American Ethanol E15 names Chicagoland Truck race

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Staff Report

Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup kickoff weekend fueled by sponsor

Chicagoland Speedway announced Tuesday that its NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Sept. 18 will be known as the American Ethanol E15 225 (Sept. 18, 8:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM).

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

With support from Growth Energy, an official NASCAR Green partner, and the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, American Ethanol will serve as the sponsor for the race leading into the first Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup event as the 10-race playoff for NASCAR’s premier series opens at the Joliet, Illinois facility for the fifth consecutive year.

"As we kick off our Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend, we are thrilled to welcome a partner as involved in the sport as American Ethanol," Scott Paddock, president of Chicagoland Speedway, said in a track release. "Their commitment to reducing emissions through the cleaner burning ethanol fuel has been a vital part of NASCAR’s Green Clean Air initiative. American Ethanol has proven to be a tremendous partner not only for Chicagoland Speedway, but for NASCAR’s teams, fans and the industry as a whole."

The event will be the 16th of the 23-race Camping World Truck Series schedule, and it will be the third event sponsored by American Ethanol, which served as a presenting sponsor for the June 13 American Ethanol Presents the Drivin’ for Linemen 200 Brought to You by Ameren at Gateway Motorsports Park and as the title sponsor of the American Ethanol 200 on June 19 at Iowa Speedway.

"Growth Energy is thrilled to sponsor the American Ethanol 225 and work in conjunction with Chicagoland Speedway and Illinois family corn growers to promote a homegrown, American fuel," Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, said in the track release. "The drivers at Chicagoland Speedway and across the nation rely on E15 for superior horsepower and performance, and as they will tell you, it delivers."

Kyle Busch won last year’s event for his fourth career Camping World Truck Series victory at Chicagoland.

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Staff Report

Official Technology Partner of NASCAR to sponsor Aug. 2 race

BUY: Pocono tickets
RELATED: NASCAR, Hendrick team with Microsoft to drive innovation

Pocono Raceway and Microsoft, an Official Technology Partner of NASCAR, announced Tuesday that the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race scheduled for Aug. 2 will be named the Windows 10 400. The event will be held two days after the launch of Windows 10 when the new operating system will be offered as a free upgrade to customers with qualified Windows 7 and Windows 8 devices.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

"Today is an exciting day for us," Pocono Raceway President/CEO Brandon Igdalsky said in a track release. "Microsoft has been on the cutting edge of technology and innovation since its founding in 1975. The launch of their Windows 10 platform is something Pocono Raceway is extremely proud to promote during our final NASCAR race weekend of 2015. We look forward to celebrating with everyone from Microsoft, NASCAR and, most importantly, the race fans on Sunday, August 2nd."

The sponsorship deal is the second new title-sponsor partnership for Pocono Raceway this year. In January, the track announced a deal with Axalta Coating Systems as title sponsor of its Sprint Cup race in June.

Martin Truex Jr. prevailed in the 2.5-mile triangular track’s first Sprint Cup event of the year. The Furniture Row Racing driver will be aiming to replicate Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 2014 season sweep in next month’s 400-miler.

Earnhardt Jr., the defending winner of the event, will drive the No. 88 Microsoft Chevrolet SS. He debuted a Microsoft paint scheme last month at Sonoma Raceway, finishing seventh at the California road course.

BUY: Earnhardt Jr.’s paint scheme

"We’re thrilled to build on our relationships with NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports by engaging race fans in unique ways," GM of Windows Product Marketing at Microsoft Jeremy Korst said in the track release. "We’re upgrading their experiences not only at the Pocono Windows 10 400 race, but also off the track with Windows 10. It’s the best Windows ever. In fact, we built it in collaboration with our fans — over 5.5 million Windows Insiders. And we’re excited to offer a free upgrade, so that people all over the world can use Windows 10 to do great things."

Pocono’s Fan Fair and paddock areas will have displays and interactive experiences for fans and members of the NASCAR industry to relax and enjoy Windows 10 devices while interacting on social media with the hashtag #Windows10_400.

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Staff Report

Still time to win prizes in NASCAR.com fantasy game

Play: Streak to the Finish

We’re past the halfway point in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series seasons — and nearing the mark in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series — but this weekend’s on-track activity represents a new "first" in NASCAR.com’s Streak to the Finish game.

Streak to the Finish (sign up here to play) gives users the chance to select a driver in any of the three national series to finish in the top 10 of their respective race. If your driver finishes in the top 10, it counts as one point toward your streak.

Once you pick that driver in a series, though, you can’t pick him or her again until your streak is broken.

If you’ve never played, there’s still incentive to do so despite the season being well underway. Streak to the Finish is broken up into five segments, with each segment producing one winner that wins a promotional code worth $200 from the NASCAR.com Superstore.

Segment 4 begins Wednesday at Eldora Speedway, essentially wiping the slate clean — except for personal milestone numbers — for all players. So if you haven’t played yet this year, you’re still eligible for prizes in Segment 4 … and then again in Segment 5.

