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Can Gordon complete career sweep? Will JGR teams rebound?
Editor’s note: Driver Reports includes the 16 drivers currently in the Chase Grid, ranked in order of the current points standings.
1. Jeff Gordon (No. 24)
Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
Standing: Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings with 580 points.
Current Chase seed: 6
Past five races: 2nd at Sonoma, 6th at Michigan, 8th at Pocono, 15th at Dover, 7th at Charlotte.
Season stats: 1 win, 6 top-fives, 12 top-10s.
Track history: At Kentucky, Gordon’s average finish is 7.7 and his average running position is 13.2 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has one top-five and three top-10s.
Quick hit: The sample size is small — just three races — but given the data we have, Gordon is among the most successful drivers in the Bluegrass State. His average finish ranks fourth among all drivers, and although he’s never led a lap, that should change Saturday. In four 2014 races on 1.5-mile tracks (Kentucky is also a mile-and-a-half), he has one win, one runner-up finish and four top-10s. This is also the only track on the tour at which Gordon has never won.
2. Jimmie Johnson (No. 48)
Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
Standing: Johnson is second in the standings with 560 points.
Current Chase seed: 1
Past five races: 6th at Sonoma, 1st at Michigan, 6th at Pocono, 1st at Dover, 1st at Charlotte.
Season stats: 3 wins, 6 top-fives, 11 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At Kentucky, Johnson’s average finish is 6.0 and his average running position is 3.9 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has one top-five, three top-10s and one pole.
Quick hit: Johnson’s streak of consecutive top-10s should go from six to seven after Saturday night’s event. Not only did "Six-Time" win the series’ most recent race on a 1.5-mile track, he led a whopping 182 laps in the 2013 Kentucky race before finishing ninth. There’s unfinished business for the No. 48 team.
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88)
Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
Standing: Earnhardt Jr. is third in the standings with 555 points.
Current Chase seed: 2
Past five races: 3rd at Sonoma, 7th at Michigan, 1st at Pocono, 9th at Dover, 19th at Charlotte.
Season stats: 2 wins, 8 top-fives, 11 top-10s.
Track history: At Kentucky, Earnhardt Jr.’s average finish is 15.3 and his average running position is 13.7 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has one top-five, one top-10 and one pole.
Quick hit: Forgot Junior’s fluke fiery crash at Texas — like his Hendrick Motorsports teammates above him in the standings, his speed on intermediate tracks has been there all season. HMS has proven to be a step above every other team with its horsepower in 2014. Having all four of its drivers finish in the top seven this week (like at Sonoma) might be too much to ask. The top 10? It’s a feasible, if not reasonable, thought.
4. Matt Kenseth (No. 20)
Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
Standing: Kenseth is fourth in the standings with 515 points.
Current Chase seed: 11
Past five races: 42nd at Sonoma, 14th at Michigan, 25th at Pocono, 3rd at Dover, 3rd at Charlotte.
Season stats: 5 top-fives, 10 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At Kentucky, Kenseth’s average finish is 4.7 and his average running position is 8.3 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has one win, one top-five and three top-10s.
Quick hit: The defending race winner, Kenseth is one of just three drivers (along with Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch) with both an average finish and average place of less than 10.0. His average finish of 4.7 is the best in the series, and he’s never finished worse than seventh here. Kentucky is the perfect place for Kenseth to notch his first victory of the year.
5. Brad Keselowski (No. 2)
Team Penske, Ford
Standing: Keselowski is fifth in the standings with 512 points.
Current Chase seed: 7
Past five races: 22nd at Sonoma, 3rd at Michigan, 2nd at Pocono, 2nd at Dover, 10th at Charlotte.
Season stats: 1 win, 7 top-fives, 8 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At Kentucky, Keselowski’s average finish is 13.7 and his average running position is 13.2 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has one win, one top-five and two top-10s.
Quick hit: Ignore Keselowski’s loop data numbers this weekend. A wreck last year relegated the No. 2 car to a 33rd-place finish, but Keselowski’s two previous starts here resulted in a seventh-place effort and a win in 2012. Team Penske’s dominance on intermediate tracks this year is another reason to count Kes among the favorites.
