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Odds stacked against Johnson, but don’t count him out

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Jimmie Johnson isn’t the best road course racer in NASCAR and maybe that’s what the competition should keep telling itself as the Sprint Cup Series heads to Sonoma Raceway for this weekend’s Toyota/Save Mart 350.


The six-time Cup champion has been on a bit of a tear (three wins his last four starts), and such success typically doesn’t bode well for others in the garage.

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Fortunately for those looking to keep pace with the No. 48 team, Sonoma, the season’s first road-course stop, is something of an equalizer.

A few new names are often added to the list of potential suspects when the series heads out west.

The 1.99-mile Sonoma Raceway layout, with its elevation changes (160 feet between the highest and lowest point on the track) and 12 turns, doesn’t play favorites — the last nine Cup races have seen nine different winners.

After 15 races, it would seem that most teams have found their rhythm by now, with the better teams separating themselves from those still searching.

But the numbers, again, appear to favor those still looking for the off ramp that leads to victory lane. Seven of the last 10 winners of the race scored their first win of the season at Sonoma – most recently defending race winner Martin Truex Jr.

Previous years saw Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, former Sprint Cup regular Juan Pablo Montoya, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart break the ice at the west coast stop.

Perhaps that suggests yet another face in the winner’s circle this weekend, the series has seen 10 thus far, but then again who knows how these things will turn out? There are drivers that are obviously more skilled at turning to the right and the left, and those that struggle. From that standpoint, it’s not a lot different from some of the series’ other stops. But while talent may shift, technology may not. A skilled racer still needs a fast car and able pit crew to have a chance at victory.

Maybe the fact that no Sonoma winner has come into the event having won the previous week says something about Johnson and his Hendrick Motorsports team’s chances this weekend. The races preceding the Sonoma event have changed through the years — since 1989 the previous week’s stops have included Dover, Talladega, Martinsville, Pocono and most recently Michigan — but no one has managed to go back-to-back with consecutive victories capped off with a Sonoma win.

Still, three wins in four races and you wonder what all the fuss was about earlier this year when it seemed the Hendrick Motorsports team was trying to find its way. No one else goes from flunky to favorite quite so fast.

Of course, it’s not as if Johnson hasn’t run well at Sonoma, because he has. Well enough to win in 2010, and well enough to finish ninth or better in the three races since.

His career win total now stands at 69, and talk about reeling in a few of the sport’s legends is already heating up. 

Given the Sonoma track’s history, perhaps another win by the 48 team would seem less likely here than elsewhere.

Then again, similar tales were told a week ago when the series stopped at Michigan International Speedway, where Johnson had been winless in 24 previous attempts.

But that’s no longer the case. Scratch another track of the list of those where Johnson has yet to win; only Kentucky, Chicago, Watkins Glen and Homestead remain.

He may not be the favorite heading into this weekend’s race, but to overlook Johnson and his team would be foolish.

He’s proven that too many times in the past.

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Fans submit images of the contents of their car for chance to win trip

Mobil 1 Launches New Sweepstakes with NASCAR Digital Media for Racing Fans to Showcase What’s Inside Their Vehicles

The Mobil 1 #INMYRIDE Sweepstakes asks fans to submit images of the contents of their cars and enter for a chance to win an ultimate NASCAR experience

•    One lucky fan and a guest will win a trip to the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week® in Las Vegas
•    Fans can enter now through Aug. 31, 2014 by visiting NASCAR.com/inmyride and sharing images of the items in their personal vehicles
•    The Mobil 1™ #INMYRIDE Sweepstakes will live on the “NASCAR Automotive Technology Center Engineered by Mobil 1” page on NASCAR.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Together with NASCAR Digital Media, ExxonMobil today is unveiling the Mobil 1™ #INMYRIDE Sweepstakes, an online fan engagement program that gives everyday motorists an opportunity to showcase what they keep inside their personal vehicles and enter for a chance to win an ultimate NASCAR® experience – a trip to Las Vegas for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week™.

Starting today, fans are encouraged to snap and share their #INMYRIDE photos to a special hub within the “NASCAR Automotive Technology Center Engineered by Mobil 1” website at NASCAR.com/INMYRIDE. In addition, the comprehensive platform features a central landing page where fans can upload their photos via Instagram with the hashtag #INMYRIDE to enter the sweepstakes.

"We’re asking fans to show us their personalities and what is important to them by visiting NASCAR.com/INMYRIDE and sharing their unique images," said Artis M. Brown, Mobil 1 motorsports manager, ExxonMobil Fuels & Lubricants. "You can tell a lot about drivers just by looking inside their cars, whether it’s under the hood or in the cabin. We’ve found that many passionate Mobil 1 users take pride in the fact they’re putting the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand in their engines."

Photo submissions and entry into the Mobil 1 #INMYRIDE Sweepstakes conclude Sunday, Aug. 31, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. EST. One lucky fan will be randomly selected as the sweepstakes winner. The winner and a guest will receive a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week-themed prize package that includes:
•    Round Trip Flights to Las Vegas, NV
•    3-Night Hotel Accommodations
•    Tickets to NASCAR Myers Brothers Luncheon™
•    VIP tickets to the NASCAR Victory Lap™
•    Tickets to NASCAR After The Lap™
•    VIP Brunch / Meet & Greet with NASCAR Personality
•    Tickets to the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards™
•    Ground transportation and additional spending money awarded as a $500 Visa® Gift Card

While other sports have sticks and balls, NASCAR has the automobile and a fan base steeped in rich car culture. NASCAR fans are more likely than non-fans to be heavy users of their vehicles, which makes the Mobil 1 #INMYRIDE Sweepstakes a perfect avenue for Mobil 1 to build brand awareness and engage fans.

To support the campaign, Mobil 1 is launching an integrated marketing effort that includes online, radio, and video content starring Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet SS and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). Joining Stewart to support the campaign is fellow SHR driver Kurt Busch. Each offers a humorous take on various items that reside in their personal vehicles, encouraging fans to do the same.

In January 2013, Mobil 1 announced a multi-year partnership extension making it the "Official Motor Oil of NASCAR" and "Official Lubricant Technology Partner of NASCAR" through 2017. As part of that renewal, Mobil 1and NASCAR launched a digital content platform with the "NASCAR Automotive Technology Center Engineered by Mobil 1" online site, NASCAR.com/AutomotiveTechnology, where fans can learn about the latest in automotive and racing technology.

Mobil 1 has been the Official Motor Oil of NASCAR since 2003 and is used by more than 50 percent of the teams in NASCAR’s top-three series. The 2014 NASCAR racing season marks the 12th consecutive season in which the Mobil 1 brand is an official partner of NASCAR, the premier motorsports series in the United States.

ExxonMobil reminds all Mobil 1 #INMYRIDE Sweepstakes participants to take and share images of the contents of their vehicles only when their vehicle is parked.

About Mobil 1 in Motorsports
The Mobil brand’s history in motorsports officially began in 1979 with a sponsorship of the Williams Formula One Racing Team. From that time, the presence of Mobil 1 technology on race tracks and circuits has grown by global proportions. Today, Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil is relied on for its ability to deliver exceptional engine performance and protection even under some of the most extreme conditions by team owners and many of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers.

