ESPN, 2 p.m. (ET)

Radio Pre-Race: 1:00 p.m. - Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Distance: 312 miles (312 laps)

My Pick: #99 Carl Edwards

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greeting Enigma Readers!

Phoenix Raceway has gone through some changes.  The only question is whether it helps Tony or Carl or both or neither?

Race fans will get to experience four days of on-track action and entertainment this November at Phoenix International Raceway when the Kobalt Tools 500 returns as the semi-final race in NASCAR's playoffs - the Chase for the Sprint Cup. The fall event weekend at PIR, November 10-13, will be the first event held on the facility's new, reconfigured racing surface.

In February, PIR President Bryan R. Sperber announced details related to the NASCAR facility's first major track pavement project since 1990. Construction - including the removal and reuse of the facility's old racing surface and subsequent installation of a new surface to go with a series of changes designed to promote side-by-side racing - began in March and will continue up to September.

Aside from the installation of a new, four-layer asphalt and aggregate surface, PIR's track pavement project includes the following adjustments:

• Widen the front stretch from 52 to 62 feet
• Reconfigure pit road with the installation of concrete pit stalls
• Push the dog-leg curve between Turn 2 and Turn 3 out 95 feet
• Tighten the turn radius of the dog-leg from 800 to 500 feet
• Implement variable banking to ensure the immediate use of two racing grooves, including 10-11 degree banking between Turn 1 and Turn 2; 10-11 degree banking in the apex of the dog-leg; and 8-9 degree banking in Turn 4
  

Let's go to Phoenix.

Driver To Watch –Tony/Carl.  All the action will be on these two.

Driver To Win – Jimmie Johnson.  Why not?  He can't win the Championship, but he can win a race a Phoenix.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Tony Stewart won the Tums Fast Relief 500, Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway for 42nd career win and 3rd of the season. He passed Jimmie Johnson with two laps to go to take the lead. Jimmie Johnson finished 2nd followed by Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Martin Truex, Jr., Carl Edwards (who was a lap down on two separate occasions and got the lucky dog twice), and Ryan Newman. Matt Kenseth, who came into the race second in points and started second, was involved in a late race accident and

finished 31st. Carl Edwards leads the Chase by 8 points over Tony Stewart. There were 23 lead changes among 12 drivers and 18 cautions for 108 yellow flag laps.

Finishing spots for the NASCAR Chase drivers at Martinsville:

(by standings order before the race)

1) #99-Carl Edwards, started 1st, finished 9th

2) #17-Matt Kenseth, 2nd, 31st

3) #2-Brad Keselowski, 3rd, 17th

4) #14-Tony Stewart, 4th, 1st

5) #29-Kevin Harvick, 5th, 4th

6) #18-Kyle Busch, 6th, 27th

7) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 7th, 2nd

8) #22-Kurt Busch, 8th, 14th

9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 9th, 7th

10) #24-Jeff Gordon, 10th, 3rd

11) #11-Denny Hamlin, 11th, 5th

12) #39-Ryan Newman, 12th, 10th

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Chase Points Standings:

[After Martinsville, race 33 of 36 and Chase race 7 of 10]

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 2273

2) #14-Tony Stewart [3 wins], 2265, -8

3) #29-Kevin Harvick [4 wins], 2252, -21

4) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins], 2246, -27

5) #17-Matt Kenseth [3 wins], 2237, -36

6) #48-Jimmie Johnson [2 wins], 2230, -43

These drivers are more then a race out:

7) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 2216, -57

8) #22-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 2215, -58

9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 2200, -73

10) #24-Jeff Gordon [3 wins], 2197, -76

Top 10 go to the banquet in Vegas

11) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 2193, -80

12) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 2184, -89

(ties broken by 1sts, 2nds, 3rd, etc)

Roush Fenway expects to have 3 Sprint Cup teams in 2012:

Roush Fenway Racing expects to shrink from four full-time Sprint Cup cars to three in 2012. "The most likely scenario is three,'' RFR president Steve Newmark said before Sunday's race at Martinsville Speedway."We're still plugging away at the fourth, but we all recognize the realities that when you're this late in the season it makes it more difficult to secure that. Only the #99 car of Carl Edwards and #16 of Greg Biffle is fully sponsored for next season. The #17 of 2003 Cup champion Matt Kenseth has no sponsorship for 2012, and Newmark said "nothing is eminent'' but added RFR is prepared to run that car unsponsored if necessary. Newmark said the #6 car driven by David Ragan could run limited races but was non-committal on whether Ragan, Nationwide Series point's leader Ricky Stenhouse Jr. or Trevor Bayne -- or a combination of two or three -- would get those races. He said the plan is for Bayne, the defending Daytona 500 champion, to run a limited Cup schedule in the #21 for the Wood Brothers. Newmark said RFR hopes to field two Nationwide Series cars, with at least one of them fully sponsored. No decision has been made on who would fill those seats, although Stenhouse has been promised a ride for RFR next season.

Mortgage Lender joins NASCAR:

Quicken Loans Inc., the nation's largest online retail mortgage lender, has formed a partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing. Quicken Loans will be the primary sponsor of Stewart Hass Racing's #39 team and driver Ryan Newman for nine races in 2012, and when not serving as a primary sponsor, will be an associate sponsor. Additionally, Quicken Loans will be an associate sponsor on the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevy of Stewart throughout the 2012 Sprint Cup season. To kick off this partnership, Newman and the #39 team will carry a special paint scheme to highlight the upcoming Quicken Loans Carrier Classic during this weekend's Sprint Cup event at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

At Texas Motor Speedway:

* Construction began in 1995.

* The first NASCAR race was a NASCAR Nationwide Series event on April 5, 1997.

* The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was on April 6, 1997.

* There have been 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, one per season from 1997 through 2004 and two races per year since 2005.

* Four drivers have competed in all 21 Texas races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin.

* Jeremy Mayfield was the first pole winner, in 1998. Qualifying for the inaugural race in 1997 was canceled.

* Jeff Burton won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

* 15 drivers have scored poles, led by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon with two.

* 16 drivers have won races, led by Carl Edwards, with three. Denny Hamlin and Jeff Burton each have two wins.

* 15 of 21 races have been won from a top-10 starting position. Only one has been won from the pole (Kasey Kahne in 2006).

* Matt Kenseth started 31st en route to his victory at Texas in 2002, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started. Kenseth started fourth and won earlier this season at Texas.

* Both Jeff Burton (1997) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) scored their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Texas, and 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne made his first series start at Texas (11/07/10). Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup competitor Brad Keselowski also made his first career start at Texas (11/2/08).

* Martin Truex Jr. (11/04/07) and David Ragan (04/09/11) scored their first series poles at Texas.

* Matt Kenseth (9.0), Denny Hamlin (9.3) and Jimmie Johnson (9.9) are the only three active drivers to average a top-10 finish.

* Roush Fenway Racing leads all owners in victories, with eight. Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have three wins each.

* There has been two season sweeps, by Carl Edwards in 2008 and Denny Hamlin in 2010

NEXT RACE: Texas Race

Where: Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas

When: 3 p.m. Sunday

TV: ESPN

Radio Pre-Race Show: 1:00 p.m. - Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Denny Hamlin

My Pick:  #48 Jimmie Johnson

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greeting Enigma Readers!

Hey, our super producer and friend Big Daddy Kyle is trying to do some good in the neighborhood.  Tis the season, so surf on over and help him out.

Hey friends, its BigDaddyKyle from Valvoline Racing Radio!  Thanks to Casey, I've been given some space to tell you about a project of mine that starts this week.  I am engaging in No Shave November this year....  No, not just because I can.  But its to raise money and awareness for the kids at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  Starting this past Monday, I will not shave for one month, to honor those children affected by cancer.  Weird way to show some love isn't it? 

I was fortunate enough to travel to Memphis in January to experience the miracles that happen at St. Jude everyday and its really changed my life.  The progress they have made in finding cures for childhood cancer is atonishing!  And its all because of folks donating just like you.  Danny Thomas, the founder of St. Jude, said that no child should die in the dawn of life....  Don't you feel the same way? 

Well, if you do, then here is your chance to heckle the crap outta me and get away with!  Donate now to www.mystjudeevent.org/BDK and you can send me what ever kind of message you like!  You can also see my progress in No Shave November AND you can learn about some of the amazing work that haoppens at St. Jude everyday!

Any help is appreciated!

Let's go to Texas.

Driver To Watch –Dale Jr.  Maybe he wins?  Maybe?

Driver To Win – Carl Edwards.  Carl is going to do away with a lot of the drama surrounding The Chase when he takes home the checkard flag at Texas.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Clint Bowyer won the Good Sam's Club 500 at Talladega Superspeedway for his 5th career win and 1st win of the season. The win is also the 100th win for Richard Childress Racing. Jeff Burton was leading at the white flag, Clint Bowyer was his partner and pushing, Clint Bowyer moved over on the tri-oval to pass Jeff Burton and they had a drag race to the start-finish line with Clint Bowyer winning. Jeff Burton finished 2nd [his first top 5 of the season] followed by Dave Blaney [the top 10 means kids eat free at Golden Corral],  Brad Keselowski, Brian Vickers, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Michael Waltrip and Martin Truex Jr. Pole sitter Mark Martin led 2 laps, was involved in a late wreck and finished 20th. There were 72 lead changes among 26 drivers and 9 cautions for 38 yellow flag laps.

Richard Childress Racing Reaches 100th Win:

With its sixth victory of the 2011 season, by #33-Clint Bowyer at Talladega Superspeedway, Richard Childress Racing reached historic NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win No. 100, a major milestone in the storied history of one of NASCAR's most prolific teams. It was the team's 12th win at Talladega, which puts it atop the all-time wins list at the historic track. Richard Childress Racing started its trek to the top of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 1969, as a single-car team with its driver also its owner. Richard Childress paired his business acumen with driving skills that produced results. Childress finished his driving career with six top fives and 76 top 10s. But it was when Childress took the back seat that Richard Childress Racing exploded. It earned its first win in 1983 at Riverside International Raceway with driver Ricky Rudd. A year later, NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt joined the organization fulltime, and the rest - as they say - is history. Earnhardt won six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships and 67 races while flying the Richard Childress flag. Now, the team has reached another milestone, and another accolade  100 victories. RCR has won with seven different drivers, at 22 different tracks. RCR Wins By Driver: Dale Earnhardt 67; Kevin Harvick 18; Clint Bowyer 5; Jeff Burton 4; Robby Gordon 3; Ricky Rudd 2; Paul Menard 1.

2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Chase Points Standings:

[after Talladega, race 32 of 36 and Chase race 6 of 10]

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 2237

2) #17-Matt Kenseth [3 wins], 2223, -14

3) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins], 2219, -18

4) #14-Tony Stewart [2 wins], 2218, -19

5) #29-Kevin Harvick [4 wins], 2211, -26

6) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 2197, -40 these drivers are more then a race out:

7) #48-Jimmie Johnson [2 wins], 2187, -50

8) #22-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 2185, -52

9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 2163, -74

10) #24-Jeff Gordon [3 wins], 2155, -82 top 10 go to the banquet in Vegas

11) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 2153, -84

12) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 2149, -88

(ties broken by 1sts, 2nds, 3rd, etc)

NASCAR Confiscates Windshields at Talladega:

NASCAR confiscated the windshields from Michael Waltrip Racing's #00 and #56 Toyotas and from the #47 Toyota for JTG-Daugherty Racing on Friday at Talladega Superspeedway. Each team was forced to switch out thewindshield for a new one after they were found to have unapproved modifications.

NASCAR has issued penalties to the #00, #47 and #56 teams that compete in the Sprint Cup Series as a result of rule infractions discovered during opening day inspection Oct. 21 at Talladega Superspeedway. All three cars were found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the rule book, or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the event); and 20-3.2.1A (unapproved modification to an approved windshield) of the 2011 NASCAR rule book. Crew chiefs Rodney Childers (#00), Frank Kerr (#47) and Chad Johnston (#56) have each been fined $50,000 and have been suspended from the next four Sprint Cup Series championship events and suspended from NASCAR until Nov. 23. Car chiefs Steve Channing (#00), Raymond Fox (#47) and Anthony Lunders (#56) have likewise been suspended from the next four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship events and suspended from NASCAR until Nov. 23. Additionally, Bobby Kennedy, director of competition for Michael Waltrip Racing, has been placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Car owners Rob Kauffman (#00), Tad Geschickter (#47), and Michael Waltrip (#56) have each been penalized with the loss of 25 championship owner points. Drivers David Reutimann (#00), Bobby Labonte (#47), and Martin Truex Jr. (#56) have each been penalized with the loss of 25 championship driver points.

Roush Fenway Racing Packing 1-2 Punch for Martinsville:

Roush Fenway Racing finds itself in an enviable position, occupying the top two spots in the Chase standings with four races remaining. Carl Edwards holds the points lead, 14 points ahead of 2003 series champion Matt Kenseth.

Surprisingly, it's the first time in Chase history that RFR has held the top two spots in the point's standings during the Chase. Though most called last weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway the wild card of the Chase, for Edwards and Kenseth this weekend's race at Martinsville might be the deciding factor between a title or "better luck next year." If the two can escape this weekend - at a track where both have had mixed results - it could be smooth sailing. Two of the final three races are staged on 1.5-mile tracks, a favorite among the RFR crowd.

But first things first: the Martinsville short track, where RFR's current stable of drivers remain winless. The team does have four Martinsville wins in all, from current Hendrick Motorsports driver Mark Martin (two), current Richard Childress Racing driver Jeff Burton (one) and current Penske Racing driver Kurt Busch (one). RFR pins their championship hopes on Edwards and Kenseth. Their outlook for Sunday...

Edwards: In his post-race Talladega press conference, Edwards said he had never been happier about an 11th-place finish. With similar results at Martinsville, he might roll out a similar quote. Edwards has a Driver Rating of just 81.1, which makes the short track his second-worst track in terms of the Loop Data statistic. In 14 starts, Edwards has led just three laps - all of them coming in last April's 18th-place finish.

Kenseth: Kenseth finished sixth in last April's Martinsville event, but came into that race with four consecutive finishes outside the top 10. His best finish there is second, back in 2002. Kenseth's enjoying one of his best seasons since his championship winning 2003 campaign. Through 32 races this season, he has three wins, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s and 721 laps led. Through 33 races in 2003, he had one win, 10 top fives, 23 top 10s and 354 laps led.

Next Race: TUMS Fast Relief 500

The Place: Martinsville Speedway

The Date: Sunday, Oct. 30

Time: 1:30 p.m. (ET)

TV: ESPN, 1 p.m. (ET)

Radio Pre-Race: 11:30 a.m. -Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Distance: 500 miles (263 laps)

My Pick: #29 Kevin Harvick

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greeting Enigma Readers!

Shawn and I have noticed that we have more and more women calling in to Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Milliard Pest Control.  Shawn says it's because he's now single, but I have another theory:  More and more women are into NASCAR.  TV ratings and research back me up on this, because it shows that NASCAR continues to grow in popularity with the ladies.  Now there is finally a website, for women, by women and all about NASCAR.  Check out skirtsandscuffs.com

Welcome to Skirts and Scuffs, a site out to debunk the stereotype of female race fans. If you are new here, please take a few minutes to read this list of questions we get asked the most. Hopefully it will fill you in on what we are all about, along with some other interesting facts about the site.

• What do you mean by “debunking the stereotype of female race fans?” It’s a common misconception that women are only into NASCAR or other forms of racing because 1) Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne (or whomever) are hot and we think we might have a chance to be that lady on their arm in victory lane. 2) Our boyfriends/husbands are into racing so we might as well get in on it too. We can’t let those cars driving in circles steal our man’s attention. This in fact is not the case for most female race fans. Sure, we might have our fangirl moments from time to time, but for the most part we are fans for the same reason the guys are – because it’s exciting, there’s speed and even danger. We like it for the technology and the personalities of the drivers. We like it for those guys behind pit wall giving it their all to get their driver out ahead of the pack and for the man behind the wheel who puts his life on the line to drive at 200 miles per hour.
• So you are a feminist site? Nope, we aren’t about burning our bras or promoting girl power. We are about giving women who love racing an outlet where they can share that love with fans of all sexes.
• Who founded Skirts and Scuffs and when was the site founded? Skirts and Scuffs was founded in October 2009, but it wasn’t until February 2010 that the site began to get serious about promotion and original content. As for our founder, you can blame this on Katy Lindamood. Katy is a freelance writer and blogger who got the idea one night and on a whim started the site. She’s still amazed at the response from women who wanted to get involved. Katy’s our site administrator, but the site is a joint effort between each and everyone of our contributors.
• How many writers does the site have? At the beginning of the 2010 NASCAR season Skirts and Scuffs had approximately two dozen active contributors.
• What makes your writers worth reading? First and foremost, each and everyone of our contributors is a NASCAR fan. Some have been following the sport for as long as they can remember while others are newbies. We have writers with different backgrounds and from all over the United States contributing to the site. Some writers are first-time bloggers who are still in high school while others are full-time freelancers. As long as you are a woman, you are welcome to contribute to the site.
• Do you let men contribute? Nope. Sorry, this is Skirts and Scuffs. If we let men contribute it would defeat the purpose. Men are welcome to read, comment or even become part of our forum. That’s as far as it goes. Sorry guys.
• What can I expect to see on Skirts and Scuffs as far as content? Skirts and Scuffs hopes to become a one-stop shopping site for the NASCAR fan. We provide a mix of press releases, news and opinion articles.
• Are you on Twitter? We love Twitter. Nearly all of our writers use it. You can follow @SkirtsandScuffs on Twitter. You can also find us on Facebook by searching for Skirts and Scuffs.
• How do I become part of the team? We are always looking for new contributors. If you are interested, just send an e-mail to admin@skirtsandscuffs.com and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Let's go to Martinsville.

Driver To Watch –Dale Jr.  Maybe he wins?  Maybe?

Driver To Win – Jimmie Johnson.  He can't win the championship, but he can win at Martinsville.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Matt Kenseth won the Bank America 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway for his 21st career win and 3rd of the season. Kyle Busch finished 2nd followed by Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, Marcos Ambrose, Kevin Harvick, A.J. Allmendinger, Tony Stewart (the pole sitter), Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Newman. While running in the top 10, Jimmie Johnson got loose and wrecked with 17 laps to go. He finished 34th. Carl Edwards now leads the Chase by 5 points over Kevin Harvick. There were 16 lead changes among 10 drivers and 8 cautions for 34 yellow flag laps.

Finishing spots for the NASCAR Chase drivers at Charlotte: (by standings order before the race)

1) #99-Carl Edwards, finished 3rd

2) #29-Kevin Harvick, 6th

3) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 34th

4) #2-Brad Keselowski, 16th

5) #17-Matt Kenseth, 1st

6) #22-Kurt Busch, 13th

7) #14-Tony Stewart, 8th

8) #18-Kyle Busch, 2nd

9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 19th

10) #24-Jeff Gordon, 21st

11) #39-Ryan Newman, 10th

12) #11-Denny Hamlin, 9th

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Chase Points Standings:

[after Charlotte, race 31 of 36 and Chase race 5 of 10]

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 2203

2) #29-Kevin Harvick [4 wins], 2198, -5

3) #17-Matt Kenseth [3 wins], 2196, -7

4) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 2185, -18

5) #14-Tony Stewart [2 wins], 2179, -24

6) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins], 2178, -25

7) #22-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 2176, -27

8) #48-Jimmie Johnson [2 wins], 2168, -35

9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 2143, -60

10) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 2142, -61

11) #24-Jeff Gordon [3 wins], 2137, -66

12) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 2017, -86

(ties broken by 1sts, 2nds, 3rd, etc)

NASCAR Teams test electronic fuel injection At Charlotte:

Teams representing 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars turned upwards of 400 miles Monday during a test of Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Both NASCAR officials and drivers were optimistic about the continued development of the system. Plans call for the full implementation of EFI in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with the 2012 season.

Johnson Faces Talladega-Sized Climb:

Jimmie Johnson, thanks to the fifth-worst finish of his Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup career (34th), now sits eighth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings, 35 points behind leader Carl Edwards. With any other driver, that would register a minor blip on the news radar. Bad finishes happen. Sometimes it's just not your year. But with Johnson, this is a bombshell, adding yet another chapter in the ongoing "Is He Done?" saga.

Face It, It's Just Not His Chase:

There are two reasons to believe Johnson won't climb out of this hole.

1) That famous luck that blankets Johnson? Gone. His statistics over the first five races would suggest that Johnson is dominating. Of course, that's not the case. Through the first five Chase races, Johnson has a Driver Rating of 114.2, an Average Running Position of 6.5, 234 Fastest Laps Run and 395 laps led. All those figures rank first among Chase drivers.

2) There are A) too many drivers ahead of him and B) those drivers ahead of him show little sign of faltering. Point's leader Edwards has top-10 finishes in all five races, the only driver to do so. Second- and third-place Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth have each finished in the top 10 in four of the five Chase races. Only two drivers in the top eight have two finishes outside the top 15 in the Chase: Johnson and Brad Keselowski. Consistency from those ahead of him may end his unprecedented run.

It's Not Over 'Til It's Over, Especially With Johnson:

There are three reasons to believe Johnson will climb out of this hole.

1) Johnson's current 35-point deficit roughly equates to 145 points in the "old" points system. With five races to go in 2006, Johnson overcame a deficit of 146 points to win his first championship.

2) He can win races in bunches, especially in pressure packed situations like this one. In 2007, Johnson won four consecutive races - at this exact juncture.

3) Talladega and Phoenix a wait. Talladega is the ultimate wild-card track. Phoenix, with its repave, is an unknown. Some called it a brand-new track after the test two weeks ago.

At Talladega Superspeedway:

* The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on Sept. 14, 1969.

* There have been 84 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Talladega Superspeedway since the track opened in 1969; two a year every year except the inaugural season, which had just one.

* 35 different drivers have won poles. Bill Elliott leads all drivers with eight poles.

* 41 different drivers have posted victories, led by Dale Earnhardt Sr. (10). Eighteen drivers have won more than once.

* Jeff Gordon leads all other active drivers in victories, with six.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is second among active drivers in victories with five.

* Richard Childress Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have won more than any other organization at Talladega with 11 wins each.

* 33 of 84 races have been won from the top-two starting positions, including 13 from the pole; 23 have been won from a starting position outside the top 10. The most recent driver to win from the pole was Jeff Gordon in 2007 (spring).

* The furthest back in the field a race winner started was 36th, by Jeff Gordon in 2000.

* Mark Martin's pace in the 1997 spring race set an all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup record for the fastest race ever. He won the caution-free race with an average speed of 188.354 mph and covered the 500-mile distance in two hours, 39 minutes and 18 seconds.

* The 2010 spring race set the all-time and track records for lead changes (88) and lap leaders (29). The lead change record was matched last April. The previous highs were 75 lead changes (set on May 6, 1984) and 28 lap leaders (set on Oct. 5, 2008). Both previous records also were set at Talladega.

* Dale Earnhardt Jr. had four consecutive victories (October 2001 through April 2003), the most ever by a driver there. Buddy Baker (three - May 1975 through May 1976) is the only other driver to win more than two consecutive races there.

Next Race: Fall Race at Talladega

The Place: Talladega Superspeedway

The Date: Sunday, Oct. 23

The Time: 2:00 p.m. (ET)

TV: ESPN, 1 p.m. (ET)

Radio: 12:00 p.m. Pre-Race Show - Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: 1:00 p.m. - ROCK 105 (105.5)

Distance: 500 miles (188 laps)

My Pick: #18 Kyle Busch

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

It’s Talladega Week.  NASCAR and Alabama’s version of Mardi Gras that happens two time a year.  This year in leiu of some hard hitting journalism or in depth statistics, I’m simply giving you movie quotes from one of the greatest NASCAR movies ever, that happens to share the name of Alabama’s favorite race track…Talladega Nights.

Will Ferrell (Ricky Bobby):  ... heck I just read in the newspaper they put a pig heart in some guy from Russia, you know what, I mean, you know what that means?

Michael Clarke Duncan (Lucius Washington):  ... no, I don't know what that means, I guess longer lives ...

Will Ferrell:  ... no, he didn't live ...

Michael Clarke Duncan:  ... oh he didn't live ...

Will Ferrell:  ... no ...

Michael Clarke Duncan:  ... oh ...

Will Ferrell:  ... it's just exciting that we are trying things ...

Michael Clarke Duncan:  ... yeah ...

John C. Reilly (Cal Naughton, Jr.):  ... me and Ricky since we've been little kids, man ... we go together like chinese food and chocolate pudding, lets face it ... 

Will Ferrell (Ricky Bobby):  ... yeah, but Cal, those two things don't really go together ...

John C. Reilly:  ... oh we, we go together like cocain and waffles ...

Will Ferrell:  ... you know what, for instance, if you, if I say peanut butter and ...

John C. Reilly:  ... ladies ...

David Koechner (Herschell):  ... yup ...

John C. Reilly:  ... right? am I right?

Will Ferrell:  ... no, jelly ...

David Koechner:  ... jelly?

John C. Reilly:  ... I'm supposed to put jelly on a lady?

Will Ferrell (Ricky Bobby):  ... here's the deal, I'm the best there is, plain and simple, I mean I wake up every morning and I kiss excellence, and nobody can hang with my stuff, uh, you know I'm just a, just a big hairy American winning machine, you ain't first, you're last, you know, what I'm talking about ... that phrase is trademarked and not to be used without the permission of Ricky Bobby Inc. ...

Will Ferrell (Ricky Bobby):  ... its Magic Man ... and El Diablo ...

John C. Reilly (Cal Naughton, Jr.):  ... what, what's diablo mean?

Will Ferrell:  ... its like, its like Spanish for like a fighting chicken ...

John C. Reilly:  ... that's awesome ...

Will Ferrell:  ... I know ...

John C. Reilly:  ... with the claws?

Will Ferrell:  ... with the claws ... and the beak ...

Let’s head to ‘Dega.

Driver to Watch:  Dale Jr..  He’s going to get a win eventually…right?  Plus, It’s Talladega!!!!

Driver to Win: Kevin Harvick.   It’s about time Happy Harvick got himself back into the headlines.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Jimmie Johnson won the Hollywood Casino 400 Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway for his 55th career win, (tied for 8th all time with Rusty Wallace), 2nd of the season and his 20th Chase race win. Johnson led 197 of 272 laps. The race finished with a green-white-checker due to a late race caution when Jeff Gordon lost an engine, adding 5 laps to the race distance. Kasey Kahne finished 2nd followed by Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards. Pole sitter Greg Biffle led 23 laps and finished 8th. The win is the 199th for Hendrick Motorsports. Chevrolet clinches the Manufactures Championship it's 35th championship and 9th in a row. Carl Edwards leads the Chase by 1 point over Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson is 4 pts behind. There were 19 lead changes among 9 drivers and 6 cautions for 25 yellow flag laps.

Finishing spots for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase drivers at Kansas: (by standings order before the race)

1) #29-Kevin Harvick, starts 14th, 6th

2) #99-Carl Edwards, 2nd, 5th takes points lead

3) #14-Tony Stewart, 23rd, 15th

4) #22-Kurt Busch, 17th, 13th

5) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 19th, WON

6) #2-Brad Keselowski, 12th, 3rd

7) #17-Matt Kenseth, 4th, 4th

8) #18-Kyle Busch, 3rd, 11th

9) #24-Jeff Gordon, 10th, 34th (lost an engine)

10) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 18th, 14th

11) #39-Ryan Newman, 11th, 18th

12) #11-Denny Hamlin, 7th, 16th

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Chase Points Standings:

[after Kansas, race 30 of 36 and Chase race 4 of 10]

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 2161

2) #29-Kevin Harvick [4 wins], 2160

3) #48-Jimmie Johnson [2 wins], 2157

4) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins], 2150

5) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 2149

6) #22-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 2145

7) #14-Tony Stewart [2 wins], 2142

8) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 2141

9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 2118

10) #24-Jeff Gordon [3 wins], 2114

11) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 2107

12) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 2082

NASCAR Chairman & CEO Brian France discusses some issues with the sport:

NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France participated in a question and answer session at Kansas Speedway. Here are a few highlights:

Brian France: Obviously I'm not sure we can be any more pleased with how the Chase is unfolding, and frankly how the season has unfolded, with the level of competition, the closeness in the Chase, some of the moves that we made, the wild card being one, and streamlining and simplifying the points system being another, to make it easier for people to understand how you qualify and of course add some additional drama. It's done all of that, and if you look back, those were at the time viewed as small moves that we made, but they're actually having a really big impact, and that's terrific.

Q: Obviously we're near the home of Sprint. They've got two years left on the deal. They've had some kind of good days and bad days. Where do you see that relationship? Have you started renegotiating the series sponsorship?

France: Well, relationship is very good. It's a program that's worked extremely well for them. They would, I think, tell you that. We're in a time when we're having those kinds of discussions about extending the relationship. My hope is that we will. That's always a goal when we have a really good incumbent sponsor who's done such a good job. You obviously want to extend the relationship if you can.

Q: I heard possibly trucks at Watkins Glen, and what's the story with Montreal? Will it be a NASCAR race next year for somebody?

France: I believe it will, and there's some changes going on in the marketplace with the promoter and otherwise that are happening, how they're promoting the event, some changes. But it's a very popular event, does very well. My hope is we'll continue to be there.

Q: You've had some good news as far as TV ratings go early in the Chase. Any data yet as to what demographics the increases are coming from in particular and what's your gut feeling in terms of why there seems to be a heightened level of interest this year?

France: You know, the increase is primarily coming frankly right where we would really want it to be, which the younger demo, up 20 something percent, has consistently been up 20 something percent. I think in major sports today, you're going to see this in the various playoffs and championships that will be decided in all kinds of sports, it gets down to story lines and match-ups is that last 10 percent, 15 percent, whatever it's going to be, and when you have more of that, good story lines and great racing in our case, you should do better, and we are doing better. We've just got to keep building on that and hope that the racing and the story lines continue to do what they have done.

Charlotte Motor Speedway

NASCAR Facts and Stats at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

* Construction began on Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1959.

* The track's first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on June 19, 1960.

* The track name changed from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Lowe's Motor Speedway in 1999. It changed back to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 2010 season.

* The track was re-paved again before the 2006 season.

* There have been 105 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points' races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, two races per year since the track opened in 1960. In 1961, there were two 100-mile qualifying points races held the week before the May race. The first six fall races at Charlotte were 400-mile events (1960-65).

* Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in poles, with nine. Jeff Gordon has eight.

* Jeff Gordon won five straight poles for the spring races between 1994 and 1998.

* 44 drivers have won races, led by Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip and Jimmie Johnson, with six each.

* Joe Lee Johnson won the first race, in 1960.

* There have been 13 back-to-back victories, including three consecutive by Fred Lorenzen (fall 1964 and both 1965) and four straight by Jimmie Johnson (both in 2004 and 2005).

* A sweep has occurred eight times, including each season from 2004-2007.

* 14 races have been won from the pole, the last by Jimmie Johnson (October, 2009).

* Jimmie Johnson won the 2003 Coca-Cola 600 from the 37th starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.

* Joey Logano is the only driver with more than two starts at Charlotte to average a top-10 finish (7.4).

* A number of active drivers earned their first win at CMS: Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears and David Reutimann. Inactive drivers David Pearson, Buddy Baker and Charlie Glotzbach also got their first series wins at Charlotte.

* Three Chase contenders earned their first career Coors Light poles at Charlotte: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman.

Next Race: Bank of America 500

The Place: Charlotte Motor Speedway

The Date: Saturday, Oct. 15

The Time: 7:30 p.m. (ET)

TV: ABC, 7 p.m. (ET)

Radio Pre-Race: Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Distance: 501 miles (334 laps)

My Pick: #18 Kyle Busch

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield & we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

So Jimmie Johnson finally got his first win of this year’s Chase.  It’s not surprise, really, when you take a look at the all time statistics.  Jimmie has 21 victories in Chase races.  More than double of the next highest, Tony Stewart.

Jimmie Johnson- 21

Tony Stewart- 10

Carl Edwards- 8

Greg Biffle -7

Denny Hamlin- 4

Jeff Gordon - 3

Clint Bowyer - 3

Kurt Busch - 3

Ryan Newman - 2

Mark Martin - 2

Dale Earnhardt Jr. - 2

Kevin Harvick -2 

Jeff Burton -2

Jamie McMurray -2

Kasey Kahne -1

Joe Nemechek -1

Dale Jarrett -1

Kyle Busch -1

Matt Kenseth -1

Brian Vickers -1

I think it’s safe to say that The Chase is Jimmie Johnson time.  Let’s see how he does the rest of the way.

Let’s head to Charlotte.

Driver to Watch:  Dale Jr..  He’s going to get a win eventually…right?

Driver to Win: Jimmie Johnson.  Back to back for soon to be Mr. Six Time.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Kurt Busch won the AAA 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Dover International Speedway for his 24th career win and 2nd of of the season. Jimmie Johnson finished 2nd followed by Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, A.J. Allmendinger, Clint Bowyer, Marcos Ambrose and Kevin Harvick. Pole sitter Marin Truex Jr. had some tire problems and finished 30th. Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards are tied in the Chase Points lead, with Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch 9 points behind in 3rd. There were 24 lead changes among 13 drivers and 10 cautions for 44 yellow flag laps.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Chase Points Standings:

[after Dover, race 29 of 36 and Chase race 3 of 10]

1) #29-Kevin Harvick [4 wins], 2122

2) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 2122

3) #14-Tony Stewart [2 wins], 2113, -9

4) #22-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 2113, -9

5) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 2109, -13

6) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins], 2108, -14

7) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 2108, -14

8) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 2107, -15

9) #24-Jeff Gordon [3 wins], 2103, -19

10) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 2088, -34

11) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 2081, -41

12) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 2054, -68

Goodyear and NASCAR Extend Agreement:

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and NASCAR today jointly announced they have signed an extended agreement for Goodyear to continue as the exclusive tire used in NASCAR's top three racing series for the next five years. The agreement, which extends through the 2017 season, renews Goodyear as the "Exclusive Tire Supplier" of NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Goodyear has had an uninterrupted commitment to NASCAR since becoming a race tire supplier in the 1950s, making it one of the longest-running supply programs in any sport. In addition, Goodyear has been the exclusive tire supplier for all three of the circuit's top series since 1997.

Court orders NHMS to pay ISC over radio fee:

A jury in New Hampshire has ordered Speedway Motorsports Inc.'s New Hampshire Motor Speedway to pay International Speedway Corp.'s Motor Racing Network approximately $950,000 after a weeklong trial to determine whether MRN deserved a contract termination fee from the race track, according to an ISC statement. When SMI bought the New Hampshire track in January 2008, it wanted its Sprint Cup and Nationwide races on its own radio network, Performance Racing Network. But NHIS had a contract with MRN that ISC said required a three-year notice of termination. MRN ended up broadcasting the June 2008 Nationwide and Cup races from the newly named New Hampshire Motor Speedway and then PRN got the Cup race in September 2008 and all Nationwide and Cup events beginning in 2009.

Austin Dillon to make NASCAR Sprint Cup debut at Kansas:

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation's Centennial Celebration will be commemorated by Austin Dillon's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut driving the #98 Curb Agajanian/Reagan Centennial/Camping World/Curb Records Chevy in the Oct. 9 Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. The original announcement of the program was made March 27 at Auto Club Speedway. The Ronald Reagan Centennial is a historic, year-long celebration to commemorate the 100th birthday of the 40th President of the United States of America. A series of substantive and celebratory events, partnerships, and initiatives sponsored by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation are planned throughout 2011, including the Ronald Reagan tribute album which is being released nationally by Curb Records in connection with the Kansas race. Dillon currently leads the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series point standings with five races remaining in just his second full season in the series [in the #3 RCR Chevy truck]. Dillon finished fifth in the 2010 NCWTS point standings and was named rookie of-the-year. He recently equaled his win total from last year with his second victory of the season, in the Sept. 25 Fast Five 225 at Chicagoland. His NCWTS pit crew, led by crew chief Danny Stockman, will serve in the same roles for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The Kansas Speedway race by Dillon will be the 100th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start for car co-owner Mike Curb and Curb-Agajanian Racing.

