After win, Sauter ready for tight turn to Bristol

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Zack Albert

Crew chief change off to promising start for No. 98 team

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule is in the midst of its now-annual tight turnaround in August, with just four days separating last Saturday afternoon’s event at Michigan from Wednesday night’s tilt at Bristol Motor Speedway.

It’s a quick turn that newly minted points leader Johnny Sauter — and the series’ most recent winner — doesn’t mind making.

Sauter and the rest of the truck series regulars will make their traditional midweek stop at the Thunder Valley bullring for Wednesday’s UNOH 200 (8:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1). With 10 races left in the season, Bristol kicks off what Sauter hopes is a favorable stretch in his bid for a breakthrough truck title as the schedule turns toward fall.

"I can’t think of a better place to go than Bristol and to be only three, four days away from that is pretty awesome," Sauter said Saturday after notching his first win of the season at Michigan International Speedway. "When I look down the rest of the schedule, I see Vegas, Talladega, Martinsville, Texas, Homestead — all places that I’ve won at in the past. … Having said all that, Bristol’s the next one on the list."

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"I keep telling everyone around me, they’re like, ‘Championship, championship,’ and I said, ‘Well, I’m doing it one week at a time.’ If you run well and stay out of trouble, you’re going to ultimately, hopefully have a shot at the championship. So right now, next thing on my list is Bristol."

Though Sauter’s season had been marked by steady performance with just two finishes outside the top 10 in the first 12 races, his ThorSport Racing team recently made a change at crew chief, bringing in Jeff Hensley and moving former crew chief Dennis Connor to teammate Jeb Burton’s crew starting at Michigan.

There was no semblance of a major slump — Sauter finished second in his last race with Connor at Pocono — but the team still sought an extra edge. The change produced immediate results in just Hensley’s eighth day on the job.

"It was just a deal where we were really running decent this year, we were consistent but we were just maybe lacking a little bit here and there," said Sauter, who extended his streak of seasons with at least one victory to six. "We hadn’t won; I think this is the latest in the season in the last four or five years that I hadn’t won a race, so it was tough. Ultimately Dennis Connor did a great job; I have all the respect in the world for Dennis. We talked already about it, and it was just a thing we thought was going to make the whole organization stronger."

Hensley, now 1-for-1 atop the pit box for Sauter’s No. 98 Toyota, agreed.

"I know. I’ve been where Johnny’s at," said Hensley, who was crew chief for Chuck Bown’s 1990 championship in what is now the NASCAR Nationwide Series. "Sometimes you’ve got to do things that maybe shake things up a bit, and good things happen like happened today. I just feel like I’m the most fortunate person in the world right now to be a part of this."

Short tracks have long been a sweet spot for the 36-year-old Sauter, but a Bristol victory has eluded him thus far in his his truck career. He finished second at the .533-mile track in 2011 and landed a fourth-place run there last season.

Carrying a nine-point lead over ThorSport teammate Matt Crafton and the momentum from his Michigan win bode well for Sauter’s chances, but so does a fresh outlook and a fast mount.

"I think Jeff’s already got that truck pretty well ready to go," Sauter said of his Bristol ride. "It’s pretty cool to win our first race out of the gate together, and maybe we can make it two in a row."

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Posted on August 19, 2014 by Zack Albert

2012 champion had a topsy-turvy day at Michigan

BROOKLYN, Mich. — The right side of Brad Keselowski’s car almost looked like a photo negative as his crew loaded it on the Team Penske hauler after 400 hard-fought miles. The No. 2 Ford started Sunday as a pearly off-white but wound up blackened after a late-race scrape with the retaining wall.

Such encounters usually don’t end well, especially at Michigan International Speedway, where speeds above 200 mph are commonplace. Against those steep odds, the Penske team patched up the black-and-blue Deuce to salvage an eighth-place finish in the Pure Michigan 400.

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"Looked like from there it was going to be a disaster of a day," Keselowski said, "but everyone on the Miller Lite Ford Fusion did a heck of a job fixing it, getting us back out there, and somehow ended up eighth with a car that was disastrously torn up. That’s a heck of an effort, something to be proud of and something to take away from here."