6. Carl Edwards (No. 99)
Roush Fenway Racing, Ford
Standing: Edwards is sixth in the standings with 509 points.
Current Chase seed: 3
Past five races: 1st at Sonoma, 23rd at Michigan, 41st at Pocono, 14th at Dover, 4th at Charlotte.
Season stats: 2 wins, 4 top-fives, 8 top-10s.
Track history: At Kentucky, Edwards’ average finish is 15.3 and his average running position is 9.8 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has one top-five and one top-10.
Quick hit: As one of four two-time winners this season, Edwards’ Chase berth is secure so long as he attempts to qualify for every remaining regular-season race. He can also go back-to-back for the first time since the end of the 2010 season, although his Kentucky history is spotty with two finishes of 20th or worse in just three races.
7. Joey Logano (No. 22)
Team Penske, Ford
Standing: Logano is seventh in the standings with 483 points.
Current Chase seed: 4
Past five races: 16th at Sonoma, 9th at Michigan, 40th at Pocono, 8th at Dover, 12th at Charlotte.
Season stats: 2 wins, 6 top-fives, 8 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At Kentucky, Logano’s average finish is 13.3 and his average running position is 14.1 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has one top-five and one top-10.
Quick hit: Logano has three top-fives in four races this year on 1.5-mile ovals, and he finished fourth in this race last year. Considering his two recent finishes outside the top 15 were on non-traditional tracks (Sonoma, Pocono), he may be among the drivers in the garage most excited to get to Kentucky this week.
8. Ryan Newman (No. 31)
Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet
Standing: Newman is eighth in the standings with 473 points.
Current Chase seed: 12
Past five races: 11th at Sonoma, 15th at Michigan, 7th at Pocono, 31st at Dover, 15th at Charlotte.
Season stats: 5 top-10s.
Track history: At Kentucky, Newman’s average finish is 17.3 and his average running position is 15.6 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has one top-five and one top-10.
Quick hit: An 11th-place finish at Sonoma continued Newman’s run of remarkable consistency. His average start and average finish in 2014 are both 14.6., and he actually moved up three spots in the standings heading into Kentucky. Newman doesn’t need to feel nervous about his Chase chances — although that will likely change if another driver notches his or her first win of 2014 on Saturday night.
9. Kevin Harvick (No. 4)
Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet
Standing: Harvick is ninth in the standings with 472 points.
Current Chase seed: 5
Past five races: 20th at Sonoma, 2nd at Michigan, 14th at Pocono, 17th at Dover, 2nd at Charlotte.
Season stats: 2 wins, 5 top-fives, 7 top-10s, 3 poles.
Track history: At Kentucky, Harvick’s average finish is 12.3 and his average running position is 12.2 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has one top-10.
Quick hit: Harvick has been steady at Kentucky, with finishes of 10th, 11th and 16th. Given that he’s in better equipment this year, expect a better finish. In fact, he and Jimmie Johnson are the clear-cut favorites when it comes to Las Vegas odds. As always, performance on pit road could present a problem to the No. 4 team.
10. Kyle Larson (No. 42)
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Chevrolet
Standing: Larson is 10th in the standings with 470 points.
Current Chase seed: 13
Past five races: 28th at Sonoma, 8th at Michigan, 5th at Pocono, 11th at Dover, 18th at Charlotte.
Season stats: 3 top-fives, 7 top-10s.
Track history: Larson does not have a Sprint Cup Series start at Kentucky. In two NASCAR Nationwide Series starts, he has one top-10.
Quick hit: Despite his terrific qualifying effort, last week’s showing at Sonoma was the first time this season that the rookie Larson truly looked like … well, a rookie. He’s still a good value on Fantasy Live play this week as he’s improved on 1.5-mile tracks throughout the season.
11. Kyle Busch (No. 18)
Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
Standing: Busch is 11th in the standings with 465 points.
Current Chase seed: 8
Past five races: 25th at Sonoma, 41st at Michigan, 12th at Pocono, 42nd at Dover, 9th at Charlotte.
Season stats: 1 win, 3 top-fives, 6 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At Kentucky, Busch’s average finish is 5.3 and his average running position is 5.4 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has one win, two top-fives and three top-10s.