Carl Edwards is on fire: Only one driver has scored a top-10 finish in each Chase race thus far: Edwards. He has also scored more points in the Chase thus far than any other driver. And his immediate future shines particularly bright. Edwards considers Kansas Speedway his home track, and puts this race atop his "most coveted" list. Click here for video of Edwards talking about racing close to home.

Points leader Kevin Harvick knows this pressure: One reason Johnson wins championships: He knows how to handle playoff pressure. After last year's championship flirtation, so too does Kevin Harvick. Though Harvick, the current points leader, came up short last season, it wasn't for lack of trying. Only once did the two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion finish outside the top 10 during last year's Chase, and his average finish over the last five races was a pressure-shirking 4.0.

Statistically, this is the most competitive year ever: Johnson has one victory through the first 29 races, the fewest in his career. His previous low was three wins through 29 events. Last year, he had six at this point. The 16 different winners this season are the most through 29 races since 2007. Additionally, there have been averages of 13 different leaders and 27 lead changes per race, most through 29 races in series history. Simply put, stringing wins together - like the time he won four straight in 2007 - just doesn't seem likely.

Kansas Speedway

Facts and Stats at Kansas Speedway:

* Groundbreaking was held on May 25, 1999.

* The official opening of Kansas Speedway was in 2001, with the first events being an ARCA race and a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race on the same day - June 2.

* The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was Sept. 30, 2001.

* There have been 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Kansas since the track opened in 2001.

* 10 drivers have competed in all 11 races at Kansas.

* Jeff Gordon won the first two NASCAR Sprint Cup races.

* Eight different drivers have won poles, led by Jimmie Johnson with three.

* Eight different drivers have posted victories, led by Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart (each with two).

* Two drivers have won from the pole: Joe Nemechek in 2004 and Jimmie Johnson in 2008.

* The furthest back in the field that a race winner started was 25th, by Brad Keselowski earlier this season.

* Three active drivers with more than one start have averaged a top-10 finish: Greg Biffle (8.3), Jeff Gordon (8.1) and Jimmie Johnson (9.1).

* Jeff Gordon leads all drivers in top fives (eight) and top 10s (nine). Gordon's only two non-top 10s were a 39th in 2006 and a 13th in 2004.

* Seven of the 11 races that ended under green had a margin of victory under one second. The 2007 race ended under caution.

Hollywood Casino 400

The Place: Kansas Speedway

The Date: Sunday, Oct. 9

The Time: 2 p.m. (ET)

TV: ESPN, 1 p.m. (ET)

Radio: Pre-Race - 12:00 p.m.  Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Distance: 400.5 miles (267 laps)

My Pick: #29 Kevin Harvick

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greeting Enigma Readers!

The History of Kansas Speedway...

In 1996, International Speedway Corporation (ISC) began exploring options to build a speedway facility in the Midwest region. In 1997, Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., were selected as the site for the new speedway. Located at the intersection of interstates 70 and 435, construction began in May of 1999 of the 1.5 mile tri-oval and 75,000 seat Kansas Speedway. At the Construction Celebration, NASCAR drivers Bobby Labonte, Rusty Wallace and Kenny Schrader help kick off the event along with NASCAR President, the late Bill France, Jr., International Speedway Corporation (ISC) President and Chief Operating Officer, Jim France and ISC Executive Vice President, Lesa Kennedy. Also in attendance are Kansas Governor, Bill Graves and Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas Unified Government Mayor/CEO, Carol Marinovich.

Kansas Speedway launched ticket sales in July 1999 through the sale of the Founding Fan P.A.S.S. (Preferred Access Speedway Seating). Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee and former Kansas City Royals player George Brett purchases the first Fan P.A.S.S., which allows fans to lock-in the best seat locations at the track as well as acquire benefits otherwise not available to the general public. In one day, all 32 luxury suites planned for the facility were sold out. The ISC Board of Directors approves funding for an additional 36 suites, increasing capacity to just under 82,000.

Initial marketing partners are announced in November of 1999: Midwest Ford Dealers Association, University of Kansas Medical Center, Pepsi-Cola, Price Chopper Supermarkets and Coors Brewing Company. At the same time, the speedway also announces its goals to utilize Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) and Woman Business Enterprises (WBE) in the construction of the speedway project.

In May 2000, NASCAR and Indy Racing League announced they will bring events to Kansas Speedway for its inaugural racing season in 2001. 

Indy Racing League - July 8, 2001

NASCAR Busch Series - September 29, 2001

NASCAR Winston Cup Series - September 30, 2001

In August 2000, Kansas Speedway tickets went on sale to residents of Wyandotte County first and then five days later went on-sale world-wide via the internet, telephone, fax, US mail and at local Price Chopper stores. NASCAR also announces that they will bring a third event to Kansas Speedway: the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will race in Kansas on July 7, 2001.

Track paving began in September 2000 and construction in completed in early 2001.

In April 2001, Kansas Speedway hosted its first open test weekend. Hoosier Tires, the official tire of the ARCA RE/MAX Series, along with teams from the CART-sanctioned Dayton Indy Lights Championship test during the weekend. ARCA RE/MAX Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver Ryan Newman tested his Penske South ARCA car during a test at Kansas Speedway, reaching speeds in excess of 170 mph.

Kansas Speedway opened its gates in May of 2001 for Founding Fans during "Meet Your Seat Day" at the track. The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce names Kansas Speedway a tourism leader. Great names in motorsports, including seven-time Winston Cup champion Richard Petty, his son Kyle Petty, former Winston Cup champion and NBC analyst  the late Benny Parsons, NASCAR President Mike Helton, Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Tony George, IndyCar great Al Unser Jr., attend the Kansas City Sports Commission's Kansas Speedway Kickoff Luncheon at Kansas Speedway.

In June 2001, Kansas Speedway opens its gates for the inaugural race weekend running the NASCAR Winston West Series Kansas 150 and ARCA RE/MAX Series BPU 200. 

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Indy Racing League make their debut at the July race weekend in 2001, marking the first time NASCAR and IRL ran on the same track during the same weekend.

In September 2001, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing comes to Kansas City, Kan., where a sold-out crowd watched Jeff Gordon win the first-ever NASCAR Winston Cup Series at Kansas Speedway.

In March 2002, Jeff Boerger is named Kansas Speedway president, replacing Grant Lynch.

In 2007, Kansas Speedway's traditional July 4th weekend races move to April.

On March 29, 2010, Pat Warren was named the president of Kansas Speedway, replacing Jeff Boerger. Boerger was promoted to president of Kansas Speedway Development Corporation.

On Aug. 10, 2010, Kansas Speedway was part of ISC's realignment of dates and was awarded a second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race beginning in 2011.

On April 25, 2011, Kansas Speedway was named as the site of the inaugural Kanrocksas Music Festival, a two-day music festival featuring some of the biggest names in music.

Driver To Watch - Dale Jr.  Maybe he wins?  Maybe?

Driver To Win - Kurt Busch.  Back to back for Kurt?

Hello NASCAR Fans! Tony Stewart won the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for his 41st career win 2nd win in a row and 2nd of of the season. The race again came down to fuel mileage with Stewart passing Clint Bowyer for the lead with 2 laps to go when Bowyer ran out of gas. Brad Keselowski finished 2nd followed by Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Brian Vickers, Matt Kenseth, David Ragan, Carl Edwards, Juan Montoya, and Regan Smith. Pole-sitter Ryan Newman ran up front early, but had to pit late and finished 25th. Tony Stewart now leads the points by 7 over Kevin Harvick. There were 19 lead changes among 15 drivers and 3 cautions for 14 yellow flag laps.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Chase Points Standings:

1) #14-Tony Stewart [2 wins], 2094

2) #29-Kevin Harvick [4 wins], 2087, -7

3) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins], 2083, -11

4) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 2080, -14

5) #24-Jeff Gordon [3 wins], 2071, -23

6) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 2068, -26

7) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 2068, -26

8) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 2068, -26

9) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 2066, -28

10) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 2065, -29

11) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 2060, -34

12) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 2028, -66

NASCAR increasing restrictor plate size at Talladega:

NASCAR will implement two rule changes for next month's running of the Good Sam Club 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. The size of the restrictor plate that teams will use to prepare and practice for the race will increase by 1/64 inch and is now going to be 57/64 inch diameter. This will provide the teams with an additional 7-10 horsepower. Additionally, the pressure relief valve on the cars' cooling system will be recalibrated to reduce the pressure by approximately eight pounds per square inch from last April's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega. "After the last few superspeedway races, we've heard many drivers express their desire to open up the size of the restrictor plate some and we thought the time was right to do that," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president, competition. "We anticipate these revisions in the rules package for Talladega will help continue to provide competitive and exciting racing for the fans."

Monster Mile a Monster Hurdle for Points Leader Tony Stewart:

Tony Stewart has already accomplished the unthinkable in going 2-for-2 to open the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, winning at both Chicagoland Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In capturing his first two victories of 2011 in such a fashion, Stewart became only the second driver to start the Chase with two consecutive wins. The first was in 2008 by Greg Biffle, who went on to finish third in that season's championship points. Now, can he do the seemingly impossible? For one, he'd be the first to open the Chase with three consecutive wins. Two, it'd be the first time in his career he has ever won three straight. Three, you have to go all the way back to the 2007 Chase for the last time anyone won three straight in the Chase (Jimmie Johnson won four consecutive Chase races that season). And four, he'd have to win at Dover, something that hasn't happened for Stewart in more than a decade. Stewart enjoys-loathes a love-hate relationship with Dover. His career at the one-mile concrete oval, a series of peaks and valleys, includes two victories - but none since his Dover sweep of 2000.

There has been the good - that 2000 sweep at Dover, the only track sweep in his illustrious career. There has been the bad - a Driver Rating of 71.4, making Dover his worst track (by a good bit) in terms of the Loop Data statistic. Driver Rating includes all Dover races since 2005, a span of 13 events. His second-worst track in terms of Driver Rating is Charlotte Motor Speedway (82.2). Stewart's cushion going into Sunday's race is a small one - seven points ahead of Kevin Harvick. The last time Stewart led the points during the Chase: In 2005, when he won his second NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.

"Bad" Brad Anything But:

In only nine races, Brad Keselowski has moved from 23rd in points to his current position of third. And since he broke his ankle, a span eight races ago, he has scored more points than any other driver - by a lot. Over the last eight races, Keselowski has scored 332 points. Second during that span is Jeff Gordon, with 304. Here's why. Numbers over the last nine races look like this: two wins, six top fives, eight top 10s and a Driver Rating of 96.3. His worst finish over the last nine races is still-solid 12th at Richmond. Keselowski's third-place points position is the best of his career, and currently 11 points behind leader Stewart, he's inching towards the first points lead in his career. There's no sign of him stalling anytime soon, and past statistics don't really tell the story for Keselowski. If they did, he probably wouldn't be considered a favorite. His stats at the upcoming eight tracks: 31 starts, two wins (Talladega and Kansas), two top fives, five top 10s, an average finish of 19.6 and a Driver Rating of 69.2. In three NASCAR Sprint Cup starts at Dover, Keselowski has finishes of 18th, 22nd and 13th, which came in May of this year. He won the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Dover in May of 2009.

Jimmie Johnson Facing Tall Order to Overcome Early Deficit:

Jimmie Johnson has been down - but not out - before. Three times he's fallen to ninth in the championship standings, twice in 2004 when he scratched his way back to finish runner-up to Kurt Busch. Johnson opened the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup ninth after a 39th-place finish in 2006, the season in which he claimed the first of five consecutive titles. Two races into this year's postseason, Johnson finds himself at an all-time Chase low of 10th, 29 points behind leader Tony Stewart.

The deficit doesn't seem like much at first glance but consider:

* Those 29 points represent roughly 120 points under the previous system.

* He's more than half a race in the hole, points-wise.

* Even more disturbing, Johnson cannot race his way to the lead without help. Wishing for nine rivals to stumble over the course of eight races may be an extremely tall order. Dover International Speedway is one of the California native's best tracks. He has won three of the last five races and six times overall, and has posted eight top fives and 13 top 10s along with three Coors Light Poles. Johnson owns a series-best Driver Rating of 117.4 at the Monster Mile, where he finished ninth in May.

Next Race: AAA 400

The Place: Dover International Speedway

The Date: Sunday, Oct. 2

The Time: 2 p.m.

TV: ESPN, 1 p.m.

Radio Pre-Race: 12:00 p.m. / Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: 1 p.m. ROCK 105 (105.5)

Distance: 400 miles (400 laps)

My Pick: #48 Jimmie Johnson

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield & we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greeting Enigma Readers!

I know Dover is a cool race track, but cool enough to have it's own comic book?  I guess so...

Miles the Monster, Issue #1 - His Shocking Birth" will be available at the June 2-4, 2006 race weekend

DOVER, Del. - The story of Miles the Monster will now be told for the first time ever...

Race fans of all ages will soon be able to learn how Miles the Monster came to be-all in a beautifully illustrated collectible comic book. This one-of-a-kind piece of memorabilia offers a rare opportunity for fans to learn the story behind his creation, and to be involved in the history of the Monster Mile.

The first issue, "Miles the Monster, Issue #1 - His Shocking Birth," will be sold exclusively at Dover International Speedway during the June 2-4, 2006 race weekend. This first limited-edition issue costs $ 3, with each copy individually numbered on the back cover. Issue No. 2 will be exclusively available at the Dover International Speedway September 22-24, 2006 race weekend. Issues No. 3 through 8 will be released in 2007.

"Miles has always captured the spirit and strength of his home at Dover International Speedway, and embodied the extraordinary fans that come to visit him twice a year at the Monster Mile," said Jerry Miraglia, executive vice president of Dover Motorsports, Inc. "His unique tale is now ready to be told in comic book form, and fans of all ages will enjoy the incredible artwork in this first-edition collectible."

Because of the anticipated demand, fans can reserve their copies of the comic book in advance. Those interested in purchasing the comic book should send an e-mail to "monstercomic@doverspeedway.com" with their name, address and desired quantity. Limit five per person. No prepayment is required. Those reserving comic books must pick up their copies at Dover International Speedway just outside the main ticket office (Gate 11). Pickup times will be Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday, June 4, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

The comic book was created by Mark Wheatley and Allan Gross at Insight Studios. Wheatley, founder of Insight Studios in 1978, is an award-winning creator of comic books. Respected internationally as an artist, writer, editor, publisher and inventor, his portfolio of past work has earned him most top industry awards. Gross previously worked for major comic book companies DC, Dark Horse and Image, before joining Insight Studios. Insight Studios' interpretations of established characters such as Tarzan the Warrior, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Jonny Quest, Dr. Strange, The Flash, Argus and The Spider have brought them to life for a new generation of readers.

Cool Stuff.  Let's go to Dover

Driver To Watch - Dale Jr.  Maybe he wins?  Maybe?

Driver To Win - Carl Edwards.  Come on Concrete Carl.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Tony Stewart won the rain delayed GEICO 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway for his 40th career win and 1st of the season. The race came down to fuel mileage with several chase drivers running out on the last lap. Kevin Harvick finished 2nd followed by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin, and Jimmie Johnson. Pole-sitter Matt Kenseth ran out of gas on the last lap and finished 21st after being penalized for receiving a push from another car. Kevin Harvick now leads the points by 7 over Tony Stewart. There were 22 lead changes among 10 drivers and 6 cautions for 25 yellow flag laps.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Chase Points Standings:

1) #29-Kevin Harvick [4 wins], 2054

2) #14-Tony Stewart [1 win], 2047, -7

3) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 2044, -10

4) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 2043, -11

5) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 2041, -13

6) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins], 2040, -13

7) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 2040, -14

8) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 2038, -16

9) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 2035, -19

10) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 2030, -24

11) #24-Jeff Gordon [3 wins], 2029, -25

12) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 2013, -41

NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase Drivers Finishing Position at Chicago:

[by points standings before the race]:

1) #18-Kyle Busch, 22nd

2) #29-Kevin Harvick, 2nd

3) #24-Jeff Gordon, 24th

4) #17-Matt Kenseth, 21st

5) #99-Carl Edwards, 4th

6) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 10th

7) #22-Kurt Busch, 6th

8) #39-Ryan Newman, 9th

9) #14-Tony Stewart, 1st

10) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 3rd

11) #2-Brad Keselowski, 5th

12) #11-Denny Hamlin, 31st

Diet Mt. Dew replacing Amp on Dale Earnhart, Jr's car:

Four years after making waves in NASCAR by signing on as the primary sponsor of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Amp Energy is phasing its brand off the car of the sport's most popular driver. PepsiCo is expected to announce this week that Diet Mountain Dew will replace its Amp Energy brand as Earnhardt's primary sponsor for 16 races in 2012. The company has the primary sponsorship rights for 20 total races on the #88 car, and Amp will serve as an associate sponsor while also appearing on the hood for the other four races. The shift is a major downsizing in the sponsorship between Amp, an upstart energy drink, and Earnhardt, the sport's biggest driver. Pepsi, which owns Amp and Mountain Dew, has one year left on its contract with Earnhardt and Hendrick Motorsports, and the company's executives believe that Diet Mountain Dew, which is one of the fastest-growing soft drinks, stands to benefit more from Earnhardt than Amp. Pepsi and Hendrick Motorsports are expected this week to unveil a new paint scheme for the #88 car for next year's Daytona 500.

Kyle Busch is most mentioned NASCAR Sprint Cup driver:

According to a study by Joyce, Julius & Associates #18-Kyle Busch was the most mentioned Spring Cup driver during telecasts of the first 20 races of the year. The results:

Driver  # of Interviews  Interview Time Mentions

Busch, Ky.  38  0:52:28  3,829

Gordon, J.  32 0:42:33  3,052

Johnson, J.  24  0:23:34  2,605

Edwards, C.  36  0:37:37  2,450

Hamlin, D.  27  0:24:27  2,320

Busch, Ku.  19  0:13:52  2,205

Stewart, T.  19  0:21:40 2,185

Kenseth, M.  17  0:12:16 1,939

Menard, P.  17  0:21:51  1,912

Earnhardt Jr., D.  17  0:26:51  1,898

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

NASCAR At New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

* Groundbreaking for New Hampshire International Speedway, as New Hampshire Motor Speedway was originally named, was Aug. 13, 1989.

* The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was on July 11, 1993.

* Four drivers have competed in all 33 races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Joe Nemechek.

* Rusty Wallace won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

* 20 different drivers have won, led by Jeff Burton (four).

* Jimmie Johnson (2003) and Kurt Busch (2004) are the only drivers that have posted season sweeps. Those are also the only back-to-back winners.

* Hendrick Motorsports has won eight races, more than any other organization.

* The deepest in the field that a New Hampshire race winner started was 38th, by Jeff Burton in 1999.

* There have been five winners who started from the pole. The last race winner to win from the pole was Ryan Newman this past July.

* Jeff Burton led all 300 laps raced in the 2000 fall race.

* Five drivers got their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at New Hampshire: Joe Nemechek (1999), Robby Gordon (2001), Ryan Newman (2002), Clint Bowyer (2007) and Joey Logano (2009).

* The last four races that have not finished under caution have had a margin of victory of less than a second

Sylvania 300

Where: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.

When: 2 p.m. Sunday

TV: ESPN

Radio: 12:00 p.m. Pre-Race show of Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Clint Bowyer

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greeting Enigma Readers!

How well do you really know a race track?  Especially one in New Hampshire.  Check out some cool facts about New Hampshire Motor Speedway! 

Speedway Fast Facts

-The first superspeedway to be constructed in the United States since 1969

-Largest Sports Facility in New England in terms of seating capacity

-Site of the first single day sporting event in New England to draw over 100,000 guests (July 9, 2000, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race)

-The LENOX Industrial Tools 301 is a part of the "Race to the Chase"

-The SYLVANIA 300 is the second race of the "Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup"

-More than 10 million viewers in over 90 countries watch events televised from the speedway in 2007

-More than 600,000 spectators attend NHMS races/events during a season

-The Speedway provides part-time employment to more than 1,500 workers

Speedway Construction Facts

-More than 1.5 million cubic yards of dirt were moved during construction

-30,000 cubic yards of ledge was blasted during construction of Turn 3 on the 1.058 mile oval

-Over 100,000 tons of asphalt was used in paving the tracks, roads, & walkways

-The track surface coat of asphalt is 5 inches thick on a 10 inch base of gravel

-The back straight is 6 feet higher than the front straight

-The oval's turns are a constant 375 foot radius in length measured on the inside

-There is a 200 foot transition from straights to turns

-The tunnels are 3 feet beneath Turn 2

-Each tunnel is 20 feet in diameter and 130 feet in length

-More than 20,000 bolts are used in the tunnel lining

-100,000 lbs. (4 miles) of steel safety cable reinforce the oval fencing

-The Speedway perimeter road is 5 lanes wide and 2.7-miles long

-There are over 20 miles of buried conduit carrying electrical and phone lines

-There are over 7 miles of water pipe

-There are over 300 phone lines serving the Speedway

Cool Stuff.  Let's go to New Hamshire.

Driver To Watch - Dale Jr.  Maybe he wins?  Maybe?

Driver To Win - Tony Stewart.  Back to Back for Smoke

Hello NASCAR Fans! Kevin Harvick won the Wonderful Pistachios 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway for his 18th career win, and 4th of the season. Carl Edwards finished 2nd followed by Jeff Gordon, David Ragan, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin and Mark Martin. The pole sitter, David Reutimann finished 26th after being involved in a wreck mid-race. With the Chase starting next race at Chicago, the points have been reset with Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick leading the points. Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. lock up 9th and 10th place in the Chase with the Wild Cards going to Brad Keselowski (3 wins, 11th in points) and Denny Hamlin (1 win, 12th in points). There were 11 lead changes among 7 drivers and a record tying 15 cautions for 85 yellow flag laps.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Chase Points Standings:

1) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 2012

2) #29-Kevin Harvick [4 wins], 2012

3) #24-Jeff Gordon [3 wins], 2009

4) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 2006

5) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 2003

6) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 2003

7) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 2003

8) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 2003

9) #14-Tony Stewart [0 wins], 2000

10) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins], 2000

WC1) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins, 11th pts]. 2000

WC2) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win 12th pts], 2000

Austin Dillon will use the #3 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2012:

The return of Nationwide Series teams to Richard Childress Racing also signifies the return of the venerable #3 Chevy to competition full time in 2012. The merger between Kevin Harvick Inc. and RCR will enable KHI's existing teams, the #2 car with Elliott Sadler and the #33 with a cast of current Sprint Car drivers, to compete in the NNS along with Childress' grandson Austin Dillon. Dillon, 21, drives the #3 Silverado in the Camping World Truck Series. Dillon competed in four Nationwide non-companion events for KHI this season. Dillon's brother Ty will take over the driving duties in the #3 truck next season.

Atlanta - NASCAR TV Ratings:

ESPN's live telecast of the rain-delayed NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Tuesday, Sept. 6, earned a 1.8 national household coverage rating, averaging 2,161,000 viewers, according to the Nielsen Company. The race was originally scheduled for Sunday night, Sept. 4, but was pushed to Tuesday due to rain and effects from Tropical Storm Lee. Last year's race, which was run and telecast as scheduled, earned a 3.9 rating. ESPN2's live telecast of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Atlanta on Saturday night, Sept. 3, earned a 1.4 national household coverage rating, averaging 1,857,000 viewers. The rating was the same for the 2010 race.

NASCAR back at the ROCK in 2012:

Rockingham Speedway announced that Richmond County and the city of Rockingham, N.C., will once again be home to NASCAR-sanctioned racing with the addition of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 on April 15, 2012. "In 2007, we set a goal to return Rockingham Speedway to its roots," states Andy Hillenburg, president of Rockingham Speedway. "The introduction of the truck series to Rockingham Speedway is representative of years of hard work and the support of the county, city and state government officials, who understood the positive economic impact a NASCAR-sanctioned race could offer to the Piedmont region. We are very excited about this news and know our supporters are just as proud to have Rockingham's national racing roots become a reality once again." Good Sam Club, the world's largest RV owners' organization will serve as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Rockingham Speedway, while Cheerwine, legendary soft drink of the south will serve as presenting sponsor. "We are thrilled about the return of NASCAR racing at Rockingham Speedway and we're even more excited to have a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event on the schedule for 2012," said Marcus Lemonis, chairman and CEO of Camping World & Good Sam. "The Rock has a rich tradition of hosting tough racing and thrilling finishes, and we expect the same to hold true next April. We look forward to being a part of next year's race and exposing those avid fans to the Good Sam RV products and services." Rockingham Speedway, affectionately known as "The Rock," will begin safety improvements to its race track this fall. One improvement will include the installation of a Steel and Foam Energy Reduction barrier, known as the SAFER barrier system, which is a required feature for all top three tier NASCAR-sanctioned race tracks to help improve driver safety. Additional upgrades will be made to the track's scoring system and pit road, as well as other aesthetic improvements. "NASCAR is looking forward to returning to Rockingham Speedway with a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event in 2012," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR senior vice-president for Racing Operations. "The fans and community have shown strong support and the track is making significant improvements to its facility. We appreciate all the hard work by Andy Hillenburg and his staff to get to this point. It should be a fun event.

Chicagoland Speedway

At Chicagoland Speedway, facts and notes:

* Construction began in August 1999.

* The first NASCAR Nationwide Series race was July 14, 2001.

* The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was held on July 15, 2001.

* This weekend marks the first time Chicagoland Speedway will be included in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Sept. 18, 2011.

* There have been 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Chicagoland Speedway.

* 12 drivers have competed in all 10 races.

* Todd Bodine won the first pole.

* There has been a different pole winner after every qualifying session (qualifying was canceled in 2008).

* Kevin Harvick won the first two races; six drivers have won races, led by Harvick and Tony Stewart, each with two.

* Kyle Busch won the 2008 race from the pole, the first time a driver won from the pole. It was also the only time a driver had won from a top-five starting position.

* Kevin Harvick won the 2002 race from the 32nd starting position, the deepest in the field that a race winner ever started at Chicago.

* Only one starting position has multiple wins: 14th. Mark Martin won from the 14th starting position in 2009, as did Ryan Newman in 2003.

* Jeff Gordon (8.6), Jimmie Johnson (10.0), Tony Stewart (9.5) and Brian Vickers (8.8) are active drivers who average a top-10 finish.

* Five of the last six races have ended with a margin of victory under one second.

* There have been 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Illinois.

* 74 drivers all-time in NASCAR three national series have their home state recorded as Illinois.

* There have been four race winners from Illinois in NASCAR's three national series

NEXT RACE: NASCAR GEICO

Where: Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Ill.

When: 2 p.m. Sunday

TV: ESPN

Radio: 12:00 p.m. Pre-Race - Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: David Reutimann

My Pick: #24 Jeff Gordon

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you Up To Speed!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Jeff Gordon won the Advocare 500, NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motorspeedway for his 85th career win, 5th at AMS and 3rd of the season. Jimmie Johnson finished 2nd followed by Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski [last three races 1-2-3-1-6], Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and A.J. Allmendinger. The pole sitter for the Advocare 500 was Kasey Kahne, finishing 34th after losing a radiator in the race. Points leader going in to the race, Kurt Busch finished 23rd and lost the points lead to Jimmie Johnson, who has a 21 points lead over Busch. There were 35 lead changes among 14 drivers and 9 cautions for 64 yellow flag laps.

Atlanta Fast Facts:

- Jeff Gordon claimed his 85th career Cup Series victory, giving him sole possession of third place on the all-time winners list. It broke a tie with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip.

- This was the 11th 1-2 finish for teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson; Gordon has won seven of them.

- Jeff Gordon led 146 laps, including the final 38; that was the most laps led by any driver, and it was the second week in a row in which Gordon led the most laps.

- This was the 15th career victory on a 1.5-mile track, tying Jimmie Johnson for the most all time.

- This was the fifth Atlanta victory for Jeff Gordon, but his first since the fall of 2003.

- Hendrick Motorsports earned its 198th Sprint Cup Series victory.

- Chevrolet claimed its 10th victory of the season (most of any manufacturer) and 37th win at Atlanta (also the most by any manufacturer).

- Jimmie Johnson (second) earned his 11th top-five finish of 2011, which ties him for the second most in the series.

- Tony Stewart (third) picked up his third top-five of 2011; He has just four top-10 finishes in the past 10 races.

- Kurt Busch (fourth) had only his second top-10 finish in the past six races.

- Carl Edwards (fifth) is tied with Jimmie Johnson with 11 top-five finishes in 2011.

- Brad Keselowski (sixth) earned his sixth consecutive top-10 finish; his worst finish in the past six races is ninth.

- This was only the second race run on a Tuesday since 1978; the other was run at Michigan

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[after Atlanta, race 25 of 36]:

rank, car#, driver, points,

1) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 873 (CH)

2) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 852, (CH)

3) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 835, (CH)

4) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 834, (CH)

5) #24-Jeff Gordon [3 wins], 830, (CH)

6) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 819, (CH)

7) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 789, (CH)

8) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 786, (CH)

Drivers with a (CH) have clinched a Chase birth

9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 753, -120, 25 ahead of 11th, needs 20th or better at RIR

10) #14-Tony Stewart, 751, -122, 23 ahead of 11th, needs 18th or better at RIR

Current Wild Cards

WC1) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins], 728, [11th in points, 3 wins](CH)

WC2) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 709, [12th in points, 1 win]

Out of top 10, no wins, can get in, only if they get a win and either #2 or #11 get in top 10 and #27 doesn't win at RIR

#43-Allmendinger, #33-Bowyer, #16-Biffle, #56-Truex Jr.,

#4-Kahne, #20-Logano, #5-Martin

In the top 20 with wins, possible for the wild card, would get in if wins at RIR and stays in top 20

20) #27-Paul Menard [1 win], 657 [20th in points, 1 win]

Three race winners are not inside the top-20:

#9-Ambrose is 21st, 7 points out of 20th; #6-Ragan is is 23rd, 20 points out of 20th;

#78-Smith is 26th, 104 pts out of 20th

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points.

Making & Tracking THE NASCAR CHASE:

With one race left to qualify, there are several drivers still in the running for the final three spots. For example, Marcos Ambrose could sneak in by winning at Richmond and earning enough points to move into the top 20. The top 8 drivers are assured spots in the Chase, and Brad Keselowski is the leader for a wild card spot.

Here are scenarios for the 14 drivers who have a chance at the final three Chase spots:

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Finish of 20th or better at Richmond, or finish fewer than 25 points behind Brad Keselowski. Would get at least wild card if Paul Menard, Marcos Ambrose and David Ragan finish outside the top 20 in the standings.

Tony Stewart: Finish of 18th or better, or finish fewer than 23 points behind Brad Keselowski.

Denny Hamlin: Locks himself in with victory. Clinches if AJ Allmendinger, Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Martin Truex Jr., Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, Menard, Ambrose or Ragan don't win at Richmond. Clinches if one of those drivers wins and Keselowski supplants Earnhardt or Stewart in the top 10. Clinches if Allmendinger, Bowyer, Biffle, Truex, Kahne or Logano wins and Hamlin remains ahead of the winning driver in the standings. Clinches by beating Stewart by 42 points at Richmond. AJ Allmendinger: Win at Richmond and either Keselowski supplants Earnhardt or Stewart in the top 10 or Allmendinger finishes 12 points ahead of Hamlin at Richmond. Clint Bowyer: Win at Richmond and Keselowski supplants Earnhardt or Stewart in the top 10 or Bowyer finishes 12 points ahead of Hamlin at Richmond.

Greg Biffle: Win at Richmond s and Keselowski supplants Earnhardt or Stewart in the top 10 or Biffle finishes 29 points ahead of Hamlin at Richmond.

Martin Truex Jr.: Win at Richmond and Keselowski supplants Earnhardt or Stewart in the top 10 or Truex finishes 34 points ahead of Hamlin at Richmond.

Kasey Kahne: Win at Richmond and Keselowski supplants Earnhardt or Stewart in the top 10 or Kahne finishes 43 points ahead of Hamlin at Richmond.

Joey Logano: Win at Richmond and Keselowski supplants Earnhardt or Stewart in the top 10 or Hamlin fails to start the race.

Mark Martin: Win at Richmond and Keselowski supplants Earnhardt or Stewart in the top 10.

Paul Menard: Win at Richmond.

Marcos Ambrose: Win at Richmond and move back into the top 20.

Juan Pablo Montoya: Win at Richmond and move back into the top 20, and if Keselowski supplants Earnhardt or Stewart in the top 10.

David Ragan: Win at Richmond and move back into the top 20.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. re-signs with Hendrick thru 2017:

Hendrick Motorsports and driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. have agreed to a five-year contract extension that will keep Earnhardt behind the wheel of the #88 Chevys through the end of the 2017 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. "We're excited to have everything formalized and announced," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "Junior and I had a handshake agreement months ago, and we let other people work out the finer points from there. It was as simple and smooth as it gets. My feelings haven't changed since the day he first signed with us. I'm committed as ever to putting him in the best possible situation to be successful and compete for wins and championships." Earnhardt, 36, has earned 18 Sprint Cup race wins since joining the circuit full-time in 2000. The Kannapolis, N.C., native has won the Daytona 500, the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and two Nationwide Series championships. In NASCAR's national touring series, he has a combined 41 points-paying victories. "It's great to have it all wrapped up so quickly and far in advance," said Earnhardt, who currently is ninth in the Sprint Cup standings. "Rick and I were on the same page from the first time we talked about it, so there wasn't any sense in waiting. There were never any questions or hesitations from either of us. It was just, 'Yeah, let's do it.' I'm really happy at Hendrick Motorsports and enjoy working with everyone here. The team's been very competitive this season, and we're all excited about the direction of things. I want to make sure we're giving our fans something to cheer about for a long time." Earnhardt originally signed with Hendrick Motorsports in June 2007 for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. That contract was set to expire at the end of 2012.

NEXT RACE: Wonderful Pistachios 400

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

TV: ABC

Radio Pre-Race Show: 5:30 p.m. Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Denny Hamlin

My Pick: #18 Kyle Busch

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Brad Keselowski won the IRWIN Tools Night Race Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway for his 4th career win and 3rd win of 2011. He has finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 1st in his last 4 races. Martin Truex, Jr. finished 2nd followed by Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Jamie McMurray, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman (the pole sitter), Carl Edwards, and Marcos Ambrose. Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, and Carl Edwards have now clinched spots in the chase. Points leader going in to the race, Kyle Busch, finished 14th. He is now tied with Jimmie Johnson with 830 points, but he has the top position because of his 4 wins. There were 22 lead changes among 10 drivers and 6 cautions for 42 yellow flag laps. The attendance is listed as 156,000, up from 155,000 last year.

Sprint Summer Showdown field is set:

With up to five spots available for the Sprint Summer Showdown, Brad Keselowski's win at Bristol on Saturday night locks in four drivers that could win a total of $3,000,000 if any of the four can take the checkered flag at Atlanta Motor Speedway during the Sept. 4 AdvoCare 500. Keselowski, the hottest driver on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit over the last month, won his second race during the Sprint Summer Showdown qualifying races and his third of the season at the Tennessee half-mile. Since breaking his left ankle in a testing crash at Road Atlanta, the Michigan native has four top-three finishes, including those two wins. Winning his second race during the Sprint Summer Showdown qualifying-races ensures four drivers will be eligible for the money bonus at AMS. Paul Menard, Brad Keselowski, Marcos Ambrose and Kyle Busch are the drivers that are eligible for the $1,000,000 payday if any of these four can take the checkered flag at the AdvoCare 500 at AMS over Labor Day weekend.