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Zack Albert

Last time Panthers coach visited shop veteran driver won Sprint All-Star Race

CONCORD, N.C. — It was the sort of game-day speech that Ron Rivera has been accustomed to delivering in his four seasons as an NFL head coach — forceful, designed to inspire and motivate. Tuesday morning, though, his words didn’t resonate inside the familiar setting of the Carolina Panthers’ locker room but instead in an all-hands team meeting at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates’ NASCAR headquarters.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

Rivera’s first visit to the Ganassi shop, in May of 2014, wound up being a roaring success. Just days after the Panthers’ coach met the team and offered a speech about staying relevant in an evolving sport, Jamie McMurray found himself on Victory Lane in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. With results like those, McMurray might’ve been prompted to ask what took so long to book the return trip?

"We’ll see, I guess, how it goes this weekend," McMurray said with a laugh, pointing toward Sunday’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "He’s been a really good friend of (team co-owner Felix Sabates), and he’s become a really great friend of our team’s, and I’ve become a real big fan of his. When you watch on TV and watch other sports, I don’t know that you appreciate everything that goes into it and how talented people are behind the scenes but he is an amazing guy and he is where he is because of his ability."

With 19 of 36 Sprint Cup Series races in the books this year, Rivera’s speech could almost be considered a slightly belated halftime pep talk. Either way, it comes at a pivotal time for the Ganassi team, which heads into Sunday’s Crown Royal Presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard (3:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, IMS, SiriusXM) with seven regular-season races left to bolster the credentials for both McMurray, the 2010 Brickyard winner, and teammate Kyle Larson in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs.

It’s a spot Rivera was in last year with the Panthers, who rallied from a six-game losing streak midway through to win their final four regular-season games, win a division title and earn a playoff berth. After last weekend’s race at New Hampshire, McMurray clings to the 11th spot in the 16-driver Chase Grid while Larson sits 21st in the series standings, having missed a race because of illness. Both drivers are still searching for their first victory in 2015.

Rivera’s speech was tailored to reach a different audience but the shared bond of teamwork bridged any potential gap between the motorsports world and professional football. That became evident last season when Rivera asked the Ganassi team for footage of the team’s race-winning pit stop last May, intending to show his team and to illustrate how the Panthers could benefit from similar coordination and cooperation.

It was at last year’s All-Star event that Rivera learned that an 18-second pit stop seems fast in layman’s terms only. The head coach also learned that the two sports have more in common that one might think.

"There are a lot of parallels and first and foremost, it starts with teamwork," Rivera said. "Really, my message is to make sure everyone’s doing what they want to do and everybody’s doing what the group wants to do because at the end of the day, if somebody’s not on board and doing the things that they need to do to give you a chance to win, you’re not going to win. Also, the parallel being that last year as a football team, we started hot then had our problems. Same thing with these guys — they started hot and have had their problems.

"And I know at the end of the day, they’ve still got seven weeks left. They have every opportunity to get into the Chase for the Cup, so who knows. That’s really the message, that they can control it. They control their own destiny and the truth of the matter is, on any given Sunday, they’re the best race team and they’ve got a chance to win."

After his nearly 20-minute talk, Rivera said he’d welcome the chance to return, adding that spending time in another professional sport helped to enhance his leadership skills. If the coach’s presence remains a good-luck charm for the Nos. 1 and 42 Chevrolet teams, he may be called upon as a much more frequent visitor.

"To have someone of that caliber available to you to talk to your team in a real-life situation, somebody they know and somebody they respect and understand, that speaks their language, we’re really, really lucky to have an outsider like that come in with a little different perspective, but exactly on point," Ganassi said. "We’ve got seven weeks till the playoffs begin and we want to have both cars in."

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Nascar

How to qualify? How long is the race? Answers below

A Wednesday night NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on dirt represents a big change from our normal schedule, but it’s nothing to worry about. Our Eldora Explained article will get you up to speed on the technical aspects of the competition, so you can sit back and enjoy the 1-800-Car-Cash Mud Summer Classic, scheduled for 9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM.

Qualifying: Two laps, single truck. Keystone Light Pole Qualifying is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 2. A random draw will determine the qualifying order, and the results of qualifying will determine the starting position for the qualifying races.

The top five trucks in qualifying will start on the pole for their respective qualifying races.

Qualifying Races: Five races, 10 laps each will be held, starting at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 2, and only green flag laps will be counted. The top five trucks from each qualifying race will transfer to the feature. Upon completion of the qualifying races, 25 of the 32 trucks in the field will be set for the feature race.

Last Chance Qualifying Race: This race will be 15 laps and the lineup for it will be set based on finishing position in the qualifying races. Only green flag laps will be counted, and the top two finishers of this race will fill lineup positions 26 and 27 for the feature race.

Lineup spots 28-31 will go to the highest-ranking eligible trucks in owner points that haven’t already earned a starting position through qualifying. The 32nd lineup spot will go to the most recent eligible past series champion. If the 32nd position is not filled by an eligible champion, it will be assigned based on owner points.