Quick hit: Busch enters Kentucky mired in his worst slump this season. He’s gone four consecutive races without a top-10, and his last top-five was at Richmond in April. Two of his past four races have been finishes outside the top 40 — both resulting in three-point days. Yes, Busch is the first-ever Sprint Cup winner at Kentucky, but his — and Joe Gibbs Racing’s — recent swoon is cause for concern.
12. Paul Menard (No. 27)
Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet
Standing: Menard is 12th in the standings with 459 points.
Current Chase seed: 14
Past five races: 5th at Sonoma, 4th at Michigan, 26th at Pocono, 10th at Dover, 8th at Charlotte.
Season stats: 3 top-fives, 9 top-10s.
Track history: At Kentucky, Menard’s average finish is 22.0 and his average running position is 20.5 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, his best finish is 12th in 2012.
Quick hit: Menard is in the midst of perhaps the best-ever stretch of his career. Not only has he notched two consecutive top-fives for the first time, he has four top-10s in the past five races. He’s been good — and at times excellent — on 1.5-mile tracks this year. So why stop now?
13. Denny Hamlin (No. 11)
Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
Standing: Hamlin is 13th in the standings with 435 points.
Current Chase seed: 9
Past five races: 26th at Sonoma, 29th at Michigan, 4th at Pocono, 5th at Dover, 22nd at Charlotte.
Season stats: 1 win, 4 top-fives, 5 top-10s, 2 poles.
Track history: At Kentucky, Hamlin’s average finish is 16.3 and his average running position is 12.5 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has one top-five and one top-10.
Quick hit: Hamlin’s performance on 1.5-mile ovals this year mirrors the collective struggles of Joe Gibbs Racing. He doesn’t have a top-10, although he had a chance for at least that at Texas before getting hit with a late pit-road speeding penalty. A crash last year at Kentucky drops his average finish considerably, but even a strong showing in 2013 wouldn’t be enough to recommend Hamlin as a Fantasy Live play.
14. Clint Bowyer (No. 15)
Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota
Standing: Bowyer is 14th in the standings with 452 points.
Current Chase seed: 15
Past five races: 10th at Sonoma, 10th at Michigan, 11th at Pocono, 4th at Dover, 17th at Charlotte.
Season stats: 2 top-fives, 6 top-10s.
Track history: At Kentucky, Bowyer’s average finish is 18.0 and his average running position is 15.0 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has one top-five and one top-10.
Quick hit: Bowyer’s ability to drive back through the pack for a top-10 after last week’s wreck showed real gumption. This is a team that has worked its way back into the current Chase field and heads to a track where Bowyer has bettered his finish for two consecutive years. That may be hard to replicate, though, given that he finished third in 2013.
15. Greg Biffle (No. 16)
Roush Fenway Racing, Ford
Standing: Biffle is 15th in the standings with 444 points.
Current Chase seed: 16
Past five races: 9th at Sonoma, 20th at Michigan, 16th at Pocono, 38th at Dover, 21st at Charlotte.
Season stats: 2 top-fives, 5 top-10s.
Track history: At Kentucky, Biffle’s average finish is 25.3 and his average running position is 20.6 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, his best finish is 21st in 2011 and 2012.
Quick hit: Biffle has been uncharacteristically middling on intermediate ovals this year, and he has yet to record a top-20 in three starts at Kentucky. It’s a recipe that could bounce him from the provisional Chase Grid on Saturday night.
26. Kurt Busch (No. 41)
Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet
Standing: Busch is 26th in the standings with 347 points.
Current Chase seed: 10
Past five races: 12th at Sonoma, 13th at Michigan, 3rd at Pocono, 18th at Dover, 40th at Charlotte.
Season stats: 1 win, 3 top-fives, 3 top-10s.
Track history: At Kentucky, Busch’s average finish is 11.3 and his average running position is 13.3 over the past three years. In three career starts at Kentucky, he has two top-10s.
Quick hit: Busch and his No. 41 team have held it together for four consecutive races. With two top-10s in three races at Kentucky, expect the good fortunes to continue. It likely won’t be enough to vault Busch above 25th in the standings, but that matters less than ever before due to his previous victory this season.