Name, Race, Designated Charity

#27-Paul Menard, Indianapolis, Habitat for Humanity

#2-Brad Keselowski, Pocono, Brad Keselowski's Checkered Flag Foundation

#9-Marcos Ambrose, Watkins Glen International, Victory Junction

#18-Kyle Busch, Michigan, Kyle Busch Foundation

#2-Brad Keselowski, Bristol, Brad Keselowski's Checkered Flag Foundation

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[after Bristol, race 24 of 36]:

rank, car#, driver, points, behind

1) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 830

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 830

3) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 798

4) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 795

5) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 78

6) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 782

7) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 762

8) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 749

9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 728

10) #14-Tony Stewart, 710 out of top 10, no wins, less then a race out of 10th

12) #33-Clint Bowyer, 688

Current Wild Cards

WC1) #2-Brad Keselowski [3 wins -141 [11th in points, 3 wins]

WC2) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win] -158 [13th in points, 1 win] others in the top 20 with wins, possible for the wild card

20) #27-Paul Menard [1 win], 631, -199 [18th in points, 1 win]

Three race winners are not inside the top-20: #6-Ragan is 21st, 3 points out of 20th,m#9-Ambrose is 22nd, 4 points out of 20th; #78-Smith is 25th, 79 pts out of 20th

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points.

Atlanta Chase clinch scenarios:

Two races remain before the complete 12-driver Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is set, seedings and all. Here's what we know: Five drivers have clinched a Chase spot in some fashion. Kyle Busch, five-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson, #17-Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards have locked up a top-10 spot. Kevin Harvick, on the strength of three 2011 victories, has clinched at least a Wild Card spot - and will likely cement a top-10 berth in this Sunday night's AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Sunday's races in Atlanta will likely further shore things up. The "magic number" for Atlanta is 49. Leaving Atlanta, any driver who has a 49-point lead over 11th-place clinches a top-10 Chase spot (Note: If the driver in question owns the tiebreaker over 11th of best-finish, that magic number shrinks to 48.). Here are the clinch scenarios going into the weekend & Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon: Both 93 points ahead of 11th, Harvick and Gordon can guarantee a top-10 spot with at least a finish of 40th; or 41st and at least one lap led; or 42nd and the most laps led. Ryan Newman: Currently 73 points ahead of 11th, Newman can guarantee a top-10 spot with at least a finish of 20th; or 21st and at least one lap led; or 22nd and the most laps led. Kurt Busch: Currently 60 points ahead of 11th, Busch can guarantee a top-10 spot with at least a finish of seventh; or eighth and at least one lap led; or ninth and the most laps led. Both Dale Earnhardt Jr. (39 points ahead of 11th) and Tony Stewart (21 points ahead) can both mathematically reach that 49-point threshold but would need to help. No specific finish guarantees a spot.

NASCAR Launches College Brand Ambassador Program:

Students at select colleges and universities will return to campuses this fall to find

NASCAR brand ambassadors hosting events including viewing parties and trips to their local tracks to witness firsthand the thrill and excitement of NASCAR racing. NASCAR U CREW, launched by NASCAR and managed with assistance and support from University Directories On Campus (UDOC), the leading campus media and marketing company in the United States, is designed to engage college students by establishing unique NASCAR events on campus and at the track. With the assistance of two brand ambassadors per school, NASCAR will be integrated into the college lifestyle of 12 colleges and universities in the 10 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup markets this fall. The 12 schools participating in the pilot program of NASCAR U CREW are: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; University of New Hampshire; University of Delaware; University of Kansas; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Auburn University; Virginia Tech; University of North Texas; Arizona State University; Florida International University; and University of Miami.

Earnhardt Jr. expects contract extension soon:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he expects to have the extension of his NASCAR Sprint Cup contract with Hendrick Motorsports completed in the next few days. "I feel pretty good where I am at and really happy who I am working with," Earnhardt said. "You have to be comfortable in your work environment, and I feel good with the people that I'm around. I trust (team owner) Rick (Hendrick). My sister (Kelley Earnhardt), who's a bit of my business manager, she gets along with everybody working there. They're working through a new contract, and all that stuff should be done in the next few days." The new contract is expected to be for five years, which would carry Earnhardt through the 2017 season. The driver affectionately known as Junior would be 43 at the end of that term.

Atlanta Motor Speedway #2

At Atlanta Motor Speedway, stats & facts:

* Originally called Atlanta International Raceway, the track was then a

1.5-mile paved speedway.

* The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta was on July 31, 1960, won by Fireball Roberts from the pole.

* The track was re-measured to 1.522 miles in the spring of 1970.

* There have been 103 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta Speedway, two races per year except 1961, which had three. This year marks the first season with only one.

* Fireball Roberts won the pole and race for the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race in 1960.

* Six of Newman's seven poles came in consecutive races between March 2003 and October 2005.

* Dale Earnhardt scored nine victories, more than any other driver. Cale Yarborough is second, with seven.

* Bobby Labonte heads the list of active drivers with six victories. Labonte is tied with Richard Petty for third on the all-time win list at Atlanta.

* The Wood Brothers have 12 victories, more than any organization. They last won there in 1993, with Morgan Shepherd.

* 14 races have been won from the pole. The last to do so was Kasey Kahne in 2006. Both races last season were won from the second starting position.

* There have been seven season sweeps, most recently by Jimmie Johnson in. 2007

NEXT RACE: Advocare 500 at Atlanta

Where: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Ga.

When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday

TV: ESPN

Radio: 5:30 p.m. Pre-Race Show of Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Last year's winner: Tony Stewart.

My Pick:  #99 Carl Edwards

 That does it for me this week. Join us on ROCK 105, this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for Trackside at Atlanta Motorspeedway presented by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105. We'll be LIVE in the NASCAR Garage Area at Atlanta Motorspeedway. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Kyle Busch won the Pure Michigan 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway for his 23rd career win and 4th win of 2011. The 23 wins ties him with his brother Kurt and Ricky Rudd for 20th all time ranking of all time wins. Kyle Busch clinches a place in the chase, at least via a wild card spot. The race had one green-white-checkered, increasing the race to 203 laps. Johnson finished 2nd [his best finish at Michigan] followed by Brad Keselowski [last three races 1-2-3], Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth. The Pure Michigan 400 pole sitter, Greg Biffle finished 20th. There were 20 lead changes among 10 drivers and 5 cautions for 21 yellow flag laps.

Kyle Busch Qualifies for Sprint Summer Showdown:

With his win in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400, #18-Kyle Busch is qualified to be a finalist for a chance to earn a $3 million payout in the Sprint Summer Showdown. If Busch can also win the AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Labor Day weekend, he will claim the Sprint Summer Showdown title and win $1 million for himself, $1 million for his designated charity, Kyle Busch Foundation, and $1 million dollars for a lucky race fan. Later this week a fan will be randomly selected from the pool of entrants who correctly picked Busch to win the Pure Michigan 400 at sprint.com/speed. That lucky fan will enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway and be there in person to see whether Busch can win at Atlanta. If he claims the Sprint Summer Showdown, the fan will win $1 million.

Fans should visit sprint.com/speed before the final qualifying race next Saturday evening to choose which driver they think will win at Bristol Motor Speedway. A different fan will be randomly selected after each race and will be in Atlanta for the final event of the six-consecutive-race series to cheer on their driver as he vies for the $3 million payout. Fans can change their picks until the scheduled start time for each event.

Name, Race, Designated Charity

#27-Paul Menard, Indianapolis, Habitat for Humanity

#2-Brad Keselowski, Pocono, Brad Keselowski's Checkered Flag Foundation

#9-Marcos Ambrose, Watkins Glen International, Victory Junction

#18-Kyle Busch, Michigan, Kyle Busch Foundation

Bristol Motor Speedway

Atlanta Motor Speedway

2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[After Michigan, race 23 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, Points

1) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 799

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 789

3) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 760

4) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 760

5) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 759

6) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 739

7) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 725

8) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 722

9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 700

10) #14-Tony Stewart, 694 out of top 10, no wins, less then a race out of 10th

11) #33-Clint Bowyer, 670

Current Wild Cards

WC1) #2-Brad Keselowski [2 wins], 642 [12th in points, 2 wins]

WC2) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 635 [14th in points, 1 win]

others in the top 20 with wins, possible for the wild card

18) #27-Paul Menard [1 win], 617, -182 [18th in points, 1 win]

20) #6-David Ragan [1 win], 604, -195 [20th in points, 1 win]

Two race winners are not inside the top-20: #9-Ambrose is 23rd, 11points out of 20th; #78-Smith is 25th, 78 pts out of 20th

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points.

Kyle Busch's Speeding Ticket Resolved:

Kyle Busch has pleaded guilty after he was cited for speeding more than 128 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone in Iredell County back in May. Busch pleaded guilty to speeding charges and "no contest" to charges of careless and reckless driving on Tuesday afternoon in an Iredell County Courtroom. He was sentenced to 30 days suspended and was given a one-year unsupervised probation. He was fined $1,000 in the case and the court took his driver's license for 45 days. Busch was given a prayer for judgment on the reckless driving charge.

Ford proposing NASCAR version of the X-Games:

A NASCAR version of the X-Games? Something like that is what Ford Motor Company is proposing to NASCAR executives, as a way to use NASCAR to promote new small street cars, to the $14,000 MSRP youthful demographic. How much interest other car companies might have in any such NASCAR/X-Games venture is not clear. Chevrolet racing boss Jim Campbell, who is using Sunday's Michigan 400 to promote GM's new small-car Sonic, as pace car, says he is "open" to using motorsports to push Chevrolet's new small car line. While Toyota and Honda made their names as purveyors of small cars, Ford and Chevrolet on the other hand have been more to the muscle-power side of the game, with powerful trucks like the F-150 and sporty cars like the Mustang, Corvette and Camaro. NASCAR once had a four-cylinder national touring series, the Baby Grands, back in the 1970s, which proved highly popular, and then fairly inexpensive. Precisely what Ford is proposing to NASCAR isn't clear.

Fast Facts about Bristol Motorspeedway:

* Groundbreaking for Bristol International Speedway, as Bristol Motor

Speedway was originally known, took place in 1960. The track was an exact half-mile.

* First NASCAR Sprint Cup race was July 30, 1961.

* In the fall of 1969, the track was reshaped and re-measured to .533-miles.

* The name changed to Bristol International Raceway in 1978.

* The surface was changed from asphalt to concrete in 1992.

* The name changed to Bristol Motor Speedway in May 1996.

* The track was resurfaced between races in 2007.

* All races have been scheduled for 500 laps, except for both races in 1976 and the second in 1977, which were 400 laps.

* There have been 44 different pole winners, led by Cale Yarborough and Mark Martin (nine). Martin swept both poles at Bristol in 2009.

* 38 different drivers have won, led by Darrell Waltrip (12).

* Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon each have five wins, most among active drivers.

* The race winner has started from the pole 22 times, the most productive starting position. The last driver to win from the pole was Carl Edwards, in the night race of 2008.

* 80 of 101 races have been won from a top-10 starting position, including 52 from the first four spots.

* The deepest in the field that a race winner has started is 38th, by Elliott Sadler in 2001.

NEXT RACE: NASCAR Bristol Race

Where: Bristol (Tenn). Motor Speedway

When: 7:30 p.m., Saturday

TV: ABC

Radio: 5:30 P.M. Pre-Race Show / Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: 7:30 P.M. ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Kyle Busch

 My Pick: #18 Kyle Busch

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greeting Enigma Readers!

How expensive is it to meet Dale Earnheardt Jr? About $210. Check it out...

Step up to the AMP Energy Club at Bristol and take your race weekend experience to the next level. You'll be treated like a VIP all weekend with great food, drinks, fun and exclusive benefits for club members, including appearances from NASCAR drivers like Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and variety of personalities recognizable in the sport, and a Sprint Cup Race Day Track Tour.

AMP ENERGY CLUB MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:
Ò Entrance into Bristol Motor Speedway's exclusive Hospitality Village
Ò Great meals with non-alcohol beverages (Cash bar available)
Ò Exclusive "member's-only" gift pack with souvenir program
Ò Track tour (Sprint Cup day only)
Ò NASCAR driver/celeb appearances daily
Ò Entertainment, door prizes & music
2011 AMP Energy Club Driver/Celeb Appearances:
Friday Survivors (Tom and Ralph)
Friday
Saturday David Gilliland
Saturday Travis Kvapil
Saturday Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

2011 AMP ENERGY CLUB PRICING:
2011 August Weekend Adult Child
Two-Day Combo $270 $210
Sprint Cup Race Day Only $180 $135
Nationwide Race Day Only $110 $90
Please note that AMP Energy Club pricing does not include race tickets.

Cool Stuff. Let's go to Michigan.

Driver To Watch - Dale Jr. Maybe he wins? Maybe?

Driver To Win - Kyle Busch. Get ready for back to back from Kyle.

Ambrose wins at Watkins Glen: Marcos Ambrose won the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International on Monday after the race was postponed Sunday because of rain. It is his 1st career win and he becomes the 5th first time winner of 2011 and the 15th different winner for the year. Brad Keselowski finished 2nd followed by Kyle Busch, Martin Truex, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Juan Montoya, A.J. Allmendinger, Jeff Burton, and Jimmie Johnson. The race ended under caution after a wreck on the last lap between David Ragan and David Reutimann that caused Reutimann's car to flip. Carl Edwards finished 13th and lost the points lead to Kyle Busch. The two drivers are now tied with 752 points. There were 14 lead changes among 9 drivers and 5 cautions for 13 yellow flag laps.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[after Watkins Glen, race 22 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, Points,

1) #18-Kyle Busch [3 wins], 752

2) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 752

3) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 746

4) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 738

5) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 724

6) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 712

7) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 700

8) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 686

9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 670

10) #14-Tony Stewart, 659

Current Wild Cards

11) #2-Brad Keselowski [2 wins], 601, -151 [14th in points, 2 wins]

12) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 626, -126 [12th in points, 1 win] others in contension for the wild card

14) #27-Paul Menard [1 win], 599, -153 [15th in points, 1 win]

Three race winners are not inside the top-20: #9-Ambrose is 22nd, 1 point out of 20th; #6-David Ragan is 23rd, 5 pts out of 20th; #78-Smith is 25th, 82 pts out of 20th

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points.

Marcos Ambrose Qualifies for Sprint Summer Showdown:

With his win in Monday's Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Marcos Ambrose is qualified to be a finalist for a chance to earn a $3 million payout in the Sprint Summer Showdown. If Ambrose can also win the AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Labor Day weekend, he will claim the Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D title and win $1 million for himself, $1 million for his designated charity, Victory Junction, and $1 million dollars for a lucky race fan. Later this week a fan will be randomly selected from the pool of entrants who correctly picked Ambrose to win the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen at sprint.com/speed. That lucky fan will enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway and be there in person to see whether Ambrose can win at Atlanta. If he claims the Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D, the fan will win $1 million. Fans should visit sprint.com/speed before each of the two remaining qualifying races to choose which driver they think will win that week's event. A different fan will be randomly selected after each race and will be in Atlanta for the final event of the six-consecutive-race series to cheer on their driver as he vies for the $3 million payout. Fans can change their picks until the scheduled start time for each event.

Latest NASCAR Driver feud - Boris Said vs. Greg Biffle:

NASCAR officials will review an incident in which #16-Greg Biffle took a swing at #51-Boris Said in the garage following Monday's Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International. According to witnesses, Biffle approached Said's car after a wild green-white-checkered finish in which Said got into the back of #6-David Ragan, Biffle's Roush Fenway Racing teammate. After the race, Biffle took at least one swing at Said through the window of Said's Phoenix Racing Chevy. Once Said unstrapped himself and climbed out of the car he went after Biffle, who by then was protected by his crew. "He is the most unprofessional little scaredy cat I've ever seen in my life,'' said an angry Said during a TV interview with ESPN The Magazine's Ryan McGee. "He wouldn't even fight me like a man after. So if someone texts me his address, I'll go see him Wednesday at his house and show him what he really needs." Biffle used his Twitter page to respond to Said's remarks. "Boris,'the roadcourse ringer' caused that wreck," he posted on his page, later adding. "Then Mr. Class pulls in behind my truck after the race today?! Shouldn't you go check on David & David? How unprofessional & disrespectful!" Both drivers left the track before NASCAR officials had a chance to talk to them. "We are evaluating the situation," NASCAR spokesperson Kristi King said.

Joe Gibbs & Toyota make Engine Shop Changes:

Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota Research and Development announced Thursday that they are combining their engine efforts in 2012. Officials said there is a chance that JGR cars could use engines out of TRD headquarters in Costa Mesa, Calif., before the end of this season, but that the focus is on next year. Economics in part drove the merger. As Lee White, the president of TRG said, "Building for three teams or less is extremely expensive and inefficient." JGR builds all of its engines while the other Toyota teams -- Michael Waltrip Racing and Red Bull Racing -- receive engines from TRD. With JGR looking to expand its Nationwide presence and add a Trucks program, the merger gives the organization more flexibility. With the future of Red Bull Racing in doubt, the addition of JGR also allows TRG to maintain a full workload if Red Bull's organization folds or is moved to another manufacturer with new investors. Gibbs said JGR will maintain its engine shop in Huntersville, N.C., so that it can make any tweaks to the engines it deems necessary and to work on other projects.

Pure Michigan 400

When: 1 p.m. Sunday

TV: ESPN

Radio Pre-Race: Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Kevin Harvick

My Pick: #14 Tony Stewart

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greeting Enigma Readers!

Congrats to Marcos Ambrose for getting his first victory in the Sprint Cup Series. Marcos is a great guy and a favorite of the fans and in the garage area. It's always fun to see a driver get that first victory but it was extra good for Marcos and that #9 team. Let's see if he can race his way into The Chase. Crazier things have happened.

What's better than NASCAR? What better than fishing? Only NASCAR and fishing. Check out this cool promotion that MIS does every year with some of the fans and drivers.

What better way to kick off a race weekend in the Irish Hills then by fishing your bass off!

Michigan International Speedway's non-profit arm, MIS Cares, will host the second annual “Fish Your Bass Off” tournament at Jerry's Pub & Restaurant on scenic Wampler's Lake just minutes from the Irish Hills speedway.

The tournament is 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, August 18.

At 5 p.m., 13 teams of four, with two anglers per boat, will take to the waters of Wamplers Lake for three hours of bass fishing. The anglers have been selected from fishing and bass clubs across the state. One spot per four person team will be designated for a NASCAR driver or personality, including NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray.

Upon returning to the docks of Jerry's Pub, the anglers will join approximately 200 locals and fans for a night of entertainment.

Dinner tickets with cash bar are available to the public for $35 per person and can be either purchased in advance by visiting https://foundation.nascar.com/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=1279&frcrld=1 or at the door the day of the event. A limited number of dinner tickets remain so advanced purchases are recommended.

Festivities include weigh-in of bass emceed once again by Zona's Awesome Fishing Show host, Mark Zona and 5-time bass angler of the year Kevin VanDam, and dinner and drinks from a cash bar. Live and silent auctions will also be held, with all funds benefiting MIS Cares.

“We're extremely excited to bring back our 'Fish Your Bass Off' Tournament to benefit MIS Cares,” MIS Director of Government and Community Affairs Alisha Cottrell said. “We've had a lot of positive response from our fans and partners to make this fishing tournament a fun way to kick off the Sprint Cup Series Pure Michigan 400 race weekend at MIS.”
In 2010, Elliott Sadler, Joey Logano, Bobby Allison and a number of crew members all made appearances. The inaugural Fish Your Bass Off raised over $27,000 for MIS Cares.

Also, until Sunday, August 14, fans have the option to participate in an auction for a spot on a four-person team of anglers, with all proceeds benefiting MIS Cares. The highest bidder will have the opportunity to join a team that will consist of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and avid outdoorsman, Ryan Newman and six-time Bass Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam.

The auction package also includes admission for one additional guest to the weigh-in/awards dinner.

Fishing equipment and bass boat will be provided. The winner will need to be at Jerry's Pub and Restaurant on Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 4:30 p.m. ready to fish. Fishing begins at 5 p.m. with approximately three hours on the lake. Weigh in begins at 8:00 p.m. with the live auction and other festivities following the event.

To bid on this auction item, please visit: http://bit.ly/mZYca5

Cool Stuff. Let's go to Michigan.

Driver To Watch - Greg Biffle. He drives a Ford and this is a horsepower track. Greg has to get a win this year...right?

Driver To Win - Matt Kenseth. Matt is having a sneaky good year. This race is perfectly suited for him.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Brad Keselowski won the Good Sam RV Insurance 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway for his 3rd career win and his 2nd win of the 2011 season. Last week, Keselowski broke his left ankle in a practice wreck at Road Atlanta. On lap 124 there was a heavy rain shower at 3:35pm/et that brought a 1 hour, 40 minute delay of the race. The track was dried and the race restarted and finished. Kyle Busch [who spun early in the race] finished 2nd followed by Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and last weeks race winner Paul Menard. The pole sitter, Joey Logano, who would had won the race if the rain delay ended the race, had a tire go down late and had to pit, finishing 26th. Point's leader going in to the race, Carl Edwards, finished 7th and his lead drops to 9 points over Jimmie Johnson. There were 23 lead changes among 10 drivers and 5 cautions for 21 yellow flag laps and a 1:40 red flag for rain.

Keselowski Qualifies for Sprint Summer Showdown:

With his win in Sunday's Good Sam RV Insurance 500, #2-Brad Keselowski is qualified to be a finalist for a chance to earn a $3 million payout in the Sprint Summer Showdown. If Keselowski can also win the AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Labor Day weekend, he will claim the Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D title and win $1 million for himself, $1 million for his designated charity, Brad Keselowski's Checkered Flag Foundation, and $1 million dollars for a lucky race fan. Later this week a fan will be randomly selected from the pool of entrants who correctly picked Keselowski to win the Good Sam RV Insurance 500 at sprint.com/speed. That lucky fan will enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway and be there in person to see whether Keselowski can win at Atlanta. If he claims the Sprint Summer Showdown, the fan will win $1 million.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[after Pocono, race 21 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, Points

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 720

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 711

3) #18-Kyle Busch [3 wins], 709

4) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 706

5) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 700

6) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 690

7) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 668

8) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 658

9) #14-Tony Stewart, 642

10) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 641

Current Wild Cards

11) #2-Brad Keselowski [2 wins], 558, -162 [18th in points, 2 wins]

12) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 618, -102 [11th in points, 1 win] others in contension for the wild card

14) #27-Paul Menard [1 win], 587, -133 [14th in points, 1 win]

19) #6-David Ragan [1 win], 556, -164 [19th in points, 1 win]

One race winner is not inside the top-20: #78-Smith is 26th, 74 pts out of 20th

NOTE: Wild Cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points

Montoya has agreement with Ganassi:

Juan Pablo Montoya has agreed to return to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing next season, with only minor details of his contract still to be settled, the driver said Saturday at Pocono Raceway.

Kids Allowed in Pits at Atlanta Motor Speedway:

This year, children can do more than watch the cars from the grandstands; they can get close enough to touch them. Prior to the AdvoCare 500 on September 4, children of all ages have access to the pits via a new rule NASCAR instituted in 2011. With the purchase of a Sunday pre-race pit pass, kids will get to watch crew members prepare their racing machines and pit areas prior to 500 miles of racing on the high banks of the historic 1.54-mile speedway. As always, children ages 14 and up can purchase pit access on Friday and Saturday. Spectators with pre-race pit passes are allowed in the pit area until an hour prior to the start of each race on Labor Day Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Pit passes are $125 for the weekend of $100 for Sunday only. Another change this year is a relaxed dress code on pit road. Fans that plan to purchase pre-race pit passes can now wear shorts, open-toed shoes, sleeveless shirts, skirts and dresses on pit road all weekend long. Atlanta Motor Speedway is offering great value to fans of all ages on Labor Day Weekend. Children 12 and under can gain free admission to Friday's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Atlanta 200 and Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series Great Clips 300 with an adult ticket. Students can purchase AdvoCare 500 tickets for $19, with a valid student I.D. NASCAR night racing returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway this Labor Day weekend, Sept. 2-4. Tickets for the AdvoCare 500 start at $39. For more information, call the Atlanta Motor Speedway Ticket Office at (877) 9-AMS-TIX, (770) 946-4211.

Earnhardt Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports close to extension deal:

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports is expected to be signed within the next 30 days, his team owner, Rick Hendrick, said Wednesday. Hendrick said he and Earnhardt should have an formal contract extension completed within 30 days although he believes it is, for intents and purposes, already done. "It will be a multiyear deal. We haven't been in a hurry because we both have taken it for granted that we're doing it," he said. "It's almost a foregone conclusion. We've been busy and there are a lot of contracts with sponsors. A handshake works with him and he and I have a handshake, and that's all he and I really need".

NEXT RACE: NASCAR Heluva Good! At The Glen

Where: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International

When: 1 p.m. Sunday

TV: ESPN

Radio: 11:00 a.m Pre-Race show - Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: Motor Racing Network

Last year's winner: Juan Pablo Montoya

MY PICK: #14 Tony Stewart

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield & we're keeping you Up To Speed!

Greeting Enigma Readers!

Congrats to Brad Keselowski for his second victory of the year! It looks like the Blue Deuce is going Chasing this year.

Watkins Glen. How in the world did this road course come to be? Well, here's your answer.

With its rise from ragged infancy in 1948 to its position as America's premier racing facility surely qualifies The Glen as an astounding and unlikely success story, which continues to be written over 60 years later.
Law student Cameron Argetsinger dreamed of bringing European style competition to the village where he spent his summer vacations and he drew up a challenging course that encompassed asphalt, cement and dirt roads in and around the village of Watkins Glen. The dream became reality on October 2, 1948, "The Day They Stopped the Trains," in the first post-World War II road race in the U.S. For five years, the top names in American sports car racing visited the small village and huge crowds came out to watch them race.

Competition moved to a temporary course in 1953, and 2.3-mile permanent circuit was built in 1956. The following year, The Glen hosted its first professional race, a NASCAR Grand National Stock Car event won by Buck Baker over Fireball Roberts. True international competition began in 1958 with the running of a Formula Libre race.

The Formula 1 stars all visited The Glen in 1961 for the first Watkins Glen U.S. Grand Prix, which would be a fall tradition at the circuit through 1980. Innes Ireland won the inaugural running, with great drivers such as Clark, Hill, Stewart, Lauda, Fittipaldi and Hunt among the winners of later Grand Prix.

The circuit itself was expanded in 1971, as the seventies brought a wide variety of competition to The Glen, including the Can-Am, Trans-Am, Six Hours, Formula 5000 and CART Indy Car Series. Race winners included many of the top names in international motorsports, including Mark Donohue, Mario Andretti, Jody Scheckter and Bruce McLaren.

Alan Jones' victory in the 1980 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen marked the close of an era. Financial difficulties led to the Watkins Glen date being dropped from the Formula 1 schedule and as a result, the bankrupt track closed following a CART race in 1981. Over the next two years the track fell into disrepair, hosting only a few non-spectator SCCA weekends. Corning Enterprises, a newly-chartered subsidiary of Corning Glass Works, purchased the track in early 1983 and formed a partnership with International Speedway Corporation forming Watkins Glen International.
The Glen reopened on July 7, 1984, with Al Holbert, Derek Bell and Jim Adams winning the inaugural Camel Continental at the renovated facility. On August 9, 1986, fans witnessed Tim Richmond's triumph at the return of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. The Bud at The Glen grew to become New York State's largest motorsports event and saw some of NASCAR's finest take the checkered flag including, Martin, Wallace, and in 1998, Jeff Gordon, won his second consecutive Glen race before a record crowd.

In 1991, Terry Labonte won the first NASCAR Busch Grand National race at the Glen beginning an impressive streak of four wins in six years, including three consecutive wins in '94 through '96. His three year win streak ranks him with other Watkins Glen three-time winners: Formula One ace Graham Hill, SportsCar drivers Al Holbert and Derek Bell and Winston Cup driver Mark Martin.

Cool Stuff. Let's go to The Glen!

Driver To Watch - Juan Pablo Montoya. Juan has a good shot to win at any road course.

Driver To Win - Tony Stewart. OK Smoke. This race is in your wheelhouse.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Paul Menard won the Brickyard 400, the Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for his first career win becoming the 4th first time Sprint Cup race winner in 2011. Menard is the first driver to get his first career win in the Brickyard 400. Jeff Gordon, going for his 5th Brickyard 400 win, finished 2nd, followed by Reagan Smith (his 2nd career top five), Jamie McMurray (last years Brickyard 400 winner), Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Mark Martin, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch. Pole sitter, David Ragan finished 23rd and point's leader going in to the race, Carl Edwards, finished 14th and maintains a 12 point lead over Kevin Harvick. There were 22 lead changes among 13 drivers; 5 cautions for 22 yellow flag laps.

2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[after Indianapolis, race 20 of 36]:

rank, car#, driver, points, behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 682

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 671,

3) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 670,

4) #18-Kyle Busch [3 wins], 666,

5) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 666,

6) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 664,

7) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 630,

8) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 618,

9) #14-Tony Stewart, 609,

10) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 606,

Wild Cards

11) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 587, -95 [11th in points, 1 win]

12) #27-Paul Menard [1 win], 553, -129 [14th in points, 1 win] others

16) #6-David Ragan [1 win], 546, -136 [16th in points, 1 win]

Two race winners are not inside the top-20: #2-Keselowski is 21st, 16 pts out of 20th; #78-Smith is 26th, 76 pts out of 20th

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points

NAPA to Joe Gibbs Racing?:

Several sources have mentioned Joey Logano moving to a fourth JGR car sponsored by NAPA, the current sponsor on the #56 Toyota. When asked about NAPA's future relationship with Michael Waltrip Racing, a team principal said the contract runs through 2012 and NAPA is committed to that agreement.

NASCAR Drivers TV Exposure at midseason:

Kyle Busch was mentioned more often and collected the most on-screen time, verbal references and exposure value for his sponsors than any other driver during race telecasts chronicling the first half of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. -- which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 27 seasons -- Busch's sponsors as a group appeared for 12 hours, 31 minutes, seven seconds (12:31:07) during live and replayed telecasts of the season's first 18 races. When also factoring in verbal mentions (142) of Busch's sponsors, the Cup Series points-leader at mid-year amassed nearly $38.4 million of in-broadcast exposure value for his backing brands. Fox and TNT race announcers also mentioned Busch by name on 2,722 occasions during the first half of the season, or about 36% more frequently than the next closest competitor, Carl Edwards. Edwards, who ranked fifth in overall sponsor exposure, did manage to surpass Busch in the number of TV interviews (29 compared to 23) and total interview time (0:30:46 versus 0:29:57). Fan favorite driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., despite receiving nearly half as many announcer mentions as Busch, garnered the second highest cumulative exposure value total for his sponsors with a showing of more than $26.5 million. Rankings are based on the cumulative Recognition Grade exposure value associated with each driver, calculated during live and replay telecasts of the first 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events of 2011.

Danica Patrick plans NASCAR full time plus Indy 500:

Two people familiar with Patrick's 2012 plans said she is in the final stages of a deal to run a full-time Nationwide Series schedule with JR Motorsports and limited Sprint Cup Series races with the team owned by two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart. The people spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because the deal won't be finished until she has secured a release from Andretti Autosport. The talks also include her continuing to run the Indianapolis 500, one person told AP. JR Motorsports co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. said last weekend he wants Patrick to run a full Nationwide schedule with his team. She has driven 19 Nationwide races for his team over the last two seasons and has six more scheduled starts this year. "I would like for her to run fulltime, and I'm sure she is considering that, and I think she would enjoy it," Earnhardt said at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "I feel confident that she's content where she is and happy with what we're doing. I think things are looking positive for us to put something together." Earlier this year, Stewart said he would love to work with Patrick but only in the Sprint Cup Series. He has wanted to expand his two-car Stewart-Haas Racing organization but had no interest in fielding a Nationwide car.

The potential to continue to race the Indianapolis 500 is a new wrinkle, considering JRM co-owner Kelley Earnhardt has said that it would be difficult for Patrick to run that race and compete for the Nationwide championship. Running the Indy 500 requires drivers to spend most of the month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and NASCAR this year ran three Nationwide races during that span. Patrick finished third in the 2009 Indy 500, the highest finish for a woman in open-wheel's most prestigious race. She has one career victory in IndyCar and currently is ranked 11th in the series standings. In 109 career starts, she has three poles and 20 top-5s. Although she's winless in 19 career Nationwide races, she flirted with victory last month at Daytona, leading 13 laps before the last-lap chaos dropped her to a 10th-place finish.

NEXT RACE: Good Sam 500

When: 1 p.m. Sunday

TV: ESPN

Radio: Pre-Race show of Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Greg Biffle

MY PICK: #11 Denny Hamlin

 That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!
Congrats to Paul Menard for his first career victory. Not only was it his first victory of the year (obviously), he also became the first driver ever to win his first race at The Brickyard. In addition to all that, he also raced himself into Chase contention and up to 14th in points. Not a bad weekend for the Menard Family.
We have already had 14 different winners in only 20 races. Right now we are on pace to break NASCAR's all time record for most individual wins in a season. When was the record set? 2001. Who are the 19 drivers that won that year? I'm glad you asked.

The Nineteen 2001 Winners:

Michael Waltrip, Steve Park, Jeff Gordon,
Kevin Harvick, Dale Jarrett, Elliott Sadler,
Bobby Hamilton, Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart,
Jeff Burton, Ricky Rudd, Bobby Labonte, Sterling Marlin,
Ward Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ricky Craven,
Joe Nemechek, Bill Elliott and Robby Gordon.

Just look at some of the names on that list!!! It seems like that long ago since Junior first win. Maybe he can bring it home at Pocono!

Let's go to Pocono!

Driver to Watch: Dale Jr.. He's going to get a win eventually…right?

Driver to Win: Greg Biffle. Greg runs well at Pocono and he's got to be tired of being the only Rousch driver without a victory this year.

Hello NASCAR Fans! As if the 'Crown Jewel' known as the Brickyard 400 at historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway needed any added allure, the Wild Card wrinkle for entry into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and a rich incentive program from series sponsor Sprint make this one all-the-more fascinating. Once a year since 1994, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Indianapolis for one of the biggest events on the schedule. Indy, statistically, is the home of champions. Of the 17 races run at Indy, 14 have been won by past, reigning or future series champions. In eight of those seasons, the Brickyard winner went on to win that season's championship.

Adding to the built-in prestige, this is also the first race in of the Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D. Any driver who wins between Indianapolis and Bristol (the next five races) will become a finalist for the Labor Day weekend race in Atlanta. If one of those eligible drivers wins the Atlanta race, then the driver, the driver's charity and one lucky race fan each collect $1,000,000. Fans can enter for their shot at $1,000,000 each week at sprint.com/speed.