Along with its status as the Official Lubricant Technology Partner of NASCAR, Mobil 1 enjoys a long association with many of the world’s most popular and successful race teams, including Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series™, McLaren Mercedes’ Formula One team, Corvette Racing’s TUDOR United SportsCar Championship team, Tony Stewart Racing in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, as well as the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup — the world’s fastest international one-make series.

About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) governs the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information, visit www.nascar.com and follow NASCAR at www.facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.

About Mobil 1
The world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand, Mobil 1 features anti-wear technology that provides performance beyond our conventional motor oils. This technology allows Mobil 1 to meet or exceed the toughest standards of car builders and to provide exceptional protection against engine wear, under normal or even some of the most extreme conditions.  Mobil 1 flows quickly in extreme temperatures to protect critical engine parts and is designed to maximize engine performance and Keeps Your Engine Running Like New.

For more information, visit mobil1.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mobil1 or on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/Mobil1.

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Posted on by Brad Norman

Can Stewart, Bowyer break their 2014 winless streaks at Sonoma?

Editor’s note: The following drivers are ranked according to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings. Driver Reports includes the top 16 in the points standings and drivers currently in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field.

1. Jeff Gordon (No. 24)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet 

Standing: Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings with 537 points.
Past five races: 6th at Michigan, 8th at Pocono, 15th at Dover, 7th at Charlotte, 1st at Kansas.
Season stats: 1 win, 5 top-fives, 11 top-10s.
Track history: At Sonoma, Gordon’s average finish is 7.6 and his average running position is 12.6 over the past nine years. In 21 career starts at Sonoma, he has five wins, 13 top-fives, 17 top-10s and five poles.
Quick hit: No one can turn his tires at Sonoma like Gordon. His five career wins at the unique 2.52-mile road course are a series record — and no other driver in NASCAR history has more than two. Considering more than 80 percent of Gordon’s starts here end in top-10s and that the veteran is one of only two drivers with an average finish of less than 10.0 in the loop data era, he is the easy favorite this weekend in California.

2. Jimmie Johnson (No. 48)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Standing: Johnson is second in the standings with 522 points.
Past five races: 1st at Michigan, 6th at Pocono, 1st at Dover, 1st at Charlotte, 9th at Kansas.
Season stats: 3 wins, 6 top-fives, 10 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At Sonoma, Johnson’s average finish is 11.6 and his average running position is 12.6 over the past nine years. In 12 career starts at Sonoma, he has one win, four top-fives and seven top-10s.
Quick hit: Jeff Gordon still may be the king of Northern California, but Johnson is close to Gordon’s prestige — coincidental, since both Hendrick Motorsports teammates are from California. "Six-Time" is one of eight active drivers to have won here, and he’s got five consecutive top-10s. There are some guys who are better pure road racers, but what sets Johnson apart here is his mind and his control. Winning three of the series’ past four races heading into this weekend doesn’t hurt, either.

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Standing: Earnhardt Jr. is third in the standings with 514 points.
Past five races: 7th at Michigan, 1st at Pocono, 9th at Dover, 19th at Charlotte, 5th at Kansas.
Season stats: 2 wins, 7 top-fives, 10 top-10s.
Track history: At Sonoma, Earnhardt Jr.’s average finish is 22.9 and his average running position is 22.4 over the past nine years. In 14 career starts at Sonoma, his best finish is 11th (three times).
Quick hit: Stunningly, this isn’t Dale Jr.’s worst track on the circuit if one were to judge by average finish. No, that would be Watkins Glen — which is of little consolation considering both are road courses. Junior simply has never been able to outmaneuver most of the other veterans here. His finish of 12th last year gave him six career top-15 finishes at Sonoma, and that should be his goal Sunday.

4. Matt Kenseth (No. 20)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Standing: Kenseth is fourth in the standings with 513 points.
Past five races: 14th at Michigan, 25th at Pocono, 3rd at Dover, 3rd at Charlotte, 10th at Kansas.
Season stats: 5 top-fives, 10 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At Sonoma, Kenseth’s average finish is 18.2 and his average running position is 17.9 over the past nine years. In 14 career starts at Sonoma, he has one top-10.
Quick hit: Kenseth is one of two drivers in Driver Reports whose career average finish is worse at Sonoma than it is at any other track — interestingly, the other is Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, so any strategic questions ought to go to Kyle Busch. Bottom line, Kenseth’s search for his first win this season will have to wait until next week at Kentucky. A top-10 finish would be his first since 2008 and second of his career.

5. Brad Keselowski (No. 2)

Team Penske, Ford 

Standing: Keselowski is fifth in the standings with 490 points.
Past five races: 3rd at Michigan, 2nd at Pocono, 2nd at Dover, 10th at Charlotte, 13th at Kansas.
Season stats: 1 win, 7 top-fives, 8 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At Sonoma, Keselowski’s average finish is 19.5 and his average running position is 16.3 over the past nine years. In four career starts at Sonoma, he has one top-10.
Quick hit: Because Keselowski only has four career starts at Sonoma, the data is somewhat skewed by his 35th-place effort in 2010. In three starts since then, his average finish is a much more respectable 14.3. He should top that number Sunday, and his first single-digit finish here is very much within reach. A top-three would stretch his consecutive races with a top-three finish to four.

6. Carl Edwards (No. 99)

Roush Fenway Racing, Ford 

Standing: Edwards is sixth in the standings with 462 points.
Past five races: 23rd at Michigan, 41st at Pocono, 14th at Dover, 4th at Charlotte, 6th at Kansas.
Season stats: 1 win, 3 top-fives, 7 top-10s.
Track history: At Sonoma, Edwards’ average finish is 15.6 and his average running position is 15.5 over the past nine years. In nine career starts at Sonoma, he has two top-fives and four top-10s.
Quick hit: Edwards has two third-place finishes here in the past three years, and he’s evolved into one of the most consistent drivers on this road course despite a career average start of 17.8. As the Roush Fenway intermediate program continues to lag, perhaps a road course is where the team can collectively turn its season around.

7. Joey Logano (No. 22)

Team Penske, Ford 

Standing: Logano is seventh in the standings with 454 points.
Past five races: 9th at Michigan, 40th at Pocono, 8th at Dover, 12th at Charlotte, 4th at Kansas.
Season stats: 2 wins, 6 top-fives, 8 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At Sonoma, Logano’s average finish is 15.8 and his average running position is 16.3 over the past nine years. In five career starts at Sonoma, he has two top-10s and one pole.
Quick hit: Among all the drivers in the field without a Sonoma victory, Logano seems to be the most likely to break through. Not only is he in the midst of a career year, but Team Penske has continually produced some of the best cars every week. Plus, this a place where Logano has shown real growth. After an average finish of 26.0 in his first two starts here, he’s rallied for showings of sixth, 10th and 11th over the past three years.