The takeaway might be that Keselowski’s team has championship-caliber resilience to match its on-track performance in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year. The 30-year-old driver had just taken the lead in a cycle of pit stops when a tire let go in the 168th of 200 laps, sending Keselowski’s No. 2 entry up the track.

Without much time to produce a rally, the Penske bunch worked feverishly to mend the car and keep Keselowski from losing a lap. He restarted 17th as the final driver on the lead lap and surprisingly regained lost ground over the final 26 laps.

The finish came as a welcome turnaround for the team after last weekend’s 35th-place effort at Watkins Glen and a 23rd-place day at Pocono the previous week.

"The guys did a great job. Hats off to all of them because the last few weeks have been tough," said Paul Wolfe, Keselowski’s crew chief. "Just seems like we’ve had different things happening. We’ve had pretty fast cars, I feel like, but just things have happened, and when that happens, it’s like ‘here we go again.’ I felt like we needed to work hard to stay on the lead lap and the guys did a great job of that and actually got it fixed well enough where we could actually move back forward a bit and get a decent finish out of it considering how late in the race that happened. That says a lot about all these guys.

"I’ve got confidence in the guys working on the car and the driver. We’ve got a few things not going our way right now, but we’re confident that when we get to Chicago when the points matter, we’ll be where we need to be."

Keselowski possesses three regular-season wins — tied for most in the series — as the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs draw near. The performance and reliability have helped Keselowski build a case for his second championship in the last three years.

But his racing career’s bucket list also includes checking the box for a home-track victory, something that was tantalizingly close for the Rochester Hills, Michigan native over the weekend.

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Posted on August 19, 2014 by Nascar

Carlos Slim Domit, world-known businessman, has supported German Quiroga, Jose Luis Ramirez

MORE: Learn more about Daniel Suarez | NASCAR Home Tracks
Edwards joins JGR as fourth Cup car in ’15 | Fast facts about the deal

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Although Carl Edwards was the central figure at a Tuesday press conference announcing his 2015 move to Joe Gibbs Racing, the man sitting several seats from him on the podium carries much more clout.

Carlos Slim Domit, chairman of the Mexican conglomerate Grupo Carso, is part of one of the world’s richest families. He was at the press conference in support of Mexican driver Daniel Suarez and in partnership with Gibbs’ newest sponsor, ARRIS, which produces broadband and video technology.

Domit’s father is Carlos Slim Helu, who, at various times in recent years, has been ranked by business magazines as the world’s richest person. He owns a wide range of international companies but perhaps is best known for development of telecommunications businesses, particularly in Mexico and Latin America.

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Slim has been involved in motorsports for many years and was part of the organization that worked with NASCAR to run Nationwide Series races in Mexico City from 2005 to 2008. His Escuderia Telmex group promotes Mexican drivers, and JGR said as part of Tuesday’s announcement that it will work with Telmex to develop more minority drivers.

Slim’s group has been involved with drivers German Quiroga, Jose Luis Ramirez and Memo Rojas, among others.

"To have a man with the influence and power and means that Carlos Slim has, that’s very positive for us to have him here," said NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps, who attended Tuesday’s press conference. "He and his dad are both racing fans, and both are really supportive of what we’re doing.

"They have a very tight relationship with (NASCAR chairman) Brian France, and that’s healthy for us. Having those friendships and working relationships are an important part of the success of any program we have in Mexico.

"The partnership that has been created between JGR and Carlos Slim will bear fruit for us as a sport overall."

Domit called Tuesday’s JGR announcements "one more big step in our history in motorsports."

"We started in the early ’80s in motorsports, and it’s a sport where the attachment between the sport and the sponsor is very close. The race track is an extension of our offices."

Slim’s group has been a sponsor in Chip Ganassi’s sports car operation.

Its emphasis in NASCAR circles, Domit said, is to put talented drivers like Suarez, newly named to JGR’s Nationwide driver corps, at the top levels of NASCAR racing.