Race: Divided into three segments (60, 50 and 40 laps) with competition cautions at the breaks on Laps 60 and 110. Caution laps will not count during competition cautions and positions can’t be improved on pit road. Teams are not required to pit during competition cautions. Those that remain on the track will restart in front of those that pit.

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Nascar

Visual look at NASCAR on dirt, Tony Stewart-owned track

Posted on July 21, 2015 by

Kevinharvick

A third-place result last weekend at New Hampshire puts “Happy” back in the No. 1 spot in the rankings. While the No. 4 hasn’t reached Victory Lane since March, Harvick has finished 17 of 19 races in the top 10. That incredible feat is one not to be taken lightly — and we imagine one of those top 10s will turn into a win sooner rather than later.

Joeylogano

The No. 22’s strength in recent races moves Logano up one spot this week. With the exception of a 22nd-place hiccup at Daytona, Logano has posted all top-fives since Pocono in June. While he wasn’t holding a lobster in Victory Lane at New Hampshire, we don’t doubt he’ll find his way to the checkered again this season.

JimmieJohnson

-2

While Johnson’s four wins this season surpass the other drivers, his performance at New Hampshire was less than spectacular. The No. 48 struggled at the Magic Mile, managing a sub-par 22nd-place result after starting seventh. Nonetheless, “Six-Time’s” luck could turn around at Indianapolis, a place where he’s recorded four victories — second all-time to Jeff Gordon.

DaleEarnhardt Jr.

Junior has been impressive in 2015, especially on superspeedway tracks where he nabbed his two wins. He’s said before that Indy isn’t his favorite, but judging by his seventh-place result at Sonoma — another one of his challenging tracks — he could surprise at this weekend’s Brickyard 400. Indianapolis’ new rules package should favor superspeedway-style drivers, which bodes well for the No. 88 team.

BradKeselowski

A frustrated Keselowski left the state of New Hampshire on Sunday with a just-barely-missed-it runner-up. The good news for Kes is that he’s had two near misses at tracks that he was a frontrunner, which could fire him up for the next events. While Indy may not be his favorite track — he averages a 14th-place finish — Kes looks poised for victory soon.

KyleBusch

“Rowdy” has been the comeback story of the season, battling back from serious injuries at Daytona to take the checkered at Sonoma. But he didn’t stop there, having won three of the past four races. If Busch continues along this path of success, he’ll likely make the top 30 in points — and will be a heavy contender for the championship.

Kurtbusch

-4

While one Busch brother rises, the other falls. The No. 41 driver has done well in recent weeks and is currently riding a six-race streak of top 10s, which includes his second 2015 win (Michigan). But Indy may not be the place for the elder Busch to catch up to younger brother Kyle in wins: He owns an average finish of 20.0 at the Brickyard.

Martintruex jr

-1

Truex Jr. was the talk around the garage at the beginning of the season, but the No. 78 driver seems to have faded following his win in June at Pocono. After wrecking at Sonoma and Daytona, Truex’s average finish of 7.6 to open the season is a far cry from the 27.3 average finish he’s recorded in the past four races. Is this just a bump in the road for the No. 78 team — or a slippery slope from here?

Mattkenseth

Like his fellow Joe Gibbs Racing drivers, Kenseth has enjoyed success the past couple weeks, posting fifth- and sixth-place finishes at Kentucky and New Hampshire, respectively. And the No. 20 team likely has a good feeling heading into Indy, as Kenseth has finished three of the past four races there in the top five.

Jeffgordon

If history repeats itself, the possibility of Gordon punching his Chase ticket this weekend at Indianapolis is very real. Not only does Gordon consider it a hometown track, but he’s also the reigning race champion and all-time winner at the Brickyard with five victories. Wouldn’t be a bad way for the No. 24 driver to end his final Brickyard 400 race.

DennyHamlin

-1

Hamlin recorded two strong third-place results at Daytona and Kentucky, a track where Joe Gibbs Racing especially excelled with the new rules package debut. But a sub-par 14th-place result at Loudon put Hamlin last among his JGR teammates. The No. 11 driver better watch his back at Indy, as Austin Dillon has yet to take revenge after the pair’s on-track collision in the XFINITY race at New Hampshire.

Jamiemcmurray

-1

After a promising season-opening run that put him high in the points standings, McMurray has recorded four consecutive finishes outside the top 10. His 26th-place finish at New Hampshire caused him to drop two places in the point standings to ninth. Indy could be the place where McMurray picks up his first win of 2105 — after all, he took the checkered there in 2010.

Carledwards

The past two races have been kind to Edwards, as he recorded two straight top 10s at Kentucky and New Hampshire. This came as a pleasant break for the JGR driver, as his average finish since his Chase-clinching win in May at Charlotte was 25.4. The kicker here is Edwards seemed to excel in Kentucky’s lower downforce package, which greatly differs from Indy’s higher drag rules package.

Kaseykahne

-1

It seems the No. 5 team has been on a downward spiral the past few weeks, recording three consecutive finishes of 19th or worse. But the grass could be greener at Indianapolis for Kahne and crew chief Keith Rodden; Kahne has finished more than half of his races at Indy in the top 10, earning third- and sixth-place results his last two runs.