8. Kyle Larson (No. 42)

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Chevrolet  

Standing: Larson is eighth in the standings with 454 points.
Past five races: 8th at Michigan, 5th at Pocono, 11th at Dover, 18th at Charlotte, 12th at Kansas.
Season stats: 3 top-fives, 7 top-10s.
Track history: Larson does not have a Sprint Cup Series start at Sonoma.
Quick hit: Larson may be more suited for this road course than he has been on any number of first-time tracks this season. The 21-year-old father-to-be is known for being a wheelman capable of taking on any track, in any car, in any condition. The quirks and challenges of Sonoma simply will not faze him.

9. Kevin Harvick (No. 4)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet 

Standing: Harvick is ninth in the standings with 447 points.
Past five races: 2nd at Michigan, 14th at Pocono, 17th at Dover, 2nd at Charlotte, 2nd at Kansas.
Season stats: 2 wins, 5 top-fives, 7 top-10s, 3 poles.
Track history: At Sonoma, Harvick’s average finish is 17.8 and his average running position is 15.3 over the past nine years. In 13 career starts at Sonoma, he has three top-fives and five top-10s.
Quick hit: Three of Harvick’s past four results at Sonoma have resulted in top-10s, and his worst showing over that span is a reasonable 16th-place finish. Given that his cars are now better, and he’s performing better behind the wheel in 2014, it’s reasonable to expect another top-10. When you consider that engine trouble is rare on road courses and there are such few chances for a pit-road mistake, you could consider Harvick among the favorites since he’s been plagued by those issues throughout the year.

10. Kyle Busch (No. 18)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Standing: Busch is 10th in the standings with 446 points.
Past five races: 41st at Michigan, 12th at Pocono, 42nd at Dover, 9th at Charlotte, 15th at Kansas.
Season stats: 1 win, 3 top-fives, 6 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At Sonoma, Busch’s average finish is 20.4 and his average running position is 19.1 over the past nine years. In nine career starts at Sonoma, he has one win, one top-five and two top-10s.
Quick hit: Busch was spun out twice in last year’s race. The first he recovered from, and the second he didn’t. It was that final bump with Carl Edwards that relegated Busch to a 35th-place finish. ‘Rowdy’ is one of the most naturally gifted drivers on the circuit, and he’ll certainly top last year’s effort. The question is how high he can go. Considering he hasn’t logged a top-10 since his win in 2008, that’s a start.

11. Ryan Newman (No. 31)

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet 

Standing: Newman is 11th in the standings with 440 points.
Past five races: 15th at Michigan, 7th at Pocono, 31st at Dover, 15th at Charlotte, 11th at Kansas.
Season stats: 5 top-10s.
Track history: At Sonoma, Newman’s average finish is 14.3 and his average running position is 14.4 over the past nine years. In 12 career starts at Sonoma, he has two top-fives and five top-10s.
Quick hit: Newman’s average place and average running position in the loop data era both rank eighth out of 45 drivers. Statistics show, however, that his best runs here came in the No. 12 for Team Penske. In fact, in his past five starts here (all with Stewart-Haas Racing), he’s produced zero top-10s and an average finish of 18.2 — far worse than his average finish of 9.4 in his first seven starts.

12. Denny Hamlin (No. 11)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Standing: Hamlin is 12th in the standings with 435 points.
Past five races: 29th at Michigan, 4th at Pocono, 5th at Dover, 22nd at Charlotte, 18th at Kansas.
Season stats: 1 win, 4 top-fives, 5 top-10s, 2 poles.
Track history: At Sonoma, Hamlin’s average finish is 22.9 and his average running position is 20.6 over the past nine years. In eight career starts at Sonoma, he has one top-five and seven top-10s.
Quick hit: A top-five finish in 2009 is Hamlin’s only true bright spot at a track that ranks as his worst on the circuit when it comes to career average finish. His 23rd-place effort last year was the best since that 2009 showing. Hamlin has qualified well here the past four races (average start of 12.3), but it simply has not carried over to race day.

13. Paul Menard (No. 27)

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet 

Standing: Menard is 13th in the standings with 420 points.
Past five races: 4th at Michigan, 26th at Pocono, 10th at Dover, 8th at Charlotte, 17th at Kansas.
Season stats: 2 top-fives, 8 top-10s.
Track history: At Sonoma, Menard’s average finish is 21.3 and his average running position is 23.5 over the past nine years. In six career starts at Sonoma, his best finish is 14th in 2013.
Quick hit: Menard is coming off perhaps the best doubleheader weekend of his career, but he might be hard-pressed to keep his steadily-building momentum going out West. Sonoma is one of just six tracks on the circuit where Menard doesn’t own a top-10 finish. The lone solace — the best finish of his career, 14th, came last year, so perhaps he’s on the verge of a breakthrough.

14. Clint Bowyer (No. 15)

Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota

Standing: Bowyer is 14th in the standings with 417 points.
Past five races: 10th at Michigan, 11th at Pocono, 4th at Dover, 17th at Charlotte, 23rd at Kansas.
Season stats: 2 top-fives, 5 top-10s.
Track history: At Sonoma, Bowyer’s average finish is 9.1 and his average running position is 14.1 over the past nine years. In eight career starts at Sonoma, he has one win, five top-fives and six top-10s.
Quick hit: Bowyer’s percentage of top-10s in total number of starts at this track (75 percent) ranks second among active drivers to only Jeff Gordon — and given the Rainbow Warrior’s gaudy numbers at this place, there’s no shame in that. The No. 15 team has put together its best stretch of races in 2014 just as the summer schedule is about to heat up. Bowyer’s chances of snapping his 56-race winless streak haven’t looked this good in a long time.

15. Greg Biffle (No. 16)

Roush Fenway Racing, Ford

Standing: Biffle is 15th in the standings with 409 points.
Past five races: 20th at Michigan, 16th at Pocono, 38th at Dover, 21st at Charlotte, 16th at Kansas.
Season stats: 2 top-fives, 4 top-10s.
Track history: At Sonoma, Biffle’s average finish is 11.9 and his average running position is 16.5 over the past nine years. In 11 career starts at Sonoma, he has two top-fives and five top-10s.
Quick hit: Biffle isn’t particularly known for being an expert on the road courses, but his history at Sonoma quietly suggests that one should not sleep on The Biff. He ranks 15th in average place over the past nine years, but his average finish of 11.9 is fourth during that time frame. The past two years he’s started fourth twice and finished seventh and eighth. Given Biffle’s struggles this year, he’s a real value play in Fantasy Live this week.

16. Tony Stewart (No. 14)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet

Standing: Stewart is 16th in the standings with 402 points.
Past five races: 11th at Michigan, 13th at Pocono, 7th at Dover, 13th at Charlotte, 20th at Kansas.
Season stats: 2 top-fives, 5 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At Sonoma, Stewart’s average finish is 13.9 and his average running position is 11.0 over the past nine years. In 15 career starts at Sonoma, he has two wins, five top-fives, nine top-10s and one pole.
Quick hit: ‘Smoke’ was sporty at Michigan and a late pit-road speeding penalty away from contending for the win at Pocono. Yes, it looks like Stewart is reaching his peak as he so often does in the summer. Considering the three-time Cup champion is the only active driver other than Jeff Gordon to win here more than once and his average running position ranks third over the past nine years, this Sonoma voyage has all the makings of another race in which the veteran is in position to win late.