"We’re a driver development group that looks for opportunities for Mexican and Latin American drivers," he said. "We’ve had really good success with the NASCAR Mexico Series and moving drivers forward. Daniel is the latest example of that.

"We want to continue working in that direction with our best drivers and teams."

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Posted on August 19, 2014 by Nascar

NASCAR Next alumnus joining team in full-time Nationwide Series role

MORE: Learn more about Suarez | NASCAR Home Tracks | Facts about deal
Edwards joins JGR as fourth Cup car | Meet the man connecting Mexico to JGR

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Daniel Suarez participated in Tuesday’s wide-ranging press conference at Joe Gibbs Racing headquarters as if he was in a dreamland of sorts.

Surrounded by some of the best drivers in NASCAR and sitting alongside some of the most influential people in international motorsports, Suarez could be forgiven for being a bit shell-shocked.

A 22-year-old native of Monterrey, Mexico, with limited national series stock car racing experience but 99 starts and 11 wins across the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series, Suarez was named Tuesday as one of JGR’s full-time NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers for 2015. He also will drive part time for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

"I feel lucky to be in this position right now," Suarez said. "It’s the biggest step of my career. I can’t wait to start racing."

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Suarez started racing go-karts in Mexico at the age of 11 and showed promise early. He caught the eye of officials involved in the NASCAR Toyota Series in Mexico and moved into that series in 2011. He finished ninth in points that season in the Mexico Series and began racing part-time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, earning a spot in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program. He finished third in K&N points in 2013, becoming the highest-finishing international driver in series history while also scoring his first series win.

He made his Nationwide debut in April in a JGR car, finishing 19th at Richmond International Raceway, and continued success in K&N racing and the Mexico Series put him in position to go full time with JGR next year.

"We have been waiting for this opportunity for around three years," Suarez said. "Finally, we made it — and with one of the best teams in the sport. I believe with all the support from Joe Gibbs Racing, we can have fast development with myself and learn to be fast and competitive quickly."

As his career progressed in Mexico, Suarez had an opportunity to drive in formula racing in Europe.

"I had heard lots of comments from many people that NASCAR was working hard in the Hispanic market and that maybe that would be something good for me," Suarez said. "So we made the decision to go here in the States."

So he will begin next season carrying the banner of one of stock car racing’s leading teams and working with the guidance of a veteran driver corps that includes Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and now Carl Edwards.

"Going to a lot of tracks that are new to me, all the very good advice I can get will help," Suarez said. "To have this kind of teammates is amazing. Also driving for Kyle Busch, I’ll get help there."

Suarez has the support of Escuderia Telmex, the Mexico City group that has worked with NASCAR for many years in driver development programs. He will drive with sponsorship from ARRIS, the broadband and video technology company that also will be Edwards’ primary sponsor in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

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Posted on August 19, 2014 by Nascar

Driver will run fourth car for Joe Gibbs Racing starting in 2015; Suarez becomes full-time NNS driver for organization

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Carl Edwards will join Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2015 season as the organization expands to four full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams.

The move was announced today at the company’s headquarters, where JGR currently fields Toyota entries in the Sprint Cup Series for drivers Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth.

"There are a number of factors; it’s not just one thing," Edwards said of his decision to leave Roush Fenway Racing after a 11-year run with the organization in Sprint Cup.

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"There are a lot of really, really strong teams in the sport. For me, all of my successes, all those wins, my first NASCAR championship, have all come at Roush Fenway Racing. There’s nothing saying they (RFR) won’t beat me like a drum next year. You just don’t know.

"But for me it’s not a statistical analysis or one specific technical reason that I’m really excited about being a part of this team. It’s just overall it seemed like the right thing to do. … When you speak to the other drivers and you look at the statistics and look at the landscape, it’s something I was really excited about."

Edwards’ car will carry the number 19 with primary sponsorship from ARRIS, a telecommunications technology company, for 17 races. Team owner Joe Gibbs said additional sponsorship for the remaining 19 races isn’t a concern.