And of course, there's the Chase to worry about. Only seven races remain between now and the NASCAR's playoffs. After race No. 26 at Richmond, the top-10 drivers will be locked in the 12-driver Chase. Spots 11 and 12 will go to those drivers outside the top 10 with the most wins, provided they are in the top 20. Currently, only one driver ranked 11-20 has a win (David Ragan), so there's a very real possibility that a victory will turn into a playoff appearance.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[After New Hampshire, race 19 of 36]:

Rank, car#, driver, points, behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 652

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 645, -7

3) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 641, -11

4) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 637, -15

5) #18-Kyle Busch [3 wins], 632, -20

6) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 626, -26

7) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 587, -65

8) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 586, -66

9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 577, -75

10) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 570, -82

Wild Cards

11) #6-David Ragan [1 win], 524, -128 [13th in points, 1 win]

12) #14-Tony Stewart, 570, -82 [11th in points]

Two race winners are not inside the top-20: #2-Keselowski is 23rd, 25 pts out of 20th; #78-Smith is 27th, 90 pts out of 20th

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points

ESPN's NASCAR Sprint Cup Coverage Launches at Indianapolis:

ESPN begins its coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with a live, flag-to-flag telecast of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 31. ESPN's multimedia platforms will surround the race telecast on television, radio, online and on mobile devices and ESPN will be introducing several new television production elements into its NASCAR coverage. The Indianapolis race is the first of 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup events on ESPN networks to close out the 2011 NASCAR season, including all 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Of the 17 races, 14 will air on ESPN and three on ABC. Four former Sprint Cup champions will be an integral part of ESPN's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage team, including analyst Dale Jarrett, who will work with chief Andy Petree and Allen Bestwick in the booth. Tim Brewer will report from the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage, while pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch. NASCAR Countdown from the ESPN pit studio will feature analysis by Rusty Wallace with host Nicole Briscoe and analyst Brad Daugherty. ESPN will introduce several new production advancements in its NASCAR Sprint Cup telecasts, including the first-ever use of dual path transmission for onboard cameras. The new technology, developed by ESPN and Broadcast Sports International, will allow ESPN to get high definition video from two onboard cameras in the same car simultaneously, where in the past only one of the three cameras mounted in each car could be used at a time. As an example, when a crash is being replayed, viewers will now be able to see two different onboard points of view of a car involved or near the crash, such as the view of the roof camera, face camera or bumper camera. With the advanced technology, the pointers can now appear on more camera shots, including aerials and trackside robotic cameras. This year, ESPN will have a helicopter camera for all 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup race telecasts for the first time. ESPN also will introduce a modernized, progressive graphics package for improved readability, the first major graphics overhaul since ESPN returned to NASCAR coverage in 2007, as well as a new animation package.

Jeff Burton has a NEW Crew Chief:

Luke Lambert has been named interim crew chief for Richard Childress Racing's #31 Caterpillar/Chevy team with driver Jeff Burton in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Lambert replaces veteran crew chief Todd Berrier.

PHOTO NASCAR Carl Edwards at Texas

NASCAR Facts about Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

* Indianapolis Motor Speedway has existed since 1909, and is the original "Speedway," the first racing facility to incorporate the word  in its name.

* With a permanent seating capacity for more than 250,000-plus people and infield seating that raises capacity to an approximate 400,000, it is the largest and highest-capacity sporting facility in history.

* There have been 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since the first race, in 1994.

* Four drivers have competed in all 17 races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin.

* Jeff Gordon won the 1994 inaugural race.

* Jeff Gordon leads all pole winners, with three.

* 10 drivers have won, led by Jeff Gordon, with four victories.

* Jimmie Johnson (three), Dale Jarrett and Tony Stewart (two each) are the other multiple winners.

* Hendrick Motorsports has won seven races, more than any other organization.

* Two drivers have won from the pole: Kevin Harvick in 2003 and Jimmie Johnson in 2008.

* Dale Jarrett (1996), Jimmie Johnson (2006) and Jamie McMurray (2010) are the only drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 in the same season.

* Three of the last five Indianapolis races ending under green had a margin of victory less than one second.

* The winner of the Indianapolis race has won the championship in the same year eight times in the 17 years the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has raced there: 2009: Jimmie Johnson; 2008: Jimmie Johnson; 2006: Jimmie Johnson; 2005: Tony Stewart; 2001: Jeff Gordon; 2000: Bobby Labonte; 1999: Dale Jarrett; 1998: Jeff Gordon.

NEXT RACE: Brickyard 400

When:  1 p.m. July 31

TV:  ESPN

Last year's winner:  Jamie McMurray

My Pick: #48 Jimmie Johnson

Join Casey Orr, and I for Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105, for FREEWAY to Atlanta Motorspeedway. Every Monday & Thursday at 6:00 pm, we'll be giving away two sets of tickets to the NASCAR Camping World, Nationwide, and Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta Motorspeedway, Labor Day weekend. Join us on ROCK 105, and you can be a winner too!

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greeting Enigma Readers!

In an effort to get people more excited about NASCAR racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the track has decided to run more series at the track... next year...

IMS adds Nationwide race for 2012: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be the epicenter of American stock car racing and North American sports car racing July 26-29, 2012, as the NASCAR Nationwide Series and GRAND-AM Road Racing will join the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for four exciting races during the inaugural Super Weekend at the Brickyard. It will be the first time in IMS history that races will take place on the 2.5-mile oval and 2.534-mile Grand Prix road course during the same weekend, and the NASCAR Nationwide Series and GRAND-AM Road Racing will make their IMS debuts. The 19th annual Brickyard 400 for the Sprint Cup Series will race on the oval Sunday, July 29, with the Nationwide Series also racing on the oval Saturday, July 28. GRAND-AM will conduct separate races for its Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge on the 13-turn IMS road course Friday, July 27.

“The Super Weekend at the Brickyard will offer non-stop excitement for every auto racing fan with the addition of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and GRAND-AM Road Racing,” said Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and chief executive officer. “There will be competitive, fender-rubbing action from many different types of machinery for four days, featuring established stars and rising talents, on both the IMS oval and road course. “This will be an unforgettable event and the start of a great new racing tradition at the Speedway.” All four days of Super Weekend at the Brickyard will be packed with on-track action, providing great value for fans:

Schedule:
Thursday, July 26: NASCAR Nationwide Series practice
Friday, July 27: GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge practice, qualifying and races
Saturday, July 28: NASCAR Nationwide Series practice, qualifying and race; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice and qualifying
Sunday, July 29: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Brickyard 400 race

Brickfest, a music festival featuring a headlining national act, also will return during the Super Weekend at the Brickyard after its debut during this year's Brickyard 400. Ticket orders for the 2012 Super Weekend at the Brickyard will be accepted starting Monday, Aug. 1, 2011. Orders can be made at www.imstix.com and through the IMS Ticket Office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or by visiting the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday. Details on ticket pricing, race distances for the Nationwide Series and two GRAND-AM events and the complete event schedule will be released at a later date. The best way for fans to secure their reserved seat tickets for the historic inaugural Super Weekend at the Brickyard is to purchase reserved seats for the 2011 Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 31 and reorder those tickets during the two-week renewal period starting Aug. 1.(IMS)(7-6-2011)

Driver To Watch - Juan Pablo Montoya. Juan has a new crew chief and has nearly won this race several times. Let's see what he can do this year.

Driver To Win - Tony Stewart. Damn it, it's about time Smoke won one.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Ryan Newman won the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for his 1st win of 2011 and 15th career win. His teammate, Tony Stewart finished second [the first one-two finish for Stewart-Hass Racing] followed by Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Bobby Labonte, Martin Truex, Jr., Marcos Ambrose, and Kurt Busch. The race came down to fuel mileage with several drivers running out of gas during the last few laps. The point's leader going in to the race, Kyle Busch blew a tire early and hit the wall. He finished 36th and lost the points lead to Carl Edwards, who goes to the points lead by 7 points over Jimmie Johnson. There were 21 lead changes among 14 drivers; 10 cautions for 44 yellow flag laps.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[After New Hampshire, race 19 of 36]:

Rank, car#, driver, points, behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 652

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 645

3) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 641

4) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 637

5) #18-Kyle Busch [3 wins], 632

6) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 626

7) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 587

8) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 586

9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 577

10) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 570

Wild Cards

11) #6-David Ragan [1 win], 524, -128 [13th in points, 1 win]

12) #14-Tony Stewart, 570, -82 [11th in points]

Two race winners are not inside the top-20: #2-Keselowski is 23rd, 25pts out of 20th; #78-Smith is 27th, 90 pts out of 20th

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at the halfway point:

The first half of 2011 boasted numbers previously unseen in NASCAR

Sprint Cup Series history. Here are some of the statistics gleaned from the first 13 races:

* 13 different winners. Last time there were more through 18 races was 2003. Last year, there were seven different first-half winners.

* 13 different Coors Light Pole winners

* An average of 14 different leaders per race, most through 18 races in history

* An average of 31 lead changes per race, most through 18 races in history

* 44 different drivers have led at least one lap

* 30 drivers have scored at least one top 10

Sprint pays out millions on Labor Day Weekend at Atlanta:

Sprint announced the biggest promotion in its history as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: the Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D. The six-consecutive-race series runs from Indianapolis on July 31 to Atlanta on Sept. 4 and puts a $3 million purse on the line for a driver, a driver's charity and one lucky race fan. Any driver who wins one of the five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events between the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway will become a finalist for the $3 million Sprint Summer Showdown payout on Labor Day Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. If one of those five drivers wins the Advocare 500 at Atlanta, then the driver, the driver's charity and one lucky race fan will each collect $1 million. Fans can enter each week for their chance at the million-dollar prize by picking which driver they believe will win that week's race at sprint.com/speed or by visiting the Sprint Experience display at every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. After each week's race, one race fan will be randomly chosen from those fans who correctly picked that week's winning driver. The lucky fan chosen after each race will enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway and be there in person to see whether his or her driver can win at Atlanta. If that driver claims the Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D, the fan will win $1 million. Fans can change their picks until the scheduled start time for each event.

Harvick says he's been warned to not touch Busch:

Kevin Harvick says he is racing with handcuffs when competing against rival Kyle Busch, whom he and his owner have feuded with since May. Harvick, who finished second behind Busch in the New England 200 on Saturday, told his Nationwide Series team over his radio that he had to be careful around Busch and then confirmed afterward that NASCAR President Mike Helton had warned him at Michigan in June not to touch Busch on the track. "I was told a few weeks ago that if we touched the 18 car [of Busch], we'd be parked," Harvick said. "I've just got to be really careful. I would have liked to have gotten the track position and slid up and do what I needed to do. But I've just got to be really careful. That's the way NASCAR put it to me." NASCAR spokesman Kristi King said if there was a conversation between Harvick and Helton, it would remain private. Busch said he has received no warning. "It would have been a lot easier to win if you didn't have handcuffs put on you, but that's the way NASCAR said we had to do it," Harvick said.

#43 get's Greg Biffle's former Crew Chief:

Richard Petty Motorsports officials announced that Greg Erwin has joined the team and will replace Mike Shiplett as crew chief for the #43 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry driven by AJ Allmendinger. Prior to joining Richard Petty Motorsports, Erwin held the crew chief position with the #16 team at Roush Fenway Racing. Erwin joined that team in May 2007 and during his tenure at RFR, led Biffle to five victories, 36 top-five and 66 top-10 finishes. Erwin's team made the Chase for the Championship three times, finishing as high as third in the year end point standings.

NEXT RACE: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

When:  1 p.m. July 31.

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greeting Enigma Readers!

We have the weekend off from NASCAR, so it's time to catch up on your chores and get ready for The Brickyard 400 next week at Indianapolis. So what better during our week off then firing up the smoker or grill and trying your hand at another Kent “The Deck Chef” Whitaker.

This time it's Kent's TN Whiskey Ribs!!!

As the name says - these here ribs have Tennessee Whiskey in them. And if you know your Tennessee Whiskey, you would know that there are only two big ones in the state.If you're wondering, it's Jack Daniels. There are two smaller distillers. I've said it once, and I'll say it again. I've never met a Tennessee whiskey I didn't like!

Remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs. Mix the wet ingredients together in a bowl. USE A SPOON to add some of the marinade to the ribs. Don't touch the ribs with the spoon. (It could contaminate the marinade and we'll need it later.) Then, Brush the ribs down Add a dash of liquid smoke if you must. Rub evenly with your dry spices and repeat the process leaving some marinade in the bowl. Wrap ribs in cling wrap as tight as possible and store in the fridge overnight.

You can use a smoker if you wish. I do all of the time. But many people email me asking for the grilled version so grab your wood chips and lets go!

Soak some wood chips, put them in foil or a chip box, place on the grill and when the smoke comes out add you can remove the ribs from the wrap and sear both sides on the grill over high heat enough to brown both sides. About 10 minutes per side. Flip as needed, keep lid closed as much as possible for better smoke flavor. Reduce heat to low and smoke for about 30 minutes.

Grab the remaining marinade and rub and drizzle and sprinkle them ribs and wrap each rib tightly in several layers of foil.

Reduce the heat on the grill and cook foil wrapped ribs with the cover down turning every fifteen minutes for about two hours.
Ribs will start off stiff in the foil but turn very limber when finished. Use tongs and gloves to turn. Remove from heat and allow to rest for about five minutes before serving.

Enjoy with some Tennessee Whiskey.

Sounds Awesome!!! Check out Kent's new website at TheDeckChef.com

Have a great weekend and let's get ready for Indy!!

Pick o' The Week- This one's easy... It's Kent's TN Whiskey Ribs.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Kyle Busch won the inaugural Quaker State 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway for his 3rd win of 2011, 22nd career win and taking the points lead. David Reutimann finished second followed by Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, David Ragan, #22-Busch and Jeff Gordon. The points leader going in to the race, Kevin Harvick finished 16th and lost the points lead to Kyle Busch, who goes to the points lead by 4 points over Edwards. There were 20 lead changes among 12 drivers; 6 cautions for 32 yellow flag laps.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[After Kentucky, race 18 of 36]:

Rank, car#, driver, points, behind

1) #18-Kyle Busch [3 wins], 624

2) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 620, -4

3) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 614, -10

4) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 606, -18

5) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 605, -19

6) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 602, -22

7) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 553, -71

8) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 548, -76

9) #39-Ryan Newman, 538, -86

10) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 529, -95

Wild Cards

11) #6-David Ragan [1 win], 494, -130 [15th in points, win]

12) #14-Tony Stewart, 527, -97 [11th in points]

Two race winners are not inside the top-20: #2-Keselowski is 21st, 3 pts out of 20th; #78-Smith is 27th, 70 pts out of 20th

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points.

New Crew Chief for #16 NASCAR Driver Greg Biffle:

Matt Puccia will be the crew chief of the #16 3M Sprint Cup team at Roush Fenway Racing effective immediately. Puccia has been with Roush Fenway Racing since the end of 2004 and was most recently assigned to the research and development program. Prior to this season, Puccia was crew chief of the #98 Paul Menard entry throughout the 2010 Nationwide Series season, leading the team to 19 top-10 finishes and fifth place in the point standings. Puccia's first role as crew chief at Roush Fenway came in 2006 with the #50 Camping World Truck Series team. He led the #99 Truck Series entry with driver Erik Darnell to a victory at Michigan in 2008 and finished fourth in the final point standings. In 2009 Puccia made the move to the Nationwide Series as crew chief for a partial schedule with Menard before the team raced full time in 2010.

House defends military spending on NASCAR:

The House voted last week to defend U.S. military sponsorship of NASCAR and other motorsports against an effort to cut spending by more than half for the programs. Lawmakers voted 167-260 to kill amendment. It would have cut spending on motorsports from $63 million to $20 million. Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla., said spending on NASCAR is a "recruiting tool" that the Army expects will help attract 28,700 prospects and give recruiters access to 182 schools through its sponsorship.

Kentucky Gov. to work with speedway to address traffic:

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said Sunday he will work with officials at Kentucky Speedway to address the traffic flow and parking problems that plagued Saturday's Quaker State 400. A bottleneck traffic jam at Interstate 71's Exit 57 onto Ky. 35, the road that runs by the track, left thousands stuck in traffic for six hours in many cases and ultimately too late to see the race. Many ticket holders also said they were turned away when they eventually arrived after the race began because there was no more parking left at the track. "There is no question that the entire week at the Kentucky Speedway was a big success, but it's also clear that there are issues, such as traffic flow, which must be addressed before next year's event," Beshear said in a statement. "We will work with track officials to determine what can be done to address these problems, so that next year's NASCAR event will be even bigger and better." Beshear said it was too early to tell whether the state would get involved in a major expansion or renovation of the interstate near the track.

Statement from NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France:

"While NASCAR was thrilled by the incredible response to our inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Kentucky, we also are extremely disappointed by the traffic problems and inconveniences endured by fans who wanted to be part of our races at Kentucky Speedway. NASCAR will be in close communications with Kentucky Speedway and Speedway Motorsports Inc. to see that they work to resolve the issues. This situation cannot happen again."

NASCAR Officials discuss adding races: (from a NASCAR Transcript of a Q&A held at Kentucky Speedway)

Question: With Iowa rumbling about wanting a Cup race, are we still at the point where 36 is a number? If anyone is going to add a race, is it going to come to somewhere else?

Answer: ROBIN PEMBERTON (NASCAR): We're pretty thin right now with what's available out there for off time or adding races. I mean, the statement has been made we are at the limit at 36, plus two non-points races. As you've seen Atlanta move a date to here, we've moved things around over the past few years, whether it be Wilkesboro, Rockingham, California Speedway. Everybody knows the routine that those dates need to be moved around or traded amongst the ownership groups that are out there. So we'll see what happens moving forward. But right now I believe the company line is we are, today, happy with the number of weekends that we spend at the tracks

NEXT RACE: Lenox Industrial Tool

Where:  New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.

When:  1 p.m. Sunday.

TV:  TNT.

Radio: Pre-Race Show - Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Jimmie Johnson.

My Pick: #48 Jimmie Johnson

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield & we're keeping you Up To Speed!

Hello NASCAR Fans! David Ragan won the Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway for his 1st career win. With the win, Ragan now moves into 17th in the drivers points and is currently in the 2nd Chase Wild Card spot. The win is the first for a UPS sponsored car since Dale Jarrett won at Talladega in Oct. 2005. Matt Kenseth finished second followed by Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard, Juan Montoya and A.J. Allmendinger. Pole Sitter Mark Martin was involved in the first 'big one' late in the race and finished 33rd. Daytona 500 winner and outside pole sitter, Trevor Bayne, wrecked on lap 5 and finished 41st. The point's leader going in to the race, Carl Edwards wrecked early in the race and finished 37th and lost the points lead to Kevin Harvick, who leads the points by 5 points. There were 57 lead changes among 25 drivers; 6 cautions for 21 yellow flag laps.

2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[after Daytona, race 17 of 36]:

rank, car#, driver, points, behind

1) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 586

2) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 581, -5

3) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 576, -10

4) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 570, -16

5) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 564, -22

6) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 564, -22

7) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 534, -52

8) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 519, -67

9) #33-Clint Bowyer, 505, -81

10) #39-Ryan Newman, 498, -88

Wild Cards

11) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 495, -91 [11th in points]

12) #6-David Ragan [1 win], 457, -129 [17th in points]

Two race winners are not inside the top-20: #2-Keselowski is 23rd, 19 pts out of 20th; #78-Smith is 28th, 69 pts out of 20th

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points

UPS happy with win:

Well after David Ragan, UPS driver, won Coke Zero 400] victory, UPS sent a statement to the media, which is highly unusual. "We're very proud to have David Ragan as UPS Racing's brand ambassador and are excited to congratulate him on his first win," said Ron Rogowski, UPS vice president, sponsorships & events.

Ford to stick with the Fusion:

Ford Racing will continue to run the Fusion when the new Sprint Cup cars hit the track in 2013. Jamie Allison, director of Ford Racing, said the company looked at different models, including the Mustang, for Cup competition. But, after much consideration, Ford believed it was in its best interest to continue promoting its top-selling car in stock car's top racing series. "Initially we submitted a Mustang, even back when we were looking at the Nationwide car," Allison said. "We were really excited about what happened in the Nationwide Series when we put Mustang in. We saw the interest from the fans, the media and even a whole swatch of consumers that never really followed NASCAR but loved Mustang started to follow Nationwide and NASCAR because Mustang was in. It kind of gave of a view of what could potentially on a grander scale happen if we moved Mustang into Cup." But Ford officials kept coming back to the Fusion. "The Fusion is so important to our company, it's our best-selling car, and when we launched the Fusion, we launched it here in NASCAR," Allison said. "We believe that NASCAR is a platform that can help us compel the fans to the fact that we have an exciting sedan in Fusion, as well as Mustang." Ford will continue to run the Mustang in the Nationwide Series, Allison said.

Stewart Hass Racing not expecting to expand in 2012:

Tony Stewart's goal since becoming co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing prior to the 2009 season was to eventually build the NASCAR Sprint Cup team up from two cars to four. But that probably won't happen next season, Stewart said. Tony Stewart was asked if he would remain a two-car team next year, Stewart said, "I would think so". We're kind of in that crunch time of the year where if a package was going to happen, it would pretty much be that the wheels would have to be in motion by now." Nevertheless, Stewart said SHR already has the infrastructure in place to expand, if need be. "The good thing is that our shop is set up and capable of doing a three-car team," Stewart said.

NEXT RACE

Quaker State 400

Where: Kentucky Speedway, Sparta, Ky.

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

TV: TNT

Radio: Pre-Race Show of Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Inaugural event

My Pick

Jimmie Johnson #48

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you

UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!
Congrats to David Ragan for his victory at Daytona. It was good to see David finally get his first Sprint Cup Victory and redeem himself for his Daytona 500 blunder. It's always been said that the first win is the hardest one to get. Well, here's to David getting many more, and hopefully during this season. With his contract and his sponsors contract set to expire after the season, it's now or never for David.
It's the Sprint Cup Series first ever race at Kentucky Speedway…. How did we get here?
KEY MOMENTS of KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY
January 1998: Former Turfway Park owner Jerry Carroll announces plans to build a $130 million auto racing track between Cincinnati and Louisville along Interstate 71 in Gallatin County.
June 16, 2000: Completed at a cost of $152 million, Kentucky Speedway opens.
June 17, 2000: A crowd of 63,750 endures rain and muddy parking lots to see Greg Biffle capture the first major event at the speedway, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 225. Thousands of others trying to see the race never make it - rain and inadequate roads around the track leave traffic backed up for 20 miles along I-71.
Aug. 27, 2000: Buddy Lazier wins the first IndyCar Series event before 61,214.
Aug. 29, 2000: NASCAR announces it has granted Kentucky Speedway a 2001 date on the Busch Grand National (now Nationwide) Series.
June 16, 2001: Kevin Harvick wins the first Busch race before 70,388.
Aug. 11, 2002: Trying to break into IndyCar racing, actor Jason Priestley suffers a concussion and fractures to his thoracic spine and feet after crashing into the wall at 180 mph in the second turn during practice for the IRL's Infiniti Series. He eventually makes a full recovery but gives up oval racing.
June 18, 2005: Carroll says Kentucky Speedway is through trying to earn a Cup Series date and will switch to a more aggressive strategy.
July 13, 2005: Kentucky Speedway files a federal anti-trust suit against NASCAR and the International Speedway Corp.
Aug. 14, 2005: A crowd of 62,595 watches IndyCar star Danica Patrick make her Kentucky debut. She finishes 16th.
Aug. 11, 2007: Dario Franchitti, husband of Kentucky icon Ashley Judd, flips his IndyCar after finishing eighth in the Meijer Indy 300. He walks away from the wreck.
Sept. 13, 2007: NASCAR CEO Brian France tells The Wall Street Journal that Kentucky Speedway's anti-trust suit is "selfish."
Jan. 7, 2008: A federal judge in Covington dismisses Kentucky Speedway's antitrust lawsuit.
Jan. 11, 2008: Kentucky Speedway appeals the dismissal.
May 22, 2008: Speedway Motorsports Inc. announces it has purchased Kentucky Speedway. SMI Chairman Bruton Smith says he plans for there to be a Cup Series race in Kentucky in 2009.
Dec. 18, 2009: Kentucky Speedway's former owners drop their appeal, apparently clearing the way for NASCAR to move a Sprint Cup race to Sparta. But 11 days later, one of the former minority owners sues Carroll, extending the appeal.
May 3, 2010: Carroll and the other former Speedway owner reach a settlement, and the appeal is finally dropped.
June 12, 2010: Joey Logano becomes the first Nationwide Series driver to win three consecutive races at the same track when starting from the pole as he holds off Carl Edwards to win the Meijer 300.
Aug. 10, 2010: Twelve years of dreaming of the big time come to fruition when Smith announces Kentucky Speedway will host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on the night of July 9, 2011.

Let's go to Kentucky!
Driver to Watch: Dale Jr.. He's going to get a win eventually…right?

Driver to Win: Carl Edwards. After the bad run at Daytona, Carl is no longer our points leader. He gets it back in Kentucky.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Kurt Busch won the Toyota/Save Mart 350 Sprint Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway for his 1st win of 2011 and 23rd win of his career. It is also his 1st road course win and he led 75 laps on the day. Jeff Gordon finished second, followed by Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Marcos Ambrose, Joey Logano, Jimmy Johnson, Martin Truex, Jr., Kevin Harvick, and Brad Keselowski. Edwards' second place finish expanded his point lead to 25 over Kevin Harvick. There were 12 lead changes among 9 drivers; 5 cautions for 17 yellow flag laps.

2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[After Infineon, race 16 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, Points, Behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 573

2) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 548, -25

3) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 540, -33

4) #22-Kurt Busch [1 win], 539, -34

5) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 536, -37

6) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 521, -52

7) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 503, -65

8) #33-Clint Bowyer, 496, -77

9) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 480, -93

10) #39-Ryan Newman, 475, -98

Wild cards

11) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 463, -110

12) #14-Tony Stewart, 460, -113 [12th in points]

Two race winners are not inside the top-20: #2-Keselowski is 22nd, 12 pts out of 20th; #78-Smith is 28th, 59 pts out of 20th

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points.

Crown Royal to end sponsorship of the #17 team / Statement from Crown

Royal:

In evaluation of our NASCAR programming and after much consideration, we have made the decision to make a strategic shift to focus our resources against our annual Crown Royal "Your Name Here" program which awards race naming rights to an adult fan. The Your Name Here program has provided NASCAR fans with an experience that is unrivaled in sports and in recent years has shed light on some of the remarkable military servicemen and servicewomen who proudly serve our country. We look forward to elevating this program as well as continuing our presence in the sport through an experience that our fans have grown to love. The specific details regarding how we will honor these heroes at next year's entitlement will be announced at a later date. In shifting our strategy, we will end our sponsorships with Roush Fenway Racing and NASCAR upon the conclusion of the 2011 season. We have developed strong relationships with the people at both organizations - they have not only been fantastic business partners, but have also become our friends. We thank them for working with us throughout the years to showcase the importance of our social responsibility initiatives. We look forward to a strong finish to the 2011 season and like the many fans we've gained along the way, we'll never stop rooting for the #17 car on its way to Victory Lane.

TNT NASCAR Coverage Averaging Nearly 5.1 Million Viewers:

TNT's coverage on Sunday of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 from Sonoma's Infineon Raceway earned a 3.2 U.S. HH rating, an increase of 17% from last year's race. In addition, the race garnered 5,188,000 total viewers (up + 16%) and averaged 3,743,000 households (up + 21%). The TNT NASCAR 2011 Sprint Cup Series is off to a solid start through the network's first three weeks of racing with an average of 5,097,000 viewers, up +7% over the 2010 total season average, and a 3.1 U.S. HH rating (up +3%).

Sprint using promotion to reward NASCAR drivers & fans:

Sprint plans to raise the stakes on this summer's NASCAR season by rolling out a six-race, $3 million promotion that will reward winning drivers and fans. The Sprint Summer Showdown, as it is being referred to in communications between executives at Sprint and tracks, will give the winning drivers of ESPN's first five Sprint Cup races the chance to square off for a winner-takes-all prize at the Sept. 4 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. If a driver who wins one of the five races - Indianapolis, Pocono, Watkins Glen, Michigan or Bristol - wins the Atlanta race, Sprint will pay the driver $1 million, the driver's charity of choice $1 million, and a fan $1 million. The promotion is the first of its kind by Sprint and rivals the $1 million it pays the winner of the Sprint All-Star Race. It is reminiscent of promotions run by NASCAR's previous title sponsor, Winston. Between 1985 and 1997, the Winston cigarette brand's parent company, R.J. Reynolds, ran the Winston Million promotion, offering $1 million to any driver who won three of the sport's four biggest races. From 1998 to 2002, it recast the promotion as the Winston No Bull 5 and offered $1 million to qualified drivers who won select races. It also gave $1 million to a fan associated with a driver through a sweepstakes. It's unclear how Sprint will incorporate fans into its promotion. Sprint is expected to announce the promotion at New Hampshire Motor Speedway the weekend of July 17.

History At Daytona International Speedway:

* Groundbreaking for Daytona International Speedway was Nov. 25, 1957. The soil underneath the banked corners was dug from the infield of the track and the hole filled with water. It is now known as Lake Lloyd.

* The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona was a 100-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500 on Feb. 20, 1959.

* Richard Petty won his 200th career race on July 4, 1984 at Daytona.

* For only the second time in its history, Daytona International Speedway was repaved in 2010. The project began on Monday, July 5, 2010.

* There have been 128 NASCAR Sprint Cup races since the track hosted its first race in 1959: 53 have been 500 miles, 48 were 400 miles and four 250 miles. There were also 23 qualifying races that were point's races.

* Lee Petty won the first Daytona 500 on Feb. 22, 1959.

* Fireball Roberts won the first 400-mile race at Daytona, the 1963 Firecracker 400.

* Bill Elliott leads all active drivers with five poles; followed by Jeff Gordon and Ken Schrader, with three.

* Richard Petty leads all drivers in victories, with 10.

* Jeff Gordon has six victories, more than any other active driver.

* The Wood Brothers have won 15 races at Daytona, more than any other car owner.

* 17 full-length races at Daytona have been won from the pole, including last year's Coke Zero 400, won by polesitter Kevin Harvick.

* A driver has swept both races at Daytona only four times, most recently by Bobby Allison, in 1982.

* The last 11 Daytona races that finished under green have had a margin of victory under a half second.

NEXT RACE: Coke Zero 400

Where: Daytona International Speedway

When: 7:30 p.m.

TV: TNT

Radio: Pre-Race Show of Valvoline Racing Radio powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: ROCK 105 "Chattanooga's Home for NASCAR"

My Pick: #29 Kevin Harvick

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield & we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!
Congrats to Kurt Busch for his dominating win at Infineon. I think Kurt has announced himself as a serious contender for The Sprint Cup Championship this year. In a season with 11 different winners in 16 races anything can happen, so why can't a Dodge win The Cup?
How about some fun facts about Daytona International Speedway:
A VERSATILE VENUE FOR MOTORSPORTS
Daytona International Speedway is the home of "The Great American Race" - the Daytona 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Sprint Cup event garners most of the attention - as well as the largest audience in motorsports - the enormous 480-acre motorsports complex boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe, thus earning it the title of "World Center of Racing." In addition to eight major weekends of racing activity, rarely a week goes by that the Speedway grounds are not used for events that include civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo "shoots," production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.
"The Speedway is a venue that is known throughout the world as a place where everyone in motorsports wants to claim a victory," said Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. "However, we're also committed to being versatile enough and responsive enough to provide a site where community activities can successfully be held."
BUSTLING WITH ACTIVITY YEAR-ROUND
After a jam-packed month of sports car and stock car testing in January, no less than 15 days of on-track activity mark the track's annual Speedweeks events. Its diversity includes sports car drivers from more than 20 foreign countries and the United States in the Grand American Road Racing Association's Rolex 24 At Daytona. In recent years, the Rolex 24 has garnered more attention from stock car drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle, Kyle Petty and Tony Stewart who have tested their skills against the sport's best. The Rolex 24 kicks off three weeks of NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series racing that culminates with the Daytona 500.
Coinciding with the Daytona Beach community's "Bike Week," every March Daytona International Speedway hosts two weeks of intense motorcycle racing with Daytona 200 Week. Racers and fans from around the world converge on the Speedway for the best in road racing, supercross and dirt track competition highlighted by the Daytona Supercross and the Daytona 200 AMA Motorcyclist Association-sanctioned event.
During Independence Day Weekend in July, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series join forces under the lights for the Coke Zero 400 Weekend Powered By Coca-Cola.

Let's go to Daytona!
Driver to Watch: Tony Stewart. He's my driver to watch because my wife says he's going to win. One thing I've learned it to listen to my wife…sometimes.

Driver to Win: Dale Jr. July 4th, Daytona, America, Dale Jr. Enough said.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Denny Hamlin won the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway for his 1st win of 2011 and 17th win of his career. He took the lead during the final pit stops of the race and held off Matt Kenseth at the checkered flag. Matt Kenseth finished second, followed by Kyle Busch, Paul Menard, Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin, and Brian Vickers. Edwards expanded his point lead to 20. Kevin Harvick is now in second after an early spin by Jimmie Johnson and a 27th place finish. There were 21 lead changes among 12 drivers; 5 cautions for 18 yellow flag laps.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[After Michigan, race 15 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, Points, Behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 532

2) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 512, -20

3) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 505, -27

4) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 503, -29

5) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 503, -29

6) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 491, -41

7) #22-Kurt Busch, 491, -41

8) #39-Ryan Newman, 456, -76

9) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 455, -77

10) #33-Clint Bowyer, 455, -77

Wild Cards

11) #14-Tony Stewart, 454, -78 [11th in points]

12) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 438, -94 [12th in points]

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as they are in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points

Joe Gibbs Racing Is Pursuing Carl Edwards:

Ford and Roush Fenway Racing are feeling a sense of urgency to re-sign Carl Edwards. For the last month, Edwards has been rumored to be headed to Joe Gibbs Racing. Earlier this season, JGR president J.D. Gibbs acknowledged that the organization would be interested in talking to Edwards if sponsorship could be acquired for a fourth team. Roush Fenway Racing president Steve Newman called the Edwards' negotiation "a slow and steady process." Both Roush and Ford have worked diligently to entice Edwards to remain in the blue-oval camp but are starting to feel the pressure from Toyota. "We have constant conversations with Carl," Newmark said. "I still remain cautiously optimistic that we'll get something done, but as we've talked about before, the process that we're going through, we want to make sure that we have everything in order going forward and Carl's main focus is on making sure he's going to a place where he can win championships. Newmark understands that Edwards is shopping the market and "has no issue with him engaging in discussions." Now the challenge for Roush comes in offering the most competitive package for Edwards and his future. At the same time, Newmark has the challenge of locking up Roush sponsors Aflac, UPS and Crown Royal. Newmark locked down both 3M and Greg Biffle for a multi-year deal in April. Newmark is not actively seeking a replacement for Edwards -- yet. With Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse in the pipeline, there's really no need to.

Winners not leading many laps:

Denny Hamlin led only eight laps in scoring the victory at Michigan last Sunday. This marks the sixth time that a driver has led fewer than 10 laps and won. Here's a look at how many times a driver led fewer than 10 laps and won in the past five seasons (remember there's still 21 races left this year).

2011 --- 6 times

2010 --- 4 times

2009 --- 4 times

2008 --- 2 times

2007 --- 8 times

U.S. Congresswoman renews effort to end military sponsorship:

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) is readying her next move in a months-long effort to slash Pentagon spending for NASCAR and other sports sponsorships. McCollum questions whether the U.S. military should be spending hundreds of millions of dollars on sponsorship deals for sports including stock car racing, professional fishing and pro wrestling at a time when the nation is running large deficits. Military officials and congressional supporters say the sponsorships help with recruitment. McCollum has failed twice to advance proposals that would have changed the way the military awards contracts and doles out funds for those events, as well as for ultimate-fighting sponsorships. Bill Harper, McCollum's chief of staff, said the lawmaker would likely offer an amendment on the House floor to the 2012 Pentagon appropriations bill that would limit the funds the military could spend on sporting events. McCollum offered an amendment to the DOD spending bill last week that the House Appropriations Committee shot down in a voice vote. During the House Appropriations Committee markup, McCollum cited a $645,000 contract to sponsor a race in the Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR's top racing tour. She said the Air Guard 400, held last September in Richmond, Va., failed to deliver a single military enlistee. But a Pentagon official, in an email to McCollum's staff that was obtained by The Hill, described the event as a marketing opportunity that came at a bargain rate.

Penalty against Joe Gibbs Racing for Unapproved Oil Pans Announced:

NASCAR announced that the #11, No. 18 and No. 20 teams that compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have been penalized for rules violations discovered during opening day inspection June 17 at Michigan International Speedway. All three of the Joe Gibbs Racing cars were found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in an event does not conform to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the NASCAR rule book, or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the event); and 20-5.5.4A (oil pan, failure to submit component) of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rule Book. As a result, the three crew chiefs. Mike Ford (#11 car), Dave Rogers (#18 car) and Greg Zipadelli (#20 car) have been fined $50,000 each and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. In addition, all three car chiefs, Chris Gillin (#11 car), Wesley Sherrill (#18 car) and Jason Shapiro (#20 car) along with Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Jimmy Makar have been placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

At Infineon Raceway:

* The track opened as a 2.52-mile road course and drag strip in 1968.