26. Kurt Busch (No. 41)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet

Standing: Busch is 26th in the standings with 315 points.
Past five races: 13th at Michigan, 3rd at Pocono, 18th at Dover, 40th at Charlotte, 29th at Kansas.
Season stats: 1 win, 3 top-fives, 3 top-10s.
Track history: At Sonoma, Busch’s average finish is 13.0 and his average running position is 10.0 over the past nine years. In 13 career starts at Sonoma, he has one win, six top-fives, six top-10s and one pole.
Quick hit: Absolutely no one has been better than ‘The Outlaw’ here over the past three years. Busch’s lone track win came in 2011, and he finished third in 2012 and fourth in 2013. With a three-race top-five streak on the line, expect Busch to be honed in Sunday — and expect his streak to continue.

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NASCAR.com writers discuss who has the best chances at Sonoma, which driver will be most likely to get RCR in the Chase and whether the Truck Series should return to short tracks

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Editor’s Note: Track Smack is a weekly feature that will showcase a panel of NASCAR.com experts providing their analysis from the previous week, while also looking ahead.

1. After seeing new winners in 10 of the first 12 weeks of the season, we’ve now had repeat victors for three straight races in a row. Which trend will we see at Sonoma Raceway?

Alan Cavanna: I think we see a new winner, but only because we’re going to a road course. Previous Sonoma winners Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne and Martin Truex Jr. all still need victories, and can get them again. Plus, you know this is one of Marcos Ambrose‘s best shots at making the Chase, and the same goes for AJ Allmendinger.

David Caraviello: More new winners! And maybe not who you think, either. For all the talk about the guys like Marcos Ambrose with road-course backgrounds, it’s been the oval-track guys who have historically fared better at Sonoma. So maybe someone else like Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr. and Kasey Kahne, who have all won at this track recently.

Kenny Bruce: Easy to say, guys, but maybe more difficult to occur — especially given how much better some of this year’s top-tier teams seem to be than the rest of the field. There’s definitely a competitive gap. That being said, road-course racing does seem to bring out some teams’ strengths that might not otherwise come into play on the ovals. 

Cavanna: Allmendinger and crew used one of their tests just for this race a few weeks ago. With the new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format, it pays to put absolutely every resource toward one event. With that incentive, I think we see a new winner.

Caraviello: Yeah Alan, AJ and that 47 team poured a lot into testing for this race — to the point where they flew redeye directly to Pocono for the first day of that weekend. But even with all the knowledge they gained, is that team strong enough to win? I guess we will find out.

Bruce: Lot of talk, DC, this past weekend going into Sunday’s race at Michigan. But then it didn’t pan out. I think that team is still trying to find its footing. I like the Truex Jr. angle. In spite of the team’s results this year, he has proven he can get around that place. As for Ambrose, if it’s one of the few "best shots at a win," is there more pressure this weekend?

Caraviello: Given the way Marcos has performed at Watkins Glen in recent years, you’d think that might be his better shot. So perhaps he has something of a cushion this weekend — albeit a very thin one.

Cavanna: Absolutely, Kenny. There’s nothing in Ambrose’s track record that will lead us to believe he’ll win anywhere else this year. He’s got two great shots. He better keep the car on this year, though.

Caraviello: You look at the stats at Sonoma, and maybe there are some surprise contenders in store — guys like Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle, who haven’t really been a factor all season. Their average finishes at Sonoma are better than you might think. They haven’t really had the speed to contend on ovals — but will that matter as much here?

Cavanna: Between the two road courses, the speed/power here will matter less. If anything, we’ve seen Sonoma become a strategy race right form the drop of the green flag. First one to his/her final fuel window will be in great position.

Bruce: Probably not, DC. Look at how many of the previous races have come down to the end with several guys battling for the lead. You gotta have the horses, but you’ve also got to be able to get around the track while making fewer mistakes than your opponents.

Caraviello: If I had to choose two guys who haven’t won to lay Monopoly money on, I’d take Jamie McMurray and Brian Vickers. Both have been good on road courses, and both have been strong at Sonoma before. They haven’t really had a shot to win there, but both drivers are very capable. And in all those turns and all that action, anything can happen.

Cavanna: I hope we have a Chase interloper. Nothing wrong with a good underdog story.

Caraviello: I’d guess the horsepower difference might matter more at Watkins Glen, which is like a superspeedway with more turns. Sonoma may very well come down to who takes out whom — as has so often been the case recently in whine country.

Bruce: I see what you did. Nice. We’ll likely have some of that, and a small brush fire on the back somewhere as well.

2. Paul Menard won the Nationwide Series race at Michigan, and then finished fourth in the Sprint Cup Series event. Is he Richard Childress Racing’s best hope for a playoff bid?

Caraviello: These RCR guys are tough to figure out. They’re all hanging around in the points, but they hardly lead any laps and haven’t really been a threat to win. I could see one scenario in which all three of them make the Chase, and another in which none of them do.

Cavanna: Well said, DC. I’m not a Menard-believer just yet. We’ve seen a good first-half from him before. Last year at this point he was 11th in points. This year he’s 13th.

Bruce: I think he’s a legitimate hope, but not sure if he rates the top spot. Ryan Newman hasn’t been great, but also hasn’t been terrible. I think the 31 team could strike at any time. There will be tracks better suited to Menard’s team, and I think the same goes for young Mr. Austin Dillon.

Cavanna: The expanded field certainly helps Menard’s chances, and I think he has the consistency to do it. But in terms of "best chance," I’m sticking with Ryan Newman. He’s been there, done that and I think the new relationship with crew chief Luke Lambert will continue to improve.

Caraviello: This is a team with two top-five finishes between its three drivers — and Menard has both of them. Of the three RCR drivers (who have led a combined 58 laps all season) Menard has led the most laps. If we don’t get many more repeat winners, maybe Paul makes it on points. If not, maybe another Brickyard miracle is in store.

Bruce: Newman’s won at least one race for four consecutive seasons. OK, he’s won only one race for four straight years. But I think they’re gaining on it. Menard certainly did himself a huge favor at Michigan to get back inside the top 16. Now the key is to continue to hold the spot, or move up.

Caraviello: Guys, a bigger question — why don’t RCR cars run at the front more often? Even Kevin Harvick didn’t lead that many laps, which is how he earned that "Closer" nickname by striking so often at the end. This season, their inability to run consistently at the front has been even more glaring. What’s going on there?

Bruce: It’s horsepower, for the most part. Dillon won the Daytona pole, but I’m not sure how much of that translates. They did a tremendous amount of testing at Chicago, trying out new engine packages. But how long does it take to find gains in the engine room? I don’t have any idea.

Caraviello: Yeah, Kenny, and it doesn’t matter the driver — the issue has always been the same. I will say this: the RCR folks have done a nice job of staying the course in the wake of Harvick’s departure. They haven’t fallen off the map like many thought they would. They’re competitive, and have three cars that seem capable of winning — if only they could get to the front a little more often.

Bruce: Seems it’s been the case for RCR that when they have slipped in the past, it takes them a little while to get turned around. But then all of a sudden, there they are again.