"We have almost all of those accounted for; that announcement will be coming a little bit later," he said.  

Edwards, 35, has 23 Sprint Cup wins in 360 career starts, all with Roush Fenway Racing. He is third on the all-time win list for the organization, trailing Mark Martin (35 wins) and Kenseth, who won 24 times while driving for RFR.

In 11 seasons, Edwards has finished in the top-five in points four times, including runner-up efforts in 2008 and ’11. The ’11 season ended with Edwards and Tony Stewart tied in points, but Stewart clinched the title based on having more race wins during the season.

A 38-race winner in Nationwide competition, Edwards won that series’ title in 2007. He also has six career Camping World Truck Series victories.

The selection of various personnel, such as a crew chief and pit crew, hasn’t begun, but team president J.D. Gibbs said the organization has plenty of talent to choose from already on staff.

"Everybody is taking a risk here," Edwards said. "From the JGR standpoint, they’re starting a fourth team, which is huge. ARRIS is jumping off into the sport in a huge way. I’m stepping away from the only place I’ve ever been. Who knows what will happen? But I truly believe that we will finish this season strong at Roush Fenway Racing; I feel like they will be better next year than they are this year, but everything I’ve seen over here says that in 2015 and beyond this place is going to be tough to beat and I’m excited to be a part of that."

Edwards is eighth in the points standings, but with two wins (at Bristol Motor Speedway and Sonoma Raceway), he has already earned one of the 16 berths for this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. It will mark his eighth appearance in the 10-race battle for the title.

Roush Fenway Racing officials announced their 2015 Sprint Cup driver lineup last month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That group will consist of veteran Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne.

Joe Gibbs Racing entered NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series in 1992 with driver Dale Jarrett. Bobby Labonte replaced Jarrett in 1995, and in 1999 the organization expanded to two full-time teams, adding driver Tony Stewart.

A third team was added in 2004, running a partial schedule with Ricky Craven (1 start) and J.J. Yeley (2) filling the driver’s seat. The team, carrying the No. 11, ran the majority of the races in 2005 with various drivers before Hamlin was put in the car full-time in 2006.

JGR drivers have won 114 Sprint Cup races and three championships (Labonte, 2000; Stewart, ’02, ’05).

The addition of a fourth team wasn’t something the organization rushed into, Joe Gibbs said.

"We were one of the bigger teams, and it took us the longest to go to three (teams)," he said. "Because you worry about … we want our vision and everything we’ve got going with our three cars trying to win championships. …

"We were very careful with it; we felt like this was the right time. Mainly, we were able to get Carl and we were able to get ARRIS and that was the perfect fit for us. … Obviously by adding Carl and the fourth team, it brings more resources to the table.

"We’re competing against other teams out there that have four teams in their alliance, or more. It’s important for us … we need to put ourselves in the best position and we felt this was the right time with the right driver and the right sponsor."

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Posted on August 18, 2014 by NASCAR Wire Service

Get the complete NASCAR programming lineup for the week

Monday, August 18
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
7:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
7:30 p.m., Empty Cup: Quest for the 1992 NASCAR Championship (re-air), FOX Sports 2

Tuesday, August 19
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
7 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2

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Wednesday, August 20
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
8 p.m., NCWTS SetUp, FOX Sports 1
8:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Bristol, FOX Sports 1

Thursday, August 21
12:30 p.m., The 10 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
1 p.m., The 10 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying (re-air), FOX Sports 1
3 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Bristol (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
7 p.m., The 10 Greatest Bristol Moments (re-air), FOX Sports 1
7:30 p.m., The 10 NASCAR’s Greatest Finishes (re-air), FOX Sports 1
4 a.m. (Fri.), NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Bristol (re-air), FOX Sports 1

Friday, August 22
10 a.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Evergreen, FOX Sports 1
11 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, FOX Sports 1
1 p.m., NASCAR Live, FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice, FOX Sports 1
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Live, FOX Sports 1
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, ESPN2
7 p.m., NNS Countdown, ESPN
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Bristol, ESPN
3 a.m. (Sat.), NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice (re-air), FOX Sports 1
4 a.m. (Sat.), NASCAR Nationwide Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying (re-air), FOX Sports 1