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Roush Fenway Racing driver faces a similar decision to Kevin Harvick in 2009
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There was simply no way, it seemed, that the driver and the team could remain together. Performance had slipped, frustration had bubbled to the surface, tensions had become evident. The driver himself went on television and said it might be time to look elsewhere, while less-than-substantial media reports had him ticketed for first one new destination, and then another. And then something very interesting happened.
Kevin Harvick stayed exactly where he was.
That was the way the greatest soap opera of the 2009 and 2010 seasons came to an end, with the former Daytona 500 champion re-signing with a Richard Childress Racing team he appeared ready to leave a few months earlier. The extension came on the heels of Harvick feuding with his team owner over the radio even as he mostly kept silent to the press, but going as far as to tell ESPN "maybe it’s time to turn the page." In fairness, every indication pointed to him racing somewhere else once his contract ended at the end of 2010.
But in NASCAR, where it takes a number of pieces falling into place to facilitate the movement of a championship-caliber driver from one organization to another, things aren’t always as tidy as they appear. Harvick may have indeed reached his wit’s end with RCR in late 2009, but looking deeper, it was fairly clear that he had very few options as far as relocation. At the time, he didn’t have a sponsor willing to follow him to a new team. And the other organizations he was being linked to did not have the means to put together a package to support an elite driver like Harvick, who rightly expects to be contending for the title every year.
Ultimately, all those pieces did fall into place — but it took another three years before Harvick had a sponsor in Budweiser that was able to anchor a new program at a new team, in this case Stewart-Haas Racing. And that happened when many least expected it, on the heels of three third-place points results in four years, as opposed to the rancor that preceded his extension with RCR in the spring of 2010. All of which goes to show that no matter the feelings at the moment, a driver’s destiny can be dictated by many factors outside of his immediate control, and despite evidence to the contrary, sometimes the best move is not to move at all.
All of which brings us to the situation surrounding Carl Edwards, the current major-player free agent on the NASCAR market, and somewhat like Harvick in 2009 — in a situation where every indication would seem to point toward moving on. Granted, the parallels aren’t exact — in Edwards’ case, there is no public acrimony between him and Roush Fenway Racing. He and Jack Roush aren’t openly arguing over the radio during races, as Harvick and Childress were in late 2009. And with two wins and a guaranteed berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, he’s also enjoyed much better performance than Harvick did five years ago, when the RCR driver went winless and dropped as low as 27th in points.
Regardless, we’re talking about another top-level driver, and one who’s going to require a substantial package around him to produce the kind of results he’s been accustomed to. Where does Edwards find that? Like Harvick in 2009, he doesn’t appear to have a major primary sponsor able to follow him to a new organization. One prospective home dried up when Roger Penske — who has two young Sprint Cup drivers in Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, and a star in the making in Camping World Truck Series standout Ryan Blaney — said there was no room at his shop. The focus then shifted back to Joe Gibbs Racing, which hasn’t closed the door on expansion, but historically has undertaken such things carefully and with sponsorship already in place.
While surprising things can still happen — Kurt Busch to SHR, anyone? — more often than not, driver moves at Edwards’ level occur only after considerable groundwork has been laid. As tough as things may be at a driver’s current shop, someone like Harvick or Edwards isn’t going to leave if a move would put them in a less competitive position. That’s why Harvick stayed with RCR in 2010 despite an avalanche of reports that indicated otherwise. And that’s why we shouldn’t be shocked if Carl Edwards is indeed wheeling the No. 99 car for Roush Fenway again next year. As Harvick showed us five years ago, it’s amazing what can happen if a driver has no better place to go.
Of course, Edwards ultimately may find that place if JGR is willing and able to put the right kind of package around him. The same team certainly managed to do just that for Matt Kenseth when he joined the organization prior to last season — although the 2003 champion was filling a ride vacated by Logano, and his move was facilitated by some sponsorship that was already in place. Whether the same might be the case with Edwards is yet to be seen. But in a post-merger era with fewer teams and a NASCAR-mandated four-car ownership cap, drivers simply have fewer options available to them regardless of how dissatisfied they may be in their current situation.