Ryannewman

The Richard Childress Racing driver has been fairly quiet in recent races, earning 20th- and 11th-place results at Kentucky and Loudon, respectively. A win could turn around Newman’s season for the better — and Indianapolis could potentially be the place do that, as he won from the pole there in 2013.

Aricalmirola

Almirola has taken Newman’s place this season as the poster child for consistency without wins, sitting 15th in the standings with no wins and one top 10. Nonetheless, Almirola could be in a precarious position should Kyle Busch reach the top 30 in points and jump into the Chase.

Paulmenard

-2

Like Almirola, Menard sits in a dangerous spot in the Chase Grid should Kyle Busch earn a spot in the playoffs. He’ll need to earn consistent finishes the rest of the season — or win to get in. And if any track bodes well for Menard and the No. 27 team, it’s Indianapolis — the spot of his first and only Sprint Cup Series win (2011).

ClintBowyer

-1

Bowyer’s three-race steak of top 10s was interrupted by 19th- and 34th-place results at Kentucky and Loudon, respectively. Indy’s not typically the best track for the No. 15 team — average finish of 17.0 at the Brickyard since joining Michael Waltrip Racing in 2012. The silver lining for Bowyer is that Indy’s new rules package caters to superspeedway drivers — a style of racing that Bowyer can do quite well.

Greg Biffle

The “Biff” has experienced several sub-par weeks, finishing his last five races outside the top 15. Sitting 18th in the standings, Biffle is out of the playoffs as of now. He’s never won at Indy, but has finished exactly half of his races in the top 10. But top 10s may not be enough to make the Chase in the end.

AustinDillon

Dillon makes a reappearance in Power Rankings this week. As of two weeks ago, the No. 3 driver had recorded a lone top 10. But on the heels of top 10s at Daytona and Loudon, Dillon’s season seems to be looking up. He’s still outside the Chase, but he has the potential to nab a spot with a win in the next several weeks should his improvement continue.

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Staff Report

A statistical look ahead to the 20th race of the Sprint Cup season

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 20, 2015) — Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana going into Crown Royal presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard on July 26 (3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN).

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

INDIANAPOLIS-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Lilly/American Diabetes Association Ford)

· Three top fives, six top 10s

· Average finish of 13.100, seventh-best

· Average Running Position of 12.649, eighth-best

· Driver Rating of 92.3, ninth-best

· 60 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.968, eighth-fastest

· 1062 Laps in the Top 15 (66.4), eighth-most

· 217 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota)

· Two top fives, two top 10s

· Average finish of 13.556, ninth-best

· Average Running Position of 14.450, 10th-best

· Driver Rating of 85.0, 11th-best

· 12 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.683, 13th-fastest

· 845 Laps in the Top 15 (58.7), 11th-most

· 194 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 SKITTLES Toyota)

· Three top fives, eight top 10s

· Average finish of 10.600, fourth-best

· Average Running Position of 12.311, seventh-best

· Driver Rating of 98.5, sixth-best

· 64 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.317, sixth-fastest

· 1178 Laps in the Top 15 (73.6), sixth-most

· 297 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Carl Edwards (No. 19 STANLEY Toyota)

· One top five, three top 10s

· Average finish of 13.400, eighth-best

· Average Running Position of 16.619, 13th-best

· Driver Rating of 83.9, 13th-best

· 44 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.725, 12th-fastest

· 819 Laps in the Top 15 (51.2), 12th-most

· 263 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 3M Chevrolet)

· Five wins, 12 top fives, 17 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 7.900, third-best

· Average Running Position of 10.869, second-best

· Driver Rating of 105.6, second-best

· 157 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.820, series-fastest

· 1252 Laps in the Top 15 (78.3), second-most

· 315 Quality Passes, second-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota)

· Two top fives, four top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 15.333, 13th-best

· Average Running Position of 15.540, 11th-best

· Driver Rating of 90.6, 10th-best

· 54 Fastest Laps Run, series-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.251, seventh-fastest

· 851 Laps in the Top 15 (59.1), 10th-most

· 227 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John’s/ Budweiser Chevrolet)

· One win, four top fives, eight top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 12.500, fifth-best

· Average Running Position of 13.532, ninth-best

· Driver Rating of 92.7, eighth-best

· 34 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.740, 11th-fastest

· 1057 Laps in the Top 15 (66.1), ninth-most

· 254 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 KOBALT TOOLS Chevrolet)

· Four wins, five top fives, six top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 13.800, 10th-best

· Average Running Position of 10.911, third-best

· Driver Rating of 108.1, series-best

· 173 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.814, second-fastest

· 1192 Laps in the Top 15 (74.5), fifth-most

· 248 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Farmers Chevrolet)

· Three top fives, six top 10s

· Average finish of 14.400, 12th-best

· Average Running Position of 11.911, fifth-best

· Driver Rating of 100.1, fifth-best

· 102 Fastest Laps Run, second-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.415, fifth-fastest