Saturday, August 23
10 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Evergreen (re-air), FOX Sports 2
6 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FOX Sports 2
7 p.m., NSCS Countdown, ABC
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Bristol, ABC
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Bristol, ESPN Deportes
3 a.m. (Sun.), NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 1
3 a.m. (Sun.), NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Bristol (re-air), ESPN2
3:30 a.m. (Sun.), FOX Sports 1 on 1: Jimmie Johnson (re-air), FOX Sports 1

Sunday, August 24
10:30 a.m., NASCAR Victory Lane (re-air), FOX Sports 1
11 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Bristol (re-air), FOX Sports 1
4 p.m., TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Race at VIR, FOX Sports 1

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Posted on August 18, 2014 by

It’s nervous time for any driver without a victory this season

In a season of accumulating tension, it’s time for a number of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers to get worried—really worried.

Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway established two important facts. First, Jeff Gordon’s third victory of the season ensured that there will be no more than 15 different winners in the first 26 races this year.

That in turn guarantees that at least one driver will qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup based on position in the standings.

If they don’t get to Victory Lane, they leave their fate in the hands of others.

Second, as of the Michigan race, all 12 drivers who have victories so far this season are now locked into the Chase, provided they attempt to qualify for the next three events.

That leaves four Chase spots available in what is certain to be a mad scramble for playoff eligibility over the next three weeks. If Bristol, Atlanta and Richmond all give us repeat winners, four drivers will qualify for the Chase on points.

Position in the standings, however, is far from a guarantee. In the bifurcated system for determining Chase eligibility, race wins trump points position, and each new different winner eliminates a position available on points to a winless driver.

Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle are the top four drivers in the standings without a victory this year, but those four drivers have a right to be nervous entering the final three races of the regular season.

On the one hand, they can lock up Chase spots with race wins. On the other hand, if they don’t get to Victory Lane, they leave their fate in the hands of others.

Hypothetically, Marcos Ambrose could win at Bristol, arguably his best track other than the road courses. Ambrose has two fifth-place finishes and three top 10s in his last four starts at Thunder Valley. Should he win there — or should 2013 Bristol winner Kasey Kahne take the checkered flag — a Chase spot available on points vanishes.

The worst nightmare for Kenseth, Newman, Bowyer and Biffle would be for three drivers currently outside the Chase Grid to win the next three races and eliminate all but one spot available on points.

Before Michigan, Kenseth seemed relatively secure as the top driver in the standings without a victory, but the No. 20 Toyota fell victim to a nine-car accident on Lap 25 and finished 38th, cutting Kenseth’s margin over Ryan Newman (the next driver in the standings without a win) to 30 points.

Accordingly, the No. 20 team faces a ticklish situation and two divergent goals heading to Bristol on Saturday night. A victory would be by far the best outcome, because it would lock Kenseth into the Chase. But with one spot guaranteed to the highest points finisher without a win, Kenseth also needs to preserve his position in the standings.

One of the crowning achievements of this year’s new Chase qualification system is the layer of complexity it has added to the process. We won’t know until the checkered flag in the final regular-season race at Richmond how many different winners we’ll have in the first 26 races and how many drivers will qualify on points.

The permutations are almost endless. If Greg Biffle can’t win one of the next three races, for example, he’ll be cheering for drivers who already have race wins—the rivals he would face in the Chase—to sweep Bristol, Atlanta and Richmond.

And there’s certain to be intense racing between the four winless drivers currently inside the Chase Grid and those immediately behind them: Kahne, Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson and Ambrose.

During a three-week period rife with unknowns, however, there is one certainty. We won’t know the identities of all 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title contenders until the final lap at Richmond.

And that’s as it should be.