* The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was held in 1989.

* The first nine races were 300 kilometers and switched to a 350k format in 1998.

* The track was reconfigured to 1.949 miles in 1998 with the installation of an 890-foot chute between the original Turns 4 and 7.

* Jeff Gordon (five) leads all pole winners. Ricky Rudd has four, including three consecutive (1990-92), Rusty Wallace and Kasey Kahne have two apiece.

* 14 different drivers have won races; five have multiple victories there - led by Jeff Gordon with five. Ernie Irvan, Ricky Rudd, Tony Stewart and Rusty Wallace (all with two) are the other multiple-race winners.

* Jeff Gordon is also the only driver with consecutive wins, winning in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

* The lowest starting position by a race winner was 32nd, by Juan Pablo Montoya; it also was his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win.

* Jeff Gordon is the all-time leader in road-course victories, with nine. Tony Stewart is second, with seven.

NEXT RACE: Toyota/Save Mart 350

WHERE: Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.

WHEN: 3 p.m. Sunday

TV: TNT

RADIO: 1:00 pm, Pre-Race Show / Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

RADIO: ROCK 105

LAST YEAR'S WINNER: Jimmie Johnson

MY PICK: #29 Kevin Harvick

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield & we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!
We're headed to wine country when we head to California. Did you know that one of NASCAR's most famous team owners also owns a vineyard? That's right Richard Childress knows his way around a track and apparently around a grape as well. Here is the story of his wine business…
Richard's passion for fine wine is as genuine as his passion for auto racing. He embarked on a journey of experiencing different wines as his career in auto racing took him to tracks near the wine regions of California. Richard was moved by the passion he saw in the farmers who grew and harvested the
grapes, and inspired by the warm spirit of the winemaking community.
Always one to pursue his passions, Richard eventually began to consider the possibilities of planting his own vineyard. At the encouragement of business partner, Greg Johns, he began researching the potential for successfully producing fine wines in North Carolina's Piedmont. Soon, both Richard and Greg were raising trellises in their own backyards, experimenting with different grape varieties. As the experiments continued, they both realized a need for more expertise. They hired a team of viticulturists and the harvests became plentiful.
To help fulfill Richard's vision of creating North Carolina's signature winery, finding an expert winemaker was the next task. So Richard recruited the talents of Mark Friszolowski, a nationally acclaimed winemaker. Before coming to Childress Vineyards, Mark was with Pindar Vineyards, the largest premium winery on Long Island and was leading the way for successful winemaking on the East Coast. Having won hundreds of awards for his wines, Mark has a track record in the wine industry as impressive as Richard's record in the field of racing.
So, as the winemaker for Childress Vineyards, Mark Friszolowski is now setting out to do in North Carolina what he's already accomplished in New York State....establish the state as a region for signature winemaking.
That's our story for now. But just like our grapes, it's growing richer each day. So keep checking back for more.
Check it out online at childressvinyards.com and go and buy some wine.
Let's go to Cali!
Driver to Watch: Boris Said. There is only two races a year when I get to be a Saidhead. This is one.

Driver to Win: Tony Stewart. It's Summertime which means it's Tony Time.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Jeff Gordon won the 5-Hour Energy 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway for his 2nd win of 2011 and 84th win of his career. The win was Gordon's 5th at Pocono, tying him with Bill Elliott for the most wins at the track. Pole sitter Kurt Busch finished second followed by Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Juan Montoya, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman and Ryan Truex Jr. Denny Hamlin led the most laps with 76 but lost a tire late and finished 19th. Point's leader Carl Edwards had a valve in the engine break and spent a lot of time/laps in the garage, finishing 37th and now only leads Jimmie Johnson by 6 points. There were 18 lead changes among 10 drivers; 4 cautions for 14 yellow flag laps.

2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[After Pocono, race 14 of 36]:

Rank, car#, driver, points, behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 492

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 486, -6

3) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 482, -10

4) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 481, -11

5) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 461, -31 [updated]

6) #22-Kurt Busch, 457, -35

7) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 448, -44

8) #33-Clint Bowyer, 419, -73

9) #14-Tony Stewart, 417, -75

10) #39-Ryan Newman, 417, -75

Wild Cards

11) #24-Jeff Gordon [2 wins], 411, -81 [11th in points]

12) #11-Denny Hamlin, 408, -84 [12th in points]

Two race winners are not inside the top-20: #2-Keselowski is 22nd, 13pts out of 20th; and #78-Smith is 27th, 47 pts out of 20th

NOTE: Wild Cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as in the top-20 in points, then if no win by driver's points.

Kyle Busch Penalized after Pocono:

NASCAR has penalized the #18 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a result of rule infractions discovered during post-race inspection Sunday at Pocono Raceway.

The #18 Toyota was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-12.8.1B (body height requirements - car failed to meet the minimum front car heights) of the 2011 NASCAR rule book. As a result, crew chief Dave Rogers has been fined $25,000, while owner Joe Gibbs and driver Kyle Busch have been penalized with the loss of six championship owner and six championship driver points, respectively.

3rd Hall of Fame class announced:

NASCAR announced the 2012 class of inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The five-person class, which will be officially inducted in a ceremony during the weekend of Jan. 20, 2012 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., consists of: Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Inman, Richie Evans and Glen Wood. Members of the 55-member NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met today in a closed session in Charlotte, N.C., to vote on the induction class of 2012. The announcement was made by NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France in the NASCAR Hall of Fame's "Great Hall." The class was determined by votes cast by the Voting Panel, which included a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.COM. The accounting firm of Ernst & Young presided over the tabulation of the votes. As was the case for the first two classes of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the results of this year's voting were competitive. Yarborough led with 85 percent of the vote, followed by Waltrip (82%), Inman (78%), Evans (50%) and Wood (44%). Also receiving votes were Jerry Cook, Cotton Owens, Raymond Parks and Herb Thomas. The fans' five picks, in alphabetical order, were Richard Childress, Benny Parsons, Fireball Roberts, Waltrip and Yarborough. The five inductees came from a group of 25 nominees for induction into the 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame class that included: Buck Baker, Red Byron, Richard Childress, Jerry Cook, H. Clay Earles, Richie Evans, Tim Flock, Rick Hendrick, Jack Ingram, Bobby Isaac, Dale Inman, Fred Lorenzen, Cotton Owens, Raymond Parks, Benny Parsons, Les Richter, Fireball Roberts, T. Wayne Robertson, Herb Thomas, Curtis Turner, Darrell Waltrip, Joe Weatherly, Glen Wood, Leonard Wood and Cale Yarborough.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame opened on May 11, 2010 in Uptown Charlotte, N.C. The 150,000 square foot entertainment complex honors the history and heritage of NASCAR and the many who have contributed to the success of the sport. In its first year of operation, the NASCAR Hall of Fame entertained more than 270,000 customers, making it the second most-visited sports hall of fame in North America.

Class of 2012 Inductees:

Cale Yarborough

William Caleb Yarborough was the first driver to win three consecutive NASCAR premier series championships, from 1976-78. During his three-year dominance, Yarborough won 28 races - nine in 1976, nine in '77 and 10 in '78. His final championship point's margin in those three years was never fewer than 195 points and was as much as 474 in 1978. Yarborough totaled 83 victories in his 31-year career, which ranks sixth all-time. His 69 poles rank fourth all-time. He also won the Daytona 500 four times (1968, '77, '83-84), a mark that ranks second only to Richard Petty's seven. He was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998.

Darrell Waltrip

A three-time NASCAR premier series champion (1981-82, '85), Waltrip won all three with legendary driver/owner Junior Johnson. Waltrip is tied with Bobby Allison and Jeff Gordon for third all-time in series victories with 84. His 59 poles rank fifth all-time in NASCAR premier series history. He competed from 1972-2000, which included a 1989 Daytona 500 victory in a Rick Hendrick-owned Chevrolet. He currently is a commentator on FOX's NASCAR broadcasts. He was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998.

Dale Inman

Dale Inman, NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty's crew chief at Petty Enterprises for nearly three decades, set records for most wins (193) and championships (eight) by a crew chief. Inman won seven of those championships with Petty (1964, '67, '71, '72, '74, '75 and '79), and a final one in 1984 with Terry Labonte.

Richie Evans

The recognized "king" of Modified racing, Evans captured nine NASCAR Modified titles in a 13-year span, including eight in a row from 1978-85. In the first year of the current NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour format in 1985, Evans won 12 races, including a sweep of all four events at Thompson, Conn. Evans ranked No. 1 in the 2003 voting of the NASCAR All-Time Modified Top 10 Drivers, and he was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998.

GlenWood

Glen Wood laid the foundation for the famed Wood Brothers racing team as a driver in NASCAR's premier series. Competing on a semi-regular basis, mostly at tracks close to his southern Virginia home, Wood won four times - all at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. Wood, of course, is best known for his collaboration with brothers Leonard and Delano in Wood Brothers Racing. The Stuart, Va.-based team, which dates to 1950 and remains active, has amassed 98 victories.

At Michigan International Speedway:

* Michigan International Speedway sits on more than 1,400 acres in the "Irish Hills" of Southeastern Michigan. Ground-breaking took place on Sept. 28, 1967.

* The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan was held June 15, 1969.

* There have been 83 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Michigan International Speedway since the first race there in 1969. Other than 1973, which had just one race, there have been two races each season since 1969.

* The first race was 500 miles in length; the second was scheduled for 600. The track was re-measured to 2.04 miles for the last race in 1970 and both races in 1971 - with the race distance being 402 miles. All other races have been scheduled for 400 miles.

* The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was won by Cale Yarborough.

* There have been 88 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Michigan.

NEXT RACE: Heluva Good! 400

Where: Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Mich.

When: 1 p.m. Sunday

TV: TNT

Radio: 11:00 a.m. Pre-Race Show - Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody

Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: ROCK 105

Last year's winner: Denny Hamlin

My Pick:  Dale Earnhardt Jr.

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Brad Keselowski won the STP 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway for his 1st win of 2011 and 2nd win of his career. The race came down to fuel mileage with many drivers having to pit with less than 20 laps to go. Brad Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Denny Hamlin all stretched their mileages to make it to the end. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished second followed by Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, and Greg Biffle. Carl Edwards' point lead is now 40 over Jimmie Johnson. There were 17 lead changes among 9 drivers; 5 cautions for 22 yellow flag laps.

2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[After Kansas, race 13 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, Points, Behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 485

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 445, -40

3) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 444, -41

4) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 442, -43

5) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 425, -60

6) #22-Kurt Busch, 414, -71

7) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 412, -73

8) #14-Tony Stewart, 393, -92

9) #33-Clint Bowyer, 391, -94

10) #39-Ryan Newman, 382, -103

Wild Cards

11) #11-Denny Hamlin, 381, -104 [11th in points]

13) #24-Jeff Gordon [1 win], 364, -121 [13th in points]

[#2-Keselowski is 21st in points. With his win, he becomes eligible for the wild card by moving into the top 20 in standings]

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as in

the top-20 in points, then if no win by driver's points

Altercation between Richard Childress and Kyle Busch after the NASCAR Truck Series Race:

Richard Childress had an altercation with Kyle Busch in the Camping World Truck Series garage area after the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250, sources confirmed Saturday night. NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp confirmed that NASCAR was looking into the rumors of an altercation following the Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway. The altercation happened in the garage area about 30 minutes after the conclusion of the race, according to the sources, who indicated that Childress initiated the altercation. Childress likely was upset that late in the race, Richard Childress Racing driver Joey Coulter and Busch had a tight battle for fifth with contact on the final lap. Busch tapped Coulter on the cool-down lap following the race.

NASCAR has fined owner Richard Childress $150,000 and placed him on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31 for violating Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing - involved in an altercation in the garage area) of the 2011 NASCAR rule book. The violation occurred following the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race June 4 at Kansas Speedway. The probation includes all NASCAR-sanctioned events.

Statement from Richard Childress: "First of all, I'm responsible for my actions, plain and simple. As you know, I am a very principled person and have a passion for what we do at Richard Childress Racing. I believe passionately in defending my race teams and my sponsor partners. In this instance, I let that passion and my emotions get the best of me. I accept the penalty NASCAR announced today and, as a company, we will now focus on this week's races at Pocono Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway."

Farmers Insurance to sponsor Kasey Kahne in 2012:

Beginning in 2012, Farmers Insurance will be the majority sponsor of the #5 Chevy fielded by Hendrick Motorsports and driven by 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner Kasey Kahne. Covering the 2012, 2013 and 2014 racing seasons, the agreement secures primary paint schemes for Farmers Insurance in 22 Sprint Cup Series events annually and prominent brand placement in all non-primary races. A new #5 Farmers Insurance Chevy car design will be unveiled at a later date.

TNT Returns with multiplatform coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series:

TNT and NASCAR.com are set to wave the green flag on the network's Sprint Cup Series coverage debuting on Sunday at Pocono with enhanced features and more interactivity on television and online to provide fans with the most comprehensive multi-platform NASCAR experience possible. This year, TNT RaceBuddy on NASCAR.com will return with twice as many camera views as last year including two mosaics for fans to choose from. Also, the network will debut Inside Trax, offering fans exclusive audio and video from select crew chiefs and their teams each race. Wide Open Coverage returns for TNT's primetime race in Daytona on Saturday, July 2 and will feature the first-ever Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway in primetime on Saturday, July 9. For the first time this year, TNT NASCAR analyst Kyle Petty and Rutledge Wood's ongoing live video chat series "30 Minutes You Will Never Get Back" will invite TNT announcers to answer questions from the fans. Each Friday, fans can submit questions via Twitter or Facebook to have their questions answered on the show. TNT returns their marquees announce crew with analysts Petty and Wally Dallenbach joining play-by-play announcer Adam Alexander in the booth for each race. Veteran reporters Ralph Sheheen, Marty Snider and Matt Yocum will be joined by Chris Neville, a ten-year veteran motorsports reporter, on pit road. In addition, Lindsay Czarniak will once again host the network's 60-minute pre-race show, Countdown to Green, with Petty and McReynolds joining her on the TNT rig along with special guests each week.

Sprint intends to continue Title Sponsorship: Sprint is in talks with NASCAR to extend its title sponsorship of the Sprint Cup series. Sprint has announced there intention is to continue the sponsorship with NASCAR. Sprint is in the eighth year of a 10-year, $750 million sponsorship that goes through the 2013 season. Besides the title sponsorship of the series, Sprint lends its name to the Sprint All-Star Race in Charlotte, N.C., and supports NASCAR in other ways, such as delivering 15 to 20 cell phone towers to each race as well as The Sprint Experience, a mobile, interactive display at each track.

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

Congrats to Brad Keselowski for his victory at Kansas. With NASAR's new points system, Brad now has an outside chance at making The Chase since he now has a win. He does, however, need to get into the top 20 in points. It will be an interesting second half of the regular season as drivers try to either make the top 10 in points, or win a couple of race and land in the top 20. It's gonna get fun!

Pocono Raceway is not one of my favorite tracks, but do to some environmentally friendly upgrades, it may be Mother Natures favorite.What is Pocono Raceway Green?
Pocono Raceway has become one of the most environmentally conscious tracks in NASCAR and the entire sports world. These steps will benefit the local environment, keeping it cleaner and making it more attractive for the year-round community and the thousands of fans who come together for our events every year.
In August of 2010 the 3MW Pocono Solar Project came online after just 3 months of construction. Consisting of nearly 40,000 American made photovoltaic modules covering 25 acres, the Project will produce more than 72 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy over the next 20 years. The environmental attributes associated with the system will offset more than 3,100 Metric Tons of carbon dioxide annually, Carbon Dioxide emissions from 106,529 propane BBQ grills and it will generate enough power to provide the electricity needs for close to 1,000 homes beyond the power needs of the Raceway.

Pocono Raceway was the first raceway to be part of the PepsiCo Dream Machine program. With this program, Dream Machine bins and kiosks are located throughout the Grandstand and Infield to make it easier for race fans to recycle bottles and cans that, otherwise, might have been thrown away. In addition to helping the environment, for each bottle or can deposited in the Dream Machine kiosk, you can earn points that can be collected and redeemed for rewards at Greenopolis.com and PepsiCo will make a donation to the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV).

To further assist the track's recycling efforts , Anheuser-Busch has also contributed recycling bins to the track in hopes of reducing the amount of recyclables that are being thrown in the trash. All Pocono Recycling is done through Waste Management's Single-Stream recycling system. Tree Planting Program
As part of the program, 10 trees will be planted for every green flag that drops during future NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events. This will help reduce the carbon footprint of the sport and bring conservation awareness to NASCAR fans.

Let's go to Pocono.

Driver to Watch: Denny Hamlin. Denny always runs well at Pocono.

Driver to Win: Jeff Gordon. Jeff runs pretty good here and I think it's about time the #24 team find their way to victory lane again.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Kevin Harvick won the Coca Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway for his 3rd win of 2011 and 17th win of his career. #6-Ragan [best career finish] finished second followed by Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, A.J. Allmendinger, Marcos Ambrose, Dale Earnhardt Jr. [who led, ran out of fuel in 4th turn], Regan Smith, David Reutimann and Denny Hamlin. Jimmie Johnson lost an engine with a few laps to go, setting up a green-white-checker finish. Kasey Kahne led on the final restart and immediately ran out of fuel. The points leader, Kevin Edwards, finished 16th and increased his points lead to 36 points over Kevin Harvick who moves into 2nd. There were 38 lead changes among 19 drivers; 14 cautions for 64 yellow flag laps. The attendance is listed as 145,000 up from 140,000 last year.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[after Charlotte, race 12 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, Points, behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 445

2) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 409, -36

3) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 408, -37

4) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 402, -43

5) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 392, -53

6) #22-Kurt Busch, 377, -68

7) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 374, -71

8) #33-Clint Bowyer, 365, -80

9) #14-Tony Stewart, 356, -89

10) #39-Ryan Newman, 353, -92

Wild Cards

11) #16-Greg Biffle, 343, -102 [11th in points]

12) #24-Jeff Gordon [1 win], 324, -121 [16th in points]

Danica's sponsor (Go Daddy.com) expects her to move to NASCAR?

Bob Parsons, CEO and founder of Danica Patrick sponsor GoDaddy.com, said Sunday he expects her to make the move full-time to NASCAR next season. "She hasn't told me she will, but I believe she will and we'll be ready," Parsons said. "Here's the fact: She loves [NASCAR], it's much more exciting than IndyCar, with all due respect, and the TV audience for NASCAR is off the hook." Parsons was at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday to watch Patrick compete in the event. Patrick is working on a plan to race full-time in the Nationwide Series is 2012 and move to Sprint Cup in 2013, sources confirmed earlier this week. "She came up to me right after she did her first NASCAR race [the 2010 Nationwide race at Daytona]," Parson said. "She said to me, 'I absolutely loved it. This is what I was born to do.' " Parsons emphasized he is behind her whatever decision she makes. "As long as I can stroke the check," he said. "I tell you what, she doesn't exactly work for minimum wage. I usually don't get into that too much until the decision's been made. But I've told her I would sponsor her if she started ice skating." Along with Patrick's IndyCar ride at Andretti Autosport and her Nationwide car

at JR Motorsports, GoDaddy also sponsors Mark Martin's Cup car at Hendrick Motorsports. Martin is leaving after this season and Kasey Kahne is taking over in that car. Will GoDaddy sponsor Kahne in 2012? "We're working on that," Parsons said. "I can tell you Mr. [Rick] Hendrick runs an awfully good team and he's been a great business partner for us.

Doctor's still do not know what ails Trevor Bayne:

Having been out since late April, Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne hopes to return to the track this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. It has been week to week for the driver since his health issues surfaced in April. So far, Bayne still doesn't have a diagnosis for what was wrong with him. When he checked into the Mayo Clinic a month ago, his main symptoms were nausea, fatigue and double vision. He was admitted to a Charlotte hospital the week before. "I think I finally just had to accept that nobody knows," Bayne said. "I can promise if I was just tired or not feeling great I would've still been in the race car because I'm a racer. But I went to bed Monday feeling great and woke up Tuesday seeing double." He said he's felt fine for about a week, but team officials wanted to stay on the cautious side and hold him out of Sunday's Coca-Cola 600.

Did NASCAR Driver Kyle Busch get special treatment?

Did NASCAR driver Kyle Busch got special treatment when he was caught speeding 128 miles an hour in a 45 zone on Perth Road Tuesday afternoon. According to the Iredell County Sheriff's Office, Busch was driving his new 2012 yellow Lexus LFA supercar when he was clocked doing nearly three times the posted speed limit. Busch was issued a citation for careless and reckless driving and speeding. So was Kyle Busch given special treatment? A North Carolina police chief and traffic attorney said it appeared to them that Busch was treated properly and that the issuing of the citation was the appropriate action on the part of Iredell County Sgt. Chris Stone. "The attitude of the person...unless they get unruly, question the ancestry of the officer involved, I wouldn't think they would take them to jail, put them under a bond, have the vehicle towed and impounded, all of which could happen, but it's been a long time since I've seen it," said attorney Cecil Whitley. A local North Carolina police chief says officers have discretion in such cases, and that most of the time for speeding an reckless driving, a citation would be issued. The driver would only be arrested if there were other circumstances, such as additional charges for eluding arrest, alcohol, involvement in an accident, or if the officer determined that the driver would be unlikely to show up for court. He said in this case, Kyle Busch would not be considered a flight risk. As far as the penalty is concerned, if Busch were to be convicted on the charges he now faces, he would lose his North Carolina driver's license for one year. That would not impact his ability to drive a race car since NASCAR requires each driver to have a NASCAR license, not a driver's license

Sunday's race - the inaugural spring event for Kansas Speedway – carries major weight. This season is Kansas' first with two events, with this weekend's race - the STP 400 - joining the usual Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup event in October. Putting it another way, this is a big-time preview for the championship run. Last weekend's race provided a juicy lead-in for Kansas. A strategy lover's dream, Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 featured 19 leaders, all of whom seemingly had a shot at victory. Dale Earnhardt Jr., with a single turn separating him and victory, ran out of gas (he wasn't alone in that regard). Kevin Harvick nabbed his first Coca-Cola 600 win, and now has a season-high three victories. This weekend opens up with a major milestone event for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The series will run its 400th race, on Saturday in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250. The NASCAR Nationwide Series runs on Saturday night at Chicagoland Speedway, in the STP 300. Two big returns - that of Trevor Bayne and Danica Patrick - highlight the event.

NEXT RACE: STP 400

Where: Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kan.

When: 1 p.m. Sunday

Radio: 11:00 a.m. Pre-Race / Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Inaugural event

My Pick: #24 Jeff Gordon

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

Congrats to Kevin Harvick for his Coca-Cola 600 victory. Seriously, we can't get one more quarter of a lap's worth of gas for Dale Jr? Oh so close.

This weekend at Kansas Richard Petty will be the grand marshall of the STP 400. Remember STP? The King's sponsor for about the last 40 years. What is STP and where did it start?

In October 1954, three businessmen with a mere $3,000 in start-up capital introduced the first STP® product in St. Joseph, Mo. Scientifically Treated Petroleum, better known as STP, began with one product, STP® Oil Treatment, that helped automobile motor oil resist thinning at high temperatures and pressures.

The group, composed of Charles Dwight (Doc) Liggett, Jim Hill and Robert DeHart, began packaging STP® Oil Treatment in a backyard garage. They packaged it at night and sold it from the trunks of their cars during their business and pleasure trips. The company's initial growth and profitability, attributed to strong word-of-mouth and the brand's link to auto racing, enabled STP to introduce its first Gas Treatment in 1960. In 1961, STP was purchased by the Studebaker Packard Corporation. Andy Granatelli was appointed CEO in 1963 and began to increase the brand's marketing efforts through auto and boat racing. Eventually, STP sponsored its own Indy Car racing team, featuring Mario Andretti, the winner of the 1969 Indianapolis 500.

STP® product distribution began to grow and by 1963 STP® products were available in more than 200,000 gasoline stations across the U.S. By the end of 1968, sales had climbed to more than $43 million. In early 1969, STP became a public corporation and shares went on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol “STP.”

The 1970s saw significant international growth, and in 1972 STP made headlines throughout the world by beginning its association with future stock car legend Richard Petty, a partnership that continues to this day. By 1973, STP reported sales of more than $54 million and a net income of more than $1 million. Products were marketed throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico and nearly 100 countries around the world. In 1978, STP introduced new, improved grades of motor oil as well as sleek-looking, easy-to-pour Gas Treatment containers. Later that year, the STP Corporation was acquired by Chicago-based Esmark, Inc.

Beatrice Companies purchased Esmark, Inc. in 1984, and then, a year later, Union Carbide bought STP. In 1986 the Home and Automotive Division of Union Carbide became First Brands Inc. through a management leveraged buyout. By the 1990s, the brand had built a presence in practically every country in the world through a mixture of sales and international subsidiaries. In January 1999, The Clorox Company completed its acquisition of First Brands Corporation. For years, the reason people rely on STP® products has been simple: STP® products give you the “power” to get maximum performance from your car.

And when I see STP I still think of Richard Petty and the Petty blue cars. Good stuff

Let's go to Kansas.

Driver to Watch: Clint Bowyer. This is Clint's home track and I know he wants to finally win one.

Driver to Win: Kyle Busch. After two weeks of answering questions about his speeding ticket, I think he'll be ready to speed legally.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Carl Edwards won the Sprint All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, winning over $1 million. It is Edward's 1st All-Star race win and Roush Fenway Racing's 5th win. Kyle Busch finished second followed by David Reutimann, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, David Ragan (who won the Sprint Showdown), Kevin Harvick, and Ryan Newman. Greg Biffle won the first segment of the race, but Carl Edwards won the final 3. The final 10 lap segment went green the whole way. There were 5 cautions for 6 laps and 8 lead changes among 4 leaders. The announced attendance was 130,000.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[after Dover, race 11 of 36]:

rank, car#, driver, points, behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 416

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 392, -24

3) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 379, -37

4) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 364, -52

5) #29-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 362, -54

6) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 342, -74

7) #39-Ryan Newman, 340, -76

8) #33-Clint Bowyer, 336, -80

9) #22-Kurt Busch, 336, -80

10) #14-Tony Stewart, 328, -88

Wild Cards

11) #5-Mark Martin, 324, -92 [11th in points]

12) #24-Jeff Gordon [1 win], 299, -117 [14th in points]

Latest on Carl Edwards contract status:

Sprint All-Star Race winner, Carl Edwards; contract expires at the end of the season. After Saturday's victory, both the driver and his boss said little about where talks stand for 2012 and beyond. "All I'll say about that is we're running really well right now and it's because of Jack Roush and Ford and all these people's hard work, and those talks are going on behind closed doors," said Edwards. "We'll hopefully get something done, but right now we're running well and that is fun and what I'm trying to do is focus on that because we have a championship to win this year. That's the number one goal."

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. close to contract extension:

Hendrick Motorsports is close to finalizing a multiyear extension with Dale Earnhardt Jr., team owner Rick Hendrick said Saturday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hendrick hopes to announce the deal within the next month. He would not give specifics, saying most of the major points are agreed on and the extension would keep NASCAR's most popular driver at HMS for another three to five years after the current five-year deal that expires in 2012.

Danica still mum about 2012 plans:

Rumors that Danica Patrick would jump to NASCAR have dogged her for years and even have been acknowledged by IndyCar officials. The 29-year-old, who has driven in both IndyCar and the NASCAR Nationwide series this year and last, was vague when asked about her plans Thursday. "I suppose anything is possible," she said. "But I know for me, I haven't made any of those decisions yet." Her improved performance in NASCAR has fueled speculation that her IndyCar days might be nearing an end [both her Indy Car and JR Motorsports contracts are done at the end of 2011]. She struggled last year during her first year of stock car racing, but she qualified fourth and briefly led the Nationwide race at Daytona this February before finishing 14th. The next month, she placed fourth in the Las Vegas Nationwide race, the best finish for a woman in a national NASCAR race. She'll return to NASCAR for the Nationwide race at New Hampshire in June.

Final 2011 race for BB&T:

For the final time this season, Clint Bowyer's #33 RCR Chevy will sport the maroon and yellow paint scheme of BB&T at the Sprint All Star race in Charlotte. Based in Winston-Salem, N.C., the company operates approximately 1,800 financial centers in 12 states and Washington, D.C., and offers a full range of consumer and commercial banking, securities brokerage, asset management, mortgage and insurance products and services.

NEXT RACE: Coke 600

Where: Charlotte Motor Speedway

When: 6 p.m. Sunday

Radio: 4:00 p.m. Pre-Race - Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: 5:00 p.m. on ROCK 105

Last year's winner: Kurt Busch

My Pick:

#48 Jimmie Johnson

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

My computer has pretty much broken so in lieu of a great Coca-Cola 600 article, here's a recipe from my good buddy Kent The Deck Chef Whitaker. Try it out while you enjoy the holiday weekend!

Kent's Famous Barbecue Cornbread
The Food Network Version
The trick to making Kent's BBQ Cornbread is barbecue. I use left over barbecue, beef or pork, that has been shredded fine and re-smoked on the smoker for about an hour using hickory wood. This adds that deep barbecue flavor that you can sink your teeth into. You can “Kick Up The Sauce On Top A Notch,” as Emeril said by adding a bit more hot sauce. What ever you do just remember that this cornbread slices better if given a few minutes to cool. It is great served with white beans and a side of slaw.
If you ever get to watch this episode, try and count how many beers I get down.
Cornbread:
1/2 pound leftover barbecue pork or beef
1 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 (15-ounce) can cream-style corn
1/2 (4-ounce) can chopped green chile peppers, drained
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 glass-baking dish. Shred leftover barbecue into fine pieces. In a large bowl, beat together butter, milk and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in cream corn, chiles, both cheeses, and barbecue. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to corn mixture; stir
until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into center of the pan comes out clean. Or better yet, until the center is firm to the touch.

Topping:
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons your favorite barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Combine all and melt in microwave. Brush over cornbread and place back in oven for a few minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm or break into pieces and serve in a small bowl

Check him out online at thedeckchef.com

Driver to Watch: Jimmie J. It's about time he win one at Charlotte again.
Driver to Win: Greg Biffle. The Fords are just to strong.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Matt Kesneth won the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway for his 2nd win of 2011, 2nd win at Dover and 20th win of his 411 race career. Mark Martin finished second followed by Marcos Ambrose, Kyle Busch [who started at the rear], Brian Vickers, Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick. A.J. Allmendinger, who started 2nd, lost an engine and finished 37th. There were 23 lead changes among 11 drivers; 6 cautions for 28 yellow flag laps.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[After Dover, race 11 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, Points, Behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 416

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 392, -24

3) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 379, -37

4) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 364, -52

5) #29-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 362, -54

6) #17-Matt Kenseth [2 wins], 342, -74

7) #39-Ryan Newman, 340, -76

8) #33-Clint Bowyer, 336, -80

9) #22-Kurt Busch, 336, -80

10) #14-Tony Stewart, 328, -88

Wild Cards

11) #5-Mark Martin, 324, -92 [11th in points]

12) #24-Jeff Gordon [1 win], 299, -117 [14th in points]

NOTE: wild cards are drivers not in the chase with a win as long as in the top-20 in points, then if no wins by drivers points

One of the grandest spectacles in this sport - and the most exciting all-star event in any sport - has arrived.The best-of-the-best meet under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday night in what has become one of the most anticipated events on the NASCAR calendar - the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. As if it needed any, some added pop got sprinkled onto this one. There are a couple of new faces - Trevor Bayne and Regan Smith - joining the fray. There's a notable absence who will have to race his way in (or nab a spot in the Sprint Fan Vote) – Dale Earnhardt Jr. And there's still that feud going on. Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick traded only verbal blows last weekend in Dover, but this is different. Busch, especially, takes the gloves off during the all-star event. Remember, it was a year ago that he threatened Denny Hamlin – his own teammate. But the two mainstays continue on - the cash and the points (or lack thereof). There are no points paid out in this one, and the winner will earn over $1 million. In other words, the strategy is simple: Win by whatever means necessary. To open up NASCAR Sprint All-Star weekend, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will run the North Carolina Education Lottery 200.

Trevor Bayne, Smith Make All-Star Debuts

Two new faces will stack their blossoming talents up against the best on Saturday night. They've conquered before - that's how they landed a spot in the all-star race, after all - so why not again? The two – Trevor Bayne and Regan Smith - won arguably the two biggest races to date, the Daytona 500 and the Southern 500 at Darlington. Bayne, who has missed the last three NASCAR Nationwide Series races because of illness, is optimistic that he will be healthy enough to run on Sunday. The youngster shocked the racing world in February, becoming the youngest ever Daytona 500 winner at 20-years-old. Smith accomplished his much-anticipated breakthrough in Darlington two weeks ago, holding off Carl Edwards for the historic win at the legendary track.

Dale Junior Out...For Now:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. failed to win a race in either 2010 or thus far in 2011, and this season can no longer fall back on this event-champion provisional. He won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race in 2000, but that achievement only locks a driver into the field for the following 10 years. His time is up. But there's two other means to the all-star end for Earnhardt. One, he could race his way in. If Earnhardt wins or finishes second in the Sprint Showdown - which precedes the all-star race - he'll earn a spot in the field. Or if he wins the Sprint Fan Vote, he'll get in - but only if he finishes on the lead lap in the Sprint Showdown.

2011, All-Star Race Share Common Thread: Competitive Balance:

The amount of lead changes this season is record breaking - 33.3 per race. So too are the leaders per race - 13.6. As Bayne and Smith have proven, anyone can win on any given Sunday (or Saturday night). There have been eight different winners in the first 11 races, the most since 2006. The same can be said about the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race competitive balance; there have been seven different winners in the last seven races.

NASCAR All-Star Win: A Sign Of Future Success:

A NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race victory often leads to success the following week - in NASCAR's longest race, the Coca-Cola 600. The extra track time allows team to gather vital information about set-up. So it makes sense that the All-Star-600 sweep isn't all that rare. Last season, Kurt Busch accomplished the feat for the seventh time. Others to do it: Darrell Waltrip (1985), Davey Allison (1991), Dale Earnhardt (1993), Jeff Gordon (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2003) and Kasey Kahne (2008).

Sprint Showdown's Stout Field Brings Excitement To Final Two Wildcard Spots:

The Sprint Showdown looks to be one of the best in years. The field is stacked with heavy hitters that will battle it out for the final two spots in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Here is a list of some of stars vying for the final two spots: Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions Bill Elliott, Bobby Labonte and Terry Labonte; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners Jeff Burton, Derrike Cope, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Robby Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Casey Mears, Joe Nemechek, Martin Truex Jr. and Brian Vickers.

Special Qualifying Procedures For NASCAR All-Star Race:

This weekend's qualifying procedures encompass the idea that NASCAR is a team sport. Qualifying consists of three laps, including a pit stop for four new tires. The pit road speed limit will be in effect when cars enter pit road but will not be in effect when cars exit. All cars must qualify with the fuel cell full of fuel. Total elapsed time of the 3-lap qualifying run will determine starting positions for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

NEXT RACE: All-Star Race

Where: Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.

When: 9 p.m. Saturday.

TV: Speed

Radio: Pre-Race / Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: ROCK 105

Last year's winner: Kurt Busch.

MY PICK:

#11 Denny Hamlin

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

It's Sprint Cup All Star Race time!!! No points just one million dollars on the line. You have to love it when one of the nation's biggest sports has an all star event that is actually worth tuning into. Major League Baseball's Asll-Star game is pretty good since it determines who get's home field advantage during the world series, but one member from every team has to be represented so you don't always get the best players. The NBA game is a joke and so is the NFL, it's just a game where every one tries not to get hurt. Not in NASCAR. You have to win races to be eligible and it's all on the line for money and money only. Way cool.
This week we have been talking to the Sprint Cup girls on Valvoline Racing Radio and giving away tickets to this weekends festivities. So who are the Sprint Cup Girls?...