Cavanna: Without Kyle Larson taking all the headlines, we’d be praising Austin Dillon for his rookie season. It’s been quiet but steady, and he does well at finishing races. As for Menard, it’s just one of those "believe it when I see it" scenarios. I don’t think "checkered flags" when I think Menard. Not yet.

Caraviello: I think "beards and Leinenkugels."

Cavanna: And sideburns! He’d be my facial hair idol — if I could grow facial hair.

Caraviello: All I know is, if Paul does make the Chase, his winter beard has got to be worth a few extra bonus points.

3. Darrell Wallace Jr. won a slam-bang return to Gateway Motorsports Park for the Camping World Truck Series. More evidence that the circuit’s focus should shift back toward shorter tracks?

Cavanna: I think you’d be hard-pressed to find any race fan who wouldn’t want more short tracks in all the top levels of NASCAR.

Bruce: First of all, a tremendous race. Congrats to all involved in making the move back to Gateway. Secondly, for the life of me I don’t understand why the series doesn’t run more short tracks. Seems when folks realized how popular and exciting it was, they carted it off to the bigger tracks. And sucked some of the life out of it.

Caraviello: It certainly didn’t hurt. Between the finish and the tiff between Erik Jones and German Quiroga that preceded it, that might have been the best race of the weekend. Give NASCAR credit for going back there. And give the track’s new management credit for reviving the facility.

Bruce: I think you bring the Trucks to the same markets as Cup races, but maybe not the same tracks. But imagine if instead of Charlotte, the Trucks went to Hickory. Or, for gosh sakes, Bowman Gray.

Caraviello: I think they’ve tried, Kenny. Iowa has been a huge hit, Eldora has been embraced, and the Rockingham experiment seemed to work until it fell apart. I just wonder how limited they are due to the demands a national-series race places on a facility.

Cavanna: Kenny, you touch on what may be the problem with adding more short tracks. Often they’d have to be stand-alone events. But if you can find a short track in the same market as a Cup race, I think that’s an awesome idea.

Bruce: Iowa and Eldora are great examples, DC. But I think Rockingham was a tough sell from the get-go. And still too big, in my opinion. 

Caraviello: Let’s all remember, the roots of the Truck Series are in shorter tracks — this is a circuit that started at places like Tucson and Milwaukee and Mesa Marin. You’d think the Raceway Park outside Indianapolis might return to the radar screen eventually. The Trucks fit at shorter tracks better than they do anywhere, but how many of those shorter tracks today can provide the right environment for both competitors and fans?

Cavanna: And, fellow Smackers, we shouldn’t ignore the fact that the Gateway race had no Cup regulars. I think that added to the racing. Young drivers, equal abilities. It was a great show.

Caraviello: But should a NASCAR national series really be going back to places with wooden grandstands and relatively substandard fan amenities? Not sure about that, regardless of the action some of these short tracks might be capable of producing.

Bruce: When it comes to the Trucks, the fans aren’t asking for wider seats, huge TV screens that blot out the sun and top-shelf concession fare. They come to see great racing at an affordable price. It cuts both ways, though. To host a race, a track has to figure it can make back what it costs to put on.

Caraviello: Yeah, it’s a tough balance, Kenny, as we saw with the Rockingham experiment. I honestly think NASCAR is making an effort in this direction, but it’s not going to happen overnight. Gateway was another great step. Heck, let’s see the Trucks go back to Sonoma. They’ve raced there before, after all. Give Erik Jones and German Quiroga the chance to go after it in 12 turns!

Bruce: Well, one thing’s for certain — the series rarely disappoints. Shorter season, shorter fields and some of the best racing. Is anyone paying attention?

Cavanna: Blame Kyle Busch? Everyone else does.

Caraviello: Even when he’s not there!

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Busch talks about his choice of Hornish in NNS and his relationship with Joe Gibbs

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Q: Why did you pick Sam Hornish Jr. to be your secondary driver in the 2014 Nationwide Series? 

A: There was a point during the end of the year last year when Samantha and I actually sat down, and we were talking about how we were coming too close to winning or losing the championship. And for having 12 wins, we should have been further out in points and didn’t have to worry about it. But we had some mistakes through the year, whether it was my fault or the younger rookies’ fault that drove for us, and we decided that having an experienced guy drive for our team as a second driver in the races, that I couldn’t make, would be more beneficial to the team and maybe perhaps would make up points. And (he) wouldn’t get himself in bad situations and get crashed out or moved out of the way, whatever it might have been.

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Q: How does losing the Nationwide owners’ championship last year by such a close margin sit with you? 

A: I mean it’s not fun when you race in the Nationwide Series as much as you do — 25 races throughout the year — and you have the opportunity to or should win an owners’ championship every year. That’s what you strive for. That’s what you do, and that’s what we’re there for. We win 12 races and race 25 of them — that’s (more than) 50 percent. There is no reason why we shouldn’t be close enough to winning the championship by a bigger margin than coming up one point short. So the accolade means a lot to us.

Q: How did you win 12 Nationwide races in 2013?

A: I feel like we were able to win 12 races through the year because of a lot of things. Whether it’s (crew chief) Adam Stevens and myself, the communication we have with each other, the pit crew we have, the cars I drive. It’s just all of it put together. It’s why we are there. The Nationwide Series is a little less competition than the Sprint Cup Series, but you know you are still racing against the Sprint Cup Series guys. It could be five; it could be 10 of them that are out there racing in that race. So if you can beat them, then you are doing your job.

Q: What is the most difficult thing about driving stock cars?

A: I think (one) of the toughest things about driving a Cup car is just the horsepower that it has and the speeds you carry down the straightaways and into the corners and yet you are trying to make a 12-inch tire go around the corner at 190 mph at some tracks. The Sprint Cup cars and the Nationwide cars are kind of the same but yet quite different in a lot of respects. Horsepower wise — just the power of the engines, the torque of the engines are way different. The aerodynamics of both cars are way different, and the setups are way different the way the chassis is. It is the same, but the components you use to set up the chassis to make your car go around the racetrack are quite different. So they have a lot of different driving techniques.

Q: Does Coach Joe Gibbs ever get mad at you? 

A: Ya, Coach gets mad at me sometimes. It’s never really that big of a deal, but there are times where he says I could have done certain situations differently. All in all, he’s fun. He’s a great guy to talk to, (we have) a great relationship, so when he talks I tend to listen.

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Road course racing lends itself to thrilling finishes and heated tempers

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Ah yes, another trip to Northern California wine country. What a fine place to sit on a caramel-colored hillside, loosen your ascot, dip into a wicker picnic basket, and take in those Pacific breezes with a little vino and brie. More cabernet sauvignon? Well, don’t mind if I do.

That’s the ideal, at least, and for many people that does sound like the perfect Northern California vacation — OK, maybe minus the ascot. But for a week each year people descend on the Sonoma Valley for a very different reason, one where wine tours and sightseeing take a back seat to horsepower and speed. Indeed, NASCAR’s annual visit to Sonoma Raceway has become a must-watch event, given that more recent races there have resulted in groundbreaking victories, seething tempers, and even a car hanging from a tire barrier.