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Posted on August 18, 2014 by Staff Report

See the full list of drivers entered as the Nationwide Series returns to Bristol

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Entry	#	Driver	Owner	Crew chief	Manufacturer	Sponsor
1	01	Landon Cassill	Johnny Davis	Dave Fuge	14 Chevrolet	Flex Seal
2	2	Brian Scott	Richard Childress	Phil Gould	14 Chevrolet	Shore Lodge
3	3	Ty Dillon	Richard Childress	Danny Stockman Jr	14 Chevrolet	Bass Pro Shops
4	4	Jeffrey Earnhardt	Gary Keller	Gary Cogswell	14 Chevrolet	teamjdmotorsports.com
5	5	Kevin Harvick(i)	Rick Hendrick	Ernie Cope	14 Chevrolet	Hunt Brothers Pizza
6	6	Trevor Bayne	Jack Roush	Chad Norris	14 Ford	AdvoCare
7	7	Regan Smith	Kelley Earnhardt-Miller	Ryan Pemberton	14 Chevrolet	Breyers
8	9	Chase Elliott	Dale Earnhardt Jr	Greg Ives	14 Chevrolet	NAPA AUTO PARTS
9	10	Mike Bliss	Mark Smith	Paul Clapprood	14 Toyota	Supportmilitary.org
10	11	Elliott Sadler	J D Gibbs	Chris Gayle	14 Toyota	SportClips
11	13	Carl Long	Derek White	Kevin Eagle	14 Toyota	Headrush
12	14	Eric McClure	Mark Smith	Wes Ward	14 Toyota	Hefty Ultimate / Reynolds Wrap
13	16	Ryan Reed	Jack Roush	Seth Barbour	14 Ford	ADA Drive to Stop Diabetes presented by Lilly Diabetes
14	17	Tanner Berryhill	Adrian Berryhill	Daniel Stillman	14 Dodge	NationalCashLenders.com
15	19	Hermie Sadler III	Mark Smith	Eddie Pardue	14 Toyota	VA Lottery
16	20	Erik Jones(i)	Joe Gibbs	Kevin Kidd	14 Toyota	Resers Main Street Bistro
17	22	Ryan Blaney(i)	Roger Penske	Jeremy Bullins	14 Ford	Discount Tire
18	23	Robert Richardson Jr	Robert Richardson Sr	George Church	14 Chevrolet	TBD
19	25	John Wes Townley(i)	Tony Townley	Mike Beam	14 Toyota	No. 25 Zaxby’s The Identical Movie Toyota
20	28	J J Yeley	James Whitener	Steve Plattenberger	13 Dodge	Texas 28 Spirits Stage
21	29	Milka Duno	Robby Benton	TBA	14 Toyota	RAB Racing
22	31	Dylan Kwasniewski	Steve Turner	Shannon Rursch	14 Chevrolet	FOE
23	33	Cale Conley(i)	Richard Childress	Nick Harrison	14 Chevrolet	IAVA
24	39	Ryan Sieg	Rod Sieg	Kevin Starland	14 Chevrolet	StationDigital.com
25	40	Josh Wise(i)	Curtis Key Sr	Gary Showalter	14 Chevrolet	Curtis Key Plumbing
26	42	Kyle Larson(i)	Harry Scott Jr	Scott Zipadelli	14 Chevrolet	ENEOS
27	43	Dakoda Armstrong	Richard Petty	Philippe Lopez	14 Ford	WinField
28	44	David Starr	Mark Smith	Greg Conner	14 Toyota	NCCER/Build Your Future
29	46	Matt Dibenedetto	Curtis Key Sr	Kyle Symington	14 Chevrolet	Curtis Key Plumbing
30	51	Jeremy Clements	Tony Clements	Ricky Pearson	14 Chevrolet	Allsouthelectric.com-RepairableVehicles.com
31	52	Joey Gase	Jimmy Means	Tim Brown	14 Chevrolet	TBA
32	54	Kyle Busch(i)	J D Gibbs	Adam Stevens	14 Toyota	Monster Energy
33	55	Jamie Dick	Jimmy Dick	Mark Durgin	14 Chevrolet	Viva Auto Group
34	60	Chris Buescher	Jack Roush	Scott Graves	14 Ford	Roush Performance Parts
35	62	Brendan Gaughan	Richard Childress	Shane Wilson	14 Chevrolet	South Point
36	70	Derrike Cope	Mary Louise Miller	Fred Wanke	14 Chevrolet	YOUTHEORY
37	74	Kevin Lepage	Mike Harmon	Gary Ritter	12 Chevrolet	TBA
38	184	Chad Boat	Billy Boat	Dan Deeringhoff	14 Chevrolet	Front Row Tailgaiting-CorvetteParts.net
39	86	Jake Crum(i)	Scott Deware	Rick Markle	14 Ford	MyFreedomSmokes.com
40	87	Timmy Hill(i)	Andrea Nemechek	Steven Gray	14 Chevrolet	Lilly Trucking
41	89	Morgan Shepherd	Morgan Shepherd	Claude Townsend	14 Chevrolet	King’s Tire
42	91	Jeff Green	Mark Smith	Todd Myers	14 Toyota	TriStar Motorsports
43	93	Kevin Swindell	Gregg Mixon	David Goulet	13 Dodge	JGL Racing
44	99	James Buescher	Robby Benton	Matthew Lucas	14 Toyota	Toyota Care