First is was Paige Duke; we were then treated to a video with pictures of her while Gwyneth Paltrow's song "Country Strong" played. Paige is a country girl straight from Lancaster, S.C. She attended Clemson University and graduated magna cum laude and is still a proud die-hard Tigers fan. She loves animals and during her off-season works at a veterinarian's office. She likes fishing, even for sharks, but her favorite is hunting for deer. ]

The second Miss Sprint Cup girl is the newest member, Kim Coon, an Orlando, Fla., native and Miami University graduate who went on to get her master's degree from the University of Alabama. She spent two seasons cheering for the Carolina Panthers and worked in corporate marketing before joining the Miss Sprint Cup team. Kim informed me that she had not met any of the drivers yet; she looks forward to meeting them and all the fans at the Sprint Experience and can't wait to get to Daytona.

Monica Palumbo is coming back for her fourth season. Keeping this a secret was hard for her; she said everyone thought she wouldn’t come back but inside (herself), she wanted to say, “Yes, I’m coming back!” Monica mentioned that she loves meeting all the returning fans; she remembers faces but not names. She's built a good repertoire with the fans. Lindi Bess wrote an amazing article about Monica last year for Skirts and Scuffs.

Miss Sprint Cup started in 2007 and the representatives are the three ladies whose job is heavily focused on the fans. They keep their 300,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter up to date on current news in the garage. They can be found at the Sprint Experience at every race, where they have contests and give away prizes, including new cell phones. Paige and Monica agree that the most fun part of their job is the chance to hang out in Victory Lane with the winner. Monica advised newcomer Kim to be careful around the Gatorade bottles because they sometimes get hit in the head, and she told her that the champagne was good for her hair.

You can follow Monica Palumbo, Kim Coon and Paige Duke on Twitter.
Let's head to Charlotte!!!

Driver to Watch: Kyle Busch/Kevin Harvick. No points and just money on the line. Could be time for payback

Driver to Win: Clint Bowyer. Clint has done everything but win a race the past month, so it will be just his luck to finally win one that doesn't get him any points!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Regan Smith won the Showtime Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway for the first win of his career. He stayed on track during the last caution and held off Carl Edwards on a green-white-checker finish. Carl Edwards held on to finish second followed by Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne (the pole sitter), Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray, and Ryan Truex, Jr. Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch were called to the NASCAR hauler after the race. They were involved in the accident that brought out the final caution of the night. Then as cars were headed to pit road after the checkered flag, they parked next to one another on pit road and Kevin Harvick got out of his car to confront Busch, when Busch took off and pushed Harvick's car out of the way and into the pit wall. The win was the 5th ever for a car #78 and the first since Jim Paschal won at Columbia, SC running the #78 on July 9, 1955.

2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[After Darlington, race 10 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, points, behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 378

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 355, -23

3) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 339, -39

4) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 331, -47

5) #29-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 328, -50

6) #39-Ryan Newman, 317, -61

7) #14-Tony Stewart, 313, -65

8) #22-Kurt Busch, 306, -72

9) #33-Clint Bowyer, 297, -81

10) #17-Matt Kenseth [1 win], 295, -83

The two wild cards

11) #43-A.J. Allmendinger, 287, -91 [11th]

17) #24-Jeff Gordon [1 win], 272, -106 [1 win]

NASCAR Penalized Harvick & Busch after Altercation at Darlington:

NASCAR has penalized NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick as a result of rules infractions committed at last weekend's event at Darlington Raceway. Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 car, and Kevin Harvick, driver of the #29 car, have each been fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation for the next four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points events until June 15 for violating Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing involved in an altercation on pit road after the conclusion of the race). These penalties are a result of what occurred on pit road after the race was over.

Delaware General Assembly declares May 15, 2011 'Jimmie Johnson Day':

Though he is a native of El Cajon, Calif., and currently lives in Charlotte, it appears as if Jimmie Johnson has found himself yet another home here in the First State. Based on his extensive success at Delaware's NASCAR track, Dover International Speedway, as well as the charitable work done nationwide by the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, the 146th Delaware General Assembly, in a joint resolution from the House and Senate, declared in Senate Joint Resolution No. 2 that Sunday, May 15, 2011 will be known as "Jimmie Johnson Day." Johnson will be aiming for his second straight win at Dover, and seventh ever at the track. A victory would put Johnson, a 10-year NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran, in elite company with NASCAR Hall of Fame members Richard Petty and Bobby Allison, the only drivers to ever win seven times at the Monster Mile.

NASCAR says teams can use fuel injection at some tests:

NASCAR told Sprint Cup teams Saturday that they can use fuel injection at NASCAR-sanctioned tests this season. The Cup series will switch from carburetors, used since the series' inception in 1949, to fuel injection next year. NASCAR told teams that they'll be allowed to test fuel injection at Kentucky in July - where teams will be given an extra day

of practice since this will be the first Cup race there - at Goodyear tire tests, and at a test later this year on Phoenix's repaved surface. John Darby, Sprint Cup series director, also said that he would like to have additional fuel injection tests for all teams at a restrictor-plate track and a 1.5-mile track. A possibility is for teams to test at Talladega the day after the Cup race there in October and to a test at Charlotte Motor Speedway, since most teams are located near that 1.5-mile track, sometime this fall. Another option would be for teams to test in Daytona in January. Two years ago, teams did not test at Daytona, as part of NASCAR's testing ban. Last year, teams tested at Daytona because it had a new track surface. Fuel injection could allow Cup teams to test at Daytona in January for the second year in a row.

Fast Facts About Dover International Speedway:

* The official opening of Dover International Speedway, then called Dover Downs International Speedway, was in 1969.

* The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on July 6, 1969.

* The first two races at Dover were 300 miles. The race length was changed to 500 miles in 1971.

* The track surface was changed to concrete in 1995.

* The race length was changed to 400 miles beginning with the second race in 1997.

* The track name was changed to Dover International Speedway in 2002.

* There have been 82 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Dover International Speedway since the track opened in 1969.

* There was one race in 1969 and 1970. There have been two-a-year since 1971.

* Richard Petty won the track's first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

* There have been 35 different pole winners, led by David Pearson (six).

* David Pearson won the first pole in July 1969.

* Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman lead all active drivers, each with four poles.

* 32 different drivers have posted victories led by Bobby Allison and Richard Petty, each with seven.

* Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers, with six victories.

* Hendrick Motorsports has a series-high 12 wins.

* 50 races at Dover have been won from a top-five starting position; 17 races have been won from a starting position outside the top 10.

* 13 drivers have won from the pole. The last to do so was Jimmie Johnson, in last season's September race.

* The furthest back in the field a race winner started was 37th, by Kyle Petty in 1995.

* Several active drivers had their first start at Dover, including three past champions: David Ragan (finished 42nd in 2006), Kurt Busch (18th in 2000), Matt Kenseth (sixth in 1998) and Bobby Labonte (34th in 1991).

* In addition, Matt Kenseth (2002) and Michael Waltrip (1991) earned their first pole at Dover. Martin Truex Jr. won his first race there (2007).

* There have been 82 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Delaware, all at Dover International Speedway.

* Eight drivers in NASCAR's three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Delaware, though none have posted victories.

NEXT RACE: FedEx 400

Where: Dover (Del.) International Speedway.

When: 1 p.m. Sunday.

Radio Pre-Race: 11:00 a.m - Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Kyle Busch.

My Pick:

#18 Kyle Busch

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield & we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

Wow, what a race at Darlington. We had pit crews getting ran over, a fist fight after the race and a Cinderella victory by Regan Smith and the Furniture Row team. Seriously, does it get any better than Saturday night under the lights??? We'll we're racing on Sunday again this week, but with all the tempers we saw flare at Darlington, get ready to see more rumbles on the concrete mile.
Dover is famous for being a concrete track, having a mascot named Miles, and the really cool bridge that goes over the track. But did you know the Dover “Monster Bridge” was patented? Pretty cool.

The Monster Bridge at Dover International Speedway has been granted patent protection by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (U.S. Patent No. 6,920,658). The patent has been issued for the Monster Bridge specifically as a “racetrack bridge” that spans the width of the track at Dover International Speedway, providing spectators with a comfortable, unobstructed view of events on the track.

“When we conceived the bridge, we knew it was a novel idea that had never before been attempted. We were optimistic that it could be a one-of-a-kind addition to the motorsports industry. Now that it has come to fruition and it has been a terrific success for our sponsors, our fans and our facility - it is fitting that we now have the protection of the U.S. Patent Office,” said Jerry Miraglia, executive vice president of Dover Motorsports, Inc. “'The most exciting seat in sports' will only exist at the Monster Mile, unless we license the concept to other facilities.”

The Monster Bridge is a glass-enclosed seating structure that extends over the track at Dover International Speedway, offering an unprecedented view of NASCAR racing action below. The seating venue's fifty-six custom-built, theater-style seats are embroidered with the “Monster Mile” logo, and each seat provides audio access to NASCAR race coverage on television and radio, along with access to race team communications. Flat-screen televisions, a climate-controlled interior, wall-to-wall carpet and a full-service refreshment bar add to the Monster Bridge experience. Many sports put fans on the sideline, close to the action - but no other seat in sports allows them to stare into competitors' eyes as they roar towards them and pass beneath their feet. The innovation was first introduced for the June 4-6, 2004 NASCAR race weekend at Dover International Speedway.

A new tradition in the Monster Bridge includes the winner of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race making an appearance in the structure to sign their respective seats. To date, the #6 seat of Mark Martin is autographed, along with the #12 seat of Ryan Newman. Jeff Gordon, a four-time winner at the Monster Mile and driver of the DuPont Chevrolet, has signed the #24 seat.

The Monster Bridge is possible thanks to such innovative building materials as DuPont™ SentryGlas® Plus ionoplast interlayer, which helps to impart strength and impact-resistance to the structure's front and rear glass walls. The material qualified for this demanding application by successfully passing lab tests during which lug nuts were fired at it at 200 mph. SentryGlas® Plus is one of more than a dozen DuPont products and technologies showcased in the DuPont Monster Bridge. Others include flooring materials, wire and cable insulation, weatherization systems, refrigerants, coatings and solid surface materials.

In addition to DuPont, other partners have enjoyed this unique opportunity to promote their products and services while rewarding strategic partners, contest winners and race fans. Dover International Speedway's current Monster Bridge partners include Nextel, Diageo, Tylenol and Shore Stop convenience stores. Each race weekend, through various track promotions and contests, Dover also randomly selects race fans from its fan base to experience the bridge. The fan response to the Monster Bridge experience has been exceptional.

Let's head to Dover!!!

Driver to Watch: Kyle Busch/Kevin Harvick. $25,000 or not, this thing isn't over yet.

Driver to Win: Carl Edwards. He's dangerously close to losing the “concrete Carl” nickname since he hasn't won at Dover in several years. He gets it back this time!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Kyle Busch won the Crown Royal Presents the Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway for his 2nd win of 2011 and 21st win of his career. Denny Hamlin finished second followed by Kasey Kahne, David Ragan, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, A.J. Allmendinger, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers. Pole sitter Juan Pablo Montoya was involved in two incidents with Ryan Newman and finished 29th, 5 laps down. There was no confrontation after the race. Montoya hopped on a waiting golf cart and headed out of the track, while Newman walked to the NASCAR hauler to complain about Montoya's driving. Dave Blaney finished 13th and moves into the top-35 of owner's points and a guaranteed spot at Darlington. There were 14 lead changes among 10 drivers; 8 cautions for 60 yellow flag laps.

2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[After Richmond, Race 9 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, Points, Behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 335

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 326, -9

3) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 305, -30

4) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 301, -34

5) #29-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 300, -35

6) #22-Kurt Busch, 289, -46

7) #33-Clint Bowyer, 284, -51

8) #39-Ryan Newman, 277, -58

9) #17-Matt Kenseth, 276, -59

10) #14-Tony Stewart, 275, -60

The two wild card's

11) #43-A.J. Allmendinger, 263, -72 [11th]

12) #24-Jeff Gordon [1 win], 240, -95 [1 win]

Crew changes for Martin Truex & the #56 Napa Toyota:

Martin Truex Jr. will have new tire carriers and tire changers this weekend at Darlington. Steve Hallam, MWR's Executive Vice President said: "We've seen significant improvement in the overall performance of the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota in 2011. With our impressive speed comes the added pressure of the entire team to perform. As we know, the #56 has experienced several challenges on pit road and we feel the need to intervene. Pit crews are professional sportsmen and as such, they understand that sometimes changes need to be made. The team will have new tire carriers and changers beginning at Darlington this weekend. Two of those four athletes we've added come from our Nationwide program and the other two from our back-up squad.

Roush-Edwards contract discussions continue:

Roush Fenway Racing president Steve Newmark said discussions also continue with Carl Edwards, who is the only Roush driver not signed beyond 2011. The team's deal with AFLAC, the primary sponsor of Edwards' #99 Ford, also is up after this season. Roush recently announced extensions concurrently with Greg Biffle and sponsor 3M. It's expected the contract for Edwards would be done the same way. "The way NASCAR has evolved a little bit is sponsor and driver contracts aren't done in isolation," Newmark said. "They're connected. The driver salary is directly dependent on the sponsor dollars coming in, so that dictates all of it. We've had discussions with AFLAC as well, similar to what we did with 3M and Greg. You try to match everything up; it's putting the pieces of a puzzle together. We continue to have continuous discussions and remain cautiously optimistic about getting a deal done.

NASCAR Unites launched: Through the newly launched NASCAR Unites charitable platform, this weekend the NASCAR community will support disaster relief efforts taking place as a result of this week's tornado outbreak in the Southeastern part of the United States. By logging on to www.nascar.com fans can support these efforts by volunteering or making a donation.

NASCAR Adds Key Talent to Executive Team, Aligns Organization To Drive Industry Growth:

To drive strategic priorities and overall industry growth, NASCAR announced key additions to its executive leadership team and several organizational changes designed to better position the sanctioning body for long-term growth and to meet the immediate needs of key industry partners. The changes are effective immediately.

Dierks Bentley to Perform Pre-Race Concert at Sprint All-Star Race:

Grammy-nominated country music superstar Dierks Bentley is set to perform a pre-race concert for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, May 21, at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Dierks Bentley All-Star Concert presented by Budweiser begins at 2:30 pm in the infield between Turns 1 and 2. Admission to the concert is free with the purchase of a ticket to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

U.S. Navy Seals are getting tickets to the NASCAR Charlotte Event:

More than 1,000 active U.S. Navy SEALS and family members will get free tickets to the May 29 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, track officials say. The tickets are being bought by fans and sponsors, then donated to the SEALS. Track officials say it is a way for the track (which is offering the tickets at a reduced price), sponsors and fans to thank SEALS for their work in killing al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden on Sunday. The track is sponsoring a military-themed show before the start of the Coca-Cola 600 on May 29. That event will feature more than 600 troops from Fort Bragg; In addition, three Medal of Honor winners will be recognized before the start of the race. "Charlotte Motor Speedway has a rich history of honoring the nation's military," said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of the speedway. "However, we would be the ones honored to have members of the U.S. Navy SEALS join us for the 52nd running of the Coca-Cola 600." Fans can participate in the ticket purchase program for troops by calling 1-800-455-FANS

Is Dale JUNIOR BACK?:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has averaged an 18th-place finish in the point standings during his past four seasons, during which he has failed to make the Chase. But NASCAR's most popular driver is off to a fantastic start this year with new crew chief Steve Latarte, who came over from teammate Jeff Gordon's team. After nine races, Earnhardt stands fourth in points with six top-10s in his past seven starts. He has finished third and fourth the past two races. Earnhardt had three top-fives last season. At Darlington, he finished in the top 10 each year from 2005-08 before averaging 22nd the past two years. Other surprises this season include Ryan Newman (ninth in points), A.J. Allmendinger (11th) and Paul Menard (15th).

Two Wins & In Your in the NASCAR Chase?

Under the Chase's new format, a couple of wins in the first 26 races might assure drivers a spot in the playoffs. The Chase will include the top 10 drivers in the point standings after 26 races and the two drivers with the most wins who finish between 11th and 20th in points. Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch -- both in the top 10 in points -- are the only drivers with two wins this season. The new format means drivers outside the top 10 -- which includes Hamlin, Biffle, Gordon, Burton, Mark Martin and Kasey Kahne -- might need to go for wins as the regular season winds down. Gordon has an advantage because he is the only driver outside the top 10 with a win.

NEXT RACE: NASCAR Showtime Darlington

Where: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Radio Pre-Race Show: 5:30 p.m. Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Denny Hamlin.

My Pick

#11 Denny Hamlin

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield & we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Carl Edwards returned to victory lane at Nashville Superspeedway for the first time since 2007, winning Saturday's Nashville 300 Nationwide Series race. The victory was Edwards' second of the season and 31st of his career. His four Nashville victories are tops among all drivers at the 1.33-mile track. Saturday, Edwards was the best, leading five times for 148 laps in beating Kyle Busch to the checkered flag by .521 seconds. Edwards surged past Busch as the two dueled for the lead with 35 laps to go. Brad Keselowski finished third and Joey Logano fourth as Sprint Cup regulars swept the top four spots in the Nationwide Series first stand-alone race of the season. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fifth for the best finish among Nationwide regulars and moved into a tie for the points lead with Justin Allgaier. Edwards and Busch traded the lead three times and raced side by side for more than three laps not long after a restart with 44 laps to go. Edwards led Lap 189 of 225, with Busch coming back to lead Lap 190. Edwards led Lap 191 and finally got clear of Busch, even as Keselowski was challenging from third. Edwards goes on to win the Nashville 300 race in Music City.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[after Talladega, race 8 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, Points, Behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 295

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 290, -5

3) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 276, -19

4) #29-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 268, -27

5) #22-Kurt Busch, 267, -28

6) #18-Kyle Busch [1 win], 257, -38

7) #39-Ryan Newman, 253, -42

8) #17-Matt Kenseth [1 win], 252, -43

9) #42-Juan Montoya, 246, -49

10) #33-Clint Bowyer, 245, -50

11) #27-Paul Menard, 242, -53

12) #14-Tony Stewart, 240, -55

Bill Elliott Uncertain about plans:

Bill Elliott isn't sure when he'll be driving again. He started the season with Phoenix Racing and had planned to run 17 races with the team throughout 2011. But since his release from Phoenix last month, he's only qualified and started the Talladega race for #46 Whitney Motorsports. Elliott used a past champion's provisional to get the team in the race, and then turned the driving duties over to J.J. Yeley during the event.

Wood Brothers to skip next three races:

Trevor Bayne and the Wood Brothers team, who have planned a limited Sprint Cup schedule this year, will skip the next three Sprint Cup races and return to the track on May 21 at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race with sponsorship from the Good Sam Club. Bayne and the Woods are guaranteed a starting spot in the All-Star race because of their victory in the season-opening Daytona

500.

This NASCAR season remains wide open:

Seven different drivers have won the first eight races this season. That's the most competitively balanced start to a season since 2003, when nine different drivers won the first nine races. That stat is part of a handful of interesting numbers, facts and figures this season. For instance & " Four of the eight races have either set or tied a lead change record, including Talladega which tied an all-time NASCAR record of 88 lead changes. " There has been an average of 14.6 leaders per race, most through eight races in series history. "There has been an average of 38.5 lead changes per race, most through eight races in series history." There has been an average of 4,511 green flag passes all around the track per race, most through eight races since the inception of Loop Data in 2005. "There has been an average of 54 green flag passes for the lead all around the track per race, most through eight races since the inception of Loop Data in 2005.

Group seeks NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Iowa:

A group of Iowans have banded together in hopes of bringing a NASCAR Sprint Cup race to the Iowa Speedway in Newton. The Green Flag Alliance, a coalition that includes Newton mayor Chaz Allen, says it's seeking to boost fan interest and sponsorship support in hopes of landing stock car's premier circuit. The group says it's the perfect time for the Speedway to host a Sprint Cup race after landing two lower-tier NASCAR Nationwide races for 2011. The group says that analysis from other markets indicates that a Sprint Cup race can generate as much as $150 million to the local economy. The Iowa Speedway will host the Nationwide Series on May 22 and August 6. The open-wheel IndyCar series visits the track on June 25.

5 People Join List for NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Class for 2012:

Five people join a group of 20 previous nominees who will be considered for the 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame class. The first-time nominees are H. Clay Earles, Bobby Isaac, Cotton Owens, Les Richter and Leonard Wood. This 2012 round of nominees, who again will include many of the sport's legendary names, were selected by a 21-person nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR, the Hall of Fame and track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks. The third induction class will be enshrined during January 2012. No date has been announced for revealing the five new members. Earles was founder of Martinsville (Va.) Speedway; Isaac won the 1970 title in what is now the Sprint Cup Series; Owens was a successful driver-owner and won the 1966 owner championship with David Pearson; Ritcher is a former NASCAR executive and former president of Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway; and Wood is part-owner and former crew chief for the Wood Brothers team. The 2012 class will be determined by the 54-member voting panel - the nominating committee, media members, manufacturer representatives, retired drivers, owners, crew chiefs and industry leaders.

NEXT RACE: NASCAR Richmond Crown Royal

Where: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

When: 7:30 p.m. April 30.

Radio: 5:30 p.m. Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest

Control on ROCK 105 (Pre-Race Show)

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Kyle Busch

My Pick

Kevin Harvick

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you

UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

I hope everyone enjoyed the off week, but now it's time to go night racing Richmond-style!!! Richmond has been famous for being the final race before the start of the Sprint Cup Chase. It always makes from some drama from Richmond late in the season...
The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup was implemented in 2004 to involve more drivers in the championship hunt and intensify fan interest and drama during the season's stretch run. Every year since the inception of The Chase, the fall Cup race at Richmond has been "One Last Race To Make The Chase," as the first 26 points events of the 36-race season have determined the drivers eligible for The Chase.

The Saturday night, September 10, 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will once again set the stage for the Chase. "One Last Race To Make The Chase" is an event drivers, media and fans start talking about and pointing to as soon as the season begins in Daytona. America's Premier Short Track continues to be a favorite of the drivers and fans, and a marquee event such as “One Last Race to Make The Chase” is a perfect fit.

With the addition of the “wild card” element to The Chase in 2011, combined with the new points scoring system, there is sure to be even more attention and importance surrounding “One Last Race To Make The Chase.” Following “One Last Race To Make The Chase,” the top 10 in points will earn Chase berths. Positions 11 and 12 are “wild card” qualifiers and will go to non-top-10-ranked drivers with the most wins, as long as they're ranked in the top 20 in points. It's a move to reward winning and consistency during the regular season. And, with bonus points for wins still on the line for the top 10 in points, fans can count on the drivers putting it all on the line Saturday night “under the lights” for the checkered flag.

Here is a brief look at some of the highlights in recent years:

2004: Jeremy Mayfield won the race vaulting himself into the first Chase.

2005: Kurt Busch won the race and Jeff Gordon was left out of the Chase.

2006: Kevin Harvick won the race and Tony Stewart was knocked out of the Chase by Kasey Kahne.

2007: Jimmie Johnson won his second consecutive race at Richmond and earned bonus points to start the Chase as the points leader.

2008: Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer came in on the Bubble in 11th and 12th positions, respectively, and turned in clutch performances. Hamlin posted a third-place finish, while Bowyer, who entered with just a 17-point lead over 13th-place David Ragan, battled all day for a 12th-place finish to secure his Chase spot.

2009: Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch both came in outside of the Chase and battled to the final lap with Vickers earning his first Chase berth. After the final Chase berth changed hands seemingly on a lap-by-lap basis all night, in the end a seventh-place finish by Vickers knocked Matt Kenseth and Busch out of the Chase.

2010: Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle lock up the final two spaces in The Chase, while hometown favorite Denny Hamlin uses his sixth win of the season to secure the top seed in The Chase.

Let's head to Richmond!!!

Dish to Watch: Denny Hamlin. Denny wins here quite and bit and if there is a guy who needs a good run - it's Denny

Dish to Win: Clint Bowyer. Back to back 2nd place finishes have Clint ready for victory lane!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Jimmie Johnson won the Aaron's 499 Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway for his 1st win of 2011, and the 54th of his career. Johnson, Clint Bowyer, and #24-Gordon came across the finish line 3 wide, with Jimmie Johnson .002 seconds ahead of Clint Bowyer and .039 second ahead of Jeff Gordon. The finish ties Ricky Craven's 2003 Darlington win as the closest finish since electronic timing was

implemented. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished 4th, Kevin Harvick finished 5th, Carl Edwards finished 6th, Greg Biffle finished 7th, Mark Martin finished 8th, David Gilliland finished 9th, and Joey Logano finished 10th. There were 88 lead changes among 26 drivers; 6 cautions for 24 yellow flag laps.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[after Talladega, race 8 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, Points, Behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 295

2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [1 win], 290, -5

3) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 276, -19

4) #29-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 268, -27

5) #22-Kurt Busch, 267, -28

6) #18-Kyle Busch [1 win], 257, -38

7) #39-Ryan Newman, 253, -42

8) #17-Matt Kenseth [1 win], 252, -43

9) #42-Juan Montoya, 246, -49

10) #33-Clint Bowyer, 245, -50

11) #27-Paul Menard, 242, -53

12) #14-Tony Stewart, 240, -55

Greg Biffle Renews his Contract with Roush Fenway & Sponsor:

Roush Fenway Racing announced that both 3M and Greg Biffle have renewed their contracts for three more years. The new contracts will take 3M, Biffle and Roush Fenway Racing through the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. 3M has been a Roush Fenway partner since 2005 and Biffle began his NASCAR career with the team in 1998. Terms of the contracts were not disclosed. "I am thrilled with the prospect of continuing the relationship we have with 3M and what that, paired with the talent of Greg Biffle, means for the success of the #16 team at Roush Fenway Racing," said team owner Jack Roush. "Our endeavors with 3M have been successful both on and off the track and will ideally culminate with a championship season for Greg and 3M in the near future." On February 27th, 2005 3M made its debut on Roush Fenway Racing's No. 16 Ford with Post-it brand on the hood. That day Biffle led 46 laps on his way to victory lane at Auto Club Speedway.

STP back in NASCAR:

STP announces its return to big league racing, an aggressive sponsorship plan that will have the old familiar "racer's edge" mantra back in NASCAR's Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series as well as the NHRA, plus multiple racetrack sponsorships. It begins with NASCAR's split weekend of June 4-5, when the Saturday night Nationwide Series event at Chicagoland Speedway will be the STP 300 and the following Sunday afternoon's Sprint Cup race will be the STP 400. That same weekend, Richard Petty's famous #43 car, driven by A.J. Allmendinger, will carry The King's iconic 1972 STP paint scheme, marking the first time that car has carried those colors since a two-race deal in 2006. In addition, STP has signed track sponsorship deals with International Speedway Corp. properties, including Daytona, Talladega, Richmond, Darlington, Michigan, Chicagoland and Kansas. The company has also inked a multiyear sponsorship of Infineon Raceway, including title sponsorship of its Wednesday night drag racing series.

When STP and Richard Petty first signed a deal in 1972, it forever changed the sponsorship landscape within the sport of auto racing. To mark its 39 year history in racing, the STP brand is building its presence in the sport through multiple series' including NASCAR, NHRA, World of Outlaws, Infineon Speedway, and at several International Speedway Corporation (ISC) tracks.

RCR and Caterpillar Renew Partnership; Jeff Burton Re-Signs:

Richard Childress Racing, Caterpillar, and Jeff Burton have reached agreement to continue their partnership on the #31 Chevy which began with the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Caterpillar Chevy, has also reached agreement on a multi-year contract extension with RCR. The South Boston, Va., native made his RCR debut August 22, 2004, at Michigan International Speedway driving the #30 Chevy (started 28th, finished 12th). "We are very pleased to continue our relationship with Richard Childress Racing and Jeff Burton," said Bill Finerty, Vice President of Americas Distribution Services Division for Caterpillar."

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is taking the weekend off. The NASCAR Nationwide & Camping World Truck Series will race at Nashville Superspeedway. Have a great Easter! I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

It's Easter time in Tennessee. Well, everywhere I guess. It's time for food and family this weekend and since the guys in the Sprint Cup have the weekend off, it's time for a cookout. How about some recepies from my good buddy Kent “The Deckchef Whitaker”...

PBR BRATS
The Deck Chef Kent Whitaker
Many of my buddies know my fond taste for an ice cold Pabst! You can sub your favorite beer if you must!
1 can Pabst Blue Ribbon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 sliced onion
1 sliced green pepper
some water
some buns
some brats!
salt pepper to taste
Combine the PBR, sugar, hot sauce in a pot and bring to a boil. When brats puff up toss in onion and peppers. Remove brats to the grill and brown until golden. Keep the veggies in the PBR for a bit then grill if desired to brown up. Combine everything on a bun, top with some mustard or something and eat it during the game!

Easy Beer Can Chicken
I have had beer can chicken at tailgate parties in many states and all of the recipes are so simple. This one offers a bit of citrus flavor with some garlic. And, of course, beer. People are amazed about beer can chicken because they expect it to taste like old beer, but it is full of flavor.
1 four-pound whole chicken
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons allspice, divided
1 (12-ounce) can beer
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Thaw chicken in the fridge and remove the giblets. Make sure to rinse the chicken well inside and out and pat dry. Rub the outside of the chicken with lemon juice. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon allspice and put the remaining all spice inside the chicken. Open your beer and pour half of it into a glass. Poke a few holes in the top of the can. Three should do it. Pour the
garlic powder into the beer can. Put the can into the chicken and use it and the legs to balance the chicken on your grill. I also use a small foil pan even on the grill. (I like to cook using in direct grilling.) Cook until skin is deep brown and internal temp is 180 degrees in the thigh. Remove the can before serving and enjoy. Oh yea, while the bird is cooking you can drink the other half of the beer.

There you have it. Food, beer and food cooked with beer!!!

Happy Easter everyone!!!

Dish to Watch: Easter Ribs.

Dish to Win: Blue Bell's Snickerdoodle ice cream. Trust me, go by some now!!!.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Matt Kenseth won the Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway for his 1st win of 2011, his first win since Auto Club in February 2009, and the 19th of his career. Clint Bowyer finished second followed by Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Paul Menard, Marcos Ambrose, David Ragan (pole sitter), Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Kurt Busch. There were 31 lead changes among 13 drivers; 5 cautions for 24 yellow flag laps. The attendance is listed as 168,400, up from last years 92,200 during the spring when the race was held Sunday afternoon.

Race Fast Facts from the Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas:

Matt Kenseth won the 15th Annual Samsung Mobile 500, his 19th victory in 407 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. This is his first victory and fourth top-10 finish in 2011. He breaks 76-race winless streak. Last win Feb. 22, 2009. This is his second victory and 12th top-10 finish in 18 races at Texas Motor Speedway.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[after Texas, race 7 of 36]:

Rank, Car#, Driver, Points, Behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 256

2) #18-Kyle Busch [1 win], 247, -9

3) #17-Matt Kenseth [1 win], 243, -13

4) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 243, -13

5) #22-Kurt Busch, 240, -16

6) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 235, -21

7) #39-Ryan Newman, 233, -23

8) #42-Juan Montoya, 232, -24

9) #29-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 228, -28

10) #14-Tony Stewart, 213, -43

11) #27-Menard, 209, -47

12) #33-Bowyer, 201, -55

Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne will enter the May 21 All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

Wood Brothers Racing has secured sponsorship for the event. The Wood Brothers have lined up Camping World and Good Sam Club to sponsor the 20-year-old Bayne in the non-points event. Until sponsorship was lined up, Bayne, who qualified for the race with his surprising victory at Daytona, was not slated to take part. Camping World and Good Sam Club will also sponsor Bayne's car in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway.

2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup designs moving forward:

Development of the proposed new 2013 Sprint Cup Series body styles is progressing on schedule, as the sanctioning body works hand-in-hand with automakers to increase brand identity on the race track. Multiple sources say Chevy, Ford, Dodge and Toyota are expected to submit their final roof and rear deck lid designs in the near future, allowing NASCAR to move forward with the process of creating a unique body for each brand, while maintaining a similar aerodynamic footprint. The current Sprint Cup Series bodies are virtually identical, with the exception of a vinyl graphics package applied to the headlight, grille and rear taillight areas of each car. Beginning in 2013, however, the sanctioning body hopes to have each model be easily identifiable from the front, rear and sides. In an effort to allow manufacturers more design leeway, NASCAR will reportedly cease to distinguish between steel and lexan, allowing manufacturers to contour their NASCAR windshields and side windows identically to those found on their stock, production models. The change would allow teams to do away with the bulky, steel B-pillars required under current NASCAR rules, replacing them with thin "support strips" anchored to larger, lexan side windows. The move will greatly enhance brand identity, something automakers have lobbied hard for in recent years. It could also remove the main stumbling block cited by General Motors executives for not keeping their popular Chevy Camaro out of NASCAR competition. GM has staunchly refused to modify what it calls the "iconic body line" of the Camaro for NASCAR competition. But with new rules in place for the 2013 season, there is a chance the Detroit automaker could reconsider that decision.

History At Talladega Superspeedway:

· Construction began on what was then known as the Alabama International Motor Speedway on May 23, 1968.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on Sept. 14, 1969.

· The name changed to Talladega Superspeedway in 1989.

· Fourth repaving completed on Sept. 19, 2006.

· There have been 83 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Talladega Superspeedway since the track opened in 1969; two a year every year except the inaugural season, which had just one.

· Richard Brickhouse won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

· Bobby Isaac won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup pole in September 1969. Isaac won the first three poles there.

· 35 different drivers have won poles. Bill Elliott leads all drivers with eight poles.

· 41 different drivers have posted victories, led by Dale Earnhardt Sr. (10). Eighteen drivers have won more than once.

· Jeff Gordon leads all other active drivers in victories, with six. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is second among active drivers in victories with five.

· Richard Childress Racing has won 11 races, more than any other organization. Hendrick Motorsports, with 10 wins, can match that mark this weekend.

· 32 of 83 races have been won from a top-two starting position, including 13 from the pole; 23 have been won from a starting position outside the top 10. The most recent driver to win from the pole was Jeff Gordon in 2007 (spring).

· The furthest back in the field a race winner started was 36th, by Jeff Gordon in 2000.

· Mark Martin's pace in the 1997 spring race set an all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup record for the fastest race ever. He won the caution-free race with an average speed of 188.354 mph and covered the 500-mile distance in two hours, 39 minutes and 18 seconds.

· Last season's spring race set the all-time and track records for lead changes (88) and lap leaders (29). The previous highs were 75 lead changes (set on May 6, 1984) and 28 lap leaders (set on Oct. 5, 2008). Both previous records also were set at Talladega.

· Dale Earnhardt Jr. had four consecutive victories (October 2001 through April 2003), the most ever by a driver there. Buddy Baker (three, May 1975 through May 1976) is the only other driver to win more than two consecutive races there.

· Since the inception of electronic scoring in 1993, every race that has ended under green has had a margin of victory under half a second.

NEXT RACE: Aaron's 499 at Talladega

Where: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

When: 1 p.m. Eastern Sunday.

Radio Pre-Race: Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Kevin Harvick.