· 1237 Laps in the Top 15 (77.3), fourth-most

· 299 Quality Passes, third-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)

· Seven top fives, nine top 10s

· Average finish of 12.600, sixth-best

· Average Running Position of 12.194, sixth-best

· Driver Rating of 96.6, seventh-best

· 18 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.948, ninth-fastest

· 1238 Laps in the Top 15 (77.4), third-most

· 282 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Ford)

· Two top 10s

· Average finish of 14.000, 11th-best

· Average Running Position of 16.489, 12th-best

· Driver Rating of 84.2, 12th-best

· 30 Fastest Laps Run, third-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.882, 10th-fastest

· 371 Laps in the Top 15 (46.4), 13th-most

· 104 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Kyle Larson (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)

· One top 10

· Average finish of 7.000, series-best

· Average Running Position of 9.212, series-best

· Driver Rating of 104.4, third-best

· 2 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.538, third-fastest

· 148 Laps in the Top 15 (92.5), series-most

· 36 Quality Passes, 13th-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Mobil 1 / Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)

· Two wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 7.800, second-best

· Average Running Position of 11.608, fourth-best

· Driver Rating of 101.9, fourth-best

· 98 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.478, fourth-fastest

· 1095 Laps in the Top 15 (68.4), seventh-most

· 319 Quality Passes, series-most

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2015 Top 16 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Kevin Harvick	14	2	1	4	8	0	10.7	92.7
2	Joey Logano	6	0	0	1	3	0	15.3	83.8
3	Dale Earnhardt Jr	15	0	0	1	5	3	18.6	82.5
4	Jimmie Johnson	13	1	4	5	6	3	15.5	108.1
5	Martin Truex Jr	10	0	0	0	1	1	20.8	73.2
6	Brad Keselowski	5	0	0	0	2	0	14	84.2
7	Matt Kenseth	15	0	0	7	9	2	14.3	96.6
8	Kurt Busch	14	0	0	1	4	2	20	73.9
9	Jamie McMurray	12	0	1	3	5	0	14.6	78.8
10	Jeff Gordon	21	3	5	12	17	1	8.4	105.6
11	Denny Hamlin	9	1	0	2	4	0	15.3	90.6
12	Kasey Kahne	11	0	0	3	6	2	13.5	100.1
13	Ryan Newman	14	1	1	2	3	2	17.2	79.6
14	Paul Menard	8	0	1	1	1	0	20.6	65.3
15	Aric Almirola	3	0	0	0	0	0	19	70.8
16	Clint Bowyer	9	0	0	2	2	0	13.6	85.0

* – Based on last 10 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2005 – 2014).

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Data

Season Race #: 20 of 36 (07-26-15)

Track Size: 2.5-miles

Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 9 degrees

Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 9 degrees

Banking/Straights: 0 degrees

Frontstretch Length: 3,330 feet

Backstretch Length: 3,300 feet

Race Length: 160 laps / 400 miles

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Indianapolis

Jimmie Johnson…………………… 108.1

Jeff Gordon………………………… 105.6

Kyle Larson…………………………. 104.4

Tony Stewart……………………….. 101.9

Kasey Kahne……………………….. 100.1

Kyle Busch…………………………… 98.5

Matt Kenseth………………………… 96.6

Kevin Harvick………………………… 92.7

Greg Biffle……………………………. 92.3

Denny Hamlin……………………….. 90.6

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (10 total) among active drivers at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data

2014 pole winner:

Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet

188.470 mph, 47.753 secs. 07-25-14

2014 race winner:

Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet

150.297 mph, (02:39:41), 07-27-14

Track qualifying record:

Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet

188.889 mph, 47.647 secs. 07-25-14

(Set in Round 1 of 3)

Track race record:

Bobby Labonte, Pontiac

155.912 mph, (02:33:56), 08-05-00

At Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

History

· Indianapolis Motor Speedway has existed since 1909, and is the original "Speedway," the first racing facility to incorporate the word into 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.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was August 6, 1994 – won by Jeff Gordon.

Starts

· There have been 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; one per year from 1994 through 2012.

· 138 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; 107 in more than one.

· Two drivers have competed in all 21 races at Indianapolis: Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte.

Poles

· Rick Mast won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Indianapolis in 1994 with a speed of 172.414 mph.

· 17 drivers have Coors Light poles at Indianapolis, led by Jeff Gordon with three.

· Two drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Indianapolis: Jeff Gordon (1995-96) and Ernie Irvan (1997-98).

· Youngest Indianapolis Coors Light pole winner: Reed Sorenson (07/29/2007 – 21 years, 5 months, 24 days).

· Oldest Indianapolis Coors Light pole winner: Mark Martin (07/26/2009 – 50 years, 6 months, 17 days).

· Reed Sorenson (07/29/07) is the only active driver to post his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Wins

· 12 different drivers have won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, led by Jeff Gordon with five; followed by his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jimmie Johnson, with four.

· Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to have posted consecutive wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2008 and 2009).