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Posted on August 18, 2014 by Staff Report

See the full list of drivers entered at Bristol

Entry	#	Driver	Owner	Crew chief	Manufacturer	Sponsor
1	1	Jamie McMurray	Felix Sabates	Keith Rodden	14 Chevrolet	McDonald’s
2	2	Brad Keselowski	Roger Penske	Paul Wolfe	14 Ford	Wurth
3	3	Austin Dillon	Richard Childress	Gil Martin	14 Chevrolet	Dow Great Stuff
4	4	Kevin Harvick	Tony Stewart	Rodney Childers	14 Chevrolet	Jimmy John’s
5	5	Kasey Kahne	Linda Hendrick	Kenny Francis	14 Chevrolet	Great Clips
6	7	Michael Annett	Tommy Baldwin	Kevin Manion	14 Chevrolet	Pilot/Flying J Chevrolet
7	9	Marcos Ambrose	Richard Petty	Drew Blickensderfer	14 Ford	DeWALT
8	10	Danica Patrick	Tony Stewart	Tony Gibson	14 Chevrolet	GoDaddy
9	11	Denny Hamlin	J D Gibbs	Michael Wheeler	14 Toyota	FedEx Ground
10	13	Casey Mears	Bob Germain	Bootie Barker III	14 Chevrolet	No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS
11	14	Tony Stewart	Margaret Haas	Chad Johnston	14 Chevrolet	Bass Pro Shops / Mobil 1
12	15	Clint Bowyer	Rob Kauffman	Brian Pattie	14 Toyota	5-Hour Energy
13	16	Greg Biffle	Jack Roush	Matt Puccia	14 Ford	3M Hire Our Heroes Ford Fusion
14	17	Ricky Stenhouse Jr	John Henry	Michael Kelley	14 Ford	Ford EcoBoost
15	18	Kyle Busch	Joe Gibbs	Dave Rogers	14 Toyota	Doublemint
16	20	Matt Kenseth	Joe Gibbs	Jason Ratcliff	14 Toyota	Dollar General
17	22	Joey Logano	Walter Czarnecki	Todd Gordon	14 Ford	Shell Pennzoil
18	23	Alex Bowman	Ron Devine	Dave Winston	14 Toyota	Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry
19	24	Jeff Gordon	Rick Hendrick	Alan Gustafson	14 Chevrolet	Drive To End Hunger
20	26	Cole Whitt	Anthony Marlowe	Randy Cox	14 Toyota	Speed Stick Gear Toyota
21	27	Paul Menard	Richard Childress	Slugger Labbe	14 Chevrolet	Serta / Menards
22	31	Ryan Newman	Richard Childress	Luke Lambert	14 Chevrolet	Caterpillar
23	32	J J Yeley(i)	Frank Stoddard Jr	Ben Leslie	14 Ford	Corvetteparts.net
24	33	David Stremme	Joe Falk	Mike Hillman Jr	14 Chevrolet	Little Joe’s Autos
25	34	David Ragan	Bob Jenkins	Jay Guy	14 Ford	DOCKSIDE LOGISTICS
26	36	Reed Sorenson	Allan Heinke	Todd Parrott	14 Chevrolet	TBA
27	37	Dave Blaney	Tommy Baldwin	Zach McGowan	14 Chevrolet	Accell Construction Inc.
28	38	David Gilliland	Brad Jenkins	Frank Kerr	14 Ford	MDS
29	40	Landon Cassill(i)	Michael Hillman	Mark Hillman	14 Chevrolet	CRC 1-Tank Power Renew
30	41	Kurt Busch	Gene Haas	Daniel Knost	14 Chevrolet	Haas Automation
31	42	Kyle Larson	Chip Ganassi	Chris Heroy	14 Chevrolet	Target
32	43	Aric Almirola	Richard Petty	Trent Owens	14 Ford	STP
33	47	A J Allmendinger	Tad Geschickter	Brian Burns	14 Chevrolet	Bush’s Beans
34	48	Jimmie Johnson	Jeff Gordon	Chad Knaus	14 Chevrolet	Lowe’s
35	51	Justin Allgaier	Harry Scott Jr	Steve Addington	14 Chevrolet	Brandt Professional Agriculture
36	55	Brian Vickers	Michael Waltrip	Billy Scott	14 Toyota	Aaron’s Dream Machine
37	66	Joe Nemechek(i)	Jay Robinson	Scott Eggleston	14 Toyota	Land Castle Title
38	78	Martin Truex Jr	Barney Visser	Todd Berrier	14 Chevrolet	Furniture Row
39	83	Ryan Truex	Ron Devine	Joe Williams	14 Toyota	Burger King Toyota Camry
40	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr	Rick Hendrick	Steve Letarte	14 Chevrolet	Diet Mountain Dew
41	95	Michael McDowell	Bob Leavine	Wally Rogers	14 Ford	Thrivent Financial
42	98	Josh Wise	Mike Curb	Gene Nead	14 Chevrolet	Provident Metals
43	99	Carl Edwards	Jack Roush	James Fennig	14 Ford	Fastenal