My Pick

#48 Jimmie Johnson

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield & we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

Congrats to Matt Kenseth for ending his 76 race winless streak at Texas. A lot of times when you get a fuel mileage race like we had, the best car doesn't end up winning. In this case, however, Matt dominated and got the victory. So far this year we have seen Jeff Gordon's 60 plus race winless streak end and now Kenseths's 76 race streak. Now if we could just get Dale Jr.'s 100 race winless streak taken care of, NASCAR will be in business.
If you are reading this right now and you haven't decided whether or not to head to Talladega for the Aaron's 499, let me let you in on some serious special packages they have right now. Free food and drink? Let's do it...
If you want to tour the pits at Talladega Superspeedway, this is the experience for you! Now includes access to watch driver introductions on the track during pre-race. Package includes:
o Pass to The Talladega Experience which is located in the Legends Village
o Featuring new layout and design - different activities in each tent area
o Check out each tent for expanded and improved menu for breakfast and lunch
o Unlimited soda, water, beer and wine
o Pre-Race pit road tour until 10:30am (schedule & weather permitting)
o Event Souvenir
o 1 Sunday Suite/Hospitality parking pass per two passes purchased
o Driver Appearances featuring motorsports personalities- TBA
o Games and activities that include pool tables and other games
o Open until halfway through the Aaron's 499
o Discount card for a scanner rental
o Watch driver introductions on the track during pre-race
Pricing:
Sunday - $129 per person (plus cost of race ticket)
The Paddock Club gets you as close to the NASCAR action as possible without joining a pit crew. The club is located in the infield behind pit road and adjacent to Gatorade Victory Lane.
Package includes:
o Grandstand seat in the infield Paddock Club viewing area behind pit road
o Catering for continental breakfast, buffet lunch and afternoon snacks
o Unlimited soda, water and beer
o Viewing area is a covered grandstand with closed-circuit televisions
o Pre-Race pit pass allowing access to pit road until 10:30am (schedule & weather permitting)
o One Paddock Club parking pass per two passes purchased
Pricing:
$175 per person
Purchase your Saturday Pass for $100 with your Sunday purchase
To purchase call 877-Go2-DEGA

Let's head to 'Dega!! See You Next Week!

Driver to Watch: Kevin Harvick. Dissappointing run at Texas, but Kevin is the man at restrictor plate races. Can he win three this early in 2011?

Driver to Win: Dale Jr. The streak ends at 'Dega!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Kevin Harvick won the Goody's Fast Relief 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway for his 2nd win of 2011 (and in a row) and 16th win of his career. It is Richard Childress Racing's first win at Martinsville since Dale Earnhardt won there in 1995. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second followed by Kyle Busch, Juan Montoya, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray (the pole sitter), David Ragan, Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin. There were a record 31 lead changes among 12 drivers; 11 cautions for 72 yellow flag laps.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Standings (after race #6)

Rank   Driver                   Points      Starts      Wins      Top 5      Top 10      Money Won      

1 KYLE BUSCH               219         6              1              4             5            $1,317,959       

2  CARL EDWARDS        214          6              1              3             4              2,103,609      

3 JIMMIE JOHNSON       207         6              0              3             3             1,235,329      

4 KURT BUSCH               205    6             0              1             4             1,452,026      

5 KEVIN HARVICK        204   6             2              3             4             1,358,964      

6 RYAN NEWMAN         203     6              0              3             4             1,101,163      

7 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA  201 6              0              2             4             1,216,836      

8 DALE EARNHARDT JR.     199 6              0              1             3                914,588      

9 MATT KENSETH        195         6              0              2             3             1,053,379      

10 MARK MARTIN        181         6              0              0             2                819,463       

11 TONY STEWART      180         6              0              1             2              1,176,211      

12 JEFF GORDON           170         6              1              2             2              1,083,704      

Bayne may have sponsor to run All-Star race:

The Wood Brothers are close to a sponsorship deal that will put Daytona 500 champion #21-Trevor Bayne into the May 21 All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Wood Brothers should know something for sure early next week, but wouldn't identify the sponsor other than to say it was a familiar name in racing.

Newman's Car Will Pay Tribute To U.S. Army Reserve in Texas:

Ryan Newman's #39 U.S. Army Chevy will pay tribute to the men and women of the Army Reserve in Saturday night's Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. The paint scheme on the hood and rear-quarter panel of Newman's car will showcase Army Reserve, which is the Federal Reserve force of the U.S. Army. Founded in 1908, Reserve Soldiers receive the same training as active-duty Soldiers and are offered the opportunity to serve near home until they are needed to deploy. Reserve Soldiers combine civilian experience with military training to provide specialized skills for military missions around the world.

NASCAR getting ready to test fuel injectors:

The first on-track test of fuel injection in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series could come as early as July 7 at Kentucky Speedway, provided NASCAR finalizes specifications for system hardware and software in time for teams to prepare. Because the Cup series will race at Kentucky for the first time on July 9, NASCAR has OK'd extra practice on Thursday, July 7.

Texas Motor Speedway Fast Facts:

· Construction began in 1995.

· The first NASCAR race was a NASCAR Nationwide Series event on April 5, 1997.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was on April 6, 1997.

· There have been 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, one per season from 1997 through 2004 and two races per year since 2005.

· Four drivers have competed in all 20 Texas races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin.

· Jeremy Mayfield was the first pole winner, in 1998. Qualifying for the inaugural race in 1997 was canceled.

· Jeff Burton won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

· 14 drivers have scored poles, led by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon with two.

· 16 drivers have won races, led by Carl Edwards, with three. Denny Hamlin and Jeff Burton each have two wins.

· 14 of 20 races have been won from a top-10 starting position. Only one has been won from the pole (Kasey Kahne in 2006).

· Matt Kenseth started 31st en route to his victory at Texas in 2002, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.

· Both Jeff Burton (1999) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) scored their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Texas, and 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne made his first series start at Texas (11/07/10).

· Martin Truex Jr. scored his first series pole at Texas (11/04/07).

· Three of the last four races have had a margin of victory under one second.

· Denny Hamlin (8.8) and Matt Kenseth (9.3) are the only two active drivers to average a top-10 finish.

· Roush Fenway Racing leads all owners in victories, with seven. Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have three wins each.

· There has been two season sweeps, by Carl Edwards in 2008 and Denny Hamlin in 2010

NEXT RACE: Samsung 500

Where: Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas.

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

TV: Fox.

Radio Pre-Race Show: (5:30 p.m.) Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Denny Hamlin.

That does it for me this week. Don't forget to join us this Saturday for our special pre-race radio show, Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 @ 5:30 p.m. We're "Chattanooga's Home for NASCAR". I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

Damn you Kevin Harvick. Seriously, you couldn't let JR win Martinsville? Goody's headache powder was the sponsor at M'Ville and imagine how many people would have needed some relief after a Dale Jr. victory party!!! It does say a lot about how well Kevin and the RCR stable is performing right now. I think it's safe to say that Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick have put their names atop the “Who's going to finally beat Jimmie Johnson” list.
Have you ever heard that everything is bigger in Texas? Well apparently that goes for Texas Motor Speedway as well. Check out some of the fun facts about the massiveness that is Texas...
Unique Lap Counter: Texas Motor Speedway is the first speedway ever to display the laps in the race counting down AND also counting up. Two separate panels on the scoring tower in different colored lights indicate how many laps are left in the race and also how many laps have been run in the event.
How Enlightening: Texas Motor Speedway has enough permanent lighting to illuminate 11 NFL stadiums - an average of 2,000,000 watts for a nighttime event. A standard household plug is 120 volts - the speedway lights run on 480 volts each.

By the Numbers: Approximately 60,000 - 70,000 vehicles are parked on speedway property for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. A Cup race will also see 30,000 - 40,000 fans camping on the speedway grounds.
Best Supporting Role: There are a total of 400 concrete columns and 600 concrete piers supporting the facility.
Recycling Riches: The front grandstand is constructed of 2 million pounds of aluminum and 15,000 tons of steel. The aluminum used could produce 61 million Coca-Cola cans.
Dirty Work: During original construction, workers moved more than 4,000,000 cubic yards of dirt at the speedway.
Hot Diggity Dog: In one year, enough hot dogs are sold to go around the 1.5-mile oval six times, that's nine miles!
Patty Pillar: If all the hamburgers served in one year at the speedway were stacked, it would be taller than a 74-story building.
Make a Splash: Enough Coca-Cola, Dasani water, coffee and hot chocolate are consumed each year at the races to fill the 34,000-gallon Texas-shaped pool at Lone Star Tower Clubhouse.
The Big Show: Four Cowboys Stadiums will fit in the infield of Texas Motor Speedway!

Let's head to Texas!!! See You Next Week!

Driver to Watch: The Fords. Especially the Rousch-Fenway guys. Mile and a half tracks are quickly becoming their specialty so will it be Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle or Matt Kenseth to grab the win?

Driver to Win: Kurt Busch. I don't have a lot of faith in the Dodge NASCAR program but I have plenty of faith in former Sprint Cup Champion Kurt Busch. He's good at any track that looks like Charlotte Motor Speedway. Texas is a lot like Charlotte.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Kevin Harvick won the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway for his 1st win of 2010 and the 15th of his career. He came from 3rd place with 3 laps remaining and passed Jimmie Johnson for the win coming off turn 4 on the final lap. Johnson held on for second. Kyle Busch, who led 151 laps on the day finished 3rd, followed by Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Brian Vickers, Kasey Kahne, and pole sitter Juan Montoya. Points leader going in to the race, Kurt Busch finished 17th. There were 18 lead changes among 10 drivers; 4 cautions for 16 yellow flag laps.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

(after Auto Club Speedway, race 5 of 36):

rank, car#, driver, points, behind

1) #99-Carl Edwards 187 (1 win)

2. Ryan Newman178 -9

3) #22-Kurt Busch 177 -10

4) #18-Kyle Busch 176 -11 (1 win)

5) #48-Jimmie Johnson 173 -14

6) #14-Tony Stewart 170 -17

7) #27-Paul Menard 164 -23

8) #42-Juan Pablo Montoya 161 -26

9) #29-Kevin Harvick 157 -30 (1 win)

10) #17-Matt Kenseth 157 -30

11) #4-Kasey Kahne 157 -30

12) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 156 -31

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has no plans to Tweet:

Many NASCAR drivers have gotten involved with Twitter, some extensively, tweeting practically from the moment they wake up in the morning. #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn't one of them. Certainly, he understands Twitter's usefulness and his team's use of it, but he just can't get into it. "I used to have a Myspace.com page and I used to have a Facebook page, (but) I don't anymore because it was just too much responsibility," he said. "I felt like you had to plug in and be involved with it so much and I thought personally I don't need to do it. I understand we use it on the business side of it and how it works for JRM, but personally, you know, it would be fun for about a month and then I would start to feel like it was a job where people expected me to do it."

Smaller restrictor plate for Dega:

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams have been notified that they will be using a 7/8 inch diameter restrictor plate in next month's event at Talladega. That represents a 1/64 reduction from what was used in the season-opening Daytona 500. Cooling system regulations will remain the same as at Daytona, with maximum air inlets mandated at three inches high by 20 inches wide.

Former NASCAR Driver Jeremy Mayfield files appeal:

Jeremy Mayfield has reiterated claims that NASCAR Chairman Brian France disliked him and that NASCAR either fabricated the results of a May 2009 drug test or should have known the likelihood of inaccurate results, according to Mayfield's appeal in his long-running federal lawsuit against NASCAR. Filed late Tuesday night with the U.S. Court of Appeals, Mayfield's appeal challenges the May 2010 ruling in favor of NASCAR and asks that the case be re-opened, allowing more time for investigation by the parties and proceeding toward trial. NASCAR has until April 25 to respond to the appeal, and Mayfield will have two weeks to respond to NASCAR's brief. The appeals court - the Fourth Circuit, based in Richmond, Va. - will not hold hearings from June-August, so the earliest the appeals judges would hold a hearing likely is late September, with a decision on the appeal not coming for at least another month.

Jeff Gordon to appear in Cars 2:

Jeff Gordon will make an appearance in the movie Cars 2, as Jeff Gorvette, an up-and-coming Chevrolet Corvette C6.R that's "turning hoods wherever he competes." More than just a cameo, Gordon's character will compete as a "respected competitor - and legitimate threat - at the World Grand Prix." Pixar makes no obvious connection to Gordon's actual roots in NASCAR, but the character of Jeff Gorvette is a Chevrolet and will wear #24 like Gordon's actual racecar, although obviously it isn't an Impala.

Greg Biffle is close on a new deal with Roush Fenway:

Greg Biffle said Tuesday he's close to signing an extension with Roush Fenway Racing, and would be surprised if teammate Carl Edwards does not do the same." We're getting really close, I would say it will be done in the next couple of weeks," Biffle said during an event with Roush teammates Matt Kenseth, David Ragan and NHRA driver John Force at Charlotte Motor Speedway's zMAX Dragway. Biffle said he's not had an overwhelming interest to test the free-agent market, in part because of the economy, but also because of how far Roush Fenway Racing has come from this time last year. The entire organization struggled through the first few months of last season, then turned it on in the second half of the year. Biffle won two races and finished sixth in the final Sprint Cup standings, while Edwards won the final two races of last year and finished fourth in points. A rough start to this season had Biffle ranked 31st in the standings two weeks ago, but two strong finishes have moved him 11 spots to 20th. "The way the business is today, and teams are really having to cut back, and sponsors are cutting their programs back ... I really didn't feel like it was a great market to go out and shop around," Biffle said. "The fact of the matter is, we have pretty good equipment right now. I've been there 13 years, hopefully I've got a tiny bit of seniority."

NEXT RACE: Goody's

Where: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

When: 1 p.m. Sunday

Pre-Race Radio: 11:00 a.m - Valvoline Racing Radio Powered by Jody Millard Pest Control on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5)

Last year's winner: Denny Hamlin.

My Pick: Denny Hamlin

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield & we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

Wow, what a race at California. Or should I say, “Wow, what a final 10 laps of the race at California”. It's a good thing that the end was good because the beginning and the middle definitely left something to be desired. I've never liked Auto Club Speedway and now that we only go there once, I feel like I got the NASCAR equivilent to a tetnus shot: I know I need to do it, but thank goodness it's over.
Back by popular demand, it's the Martinsville Hotdog article:
Martinsville Speedway is known for two things: 1. Great Racing 2. And ever better hot dogs. The Martinsville hot dog is definitely the most famous in NASCAR and maybe the world as far as hot dogs go. So what makes this dog so special? Our friends from fanhouse.com share...The red color scares off some, and the remnants of it may find their way to a poor soul's shirt, but the "Famous Martinsville hot dog" is a true relic of the "good ol' days" of NASCAR racing.

The hot dog, a trademark at the half-mile paperclip track since who-knows-when, is one thing you don't mess with at a track known for heated tempers and bent sheet metal. The dog even has a Youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjb5sto9H1M.

The dogs start with boiled Jesse Jones hot dogs, wrapped into what is more of a roll than a hot dog bun, and then topped with chili, mustard, onions, and vinegar-based slaw. The concoctions are then then wrapped in some wax paper and left in a steamer to keep in their warmth.

Fans, drivers, crew members and -- most naturally, of course -- media members dig the famous creations and a few years ago, disdain over a change to the normal recipe caused the top levels of NASCAR to get involved.

After the speedway was bought by International Speedway Corp., the concession arm of ISC decided to change the the legendary hot dog by having the customer put on the toppings instead. Soon, NASCAR bigwigs were dipping their hand into the problem, switching back to the old, but good, recipe.
What is the recipe you ask?
Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Beef
2 tablespoons Paprika
2 tablespoons Chili Powder
Salt to taste
It's a simple recipe, according to Bobby Smith, who said he worked with/for Taylor Rumley for 27 years. Rumley's used about 20 pounds of meat a day, but Smith figured the recipe for a pound of beef:

Cover the beef with water and work the water into the meat as if you were going to make meatloaf; not too much water or the chili will be too thin. After the meat cooks in the water 45 minutes to an hour, add 2 tablespoons of chili powder and 2 tablespoons of paprika. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring often. Let it sit for a couple of hours so meat will absorb the flavor of the spices. Add salt to taste. If, after tasting, you prefer a more spicy flavor, add more of the two spices.
Let's head to California!!! See You Next Week!

Driver to Watch: Denny Hamlin. He has won the last three races at Martinsville, but he's off to a bad start this year. Will he right the ship in Virginia?

Driver to Win: Jimmie Johnson. Jimmie doesn't get beat on the last lap very often, like he did in California. He takes his revenge on the other 42 cars and finally gets to victory lane in 2011.

Jeff Gordon out front in NASCAR exposure in 2011:
Jeff Gordon, who snapped a 66-race winless streak with his victory at Phoenix this season, has generated more on-screen time for his sponsor during TV coverage of the first three NASCAR Cup races than any other driver, according to date compiled by Joyce Julius & Associates Inc.According to research conducted by Joyce Julius, which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 27 seasons, Gordon’s sponsors have appeared for one hour, 50 minutes, 16 seconds during live and replayed telecasts of the Daytona, Phoenix and Las Vegas events. When also factoring in verbal mentions of Gordon’s sponsors, the veteran driver has amassed nearly $7.6 million of in-broadcast exposure value. Carl Edwards was second and Tony Stewart third. Trevor Bayne, who won the Daytona 500, is sixth.

Trevor Bayne...not running All-Star race?
Trevor Bayne is not expected to race in the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21. Bayne, 20, automatically became eligible for the event with his win in the Daytona 500 last month. However, before the season the Wood Brothers scheduled only 16 races for Bayne. The Wood Brothers added Martinsville last month and, after his early success on restrictor plate tracks, they opted to move one of the later dates to Talladega in April. The Darlington race in May has also been added to Bayne’s schedule, giving him 18 for the season. “We weren’t planning on going to the Open (the all-star qualifying race) anyway,” team co-owner Eddie Wood said. “Naturally, we’re in it, but we weren’t going to run it. If you’re going to spend money, you’re going to run points races.

NOTES for this weekend at Auto Club Speedway - Fontana California:
· Groundbreaking for California Speedway, as Auto Club Speedway was originally known, took place in November 1995.
· The first race at Auto Club Speedway was a NASCAR K&N Pro Series, West race won by Ken Schrader on June 21, 1997.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on June 22, 1997 and won by Jeff Gordon.
· September 2004 was the first night race at Auto Club Speedway and that also was the first year both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series ran two races in a season there.
· The track name was changed to Auto Club Speedway in February 2008.
· There have been 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Auto Club Speedway since the track opened in 1997.
· Four drivers have competed in all 21 races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Joe Nemechek.
· Joe Nemechek won the pole for the inaugural race in 1997.
· There have been 14 different pole winners, led by Kurt Busch (three). Brian Vickers, Jamie McMurray and Jeff Gordon each have two poles.
· Thirteen different drivers have posted victories. Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with five wins. Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth each have won three races.
· Hendrick Motorsports has won nine races, more than any other team.
· Ten of the 21 races were won from starting positions outside the top 10; only one has been won from the pole (Jimmie Johnson in 2008). The most prolific starting position is third, with three victories.
· Matt Kenseth won the 2006 spring race from the 31st starting position, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.
· Two active drivers have averaged a top-10 finish: Jimmie Johnson (5.3) and Carl Edwards (9.2).
· Kyle Busch won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup pole (2/05) and first race (9/05) at Auto Club Speedway.
· Jimmie Johnson won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at ASC on April 28, 2002

Next Race: Auto Club 400
Where: Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, Calif.
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Radio: 1 p.m. Sunday - Pre Race Show - Valvoline Racing Radio on ROCK 105 (105.5)
Radio: ROCK 105 “Chattanooga’s Home for NASCAR”
Last year’s winner: Jimmie Johnson.

My Pick: #48 Jimmie Johnson

That does it for me this week. I’m Shawn Whitfield and we’re keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

Kyle Busch is good. Kyle Busch is really good. Like him or not, he is one of the most talented drivers in all of NASCAR and if he keeps running like this we'll have to call him Sprint Cup Champion Kyle Busch. Now, I know I'm getting ahead of myself, seeing that we are only 4 races into the 2011 season. However, Kyle is a blow engine and last laps pass from Jeff Gordon away from winning 3 of the first 4 races. It's performances like that that help you win Championships.

Have you ever wished you could sponsor a car? Do you like Kenny Wallace? If you answer to both of those questions is a resounding “yes”, then do I have a story for you! Check it out. Your name on his car. And it's pretty cheap...

CONCORD, N.C. (March 14, 2011) - In August 2009, the “fan car” was a huge success with NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Kenny Wallace at the Montreal race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Since that race the “fans” have not stopped asking Wallace when he would be running the fan car again. Today, in an announcement to his fans and the racing community, Wallace, who consistently ranks among NASCAR's most popular drivers, is finally giving the fans the answer.

“The 'fan car' will be back at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 14 on the No. 09 Toyota Camry owned by RAB Racing with Brack Maggard,” Wallace said. “I want to give the fans what they want, but I also want the 'fan car' to be special. I really think waiting two years will make it all new again for the fans. Fans can go to www.kennywallace.com and for $20 they will get their name on my car for the Charlotte NASCAR Nationwide Series race and a postcard they can keep forever.”
Fans that are planning to make the trip to the Charlotte area for NASCAR events in October will have a little something extra to do. On Wednesday, October 12, 2011, fans will have a chance to visit Wallace at the RAB Racing shop in Concord, only minutes from Charlotte Motor Speedway, when RAB Racing will host a “meet-and-greet” where Kenny Wallace will sign autographs and talk with fans.

“I'm proud of the relationship we have built with Kenny already this year,” said Robby Benton, RAB Racing Co-owner. “I'm happy to call Kenny our driver at RAB Racing. He has done a fantastic job for us this season, and I'm glad to be a part of the rejuvenation of Kenny's career. He has a very loyal fan base and I am looking forward to honoring many of his fans with the 'Kenny Wallace Fan Club' car at Charlotte this fall. I'm also happy to announce that one of our current sponsors, the University of Northwestern Ohio, will adorn the hood of the fan car in support of Kenny.”

For more information on being a part of the “Kenny Wallace Fan Club” car at Charlotte Motor Speedway this October, please

visit www.kennywallace.com/sponsorkenny .

If you have a racing fan in your family, this is the perfect gift. If you have an extra $20 laying around, what better way to spend it. Let's go Herminator!

Let's head to California!!! See You Next Week!

Driver to Watch: Jimmie Johnson. He's not going to go the first five races without a win...will he?

Driver to Win: Carl Edwards. California is a horsepower track. Ford's have the most horsepower right now. Therefore I'm going with the best driver Ford has - Carl Edwards. (Could be Biffle too, but I'm only allowed to pick one.)

Hello NASCAR Fans! Last weekend was an off weekend for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, however the sport never stops. I'm going to get into what's happened so far in the 2011 season, plus other news in the world of NASCAR.

Intrigue in the NASCAR Top 10:

The top 10 alone has some interesting statistics, each position a storyline in itself. Here are a few.

1. Tony Stewart: Though in a points tie with Kurt Busch, Stewart inherits the title of "point's leader" due to the tie-breaker of best finish. In this case his runner-up result in Las Vegas. The last time Stewart held the points lead was Sept. 6, 2009 after Atlanta.

2. Kurt Busch: Second in points for the second consecutive week. If he can move up to the top spot, it would be the first time since April 26, 2009 after Talladega.

3. Carl Edwards: A short-lived trip outside the top 10 ended after his a win at Las Vegas, his third victory in the last five races.

4. Juan Pablo Montoya: This is the sixth time Montoya has been fourth or higher in the standings. His previous five trips were in the 2009 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

5. Ryan Newman: It has been over a year since Ryan Newman was in the top five in points. June 14, 2009 after Michigan was the last time.

6. Paul Menard: The highest ranking member of Richard Childress Racing, this is the highest Menard has ever been in the points standings. His previous high was eighth after this year's Daytona 500.

7. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex was seventh after the Daytona 500, too. The last time he was this high in the points: 2007, when he made the Chase.

8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin climbs the standings again this week, moving from 19th to 14th to 8th.

9. AJ Allmendinger: Allmendinger holds onto a top-10 spot for the third consecutive week. The last time the #43 was in the top 10 for three consecutive weeks was after race Nos. 29-31 in 1998 with driver John Andretti.

10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt rejoins the top 10 for the first time since April of last season, after Talladega.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Top 10 Driver Points Standings after Las Vegas:

Rank /Driver/ Bonus Points /Points Behind Leader

Tony Stewart 3 113 0 2

Kurt Busch 3 113 0 3

Carl Edwards 5 106 4

Juan Pablo Montoya 2 106 -7 5

Ryan Newman 3 103 -10 6

Paul Menard 2 96 -17 7

Martin Truex Jr. 2 95 -18 8

Denny Hamlin 2 95-18 9

A J Allmendinger 1 94 -19 10

Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1 91 -22

NASCAR Hall's losses reach $1 million:

The NASCAR Hall of Fame lost $187,983 in January, pushing its cumulative loss for the fiscal year to $1.03 million. The hall's total attendance for the month was 23,177, which includes nearly 12,000 people who visited for free during a one-week open house. Before the hall opened in May, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority projected the hall would have a surplus of roughly $700,000 for its first year. But that budget has since been revised, and the CRVA now forecasts a loss of $1.29 million for fiscal year 2011.

IndyCar CEO: $5 million invite drawing interest:

IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said the series' $5 million challenge has attracted plenty of interest from drivers in other circuits interested in taking on the open-wheel professionals. Bernard said Monday that some 15 drivers or their representatives have contacted him since IndyCar offered $5 million in February to any driver who beats the series' best in their championship race in Las Vegas. He says overtures have come from NASCAR, Formula 1, Supercross and Rally. "Some of the names are fantastic," said Bernard, who didn't reveal any specific candidates. "I think people will be surprised on who wants to drive it." The season-ending championship race will be held Oct. 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the finale of a 17-race schedule with points going toward the title. The race will be open to as many as five outside drivers, who first must be picked by a selection committee and then must qualify at the track on race weekend. If they can win, they'll get a nice check. Last year's season-ending race at Homestead was televised on the cable channel Versus; ABC will televise this one.

Speedway Motorsports post 4th quarter profit:

Speedway Motorsports, Inc. posted a $6 million profit in its fourth quarter and offered a confident outlook for the next year, despite falling revenue and lowered ticket prices to lure fans to racetracks. Fourth quarter revenues at SMI, which operates eight NASCAR racetracks, fell to $83 million compared to $91 million during the same period last year. But profits rose to $6 million, or 14 cents per diluted share, up from a $15 million loss during last year's fourth quarter. Still, the company said that poor economic conditions - and possibly, increasing fuel costs - are impacting its business. Ticket prices were lowered last year to attract fans, and Speedway Motorsports said race attendance was flat, at nearly 4 million visitor's total. For the full 2010 fiscal year, Speedway Motorsports recorded a profit of $45 million, or $1.06 per diluted share, compared to a $10 million loss in 2009. But revenue tumbled from $551 million in 2009 to $502 million in 2010. For 2011, the company is forecasting similar profits and revenues of between $475 and $525 million.

Next Race: Jeff Byrd 500

Where: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

When: 1 p.m. March 20.

Radio Pre-Race: 11:00 a.m. - Valvoline Racing Radio on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Also listen online at www.valvolineracingradio.com

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5) - Performance Racing Network.

Last year's winner: Jimmie Johnson.

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you

UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

Enough of the off week already, let's head to Thunder Valley and do some racing!!!

This is normally the time in the year that we get ready for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. This year, however, you may have noticed that the traditional name has been replaced with the name of a long time Bristol Motor Speedway employee, Jeff Byrd. Here is why and how it happened...

To honor Jeff Byrd, the dynamic President and General Manager of Bristol Motor Speedway who passed away last October, Food City officials today announced the March 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Bristol Motor Speedway will carry a new name.

Known since 1992 as the Food City 500, the spring event at Bristol Motor Speedway for 2011 is billed as the Jeff Byrd 500, presented by Food City. “Jeff Byrd was more than a business partner, he was a true friend to our company, our associates and to me and my family personally,” said Food City President and CEO Steven C. Smith. “He spent years putting his guests first and instilling that attitude in his team”.

“We are all convinced that Jeff absolutely would not have wanted us to do this, as his focus was always on keeping the guests and sponsors of Bristol Motor Speedway front and center, but that's one of the reasons that this time, we're putting Jeff out front. It's only natural to honor someone who worked so hard to build this facility, this sport and this region.” Bristol Motor Speedway Vice President and General Manager Jerry Caldwell said he was speechless when Smith made the offer to honor Byrd, who guided BMS and its employees for 15 years. “Right after we agreed to the partnership extension, Steve looked me right in the eye and said 'What are we going to do to honor Jeff?'” said Caldwell. “I told him we were talking about some different things and wanted to know what he had in mind. He said 'I want to name the race for him.'”

“I was blown away. Here was a guy who had just agreed to a three year contract extension -- and that's not free -- and was sitting there offering to give up the race name for a year. I absolutely didn't know what to say. It was Jeff who coached us to exceed expectations and it was his effort to stay in the background that made us all so aware of his presence.”

Food City and Bristol Motor Speedway officials announced an agreement to continue their 20-year partnership into a third decade, extending for three more years the second-longest race sponsorship in NASCAR racing. Sponsor of both the Food City 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race in March and the Food City 250 Nationwide event in August, 2011 will mark the 20th year the supermarket chain has served as the entitlement sponsor of these events. Only one other track in NASCAR has a longer such partnership.

Food City's involvement at Bristol Motor Speedway goes beyond just race sponsorship. Food City Race Night on BMS property in March and on State Street in downtown Bristol in August are huge events that attract tens of thousands of race fans annually.

Bristol Motor Speedway kicks off its 50th NASCAR season with Ford Fan Friday qualifying March 18, followed by the Scotts EZ Seed 300 March 19 and the Jeff Byrd 500, Presented by Food City March 20. In August, night racing returns with the Aug. 24 O'Reilly Auto Parts 200 and UNOH Perfect Storm 150 doubleheader, followed by the Food City 250 Aug. 26 and the IRWIN Tools Night Race Aug. 27. Tickets are available to all events and may be purchased by calling the BMS ticket office toll free at 1-866-415-4158, 423-BRISTOL (274-7865) or 423-989-6900 or by visiting www.bristoltix.com.

Let's head to Bristol!!! See You Next Week!

Driver to Watch: Marcos Ambrose. We interviewed him on Valvoline Racing Radio this week and he's had some success at Bristol. Let's see if Marcos and bring home another good run for his new RPM team.

Driver to Win: Matt Kenseth. Matt has won at this racetrack before and I convinced that Rousch-Fenway and the Fords will have a good week. I think it's about time that Matt takes home a win instead of teammates Gregg Biffle and Carl Edwards.

Hello NASCAR Fans! Carl Edwards won the Kobalt Tools 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for his 1st win of 2011 and the 19th win of his career. He took the lead by taking two tires during green flag pit stops near the end of the race. #14-Stewart, who dominated most of the race and lost the lead by taking 4 tires during his final pit, finished 2nd, followed by Juan Montoya, Marcos Ambrose, Ryan Newman, Martin Truex, Jr., Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kurt Busch, and Brian Vickers. Pole sitter Matt Kenseth cut a tire early and battled back to finish 11th. Point leader coming into the race, Kurt Busch lost an engine. He finished 38th. Stewart and Kurt Busch now share the points lead with 113 points. They are 7 points ahead of Tony Stewart & Juan Montoya. There were 21 lead changes among 14 leaders with 7 cautions for 35 laps.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Top 10 Driver Points Standings after Las Vegas:

Rank/Driver/BonusPoints/PointsBehindLeader

1 Tony Stewart  3  11  30

2  Kurt Busch  3  113  0

3  Carl Edwards  5  106  -7

4  Juan Pablo Montoya  2  106  -7

5  Ryan Newman  3  103  -10

6  Paul Menard  2  96  -17

7  Martin Truex Jr.  2  95  -18

8  Denny Hamlin  2  95  -18

9  A J Allmendinger 1  94  -1

10  Dale Earnhardt Jr.1  91  -22

 Robby Gordon & Kevin Conway have altercation in the NASCAR Garage:

Kevin Conway released a statement Monday evening: "I don't mind stiff competition, but I want to make sure the hard facts are told. First and foremost, I love being a part of NASCAR and have worked very hard to earn the privilege of competing in the Sprint Cup Series. On Friday night, Robby Gordon, who has a long history of issues in NASCAR decided to ambush me in the garage area at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, completely unprovoked. Robby even confronted Joe Nemechek, my car owner, on pit road during Cup Series qualifying shoving him and telling him that he was looking for me and going to assault me. We have many witnesses including a crew chief that signed a police report documenting the truth of his physical attack on me. Situations like this are not good for our sport. It's one thing if we were racing each other and I wrecked him or he wrecked me, that's an entirely different situation. It's very unfortunate that he chose to physically attack me to address his rage. Our fans, sponsors and NASCAR expect and deserve more from our competitors than this bullish, illegal behavior that was displayed by Robby against me."

OFFICIAL NASCAR Probation for Robby Gordon:

NASCAR announced that Robby Gordon, driver of the #7 Dodge in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has been placed on probation until Dec. 31 for a rule infraction he committed March 4 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gordon was penalized for violating Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing; involved in an altercation in the garage area with another competitor) of the 2011 NASCAR rule book.

Waltrip Signs Extension with FOX Sports:

FOX Sports' Darrell Waltrip has signed a two-year contract extension to continue as lead analyst for the network's Emmy Award-winning NASCAR on FOX coverage. Waltrip's agreement with FOX Sports now extends through the network's current rights agreement with the sport, which expires in 2014. As a legendary stock car driver turned broadcasting fixture with race fans, Waltrip remains committed to entertaining viewers through his candid analysis and homespun analogies each and every weekend during the NASCAR on FOX Sprint Cup schedule. The two-time NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee and three-time NASCAR Champion is thrilled to continue "double duty" as a NASCAR on FOX prerace and race analyst, a rare duel role in sports broadcasting. "Being part of the NASCAR on FOX team has given me an opportunity to share my passion and love for NASCAR. I never thought there would be anything that could replace the thrill of driving race cars. I was wrong. Bringing that thrill to the fans at home every week is just as exciting!" exclaimed Waltrip.

Danica gets best NASCAR finish for a woman:

Anyone who says Danica Patrick had her best NASCAR finish Saturday because of fuel mileage is dead wrong. Patrick made history with her fourth-place finish, the best ever for a woman in a national NASCAR event. That record stood for 62 years. Sara Christian finished fifth at Pittsburgh in 1949 during NASCAR's inaugural season. Patrick is the first woman to lead a lap at Indianapolis and Daytona, the first woman to win a major open-wheel event and the first woman to finish in the top four in a NASCAR touring-series race.

Valvoline renews oil partnership with Roush Fenway:

Roush Fenway Racing and Valvoline, two organizations with long histories of excellence in automotive performance, announced an extension of their NASCAR partnership. Valvoline, the leading innovator and supplier of quality, high-performing automotive products, will continue to be the exclusive motor oil provider for Roush Fenway Racing and all of its NASCAR entries. Valvoline and Roush Fenway Racing are used to finding victory lane in NASCAR competition. In 14 seasons as the team's official motor oil, Valvoline has played an integral role in 46 Roush Fenway Sprint Cup Series victories. In 2011, the relationship continues into its 15th season.

Next Race: Jeff Byrd 500

Where: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

When: 1 p.m. March 20.

Radio Pre-Race: 11:00 a.m. - Valvoline Racing Radio on ROCK 105 (105.5)

Also listen online at www.valvolineracingradio.com

Radio: ROCK 105 (105.5) - Performance Racing Network.

Last year's winner: Jimmie Johnson.