The old canard about road courses being unfit for stock cars? It’s literally been run over by a Sonoma layout that these days behaves like a short track with 12 turns. And now the stakes are even higher, given the win-and-likely-in nature of this revamped Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Some teams are viewing Sonoma as perhaps their sole ticket to the 16-driver playoff, so make sure to keep a tight grip on your pinot noir.

And yet, the 44-year-old track has created plenty of moments as it is, particularly since NASCAR’s top series first arrived in 1989. There have been flips worthy of Talladega, dramatics worthy of Daytona and arguments worthy of a San Francisco saloon. There may very well be more created this weekend, when defending winner Martin Truex Jr. — as desperate for a victory as anyone — and the rest of the Sprint Cup Series return to the hillside road course for the 26th time. Until then, here are the top 10.

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10. Big W for Big E, 1995

The Intimidator was a better road-course racer than his stats may indicate — his first pole came at Riverside, and he famously won the pole at Watkins Glen while suffering from a broken sternum in 1996. But Dale Earnhardt didn’t have a road course victory until Sonoma in 1995, a race dominated by another driver. Mark Martin led 66 of the first 72 laps, but Earnhardt passed him with two to go. He didn’t just see the air — he could also smell oil dropped on one part of the track, and timed his winning pass accordingly. "I dodged it, he hit it, and I slipped by before he got out of it." Earnhardt said then. Although he came close a few times at Watkins Glen, his first road-course victory would also prove his only one.

9. Upside down, 1999

The 1999 NASCAR event at Sonoma would be remembered as the second of Jeff Gordon‘s three straight victories at the facility, but it also contained a pair of high-flying crashes which reminded everyone that road courses aren’t always as benign as they sometimes appear to be. The first involved Steve Park, who spun off course, backed into a tire barrier at high speed, hit an embankment and flipped completely over and around before landing on all four tires. The next involved Ken Schrader, who also slid backward into a tire barrier and up an embankment, and rolled twice before landing on his roof. Both drivers thankfully emerged unhurt, but everyone might have needed a glass or two of merlot to settle nerves after that one.

8. Rudd sets the standard, 1989

The track first known as Sears Point began as a facility for sports cars, and then motorcycles. But after it was bought by Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman Bruton Smith, it was only a matter of time before NASCAR came to the Sonoma Valley. In 1989, the Sprint Cup Series rolled in, and Ricky Rudd led 61 of 74 laps in a dominant performance on the old 2.5-mile layout, which was eventually shortened to the current 1.9-mile version by cutting off the inner carousel. Rudd’s win was no fluke — he would go on to prevail again 13 years later, and his career top-fives trail only Gordon on the track’s all-time list.

7. Grabbing big air, 1994

The airborne crashes endured by Park and Schrader in 1999 have nothing on another which unfolded five years earlier, and should make everyone thankful for modern barriers and fencing. Derrike Cope and John Krebs, the latter a regional racer from California, were racing side-by-side when both slid off the course. Again, there was one of those earthen embankments that passed for a barrier back then, and both drivers hit it hard enough to launch them into the air like stunt riders off a ramp. While Cope’s car simply went up and over, Krebs’ vehicle did one full-on nose-over-tail flip, and then another after hitting the grass. Again, both drivers ultimately climbed out of their wrecked cars unhurt. Merlot all around, boys.

6. Montoya’s moment, 2007

Before his No. 42 team slid into a three-year slump that led the former Indianapolis 500 champ to return to open-wheel racing, Juan Pablo Montoya exuded promise in NASCAR. That was never more evident than 2007, when he saved his tires, stretched his fuel, and became the first rookie ever to win a Sprint Cup race at Sonoma. "The biggest thing I’ve done," Montoya called it at the time, and that was easy to believe as fans chanted "Co-lom-bia!" and waved the flag of Montoya’s home country in Victory Lane. Just the third foreign-born driver to win at NASCAR’s top level, Montoya would prevail again three years later at Watkins Glen. But in the context of his full-time NASCAR career, that moment in Sonoma was the apex.

5. Pass under yellow, 2003

As talented as he was, particularly on road courses, Robby Gordon always possessed the ability to tick people off. Well before his on-course outburst in that infamous Nationwide Series event at Montreal solidified his reputation as an outlaw, there was an incident at Sonoma in 2003 when he drove right through a loophole in the "gentlemen’s agreement" which discouraged racing back to the yellow before it was formally banned. Gordon used a caution with 31 laps remaining to pass then-teammate Kevin Harvick, and led the rest of the way for his second career victory. "You just don’t do that," runner-up Jeff Gordon fumed after the race. Robby’s response to the other Gordon? "He’s won enough races," he said.

4. Third straight, 2000

Of course, Jeff Gordon has won plenty of races at Sonoma — a track-record five of them to this point. But he cemented his legendary status at the facility in 2000, when he finished the final leg of an unprecedented three-peat. Gordon started fifth, managed his fuel, and led the final 26 laps to lay a beating on the field, outdistancing runner-up Sterling Marlin by over four seconds. It was the culmination of an astounding six consecutive wins by Gordon on Sprint Cup road courses, a streak that had begun at Watkins Glen in 1997 and would end when Park prevailed at the same New York layout in 2000. But during his streak, Gordon was better than anyone at Sonoma, or on any track where drivers turned right as well as left.

3. Frontier justice, 2011

By the late 2000s, Sonoma had become as vicious as any short track. With more drivers in the hunt to win, and more corners in which to lean on one another, every race in wine country was an automotive fistfight. Wrecked cars limped to the garage as if caught in a Big One on a restrictor-plate track. But nothing topped the clash between Brian Vickers and Tony Stewart in 2011, which started when the three-time champ punted Vickers for what he perceived as blocking. Vickers responded by laying the perfect trap — slowing to allow Stewart to pass just before the hairpin, and then unleashing a blow that left the No. 14 car dangling from a tire barrier. A driver —  then called "the Sherriff" — had delivered some frontier justice of his own.

2. Stalled out, 2010

As had been the case with so many Sonoma races before, it was all coming down to fuel. So Marcos Ambrose did what so many drivers have done — he switched off his engine under caution, trying to save gas. Except he couldn’t get it started again, and as his car stalled out, he fell back from first to seventh. Since NASCAR ruled he hadn’t maintained reasonable speed, he had to stay there — which meant a driver who had been leading the race was suddenly back in traffic with five laps remaining. Ambrose, who had led 35 laps, settled for sixth while Jimmie Johnson went on to record the only road-course victory of his career to this point. "I don’t agree with it, I don’t like it," Ambrose said of the ruling, "and that’s only because I lost the race."

1. Black flag, 1991

Perhaps no ruling in NASCAR’s modern history, though, was as controversial as one levied in the wake of a 1991 Sonoma race as riveting as anything you’ll see at any track. Even without the storm that followed, the finish was electric — Tommy Kendall, substituting for an injured Kyle Petty and seeking to become only the second ringer ever to win at NASCAR’s top level, leads with four to go. Martin tries to muscle past but spins out, and in the process cuts down one of Kendall’s tires, knocking the road racer out of the running. Suddenly it’s Davey Allison zooming into the lead with three laps remaining, with Rudd right behind him — and then things really get interesting.