Now, none of this means the very real issues affecting Roush should be dismissed. Edwards’ victory at Sonoma comes on the heels of a performance at Michigan that ranked among the organization’s most dispiriting ever. Greg Biffle — like Edwards, also in a contact year — is winless and 16th in points. Even the team’s NASCAR Nationwide Series program, which recently won two titles, has produced decidedly mixed results. But NASCAR is cyclical, and top teams go through phases where they run ahead and play catch-up, and with the exception of Jimmie Johnson‘s seemingly bulletproof No. 48 program, no one stays up or down forever. One season after Harvick was ready to "turn the page" at RCR, he won three times and led the points for 20 weeks.
Of course, he still left when the right situation presented itself, even though that took three more years. But over the course of his final contract with RCR, Harvick won nine times and once again proved himself a perennial title contender, finishing off the best four-year stretch of his career to this point. That success certainly made him more attractive to the sponsors that would ultimately follow him to his new home, making the move to Stewart-Haas possible.
Whether the same will happen with Edwards, time will tell. Every week, there is new speculation surrounding where the 23-time race winner might end up, though to this point he’s stuck by his longstanding personal policy of not discussing such matters publicly. Maybe the right situation will indeed present itself for 2015, and Edwards will be wearing new colors for a new team next season. Or maybe he’ll stay where he is, and bide his time a little longer, and wait for that right situation to emerge. As proven by Kevin Harvick — now in perhaps the most potent ride of his career — that latter option can be worth waiting for.
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Rogers, Parker, Warfield assume new roles within organization
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 25, 2014) — NASCAR announced transitions today within three key business areas, highlighting the company’s commitment to talent development.
Patrick Rogers has been promoted to senior director of Driver Marketing Services, Evan Parker becomes senior director of Brand Platforms and Scott Warfield has been promoted to senior director of Social Media and Broadcast Communications.
"NASCAR is committed to the development of our team throughout all areas of the organization," said Brent Dewar, Chief Operating Officer of NASCAR. "Each of these moves highlights our goal of growing our talented professionals, and thereby strengthening our company. Patrick, Evan and Scott have added incredible value in their current roles. They now have an opportunity to showcase their talent in other critical areas of our business."
Rogers most recently served as director of Brand Platforms, Marketing. He was instrumental in the renewal of series entitlement partner Camping World. His new role will give Rogers oversight of NASCAR’s Driver Services team, which works closely with the industry in order to develop, nurture and maximize the integration of the sport’s drivers. Rogers will report to Jill Gregory, NASCAR vice president of Industry Services.
"Patrick has extensive experience working with the industry and will be a valuable resource immediately to those key stakeholders," Gregory said. "The collaboration with teams and drivers is at an all-time high and Patrick will work closely with internal and external groups to further develop driver brands and increase driver star power. His experience working with drivers will add power to an already strong Driver Services team and allow successful initiatives such as the NASCAR Next program to continue to grow."
Parker will transition from NASCAR’s Los Angeles office to its Charlotte office. He served as senior director of Entertainment Marketing and helped lead the sport’s integration efforts into several entertainment properties. In his new role, Parker will lead the development of NASCAR’s marketing efforts around platforms that occur throughout the year. He will report to Kim Brink, NASCAR vice president of Marketing.
"We’re glad to have Evan bring his leadership and fresh perspective into the brand platforms role," Brink said. "He’s very familiar with the successful programs we’ve worked hard to establish over the last several seasons. We have an aggressive strategy in place to continue reaching current and prospective fans and Evan will play a key role in leading those efforts."
Warfield’s new responsibilities include guiding NASCAR’s overall social media strategy and its cross-departmental integration as NASCAR implements programs across a number of social media channels. He also will continue to work closely with the company’s digital, entertainment and broadcasting teams.
"NASCAR’s social media presence and impact continues to grow and serve as a key communications channel for us with our fans," said Brett Jewkes, NASCAR vice president and chief communications officer. "Scott’s experience working with broadcasting, digital and entertainment coupled with his strong knowledge of the sport will be invaluable in his new role."
Teams will hit the track on Jan. 15, 16 in 2015
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 24, 2014) — As NASCAR teams prepare for next week’s round two at Daytona International Speedway following Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s memorable 2014 Daytona 500 victory, plans for 2015’s season launch are already underway.
NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway today announced that Preseason Thunder will take place one week later in 2015. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams will hit the track on January 15-16 as they prepare for the 57th running of the Daytona 500 on February 22, 2015. In the event of rain, additional track time will be added on Saturday, January 17.
This year’s Daytona testing was scheduled for Jan. 9-10, but rain washed out the planned first day of testing — forcing all on-track activity to Jan. 10.
"Each year, Preseason Thunder gives fans a sneak peek into the upcoming season, and specifically, NASCAR’s crown jewel, the Daytona 500," said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition and racing development. "In 2015, the date will change. The anticipation, and the thrill of cars returning to the race track, will not."
"A later starting date for January testing will be more convenient for both teams and fans," Chitwood said. "Both testing sessions are important opportunities for teams as they prepare for their season-opening events … It’s also an exciting time for fans as they get gear up for the start of the new season."
The new date will be part of an action packed January for Daytona International Speedway. The IMSA Roar Before The Rolex 24, will be held on January 9-11. IMSA teams will have only one weekend off between the Roar and the prestigious Rolex 24 in 2015.
The Preseason Thunder Fan Fest, the companion event to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing, is scheduled on Thursday night, Jan. 15. Tickets for Preseason Thunder Fan Fest as well as a schedule of driver question-and-answer and autograph sessions will be available at a later date.
Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, team honored at the White House
RELATED: See a photo gallery of Johnson’s trip
WASHINGTON — If it appeared Wednesday afternoon in the White House East Room that NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and United States President Barrack Obama were old pals catching up — sharing stories about their daughters or a little informal conversation about their day jobs — that’s because "Six-Time" and "Two-Time" practically are old friends.
No NASCAR driver in the last decade has gotten as much presidential time as the six-time and reigning champion Johnson who, along with his full No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team, was honored by President Obama for winning the 2013 Sprint Cup trophy.
Appearing relaxed and not needing notes for this occasion, the president commended Johnson for his dominance past and present.
"This year he is back at it — he has already got more wins than any other driver, so maybe we should just make it easier on everybody, give the No. 48 car a permanent White House pass," Obama said as the room erupted in laughter. "Just don’t take my parking spot."
"Yes, sir," Johnson said smiling.
"And no burnouts in the Portico," the president continued. "So I just want to say to the entire team, to Hendrick Motorsports, to Chad, to the pit crew, most of all, to Jimmie Johnson, congratulations. Keep up the great work."
The familiarity between President Obama and Johnson was apparent to everyone in the room. The president knew all about Johnson’s title-winning seasons and even compared him to his beloved NFL Chicago Bears and in what may be the ultimate Obama compliment, he likened Johnson to NBA legend Michael Jordan.
"Now, everybody knows I’m a Chicago guy and usually when we do these sports events I make some crack about how the football is not as good as the ’85 Bears or the basketball team is not as good as the Bulls, but today I can’t really say anything because Jimmie Johnson is pretty much the Michael Jordan of NASCAR," President Obama said, smiling. "Like Mike, Jimmie has won six championships in eight years. He won a few titles, took a two-year break, decided, you know what, it’s not that interesting, and then got back to winning again."
Then President Obama rolled off a list of Johnson’s accomplishments and gave the champ perhaps the ultimate pat-on-the-back.
"These days, we’ve got a lot of kids all across the country who want to be like Jimmie," the president said. "And why shouldn’t they?"
After the formal remarks, the president invited the entire No. 48 team on stage to pose with him and Johnson’s Sprint Cup trophy. Before concluding the 15-minute ceremony, he paused to say goodbye and give a smile and thumbs-up to Johnson’s wife Chandra and 3-year old daughter Evie sitting in the front row of the high-powered audience that also included NASCAR Chairman Brian France, U.S. Congressmen and national dignitaries.
Johnson acknowledged later that this kind of honor never gets old, calling it "mind-blowing" even 12 years after his first White House invitation with a group of drivers.
"This is the ultimate, being here at the White House, it’s really the ultimate experience," Johnson said, conceding that on this visit he felt as comfortable as he appeared on stage with the president.