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Posted on August 18, 2014 by Staff Report

Driver set to run in both Truck Series and Nationwide events

John Wes Townley, who missed two starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race following an accident at Pocono Raceway, will return to the driver’s seat for this week’s events at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Townley, 24, is scheduled to compete in Wednesday night’s UNOH 200 NCWTS race as well as Friday evening’s Food City 300 Nationwide Series event.

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The Watkinsville, Georgia, resident was taken to an area hospital after a hard crash during ARCA Series qualifying Aug. 1 at Pocono Raceway. He returned to the track, but did not race in the following day’s Pocono Mountains 150. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer filled in for the Athenian Motorsports team in Townley’s absence.

Townley also sat out this past Saturday’s Careers for Veterans 200 at Michigan International Speedway, with former series champion Travis Kvapil handling the driving duties in the No. 05 Toyota Tundra.

"Clint did a heck of a job and I learned a lot from watching him," Townley said in a release announcing this week’s return. "I can’t think him enough for jumping in at Pocono and for Travis to be my backup driver last week at Michigan. It really means so much to me.

"Now it’s my time to go back in and drive … this week in Bristol."

Townley is 11th in points through the series’ first 12 stops, with three top-10 finishes this season.

Thirty-eight trucks are on the entry list for this week’s race, including Sprint Cup regulars Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski.

Townley has qualified for five of the six Nationwide Series races he and his No. 25 team have entered this season.

Busch, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Larson are among the 44 drivers on the Nationwide Series entry list for the FC 300.

Also on the entry list is Milka Duno, who is scheduled to make her NASCAR debut. Duno is scheduled to compete in select Nationwide Series events this season in the No. 29 Toyota of RAB Racing.

The 42-year-old Duno finished seventh in the ARCA Series points standings last season.

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