· Youngest Indianapolis winner: Jeff Gordon (08/06/1994 – 23 years, 0 months, 2 days).

· Oldest Indianapolis winner: Bill Elliott (08/04/2002 – 46 years, 9 months, 27 days).

· Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Indianapolis in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with nine; followed by Richard Childress Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing with three each.

· Four different manufacturers have won at Indianapolis; led by Chevrolet with 16 victories; followed by Ford (three), Dodge and Pontiac each have one.

· Chevrolet has won the last 12 consecutive NSCS races at Indianapolis – the longest active win streak by a manufacturer in the NSCS at a single track.

· Only three of the 21 (14.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Indianapolis have been won from the Coors Light pole: Kevin Harvick (2003), Jimmie Johnson (2008) and Ryan Newman (2013).

· The pole and the third-place starting positions are the most proficient starting positions in the field, each producing three winners – more than any other starting positions at Indianapolis.

· Five of the 21 (23.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Indianapolis have been won from the front row: three from the pole and two from second-place.

· 13 of the 21 (65%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Indianapolis have been won from a top-10 starting position.

· Three of the 21 (14.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Indianapolis have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Indianapolis is 27th, by Jeff Gordon in 2001.

· Six of the seven active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners at Indianapolis Motor Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Jeff Gordon won the Brickyard 400 in his first start at Indianapolis.

· Ryan Newman competed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway 12 times before winning in 2013; the longest span of any the seven active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.

· Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth lead the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Indianapolis without visiting Victory Lane at 15 each.

· Paul Menard (07/31/11) is the only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver to have posted his first career NSCS win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Additional Finishing Positions

· NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace leads the series in runner-up finishes at Indianapolis with three; followed by Kyle Busch, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth with two each.

· Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at Indianapolis with 12; followed by Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth with seven each.

· Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-10 finishes at Indianapolis with 17; followed by Tony Stewart and Mark Martin with 11 each.

· Ryan Newman leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Indianapolis with a 7.143.

· Jeff Gordon leads NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Indianapolis with a 8.381.

Track Specific Stats

· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was the August 3, 1997 race won by Ricky Rudd over Bobby Labonte with a MOV of 0.183 second.

· Four out of the last five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races have had a MOV larger than one second.

· Only one of the 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races have resulted with a green-white-checkered finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 2004 (160/161).

· None of the 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions.

· Qualifying has not been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Indianapolis with 528 laps led in 21 starts.

Female Competitor Stats

· Danica Patrick became the first female driver to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2013.

· Shawna Robinson (08/05/01) is the only other female driver to attempt to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Indianapolis, but she failed to qualify for the event.

Date	Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Driver Rating
7/27/2014	Danica Patrick	14	42	67.0
7/28/2013	Danica Patrick	33	30	48.5
Averages:		23.5	36.0	57.75

NASCAR in Indiana

· There have been 23 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races among three tracks in Indiana.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Indianapolis Motor Speedway	Speedway	21
Funks Speedway	Winchester	1
Playland Park Speedway	South Bend	1

· 79 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Indiana. Eight of the 79 have posted a win in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Driver	NSCS	NXS	NCWTS
Tony Stewart	48	11	2
Ryan Newman	17	7	1
Darel Dieringer	7	0	0
Charlie Glotzbach	4	0	0
John Andretti	2	0	0
Earl Balmer	1	0	0
Larry Frank	1	0	0
Dick Passwater	1	0	0
Tony Raines	0	0	4
Kenny Irwin Jr	0	0	2

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Wins List at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Date	Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Laps Led	Car Owner
8/6/1994	Jeff Gordon	3	1	93	Rick Hendrick
8/5/1995	Dale Earnhardt	13	1	28	Richard Childress
8/3/1996	Dale Jarrett	24	1	11	Robert Yates
8/3/1997	Ricky Rudd	7	1	15	Ricky Rudd
8/1/1998	Jeff Gordon	3	1	97	Rick Hendrick
8/7/1999	Dale Jarrett	4	1	117	Robert Yates
8/5/2000	Bobby Labonte	3	1	21	Joe Gibbs
8/5/2001	Jeff Gordon	27	1	29	Rick Hendrick
8/4/2002	Bill Elliott	2	1	93	Ray Evernham
8/3/2003	Kevin Harvick	1	1	33	Richard Childress
8/8/2004	Jeff Gordon	11	1	124	Rick Hendrick
8/7/2005	Tony Stewart	22	1	44	Joe Gibbs
8/6/2006	Jimmie Johnson	5	1	33	Rick Hendrick
7/29/2007	Tony Stewart	14	1	65	Joe Gibbs
7/27/2008	Jimmie Johnson	1	1	71	Jeff Gordon
7/26/2009	Jimmie Johnson	16	1	24	Jeff Gordon
7/25/2010	Jamie McMurray	4	1	16	Teresa Earnhardt
7/31/2011	Paul Menard	15	1	21	Richard Childress
7/29/2012	Jimmie Johnson	6	1	99	Jeff Gordon
7/28/2013	Ryan Newman	1	1	45	Tony Stewart
7/27/2014	Jeff Gordon	2	1	40	Rick Hendrick