"I’m far less nervous than my first trip back in 2002," Johnson said. "The first few trips were watching other drivers get honored. My first trip as a champion, I vividly remember me shaking, my voice cracking and being a little afraid to engage and talk with President Busch, at the time. Through experience in life, getting older, I’m certainly more comfortable now and relaxed and enjoying the moment now.
"I’ve been here a lot of different times, some as champion, some as not, and that’s a lot of motivation not being the champion and watching the others be honored. It makes you pretty hungry.
"I want to win another. Keep coming back."
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More tests wanted for possible 8-foot addition
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The apron to be added at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for its annual NASCAR races will not be in place for next month’s event weekend as originally planned.
Track officials have delayed the project, which would place an 8-foot-wide apron below the while line in each corner in order to give stock cars more room in which to pass. According to The Indianapolis Star, NASCAR wanted more time to study how the apron would affect racing at the Brickyard. Construction was slated to start June 9, and the apron was to be in place by the time Nationwide and Sprint Cup cars race at the Brickyard on July 26-27.
"They asked if we could postpone (it) so they could test it," track president Doug Boles told the Star. "We said, ‘That makes sense; we understand that.’ "
Pocono Raceway also recently added an extended apron to the inside of its second turn, but in the race there earlier this month drivers did not use it as a passing area. That makes 2003 NASCAR Cup champion Matt Kenseth wonder how effective the planned Indy apron might be.
"I think the way it’s laid out, you can get the left front down on that flat a little bit, you can stay above and be up on the banking if you are loose and you need to tighten your car up a little bit. I don’t know that paving more underneath that would really change the racing at all if it’s flat if there’s no banking to it," Kenseth said. "I don’t think it would make any difference, to be honest with you. I understand why they do it, but there’s a lot of talk about that extra pavement at Pocono, and the only thing that was really good for was if you blew up or something you could get off the track and coast around. There’s no way you could race on it. I’m not sure that adding any pavement to the inside of the corners if it was flat would make much difference."
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Results of first session from Kentucky Speedway
SECOND SESSION
| Rank | Number | Driver | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Trevor Bayne | 31.010 | 174.137 |
| 2 | 2 | Brian Scott | 31.189 | 173.138 |
| 3 | 33 | Paul Menard | 31.284 | 172.612 |
| 4 | 62 | Brendan Gaughan | 31.330 | 172.359 |
| 5 | 22 | Brad Keselowski | 31.359 | 172.199 |
| 6 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | 31.366 | 172.161 |
| 7 | 5 | Kevin Harvick | 31.414 | 171.898 |
| 8 | 9 | Chase Elliott | 31.417 | 171.881 |
| 9 | 3 | Ty Dillon | 31.438 | 171.767 |
| 10 | 7 | Regan Smith | 31.515 | 171.347 |
| 11 | 54 | Kyle Busch | 31.556 | 171.124 |
| 12 | 31 | Dylan Kwasniewski | 31.584 | 170.973 |
| 13 | 11 | Elliott Sadler | 31.599 | 170.891 |
| 14 | 98 | Corey Lajoie | 31.607 | 170.848 |
| 15 | 42 | Justin Allgaier | 31.632 | 170.713 |
| 16 | 20 | Matt Kenseth | 31.655 | 170.589 |
| 17 | 16 | Ryan Reed | 31.686 | 170.422 |
| 18 | 39 | Ryan Sieg | 31.724 | 170.218 |
| 19 | 60 | Chris Buescher | 31.774 | 169.950 |
| 20 | 84 | Chad Boat | 31.958 | 168.972 |
| 21 | 99 | James Buescher | 31.969 | 168.914 |
| 22 | 28 | J.J. Yeley | 31.915 | 168.877 |
| 23 | 25 | John Wes Townley | 32.041 | 168.534 |
| 24 | 44 | Blake Koch | 32.058 | 168.445 |
| 25 | 19 | Mike Bliss | 32.062 | 168.424 |