Coming to the white flag, Rudd did what plenty of drivers have done before and since — he put the bumper to the guy in front of him. Allison spun and Rudd took the lead, charging around the course one last time toward an apparent victory. The shocker came when Rudd passed under the flagstand, and was shown not the checkered, but a black flag. The checkered was instead shown to Allison, who came across second, but was awarded the win. More than two hours later, NASCAR ruled Rudd had been given a 5-second penalty for rough driving which made him the runner-up. "A judgment call," Les Richter, then series vice president for competition, called it at the time. "Just hard racing," Rudd termed it. Even 23 years later, the debate continues.

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Caraviello: The Hendrick teammates stand above anyone else of their generation

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When the smoke finally cleared from Jimmie Johnson’s burnout this past weekend at Michigan International Speedway, it revealed not only a first victory in over two dozen attempts at one of the few tracks that have bedeviled the six-time champion of NASCAR’s premier series. It also saw Johnson creep a little closer to another career milestone — and he’s not alone.

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So much of the focus this season will be on Johnson’s pursuit of a potential record-tying seventh championship, an undertaking that gained even more traction Sunday when the Hendrick Motorsports driver vaulted to the Sprint Cup Series lead in victories. But there’s something else going on right now that we haven’t seen in a long time, and we may not witness again for decades: Johnson and teammate Jeff Gordon both pursing landmark victories at the same time.

Johnson’s win Sunday at Michigan was his 69th at the sport’s top level, and his next one will be a nice round number surpassed by just seven other men in the sport’s history. At the same time, Gordon’s most recent victory on May 10 at Kansas Speedway was his 89th, putting him within striking distance of a milestone no driver has reached since Gerald Ford was president. The fact that these two pursuits are occurring at once makes them all the more remarkable — the way they’re running this season, no one would be surprised to see Mr. 70 and Mr. 90 crowned in successive weeks.

Much like Johnson’s march toward seven championships, we’re witnessing something very special here, and something that likely won’t occur again for a very long time. Watching NASCAR in the era of Johnson and Gordon is like watching golf at the height of Jack Nicklaus — we’re spoiled by the ability to see two of the best ever climb the career victory ladder with relentless persistence. Yes, Jimmie wins a lot. Yes, Jeff doesn’t win quite as often as he used to. None of that detracts from the fact that these two drivers, who also happened to be linked by team affiliation, have displayed degrees of longevity and consistency which transcend the age in which they compete.

Being able to watch it unfold on parallel tracks is akin to seeing Halley’s comet streak by on back-to-back nights. They may rank first and second respectively on NASCAR’s career victory list, but Richard Petty recorded his 100th career victory a decade before David Pearson — who didn’t run the full schedule nearly as often as the King did — got his. They may have been close friends and fierce rivals, but Dale Earnhardt far outdistanced Rusty Wallace in terms of career victories, earning his 50th a decade before his Hall of Fame counterpart won his.

So no, when it comes to milestones of this magnitude being chased by two drivers at the same time, we really haven’t seen anything like this since the early 1980s, when Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough were scrapping it out on a weekly basis. But even then, there was separation — Yarborough got to No. 70 in the spring of 1981 at Atlanta, a year before Allison got there at Daytona in the summer of 1982, and well before Waltrip did the same at North Wilkesboro in 1986. Yarborough got to 80 a decade before Allison did, and when the younger Waltrip — who succeeded the South Carolina legend in Junior Johnson’s powerhouse car — was still well behind.

That kind of historical context only serves to further illuminate what we’re seeing now: two drivers both chasing milestones that not only cement their own positions among the sport’s all-time greats, but continue to separate them from their contemporaries. Because when it comes to career wins by active drivers, it’s Jeff, Jimmie, and everyone else. Nothing sets these parallel pursuits apart quite like the fact that there are no other active competitors really in a position to give chase.

Gordon is all by himself in third behind Petty and Pearson, Johnson is eighth with a bullet, and the next-highest active driver is Tony Stewart with 48 career victories and tied for 13th place. While we all learned to never underestimate the three-time champion in the 2011 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, his winning pace has been slowed of late by his leg injury and inconsistencies on his race team. But even at full speed, Stewart would still be pressed to keep up with the likes of Johnson, or match the kind of blockbuster seasons that propelled Gordon to legendary status earlier in his career.

And below that, things get slim in a hurry — Matt Kenseth in 22nd place with 31 career wins, Kyle Busch in 23rd place with 29 wins, Kurt Busch tied for 26th with 25 victories. All of them are championship-caliber drivers who may very well end up in the NASCAR Hall of Fame one day; none of them will likely ever challenge the milestones being posted today by Johnson and Gordon. If anything, the next potential Mr. 70 and Mr. 90 are in much earlier stages of promising careers, raising the distinct prospect that it will be a very, very long time indeed before we ever again see something like what Johnson and Gordon are doing now.

For comparison’s sake, look at Brad Keselowski, who by any standard has had a fantastic start to his NASCAR career with a championship and 11 victories by age 30. When Johnson hit 30, he’d already won 16 times. When Gordon hit 30, he already owned three titles and 55 victories, which in this day and age boggles the imagination. Denny Hamlin has shown potential with 24 wins at age 33, but Johnson had been to Victory Lane 37 times by the same age, and Gordon an astounding 68. Many have pointed to rookie Kyle Larson, and with good reason, though remember that through the first 15 races of his rookie campaign, Johnson had already won twice.

The Hendrick teammates simply stand head and shoulders above everyone else of their generation. Any other active driver is going to need a few explosive seasons — akin to Gordon from 1996-98, or Johnson from 2007-09 — to even approach what they’ve done. In the meantime, sit back and appreciate a rare moment created by two of the best ever chasing career milestones at the same time. Because a potential Mr. 90 and Mr. 70 don’t come along every day.

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Laughton had what it took to get to the front — and stay there — at Michigan.

With the way Chad Laughton’s 2014 season has been going, everyone knew it was only a matter of time before he would find victory lane.  The time finally came last night.  Laughton won his first race in the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series Powered by iRacing at Michigan International Speedway after passing series points leader Michael Conti during the final round of stops with 30 laps to go.

“Coulda, shoulda, woulda . . .” – Michael Conti

Conti finished second after a late-race try for the lead followed by Nick Ottinger and Mitchell Hunt with Justin Bolton recording a strong fifth place finish.

After the final round of stops was completed, Conti appeared to hold back and ride in line behind Laughton, biding his time. The two were joined by Ottinger, Hunt and Kenny Humpe in a five car lead draft.

By the end the draft was cut to three cars as both Humpe and Hunt experienced “self-inflicted” difficulties with their cars.  With 13 laps to go, Humpe got loose off of Turn 4 and hit the wall. The damage took its toll on Humpe’s handling and he started to slide back. Two laps later Hunt too was bitten by Turn 4 and had to lift, dropping him too far behind the front three to make a charge.

After riding around behind Laughton for nearly 30 laps, Conti made his move down the backstretch with two laps to go. He got a strong run off Turn 2 and began to draft up on Laughton as they approached Turn 4. Conti dove to the bottom, but Laughton made a bold move and shut the door on him. Conti, unwilling to use the very bottom of the track, fell back in line behind the race leader but did not have another shot at the win. Instead, his focus shifted to defending second from Ottinger, which he managed to do.