Milestones – Indianapolis

DRIVER	HAS	NEEDS	MILESTONE	DESCRIPTION
DRIVER	HAS	NEEDS	MILESTONE	DESCRIPTION
Tony Stewart	573	1	574th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Career Start	Stewart will attempt to tie NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson (574) for 25th on the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career starts list.
Michael McDowell	174	1	175th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Career Start	McDowell is 145th on the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career starts list; two starts behind Walter Ballard in 144th (176)
Jimmie Johnson	74	2	76th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win	Jimmie Johnson is eighth on the all-time NSCS wins list, two wins behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt in seventh (76 wins).
Tony Stewart	48	2	50th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win	Stewart is 13th on the all-time NSCS wins list, two wins behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett in 12th (50 wins).
Carl Edwards	24	1	25th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win	Edwards is 31st on the all-time NSCS wins list, one win behind Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joe Weatherly and Denny Hamlin tied for 28th (25 wins).
Jeff Gordon	24,828	172	25,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led	Gordon can become the sixth driver in NSCS history to lead 25,000 laps; joining Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson and Bobby Allison.
Matt Kenseth	9,598	402	10,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led	Kenseth can become the 16th driver in series history to lead 10,000 or more laps.
Kevin Harvick	7,847	153	8,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led	Kevin Harvick can become the 24th driver in series history to lead 8,000 or more laps.
#43 car	199	1	200 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Wins	The No. 43 car is second on the all-time NSCS wins list, five wins behind the No. 11 car in first (204). The last win for the No. 43 car came at Daytona last season.

Posted on July 20, 2015 by

Complete news and notes on all 43 cars in the 5-hour ENERGY 301

RELATED: Full race results | Series standings | Chase Grid

Breaking down how the full 43-car field fared at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

1. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. "Ain’t no give up in this (No.) 18 team," Busch radioed his crew after winning his third Cup race of the season. He put himself in position to win after making a green-flag pit stop then racing his way back onto the lead lap. | MORE: Busch conquers Loudon

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

2. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske. Keselowski led a race-high 100 laps, but was flustered by the caution flags: "I’m not really happy with these yellows when I’m leading like that. Not cool." | RELATED: Kes admits to being grouchy

3. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick led 59 laps, but had a bit of a pit miscue on the final stop that made regaining track position difficult.

4. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, Team Penske. The outside polesitter was consistent all day en route to his fourth top-five at his home track.

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Despite a power issue, Earnhardt recorded his 10th top-five of the season and improves to rank third in the points. | WATCH: Dale Jr. says he ‘had to drive real hard all day long’

6. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Kenseth overcame an early pit road speeding penalty to record his 16th top 10 at Loudon.

7. Carl Edwards, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Edwards earned his first pole position at Loudon and benefited from having the best pit stall at the 1.058-mile track.

8. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Dillon posted his best career result at Loudon after working with his team on the No. 3 Chevy’s handling. | RELATED: Dillon’s top 10 will boost team

9. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon and company rebounded from a collision during practice and a potential battery issue to improve his already track-best top-10 record to 23. | RELATED: Gordon, Bowyer make contact in garage

10. Kurt Busch, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Busch’s car showed to be better on short runs, but he held on to post his best Loudon finish since July 2011.

11. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Newman brushed the wall on Lap 12, but continued to climb through the field after starting 26th.

12. Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing. Truex was caught a lap down because he pitted just prior to the Lap 251 caution flag.

13. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing. Allmendinger’s team had oxygen ready as their under-the-weather driver managed his fifth top-15 at Loudon. | MORE: Allmendinger treated for heat-related issues

14. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin dropped back after lining up fifth on Sunday as his team worked to recover forward bite. | MORE: Hamlin, Dillon have differing views of Saturday’s run-in

15. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola sustained damage to the right-front fender after getting loose and hitting the wall prior to the Lap 251 caution flag. | RELATED: Almirola’s back in provisional Chase Grid

16. Casey Mears, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing. Mears employed pit strategy to earn his best Loudon finish since September 2009.

17. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17, Roush Fenway Racing. Stenhouse climbed from his 32nd starting spot to run ninth with 50 laps to go before a tire issue jeopardized his position.

18. David Ragan, No. 55 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Ragan picked up three spots to restart 14th with 50 laps to go after a solid four-tire stop by his team.

19. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne spent the first half of the race running in the top 10 before a tight-handling condition emerged.

20. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart earned the free pass after the third caution flag waved, but the three-time Loudon winner struggled to stay on the lead lap.

21. David Gilliland, No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Gilliland marched through the field after starting 37th.

22. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. A pit road speeding penalty on Lap 179 mired Johnson in traffic.

23. Ryan Blaney, No. 21 Ford, Wood Brothers Racing. Blaney was running seventh on Lap 125 when he reported bad tire chatter and opted to make an unscheduled pit stop for a loose wheel. He was then clocked too fast entering pit road. | MORE: Get pit road and so much more with RaceView Premium

24. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Patrick worked through an initially tight-handling condition in her fifth New Hampshire start.