| 26 | 43 | Dakoda Armstrong | 32.067 | 168.397 |
| 27 | 93 | Mike Wallace | 33.105 | 168.198 |
| 28 | 90 | Martin Roy | 32.278 | 167.297 |
| 29 | 46 | Matt Dibenedetto | 32.306 | 167.152 |
| 30 | 14 | Eric McClure | 32.347 | 166.940 |
| 31 | 4 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | 32.585 | 165.720 |
| 32 | 86 | Jake Crum | 32.679 | 165.244 |
| 33 | 76 | Tommy Joe Martins | 32.906 | 164.104 |
| 34 | 70 | Derrike Cope | 33.017 | 163.552 |
| 35 | 89 | Morgan Shepherd | 33.190 | 162.700 |
FIRST SESSION
| Rank | Number | Driver | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33 | Paul Menard | 31.040 | 173.969 |
| 2 | 2 | Brian Scott | 31.042 | 173.958 |
| 3 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | 31.171 | 173.238 |
| 4 | 9 | Chase Elliott | 31.208 | 173.033 |
| 5 | 22 | Brad Keselowski | 31.226 | 172.933 |
| 6 | 7 | Regan Smith | 31.287 | 172.596 |
| 7 | 5 | Kevin Harvick | 31.321 | 172.408 |
| 8 | 20 | Matt Kenseth | 31.324 | 172.392 |
| 9 | 3 | Ty Dillon | 31.336 | 172.326 |
| 10 | 6 | Trevor Bayne | 31.339 | 172.309 |
| 11 | 54 | Kyle Busch | 31.345 | 172.276 |
| 12 | 42 | Justin Allgaier | 31.474 | 171.570 |
| 13 | 11 | Elliott Sadler | 31.483 | 171.521 |
| 14 | 16 | Ryan Reed | 31.502 | 171.418 |
| 15 | 31 | Dylan Kwasniewski | 31.505 | 171.401 |
| 16 | 62 | Brendan Gaughan | 31.544 | 171.189 |
| 17 | 60 | Chris Buescher | 31.626 | 170.746 |
| 18 | 99 | James Buescher | 31.652 | 170.605 |
| 19 | 44 | Blake Koch | 31.735 | 170.159 |
| 20 | 28 | JJ Yeley | 31.746 | 170.100 |
| 21 | 39 | Ryan Sieg | 31.760 | 170.025 |
| 22 | 84 | Chad Boat | 31.915 | 169.199 |
| 23 | 43 | Dakoda Armstrong | 32.007 | 168.713 |
| 24 | 25 | John Wes Townley | 32.056 | 168.455 |
| 25 | 98 | Corey Lajoie | 32.220 | 167.598 |
| 26 | 14 | Eric McClure | 32.487 | 166.220 |
| 27 | 86 | Jake Crum | 33.082 | 163.231 |
| 28 | 70 | Derrike Cope | 33.197 | 162.665 |
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Richard Childress Racing drivers up front on Nationwide leaderboard
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Paul Menard and Trevor Bayne set the pace in two sessions of NASCAR Nationwide Series testing Wednesday at Kentucky Speedway.
Menard drove the Richard Childress Racing No. 33 Chevrolet to a fast lap of 173.969 mph in the opening 2-hour, 30-minute session. He was just ahead of RCR teammate Brian Scott‘s second-fastest lap of 173.958 mph, a difference of just two-thousandths of a second.
Bayne upped the speed in the afternoon’s three-hour session, pushing his Roush Fenway Racing No. 6 Ford to a 174.137-mph pace. Scott was second-fastest again in the second session, followed by Menard.
Menard notched his first Nationwide Series win since 2006 earlier this month at Michigan International Speedway. Combined with Brendan Gaughan‘s victory last weekend at the Road America circuit in Wisconsin, RCR carries a modest two-race win streak into this weekend’s Nationwide event.
Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski completed the top five on the early speed chart. Gaughan and Keselowski rounded out the top five in the afternoon session.
Nationwide Series points leader Regan Smith was sixth-fastest early and 10th-fastest late.
NASCAR officials opted to give teams the option of extra track time on the the bumpy 1.5-mile track ahead of Friday night’s John R. Elliott Hero Campaign 300 (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). Of the 47 teams on the Nationwide Series entry list, 28 turned laps in the first session and 35 participated in the late session.
The 200-lap, 300-mile race will be the Sparta, Kentucky facility’s 16th event for the Nationwide Series. Saturday night, the track will host its fourth race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the Quaker State 400 (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
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Chat with NASCAR fans while following the races at Kentucky Speedway