Despite falling short on picking up another victory, Conti remained positive. “Coulda, shoulda, woulda, all that matters is that we are still leading the points, finished second in a great field of cars, and have a lot of momentum heading into the second half of the year,” he said.

Ottinger was also pleased to come home third, knowing how important consistency is in the quest for the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze championship. “Smart racing up front and thoroughly enjoyed it,” he said.  “Tried waiting for the 5 to make his move and it just was not happening.”

The race was briskly run and competitive with 13 lead changes among six drivers. Only two cautions slowed the pace, both of which occurred before Lap 25. Unfortunately for some drivers, they could not make it a lap before chaos broke out entering Turn Three. Brian Day did not realize he was three wide and came up slightly into Thomas Lewandowski, setting off a melee that collected several strong cars including those of Ray Alfalla and Brian Schoenburg.

With all of the top five in the series point standings having good runs, there was not much movement at the top of the leaderboard. Conti still leads with a nine point gap back to Ottinger. Laughton inched closer with his win and now is 18 points out of the lead. Jake Stergios is fourth after a mediocre eighteenth place showing at MIS and Alfalla is fifth after rallying for a tenth place finish following his early trouble.

With half the 2014 season in the rear-view mirror, the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series heads to Kentucky Speedway to kick-off the second half under the lights. Kentucky is known for being one of the most challenging 1.5 mile tracks on the schedule thanks to its narrow groove and numerous bumps. A setup that is not only fast but can handle the bumps without losing grip is key to a strong result.

There is plenty of sim racing remaining in this season, but the trio of Conti, Ottinger and Laughton have looked nearly unbeatable in recent weeks. If anyone can unseat them it might be Alfalla, who is still without a win in 2014 but who has looked much better in recent weeks. Can Alfalla or someone else steal the show, or will a familiar face taste victory once again? Find out in two weeks’ time on iRacing Live!


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NASCAR Chairman and CEO provides examples of innovation, validation in the sport

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NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France spoke Wednesday in Philadelphia on leading a sports and entertainment industry during the 18th annual Wharton Leadership Conference.

In front of an audience of 300 established and emerging leaders in a variety of disciplines and industries from private, public and non-for-profit organizations, France addressed the conference’s underlying topic: Preparing for a Complex and Uncertain World.

Sponsoring partner, Accenture, noted in an @AccentureStrat tweet that NASCAR is a family-run business, and France spoke about the challenge of balancing interests to ensure the best product with Peter Cappelli, Director of Center for Human Resources, Wharton and George W. Taylor Professor of Management.

"Healthy self-criticism is vital for keeping leadership accountability in check," France said, noting that all successful family-owned businesses strike the right balance between interdependence, collaboration and constructive conflict.

"What I look for in leaders is high energy, a fit within our culture, and a willingness to take calculated risks," France said. "Good leaders can’t survive if they don’t innovate."

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France gave a concrete example of innovative leadership when he discussed the Daytona Rising initiative, the $400 million reimagining of an American icon, the Daytona International Speedway. To appeal to millennial fans, the World Center of Racing will include 11 football-field-size areas for social media engagement.

The NASCAR Air Titan was highlighted by France as another example of innovation. The cutting-edge technology behind the new NASCAR Air Titan 2.0 can dry a football field in 20.5 seconds, reducing track-drying time by up to 80 percent and elevating a fan’s race-viewing experience to an even greater level.

"Innovation is another term for risk taking, and is one that used to be reserved for Silicon Valley and technology entities," France said of NASCAR Air Titan. "We had a big issue… and we tackled it with innovative thinking. The result has been a dramatic reduction in track drying time. So much so, that other sports and industries are coming to us to inquire about our technology."

In his 11th year as chairman and CEO, France spoke of collaboration other sports as opportunities to grow NASCAR.

"We encourage it," France said. "I’m the biggest sports fan in our company. I go to other sports events when I’m in another market. We’re big into that. Our L.A. office does a great job promoting sports and entertainment crossover marketing integrations. That can only help us."

"When you go around the world, there are really only one or two major sports in every country," France said. "More often than not: soccer and auto racing, with a few exceptions like cricket in India.

"Here in the U.S., there are a few predominant sports like ours, plus big events like the Kentucky Derby and Masters. All the leagues are all so well managed now. Years ago, we were primarily were rights sellers; but over the last 20 years, the leagues have become great marketers. We’ve hired classically trained marketers, digital leaders, and we’re reaching out to fans — existing and new — in entirely different ways."

When asked whether or not electric cars would be run in any NASCAR series in the future, France identified the importance of working with original equipment manufacturers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the IMSA-sanctioned TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. He also noted opportunities in regional touring series in the U.S. and international series, including the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series and the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

"NASCAR’s national series run a bio fuel today," France said of Sunoco Green E15, a biofuel blended with 15 percent American Ethanol made from American-grown corn, which surpassed five million miles of competition last November. "We are — and will continue to be — a great validator of green technologies. There is a huge commercial opportunity with our national, regional and international series as well as with our IMSA series when it comes to sustainability. All of the auto manufacturers have these technologies, so we must be in step with them."

The conference at the Wharton School of Business on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania was named one of the top 10 "Executive Conferences CEOs Love Best" by Weber Shandwick, and Burson-Marsteller rated the event one of the "Most Valued Podiums" for CEOs and senior executives. Forbes.com’s Matthew Kirdahy reported that the Wharton Leadership Conference was second only to the Fortune Innovation/iMeme conference in the number of high-level speaker participants.

This year’s speaker faculty included Ajay Banga, president and CEO of MasterCard; Gen. Mark Welsh III, chief of staff, U.S. Air Force and Sandy Ogg, operating partner, Blackstone.

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The deal will marks 10 years of sponsorship with the Sonoma track

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Toyota, which has served as co-title sponsor of the annual Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway since 2007, will continue in that capacity for at least three more years, the track announced Wednesday.

The multi-year extension is with Toyota Motor Sales USA and the Northern California Toyota Dealers, and will mark 10 years of sponsorship with the Sonoma, California track, which hosts NASCAR’s premier division once again Sunday.

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"Sonoma Raceway is one of the premier motor-sports venues on the West Coast and our partnership enables us to showcase the freshest line up of cars, trucks and SUVs in the industry," Henry Hansel, president of the Northern California Toyota Dealer Advertising Association, said in the release announcing the extension.

The agreement also includes hospitality, extensive signage, promotional rights and other assets during major event weekends in Sonoma, including comprehensive, interactive displays for race fans during the June NASCAR event.

"We could not be more proud of our association with the Toyota brand, their terrific lineup of cars and trucks and the outstanding group of dealers in our region," said Steve Page, Sonoma Raceway president and general manager. "We are grateful for their support of the raceway and the NASCAR event and look forward to working together for many years to come."

The 2014 season marks Toyota’s 10th anniversary participating in NASCAR national series competition. In 2004, the manufacturer entered the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with the Tundra and moved into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series with the Camry beginning in 2007.  Toyota has won nine manufacturers championships — three in the NNS and six in the NCWTS, as well as five driver’s championships. 

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