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you

UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

Congrats to Carl Edwards for getting his first victory of 2011 at Las Vegas!!! It's starting to look like a championship season for Carl, even though the season has just started. It's too early for bold predictions, but keep your eye on Carl
Twitter list #2: Did you know that Race Tracks have their own twitters as well? Follow them to be the first to know about track promotions, ticket specials, etc. Here's a list for whom you can follow and tweet:

Atlanta Motor Speedway - @AMSupdates
Auto Club Speedway - @ACSUpdates, @ACSLatino
Bristol Motor Speedway - @BMSupdates
Charlotte Motor Speedway - @CLTMotorSpdwy
Chicagoland Speedway - @ChicagolndSpdwy
Darlington Raceway - @tootoughtotame
Daytona International Speedway -@DISupdates
Dover International Speedway - @MonsterMile
Homestead-Miami Speedway - @HomesteadMiami
Indianapolis Motor Speedway - @IndyTalk
Infineon Raceway - @InfineonRaceway
Iowa Speedway - @IowaSpeedway
Kansas Speedway - @kansasspeedway
Kentucky Speedway - @KySpeedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway - @LVMotorSpeedway
Martinsville Speedway - @ms1947
Michigan International Speedway - @MISpeedway
Nashville Superspeedway - @NashvilleSpdwy
New Hampshire Motor Speedway - @NHMotorSpeedway
O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis - @OReillyRaceway
Phoenix International Raceway - @PhoenixRaceway
Pocono Raceway - @poconoraceway
Richmond International Raceway - @RIRInsider
Road America - @roadamerica
Talladega Superspeedway - @TalladegaSuperS
Texas Motor Speedway - @TXMotorSpeedway
Watkins Glen International - @WGI
Enjoy the off weekend everyone.

See You Next Week!

Hello NASCAR Fans! Jeff Gordon won the Subway Fresh Fit 500 (k) Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway for his first win in 66 races [his last points win was at Texas Motor Speedway in April 2009 and 83rd win of his career (which ties him with Cale Yarborough for 5th in all time in wins). He led the most laps on the day, passed Kyle Busch with 8 laps to go, and pulled away to win by more than a second. Busch held onto finish 2nd, followed by Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, A.J. Allmendinger, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Pole sitter Carl Edwards was involved in accident on lap 59 and finished 28th. There was a big wreck involving 13 cars on lap 67, causing the race to be red flagged for 14 minutes for track cleanup. There were 28 lead changes among 12 leaders with 8 cautions for 43 laps.

TV Ratings up over 2011:

NASCAR on Fox earned a 5.3/11 in the metered markets Sunday for the Subway Fresh FIt 500 from Phoenix, easily the highest rating of the weekend for any sports event. 2011 continues to take shape as a comeback year for NASCAR, as the 5.3/11 is +6% better than the 5.0/10 that Fox charted for racing from Fontana on the same weekend a year ago. It's also +56% better than the 3.4/7 that the Phoenix race delivered last year when it aired on a Saturday night in April. Through two weeks, NASCAR on Fox is averaging a 6.8/15 in the overnights, a hefty +13% gain over last year's Olympic-impacted 6.0/12. NASCAR also currently holds a narrow advantage over the 2009 season as well (+1% vs. 6.7/13).

Tony Stewart to drive F1 car in exhibition:

Barring an unforeseen scheduling hiccup, two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and 2008 Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton will swap racecars in an exhibition later this year, Stewart-Haas Racing spokesman Mike Arning confirmed Saturday. The seat swap comes at the hands of Mobil 1, a mutual sponsor for the two drivers, and is expected to take place at Watkins Glen International sometime during the summer. The cars involved will not be show cars. They will be legitimate race-prepared machines. Hamilton will man Stewart's road course ready # 14 Chevy, and Stewart will drive Hamilton's 2010-model F1 McClaren. The respective drivers' race teams will travel with them to the event to tune the cars.

NASCAR will look at changes for Talladega:

NASCAR officials are looking at changes for Talladega based on last week's Daytona 500 but admit that maybe nothing needs to be done. The two-by-two drafting that dominated Daytona is expected to play a key role at Talladega, the next restrictor-plate race. So, what might NASCAR do before the April 17 race there? "We're still looking at some things," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. "I don't think it's something that's broken; that's my personal opinion. We'll have to see. I think we'll just have to sit back and watch a little bit of it and see what happens....We're getting some feedback from teams, but, ultimately, we have to make the decisions on what is good for the garage area. So, we're continuing our internal discussions, knowing that the timeline is very short because teams are preparing for Talladega already.

IndyCar makes offer to NASCAR Drivers:

Former open-wheel driver #43-A.J. Allmendinger says he might be open to racing in IndyCar's season finale in Las Vegas for a chance at $5 million. Allmendinger, who switched to NASCAR in 2008, says while driving in the Oct. 16 race is an unlikely scenario, the prize money would be good incentive to give it a try. IndyCar announced last week that it will allow up to five qualified drivers from outside the series a chance to win $5 million if they're able to win the race. Allmendinger, Juan Pablo Montoya and Tony Stewart have been mentioned as drivers who might give it a try because of their backgrounds in open-wheel racing. Montoya said it would be logistically impossible since NASCAR races in Charlotte that same weekend.

Forbes names most valuable NASCAR teams & highest paid drivers:

The weak economy has pummeled NASCAR over the past three years, with sponsorships, merchandise sales, race winnings and subsidies from automakers falling. Fans have tuned out, sending TV ratings down 24% since 2006 and leaving more than 40,000 empty seats at some races last year. One of its longest-tenured teams, Richard Petty Motorsports, was scrambling for cash on a week-to-week basis so it could race on weekends last fall. Is NASCAR headed for a full-blown meltdown? Hardly. Yes, the value of the top 10 teams slid 5% in 2010, on average, to $136 million by (Forbes) count, as prize money dropped and sponsors dialed back their commitment, but a rebound in 2011 for the sport is a strong possibility. NASCAR's strongest and most valuable team remains Hendrick Motorsports. With a valuation of $350 million on revenues of $177 million in 2010, Hendrick is worth 56% more than the next-highest-grossing team, Roush Fenway Racing, which (Forbes) value at $224 million on revenues of $140 million last year. Hendrick earned a NASCAR-high $18 million in operating income (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) in 2010. Richard Childress Racing was third on the list, followed by Joe Gibbs Racing and Penske Racing. Rounding out the top 10: Stewart-Haas, Michael Waltrip Racing, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports, and Red Bull Racing. Despite his lack of success in recent years on the track, Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains NASCAR's highest-paid driver, earning $29 million in 2010 thanks to merchandise sales that are the best in the sport and reportedly account for one-third of all NASCAR licensed merchandise sales. Other income streams include a salary from Hendrick and a 50% share of his $4.9 million in winnings and bonuses in 2010 from Sprint Cup races. Earnhardt also has a bevy of personal endorsements, including Chevrolet, Nationwide and Wrangler. Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon follows Earnhardt in the NASCAR money standings with earnings of $25 million last year. It is a clean sweep for Hendrick at the top with five-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, the third-highest-paid driver at $24 million. The rest of the top 10: Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin, and Matt Kenseth.

Next Race: Kobalt Tool 400

Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

When: 3 p.m. Sunday Green Flag Drops

Radio: 1 p.m. Sunday Pre-Race Show of Valvoline Racing Radio on ROCK 105

Radio: 2 p.m. (ROCK 105 / 105.5) Performance Racing Network.

Last year's winner: Jimmie Johnson.

My Pick: #18 Kyle Busch

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield & we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

Congrats to Jeff Gordon for ending his career long 66-race winless streak at Phoenix. And as yours truly predicted, he dominated the race and got a victory for his new sponsor and new crew chief. So far in two race, NASCAR has had the Cinderella story with Trevor Bayne and now the redemption story of Jeff Gordon - one of the series most popular stars. And now, both of the Busch brothers currently lead the point standings!!! Looks like it's going to be one heck of a 2011.
Do you have a twitter account? Well everyone else in the known universe does and that includes NASCAR drivers and personalities. Here's a list for whom you can follow and tweet:
AJ Allmendinger - @AJDinger
Trevor Bayne - @tbayne21
Greg Biffle - @gbiffle
Kurt Busch - @KurtBusch22
Kyle Busch - @kylebusch
Ricky Carmichael -@RickyCarmichael
Jennifer Jo Cobb - @jenjocobb
Austin Dillon -@austindillon3
Robby Gordon - @RobbyGordon
Denny Hamlin - @DennyHamlin
Kevin Harvick - @KevinHarvick
Kasey Kahne - @kaseykahne
Brad Keselowski - @keselowski
Bobby Labonte - @Bobby_Labonte
Joey Logano - @JLogano
Jamie McMurray - @JamieMcMurray
Juan Pablo Montoya - @jpmontoya
Travis Pastrana - @TravisPastrana
Danica Patrick - @DanicaPatrick
David Ragan - @David_Ragan
David Reutimann - @DavidReutimann
Elliott Sadler - @Elliott¬_Sadler
Martin Truex Jr -@martintruexjr56
Brian Vickers -@BrianLVickers
Kenny Wallace -@Kenny_Wallace
Michael Waltrip - @mw55
Let's head to Vegas for The Kobal Tools 500!
Driver to win: Kurt Busch. This is Kurt's hometown track and the only way to guarentee his brother won't win it, is to win it himself.

Driver to watch: Jeff Gordon. Back to back for the four time champ? Who knows, but I think Pheonix was just the beginning.

See You Next Week!

Hello NASCAR Fans! We had a very exciting Daytona 500. Plus we now have a Tennessean that's the youngest winner of the Daytona 500. Sit back, relax and let's talk some NASCAR!

Trevor Bayne wins the Great American Race The Daytona 500:

In what has to be one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR history, 20-year old #21-Trevor Bayne won the 2011 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on the 2nd green-white-checkered finish. It is Bayne's 1st career NASCAR Sprint Cup win in only his 2nd start (ties a record with Jamie McMurray). The famed Wood Brothers Racing team won their 5th Daytona 500, 15th overall at Daytona and 98th Sprint Cup race. It is the Wood Brothers first win since Elliott Sadler won for them at Bristol in March of 2001. Bayne is the youngest winner ever of the Daytona 500 at 20 years, 1 day old. The win is Ford's 60th win for the manufacturer. Carl Edwards finished 2nd followed by David Gilliland [the best finish ever for Front Row Motorsports], Bobby Labonte, Kurt Busch, Juan Montoya, Regan Smith [best career finish], Kyle Busch, Paul Menard and Mark Martin (was 3 laps down at one point). Pole sitter Dale Earnhardt Jr, wrecked late and finished 24th. 2010 Sprint Cup Champ, Jimmie Johnson was involved in 'the big one' on lap 28 and finished 27th after the team made repairs, finishing 19 laps down.

Daytona 500 Facts:

* Trevor Bayne became the youngest winner of the Daytona 500.

* Trevor Bayne is the second-youngest driver (20 years, 1 day) to win a Sprint Cup race -- Joey Logano was 19 years, 1 month, 4 days when he won at New Hampshire in June 2009.

* Trevor Bayne is the second driver to win the Daytona 500 in his first start; Lee Petty won the inaugural event in 1959.

* Trevor Bayne is the seventh driver to get his first Sprint Cup vcitory in the Daytona 500 -- Tiny Lund (1963), Mario Andretti (1967), Pete Hamilton (1970), Derrike Cope (1990), Sterling Marlin (1994) and Michael Waltrip (2001).

* The past six 500s have been won by first-time 500 victors; Jeff Gordon in 2005 is the most recent repeat winner.

* This was the 98th Cup victory for the Wood Brothers; the team's last win came at Bristol in March 2001 with Elliott Sadler.

* The race set records for leaders (22), lead changes (74), cautions (16) and tied the record for caution laps (60).

* Carl Edwards (second) earned his best Daytona 500 finish in his seventh start.

* Jimmie Johnson (27th) has finished 27th or worse in the six Daytona 500s since he won in 2006.

* This was the fifth 500 to end under a green-white-checkered finish and the second consecutive 500 in which the race went 208 laps.

U.S. Army defends NASCAR sponsorship:

The U.S. Army, which represents Ryan Newman and his #39 Chevy, defended its NASCAR sponsorship on Friday after a Minnesota congresswoman recently targeted the Army's motorsports funding as a waste of money. Lieutenant General Benjamin Freakley said the $7.4 million per year the Army is spending to sponsor NASCAR is being put to good use, as he estimates 46,000 leads have come directly from NASCAR and the environment gives recruiters a great way to reach young people. "We know this is having an impact on recruiting and helping our recruiters with their jobs," Freakley said Friday. "The alternative to this is having a recruiter walk up and down a mall and talking to about 150 people just to get one person to engage them." The Marines, Navy and Coast Guard dropped their NASCAR sponsorships in 2006 but Freakley still sees NASCAR as a crucial recruiting ground. "This is sort of America's sport, and the United States Army is America's team," Freakley said. "I have to invest in awareness. In some venue or another, I have to make some form of investment to make the American people aware of their army. And this is what we think is a good investment.

The New NASCAR Points System:

NASCAR recently announced it has simplified its points system starting in 2011, some notes on how it works:

The new points system awards points in one-point increments with race winners earning 43 points, plus three bonus points for the win.

All other drivers in a finishing order will be separated by one-point increments. A second-place finisher will earn 42 points, a third-place driver 41 points, and so on. A last-place finisher 43rd place earns one point. In the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, the last-place finisher receives eight points, to account for that series' 36-driver race field.

All drivers also can earn an extra point for leading a lap and ONE driver who leads the most laps, gets one point.

The max a driver, a race winner can get, is 48 points.

Teams that fail to qualify for a race will get no owners points, but NASCAR will track number of attempts, no word on how ties will be broken after five races when the owners points goes into effect.

The New Sprint Cup Chase System:

Twelve drivers will run the Chase

The top 10 in points following Race No. 26 -- the "cutoff" race -- to earn Chase berths.

The final two spots will be determined by the number of wins during the first 26 races.

Positions 11 and 12 are "wild card" qualifiers and will go to non-top-10-ranked drivers with the most wins, as long as they're ranked in the top 20 in points. Ties are broken by points position, then by 2nd place finishes, 3rd, etc.

The top-10 Chase drivers will be seeded based on wins during the first 26 races, with each win worth three bonus points.

The wild card drivers will not receive bonus points for wins and will be seeded 11th and 12th, respectively.

The top 12 drivers will be reset to 2000 points, drivers 1-10 will get three- bonus points per win.

Next Race: Subway 500

Where: Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, Ariz.

When: 3 p.m. Sunday.

Radio: 1: 00 p.m. - Pre Race Show of Valvoline Racing Radio on ROCK 105

Radio: 2:00 p.m. - ROCK 105.5 (Motor Racing Network)

That does it for me this week. Join us for Valvoline Racing Rev'd Up on WRCB-TV Channel 3, this Saturday morning at 9:00 am. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

What and awesome opening weekend for NASCAR!!! Not only did we have three races that came down to the wire in all three national series, we ended up with a cinderella story in Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne. After all the offseason changes, Speedweeks, and all the other races/programs that build up to The Great American Race, it was good to see the Sprint Cup guys out on the track and kicking off the season. If the first weekend is any indication, we are going to have one heck of a 2011 Season.
Trevor Bayne was the winner of the Daytona 500 and I know what you're asking... Who is Trevor Bayne?

Trevor Bayne joined Roush Fenway Racing in Oct. of 2010. He will compete in the balance of the Nationwide Series in 2010 in a Roush Fenway Ford, as he prepares for a run at the Nationwide championship in 2011.

Bayne, who hails from Knoxville, Tenn., started the first 28 races of 2010 for Michael Waltrip Racing. During the second half of that tenure, he drove to three poles, five top fives and nine top-10 finishes in 14 starts before making the move to Roush Fenway.

He began his racing career at the age of five. In the eight years that he competed on the go-kart circuit, Bayne earned three World Championships with over 300 feature wins and 18 State and Track Championships combined.

At the age of 13 he made the move to the Allison Legacy Race Series, where he became the youngest top rookie in the series. Over his two year stint in the series Bayne notched 14 wins, 19 pole positions and 30 top-five finishes in only 41 starts, en route to becoming the series' National Champion in 2005.
Bayne then made a successful transition to the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series Southern Division, where at the age of 15 he again became the youngest driver to ever earn the series' top rookie honors.

Bayne's climb toward a career in NASCAR got a boost when Dale Earnhardt Inc. signed him to its driver development program in 2008. That year he began competing in the NASCAR Camping World East where he grabbed his first NASCAR series win at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway on July 21. He went on to earn six top-five and seven top-10 finishes and finished fourth in the NASCAR Camping World East point standings.

In 2009 Bayne started off the year by finishing second in the Toyota All-Star Showdown on Jan. 24 at Irwindale Speedway. Due to his performance at the Showdown, the young Bayne captured the Sunoco Rookie of the Race honors and attracted the attention of many.

Bayne made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut March 21st at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway where he finished 23rd driving Jimmy Mean's No. 52 entry. He was tabbed to run a part-time schedule for Michael Waltrip Racing in the No. 99 in 2009.
He started his stint behind the No. 99 in impressive fashion, grabbing the outside pole at Nashville Superspeedway on June 6. In 15 races in 2009, Bayne earned one pole and two top-10s, while finishing inside the top 15 seven times.

We likely won't see him visit another victory lane in the Sprint Cup Series this year since The Wood Brothers #21 is only running a partial schedule. However, with his impressive victory and impressive run during all of Speedweeks there is a good chance that Trevor will land himself a full time Cup ride very soon.

Let's head to Phoenix for The Subway Fresh Fit 500!

Driver to win: Jeff Gordon. This will be Jeff's first real (non-restrictor plate) race of the season. I think he and new crew chief Alan Gustafson will get it done at a track that Jeff has won at before.

Driver to watch: Bobby Labonte/David Gilliland/Other drivers that did well at Daytona. I will be interested to see if some of these guys that we don't typically see run up front can take any momentum from Daytona to the desert.

See You Next Week!

Hello NASCAR Fans! The Daytona 500 is finally here. We're going to get you ready for it, and bring you Up To Speed on everything NASCAR. Let's get started!

NASCAR Tweaks rules to limit drafting at Daytona:

NASCAR officials announced two technical changes Sunday evening aimed at preventing the sustained two-car drafts that dominated Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, said the body issued a bulletin to race teams with the following specifications: " The maximum size for the air inlet for the cooling system will be 2½ inches tall by 20 inches wide. " The pressure release valve on the water system will be set at 33 pounds per square inch. The intent is to set up the cars so they can't push each other in two-car tandems for extended runs without overheating. Teams try to line up drafting partners at Daytona and Talladega so they can overcome the limitations of the restrictor plates used to keep speeds down at those two tracks. "That will bring down the temperatures so the teams can't run at 290 or 300 degrees [without overheating] on the extended push of 30 or 40 laps," Pemberton said. "This will put [the water temperature in the engines] back in the 250-degree range." Several drivers, crew chiefs and team executives expected NASCAR to control the pressure relief valve. Jamie McMurray, who finished second to Kurt Busch in the Shootout, said many cars had valves that allowed the temperature up to 300 degrees before boiling over. That allowed the second car in the two-car draft to push longer without overheating -- some for more than a dozen laps -- under Saturday's cooler outdoor temperatures. The weather is expected to be warmer for Thursday's qualifying races and the Daytona 500.

Qualifying Fast Facts - Daytona 500:

#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Coors Light Pole Award for the Daytona 500 with a lap of 48.364 seconds, 186.089 mph.

This is his 10th pole in 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. His last pole came at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March, 2010.

This is his first pole in 23 races at Daytona International Speedway.

This is the third time Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start from the front row in the Daytona 500 (2003 and 2010).

Jeff Gordon will start second in the Daytona 500, his third front row start in the event. He won the pole in 1999 and started second in 2006.

The last driver to win the Daytona 500 from the pole was Dale Jarrett in 2000.

The last driver to win the Daytona 500 from the second starting position was Dale Jarrett in 1993.

Daytona plans Dale Earnhardt silent lap:

Daytona International Speedway is asking for a moment of silence on the third lap of the Daytona 500 as a tribute to the late Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt was killed in an accident on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. The speedway considered various ways to mark the 10-year anniversary of Earnhardt's death. "We felt the appropriate way to honor Dale Earnhardt was in the actual racing," said track president Joie Chitwood. "The best way to appreciate the things Dale did -- he was about racing -- and how we respect him should be on the track. That to us was a real racing tribute and more appropriate than anything we could have done in the pre-race show." Chitwood said track officials were working with the broadcast partners to go silent on the third lap of the Feb. 20 race. Fans will also be asked to stand and raise three fingers on that lap. The #3 will also be painted into the grass at Daytona on Saturday night before the season-opening race.

The New Qualifying Procedures for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, starting at Phoenix:

Qualifying order set by LAST practice speeds, slowest to fastest.

Non-Top 35 drivers grouped together at end of session.

Starting grid set by practice speeds if qualifying canceled.

Starting lineup set by owners points of all practices and qualifying are canceled.

Ford asks NASCAR to approve Mustang for 2013:

The Ford Motor Co. has informed NASCAR it would like to race the Mustang in the elite Sprint Cup Series beginning in 2013. The approval process to replace the Fusion with the iconic muscle car could take all year, and depends on the Mustang being competitively equal to the sedan models entered by rival manufacturers Dodge, General Motors and Toyota. Ford's motive is to get a car on the track that resembles one that can be purchased off a showroom floor.

Next Race: Daytona 500

Where: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.

When: 1 p.m. Sunday.

TV: Fox

Radio: 11:00 am. - Valvoline Racing Radio on ROCK 105 (Pre-Race Show)

MRN Radio on ROCK 105 ( 105.5) "Chattanooga's Home for NASCAR"

That does it for me this week. I'm Shawn Whitfield and we're keeping you UP TO SPEED!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

February 18, 2001 was a day race fans will never forget. It's been 10 years since Dale Earnhardt was killed instantly while racing in the Daytona 500. That day, the Earnhardt family lost a husband and father, drivers lost a great competitor and race fans lost a legend. Valvoline Racing Radio on ROCK 105, is teaming up with Bud's Sports Bar to let the Earnhardt family know that NASCAR fans in Chattanooga and North Georgia will never forget NASCAR's most iconic driver. Beginning February 14th and leading up to the Daytona 500, Valvoline Racing Radio on ROCK 105 will do a “LIVE BROADCAST” inviting listeners to join us in signing a giant card/banner in remembrance of “The Intimidator” Dale Earnhardt. Listeners attending the live remote broadcast and throughout race weekend, will have the opportunity to sign & send there special message to Richard Childress Racing (RCR), in honor the great Dale Earnhardt - 10 year anniversary.

Chattanooga Remembers The Intimidator - Dale Earnhardt presented by Buds Sports Bar (10 year anniversary)

- Join Buds Sports Bar for the NASCAR Gatorade Duals at Daytona and then hang out with VRR on ROCK 105!

 Bud's Sports Bar will have specials going on Thursday during the LIVE broadcast of Valvoline Racing Radio on ROCK 105 at Buds Sports Bar(details will come Monday on VRR on ROCK 105 about the Earnhardt Special)

- We'll have plenty of giveaways from Budweiser, Miller Lite & Valvoline Instant Oil Change

- Race Fans can come by to write there messages and sign the "Chattanooga Remembers The Intimidator - Dale Earnhardt" card/banner presented by Buds Sports Bar

- Wear your favorite NASCAR Swag to Buds Sports Bar!

- Join Bud's Sports Bar for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday, NASCAR Nationwide Series on Saturday & then for The Great American Race - Sunday's Daytona 500, where Bud's Sports Bar will have specials that you're not going to want to miss! (detail will come Monday on VRR on ROCK 105)

- On Monday we'll get the Card/Banner ready and send it to Richard Childress Racing (RCR) to let them know that "Chattanooga Remembers The Intimidator - Dale Earnhart" presented by Buds Sports Bar.

- Text 90210 and join the Buds Sports Bar VIP Club. You'll recieve updates on special events & discounts! Also check them out on the web at www.budssportsbar.com

Let's head to Daytona for The Great American Race!!
Driver to win: Clint Bowyer. He's not only my favorite driver but he also has an RCR engine. That's seems to be what you need to run out front consistently at Daytona..

Driver to watch: Dale Jr./Jeff Gordon. Both drivers start on the front row with brand new crew chiefs and something to prove this year. Should be very interesting.

See You Next Week!

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The field for the 2011 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona will feature former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions, the 2010 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field, a host of former outstanding rookies and a collection of previous winners at the “World Center of Racing.” Adding to the drama of the 33rd annual season-opening event, this field of drivers will compete for the first time on Daytona's new asphalt.
Criteria are based upon the following qualifications, with eligibility based on a driver having competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series within the last two seasons:
o The 12 drivers that qualified for the 2010 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup
o Past NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions
o Past Budweiser Shootout champions
o Past Daytona 500 and Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola champions
o NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year drivers from 2001-2010

Drivers eligible for the 2011 Budweiser Shootout include:
2010 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Drivers
Jimmie Johnson
Denny Hamlin
Kevin Harvick
Carl Edwards
Matt Kenseth
Greg Biffle
Tony Stewart
Kyle Busch
Jeff Gordon
Clint Bowyer
Kurt Busch
Jeff Burton
Others (criteria in parentheses)
John Andretti (Coke Zero 400)
Geoff Bodine (Daytona 500, Budweiser Shootout)
Kevin Conway (Series rookie of the year)
Derrike Cope (Daytona 500)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400, Budweiser Shootout)
Bill Elliott (Series champion, Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400, Budweiser Shootout)
Kasey Kahne (Series rookie of the year)
Bobby Labonte (Series champion)
Terry Labonte (Series champion, Budweiser Shootout)
Joey Logano (Series rookie of the year)
Sterling Marlin (Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400)
Mark Martin (Budweiser Shootout)
Jamie McMurray (Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400, Series rookie of the year)
Juan Pablo Montoya (Series rookie of the year)
Ryan Newman (Daytona 500, Series rookie of the year)
Ken Schrader (Budweiser Shootout)
Regan Smith (Series rookie of the year)
Michael Waltrip (Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400)

Driver to win: Dale Jr. With so much offseason attention being paid to his performance and his new crew chief the Bud Shootout will be the first opportunity to see some results.

Driver to watch: Michael Waltrip. What the hell, go out and win one Mikey!

See You Next Week!

NASCAR ADDS WILD CARD ELEMENT TO SETTING THE CHASE FIELD & SIMPLIFIES POINTS SYSTEM:
NASCAR announced that it has added a wild card element to setting the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field and it has simplified its points system for 2011, making it easier for fans, competitors and the industry to understand. While the 12-driver Chase field remains intact, the final two spots will be determined by the number of wins during the first 26 races. The top 10 in points following Race No. 26 – the “cutoff” race – continue to earn Chase berths. Positions 11 and 12 are “wild card” qualifiers and will go to non-top-10-ranked drivers with the most wins, as long as they’re ranked in the top 20 in points. The top-10 Chase drivers will continue to be seeded based on wins during the first 26 races, with each win worth three bonus points. The wild card drivers will not receive bonus points for wins and will be seeded 11th and 12th, respectively. It’s a move aimed towards rewarding winning and consistency during the regular season. Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, made the announcements at the NASCAR Hall of Fame during NASCAR’s annual media event as part of the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour. “The fans tell us that winning matters the most with them, so we’re combining the tradition of consistency in our sport with the excitement that comes along with winning,” said France. “This makes every race count leading into the 26th race of the season at Richmond, when we set the field for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.” The new points system – which applies to all NASCAR national series – will award points in one-point increments. As an example, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, race winners will earn 43 points, plus three bonus points for the win. Winners also can earn an extra point for leading a lap and leading the most laps, bringing their total to a possible maximum of 48 points. All other drivers in a finishing order will be separated by one-point increments. A second-place finisher will earn 42 points, a third-place driver 41 points, and so on. A last-place finisher – 43rd place – earns one point. In the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, the last-place finisher receives eight points, to account for that series’ 36-driver race field. “Many of our most loyal fans don’t fully understand the points system we have used to date,” said France, referencing the system that has been in use since 1975. “So, we are simplifying the points system to one that is much easier to understand. Conceptually, it is comparable to our previous system, but it is easier to follow.” During his remarks Wednesday night, France reflected on the outstanding competition the sport enjoyed in 2010 and expected to see that high-caliber of racing to continue once the green flag drops for the 53rd running of the Daytona 500 Feb. 20. “NASCAR enters 2011 with positive momentum and a great sense of excitement and optimism,” said France. “We’re extremely excited for the launch of the season. Leading the season off with Daytona, Phoenix and Las Vegas, we believe our fans are in store for some of the best racing the sport has to offer.”

NASCAR Adds Wild Card Element To Setting The Chase Field; Simplifies Points System:

Pick a Series – Drivers in all three national series now must select the series where they’ll compete for a driver championship. Drivers still may compete in multiple series and help their teams win owner titles in series where they’re not competing for a driver title. The move helps spotlight young talent in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

New Qualifying Procedure – The qualifying order will be set based upon slowest to fastest practice speeds.

Inclement Weather Qualifying – If bad weather cancels qualifying, the final starting lineup will be determined by practice speeds. The same rule book procedures will be used to determine eligibility to start a race. If weather cancels practice sessions, then the starting lineup will be set by points, per the rule book.

Tire Rules Revision – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams now are allowed five sets of tires for practice and qualifying instead of six. They must return four of those sets to Goodyear in order to receive their race allotment, and may keep one set of practice/qualifying tires. Tire allotments for race weekends will vary according to historical performance data.

Closed Loop Fueling System – Introduced in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, this goes into effect for all three national series in 2011. It combines a more efficient fueling system with the elimination of the catch-can man, considered the most “vulnerable” pit-crew member. Teams now will use six, rather than seven, over-the-wall pit-crew members.

Evolution Of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Car – NASCAR continues to work with the manufacturers and teams to enhance the look of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car. The cars have new fronts this season and the body makeover will continue to help appeal to fans and aid manufacturer identity.

Late season race times moved to avoid conflict with NFL:

NASCAR will stray from last year’s standardized start times this season in an effort to boost sagging television ratings. Specifically NASCAR races in the last third of the season will slide back to a later green flag to avoid going head-to-head with NFL kickoffs. While the majority of the races televised in the first half of the year as part of the FOX television package will remain in the 1 p.m. ET start range, green flags will slide back later in the year. A 2 p.m. ET beginning is the plan for most of the races in September through November with west coast venues including Texas and Phoenix near the tail end of the schedule, going to a 3 p.m. ET start. The Homestead-Miami season-ending Ford 400 will also begin at 3 p.m. ET.

That does it for me this week. Join us each Monday & Thursday @ 6:00 pm, for Valvoline Racing Radio on ROCK 105. I’m Shawn Whitfield and we’re keeping you Up To Speed!

Greetings Enigma Readers!

As the action is getting geared up at Daytona for Speedweeks, we finally get to look ahead to the first actual action on the track next weekend during the Budweiser Shootout. A lot of people get confused about the Shootout and event mix it up with the Gatorade Duels at Daytona event that helps drivers qualify for the Daytona 500. The Bud Shootout has nothing to do with the Great American Race, it's just a fun season starting event that NASCAR has put on since 1979 to get fans geared up for the upcoming season. Here's a look at how the Bud Shootout came to be...

Budweiser Shootout at Daytona is an annual invitation-only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series exhibition event held at Daytona International Speedway in February, the weekend before the Daytona 500. It is the first competitive event of the season and serves as a kickoff event for the NASCAR portion of Speed Weeks.

The event was first known as the Busch Clash and was the mind child of Monty Roberts. Brand Manager of the newly formed Busch beer which had formerly been Busch Bavarian Beer to promote the new Beer. Monty Roberts had during his career been involved with successfully introducing Mercury Automotive Division into racing when he was with Ford Motor Co., and he had been a part of the Ontario Motor Speedway and believed racing fans were loyal true followers. The name of the race was changed 20 years later. 'Busch Clash' was a fifty-mile "all-out sprint". In its current format, it is made up of two segments: a short 25-lap segment, followed by a ten-minute intermission. After the intermission, the race concludes with a 50-lap segment in which each car will need to make a pit stop for fuel.

The race, like the Sprint All-Star Race held at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, carries no points for the winner but rather a large purse, circumstances which are supposed to encourage an all-out driving style not seen in regular-season races, where one serious mistake can largely ruin a season. However, due to the smaller field, large accidents often seen in the Daytona 500 are less-common. The smaller, invitation-only field consists of a maximum of 28 cars. The starting lineup is determined by a random draw, not by qualifying as all other races are determined.

From 1979 until 1994 and again in 1997, it was a race of pole-winners and one second-round qualifier. In 1995 and 1996, they were accompanied by the winner of the most poles in the NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division. From 1998 until 2000, it consisted of the pole winners and the winner of a qualifying race among all second-round pole winners. From 2001 until 2008, it consisted of all pole winners and previous Shootout champions.

The 1987 race, won by Bill Elliott was completed at an average speed of 197.802 mph. It stands as the fastest sanctioned race in the history of NASCAR (though it was not an official points-paying event).

My Pick for the Superbowl: Steelers 27, Green Bay 24

My Pick for the Superbowl Meal: Wings, Ribs and Beer!!!

See You Next Week!

NASCAR Looking To Change Qualifying Rainout Procedure:

The days of the starting order being set by rank in points when qualifying is rained out might be coming to an end. Multiple sources say NASCAR has plans in place to set the qualifying order based on practice speeds, and the starting order based on practice speeds if qualifying is rained out. The qualifying order currently is set by a draw, with the team whose owner has the most owner points picking first. Under the proposed plan, the only way the starting order will be based on points is if both practice and qualifying are rained out.

Michael Waltrip Will Run The Daytona 500:

Michael Waltrip Racing and NAPA AUTO PARTS announced that two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip will drive the #15 NAPA Toyota in his 25th consecutive Daytona 500 on Feb. 20. “This is a very special day,” said Waltrip who unveiled the #15 NAPA paint scheme Tuesday morning during the annual Charlotte Motor Speedway media tour. “Ten years ago I won the 500 in my first race with NAPA and we know February 18, 2001 is a day that NASCAR fans will never forget. What looked to be a storybook ending turned to tragedy seconds later. To mark the 10th anniversary of that race and my 25th consecutive 500 will be quite emotional for me and fans alike.” Waltrip broke a 0 for 462 streak when he won the 2001 Daytona 500 driving for car owner Dale Earnhardt who died in a turn four accident on the final lap.

Fox Sports Chairman Would Like To See Shorter Races:

Fox Sports chairman David Hill says he thinks NASCAR races are too long and would like to see them cut down to run during a three-hour window. Hill says Monday night that NASCAR recognizes it needs to make changes to stop its current slide in both attendance and television ratings. He says that NASCAR chairman Brian France is “really trying very hard” to find solutions, but nothing will happen overnight. Hill believes there are simply too many entertainment options to hold a fan’s interest over the length of an entire race. Fox has three years remaining on its television deal with NASCAR, and Hill says it’s too soon to tell if the network will renew.

Ruby Tuesday’s Is Back With Penske Racing For The 2011 NASCAR Season:

After helping the #22 Dodge team and driver, Brad Keselowski, capture the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship, Ruby Tuesday, Inc. has agreed to extend and expand its partnership with Penske Racing this season. The high-quality, casual-dining restaurant chain’s brand will once again adorn the sides of the # 22 Dodge Challenger. In addition to its presence in the Nationwide Series, Ruby Tuesday will have prominent placement on the rear deck lid of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger, also driven by Keselowski, in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2011.

Despite High Speeds, No Change In Restrictor Plate Anticipated For Daytona:

Drivers cracked 198 mph in two-car drafts Saturday in the final day of a three-day test session at Daytona International Speedway, but NASCAR doesn’t plan to change the size of the restrictor plate when Sprint Cup Series teams return in February for Speedweeks. NASCAR officials seemed content with the speeds, similar to those posted a month ago during a Goodyear tire test on the newly paved 2.5-mile tri-oval. Teams used a restrictor plate with holes 29/32nds of an inch in diameter, 1/32nd of an inch smaller than what was used in the December test.

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Sponsor Announcements:

Officials from Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (EGR) have made several new announcements concerning sponsors and the 2011 season. Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray will again drive in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for EGR in 2011. Montoya, driving the #42 Target Chevy, marks his third consecutive season with the team. McMurray will start his second season in the #1 Bass Pro Shops/McDonald’s Chevy. EGR welcomed companies WIDIA and Lift Master, both of whom are new to NASCAR competition. WIDIA, a manufacturer of precision machine tools, will assume sponsorship