25. Paul Menard, No. 27 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Menard limped off the track on Lap 199 after cutting a tire, but wound up bringing out the caution when he spun at the pit road entrance.

26. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet. Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. McMurray was running 13th with 30 laps to go when he radioed to his team that he thought his engine was blowing up. | MORE: Hear in-car audio with Scanner

27. Greg Biffle, No. 16 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. The No. 16 team made gains on the handling, notably finding grip, and took the wave-around with 46 laps to go to get Biffle back on the lead lap. | RELATED: Biffle says it’s ‘hard to stay enthusiastic’

28. Cole Whitt, No. 35 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Whitt matched his best performance at the 1.058-mile track

29. Sam Hornish Jr., No. 9 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Forward progress was a challenge for Hornish, who brushed the wall early on Sunday and then later reported an engine issue on Lap 55.

30. Landon Cassill, No. 40 Chevrolet, Hillman Smith Motorsports. Cassill ran as high as fourth on Sunday, but his strong run was stalled when he got caught by the caution on pit road

31. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Larson had to fight his way back after getting nabbed for speeding on pit road on Lap 105.

32. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. The No. 6 team tried to use pit strategy to rally from a deep starting spot in Bayne’s first New Hampshire outing.

33. Brett Moffitt, No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. The fastest qualifying rookie improved upon his starting spot in his Loudon debut.

34. Clint Bowyer, No. 15 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Bowyer got loose in the corner and hit the wall with 93 laps to go. He successfully kept his car from spinning, but required a pit stop for repairs. | RELATED: Bowyer, Gordon make contact in garage

35. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 83 Toyota, BK Racing. DiBenedetto worked through a tight-handling condition in his Loudon debut. | MORE: DiBenedetto treated for heat-related issues

36. Michael Annett, No. 46 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Handling was a persistent issue for Annett, whose team made a big adjustment with 100 laps to go. | MORE: Annett treated for heat-related issues

37. Eddie MacDonald, No. 32 Ford, Go FAS Racing. The New Englander and regular driver in the K&N Pro Series East made his second start at his home track.

38. Timmy Hill, No. 98 Ford, Premium Motorsports. Hill encountered some overheating during the early stages of Sunday’s 301-lap event.

39. Derek White, No. 33 Chevrolet, Circle Sport. The 2010 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series made his Cup debut when he lined up 42nd Sunday.

40. Justin Allgaier, No. 51 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Allgaier struggled after hitting the wall on Lap 10. He retired for the day after losing power steering in the final 100 laps.

41. Jeb Burton, No. 26 Toyota, BK Racing. The rookie reported to the garage so his team could address a broken gear during the second half of the race.

42. Alex Bowman, No. 7 Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing. Bowman’s team changed his flat right-front tire at Lap 97, but Bowman didn’t make it off pit road as the already flammable area combusted. | WATCH: Bowman’s tire fire

43. J.J. Yeley, No. 23 Toyota, BK Racing. Yeley struggled with a vibration during the first half of Sunday’s race and finally retreated to the garage with a broken hub seal.

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Staff Report

See what’s coming this week to NASCAR.com

Here’s what you’ll see on NASCAR.com this week:

MONDAY: Kenny Bruce writes on Furniture Row Racing, which is rumored to be considering a manufacturer switch to Toyota … Kyle Busch won for the third time in four races; see exactly what he has to do to clinch a Chase berth … The Rundown analyzes how every driver fared at New Hampshire.

TUESDAY: This week’s Power Rankings presented by Outback has a new No. 1 driver; who is it? Could Kyle Busch climb that high? … @nascarcasm has his weekly winner’s Facebook page, so get ready Kyle Busch … For the second week in a row, Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske were the cars to beat, as Pat DeCola reports … Want to know how Eldora works? We’ll tell you.

WEDNESDAY: New paint schemes will be on display at Indianapolis and Eldora, and we’ll have them all in Paint Scheme Preview … Speaking of Eldora, there’s plenty of action on the dirt track, and it begins at 10:30 a.m. ET. The race itself starts at 9 p.m. ET. We’ll have live leaderboards of it all … While you’re watching the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, vote on who you think will win at Indy.

THURSDAY: Driver Reports highlights the 16 drivers currently on the Chase Grid, and how they fare at Indianapolis … Senior writer Kenny Bruce will look back at Jeff Gordon‘s top Brickyard moments … Jessica Ruffin, for #TBT, throws it back to Tony Stewart‘s first win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

FRIDAY: The Sprint Cup Series gets on track at 9 a.m. ET, and we’ll have full coverage from a busy day at the track … 8 Tweets You Might Have Missed highlights the best from social media over the past week … Kissing the bricks? @nascarcasm has a take on that.

Also coming this week: High Five, which drops Wednesday, highlights the best NASCAR content from around the internet … the Major League Baseball trade deadline is coming up, which got RJ Kraft thinking about some possible NASCAR driver trades.