Posted on by Zack Albert

With Sprint Cup future secure, former champ braces for Mid-Ohio

LEXINGTON, Ohio — Brian Vickers could be forgiven if his rollicking week produced a distraction from his bid for a second NASCAR Nationwide Series crown. After all, he secured his future for 2014 and beyond Tuesday as the full-time driver for Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 55 Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
 
With that order of business settled, though, Vickers has his eye on finishing strong in the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, starting with Saturday’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200 (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
 
Vickers, who won the Nationwide Series championship in 2003, is 18 points behind leader Austin Dillon in the standings. But even with the scant margin, Vickers sits fifth — the result of the Nationwide title fight evolving into a multicar logjam at the top in recent weeks.

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Though the chance exists that Vickers could emerge with the points lead this weekend, he says his goals — long- and short-term — haven’t changed.

“I think it’s going to come down to the wire, and I’d love to come out of here with the lead in the points but when you’re 18 points out, Vickers said. "If you’re only 18 points behind one guy it would be very easy to come out of here with the lead. With it being so many guys so tied together, it’s unlikely that you’re going to gain that much on them all at once, but it’s possible.

“Our goal is to try to win the race and gain as many points as possible, but if we’re in position toward the end of the race whether it’s fuel mileage or how I’m going to approach a restart, a trophy’s different. For a win, it takes a certain level of risk and you get bonus points for that, but the difference between fifth or sixth or third or fourth … you still want it, but you’ve got to be a little smarter about that one point when the points battle is so close.”

AMBROSE’S EXPERIENCE: Marcos Ambrose, the only full-time Sprint Cup driver entered in Saturday’s race, has a rich road-racing pedigree to lean on at Mid-Ohio. But when it comes to actual on-track experience, the Aussie is at the same level of most Nationwide regulars.

“Until this morning, I had never seen this track,” Ambrose said. “I watched it on TV, though.”

Ambrose hasn’t competed in the Nationwide Series since August 2011, when he won the series’ next-to-last race in Montreal. His four career road-course wins in the series ties him with Canadian Ron Fellows for the most Nationwide road victories of all time.

PIT NOTES: Saturday’s race will be the 21st NASCAR national series race and first ever for the Nationwide Series held in Ohio. Mid-Ohio will become the ninth Buckeye State track to have hosted a national NASCAR event; Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, joined the list last month with its inaugural Mudsummer Classic for the NASCAR CampingWorld Truck Series. … French driver Anthony Gandon will attempt to qualify for his second NASCAR Nationwide Series race. The 23-year-old driver from Bayonne, France — a regular in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series — is driving for Rick Ware Racing and he finished 32nd in his debut last week at Watkins Glen. The stock-car series in Europe is in its second year under the NASCAR umbrella and recently signed a long-term entitlement sponsorship deal with Whelen Engineering.

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Posted on by Staff Report

A message from FOX Sports about America’s new 24-hour sports network, FOX Sports 1

To our valued NASCAR fans:

America’s new 24-hour sports network, FOX Sports 1, has arrived. We are proud and excited to tell you the network will continue its extensive coverage of NASCAR for many years to come.

KEY FOX AND FOX SPORTS 1 SUMMARY: 2015-2024

• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: First 16 points races (9 on FOX Sports, 7 on FOX Sports 1)
• NASCAR Nationwide Series: First 14 points races (14 races on FOX Sports 1)
• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: All races
• NASCAR Sprint Unlimited, Budweiser Duels and NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
• ‘TV Everywhere’ live-streaming rights for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

FOX Sports 1 offers you the level of access to NASCAR content you’ve been accustomed to with SPEED. To go along with nearly 5,000 hours of live event, news and original programming annually, FOX Sports 1 is the home of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, select NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races (2015), select NASCAR Nationwide Series races (2015), as well as Speedweeks events, including Daytona 500 Coors Light Pole Qualifying, the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway and the Budweiser Duels.

Popular established NASCAR-specific programs, including NASCAR RaceDay, NASCAR Victory Lane and NASCAR Race Hub continue on FOX Sports 1, as does live coverage of practice and qualifying sessions from all three national series.

On launch day, FOX Sports 1 brings you more than six hours of NASCAR programming, highlighted by coverage of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race from Michigan International Speedway – the first live event on America’s new sports network:

Saturday 8/17 highlights

NASCAR Live – 8 a.m. ET

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice – 8:30 a.m. ET

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – 9:30 a.m. ET

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice – 11 a.m. ET

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Setup – Noon ET

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Racing – 12:30 p.m. ET

For a full schedule, details, and to find out which channel you can find FOX Sports 1 in your home, please visit www.FOXSports1.com.

From your friends at FOX Sports

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Previewing Michigan
Posted on by Staff Report

Choose the camera angles you want to see in Sunday’s race

Which Sprint Cup driver’s in-car camera would you like to see featured on RaceBuddy? Vote here.

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Posted on by Staff Report

Follow Nationwide Series practice from Mid-Ohio, Aug. 15.

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Posted on by Staff Report

FOX Sports 1 is the new home for NASCAR with the same great coverage

FOX Sports 1 officially launched at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 17 with 18 hours of original programming on Day 1, 16.5 hours of which were live, kicking off with NASCAR LIVE from Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich.

KEY FOX AND FOX SPORTS 1 SUMMARY: 2015-2024

• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: First 16 points races (9 on FOX Sports, 7 on FOX Sports 1)
• NASCAR Nationwide Series: First 14 points races (14 races on FOX Sports 1)
• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: All races
• NASCAR Sprint Unlimited, Budweiser Duels and NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
• ‘TV Everywhere’ live-streaming rights for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Wednesday, Aug. 21
*10-10:50 a.m. ET Camping World Truck Series practice (FOX Sports 1)
*Noon-1:30 p.m. ET Camping World Truck Series practice (FOX Sports 1)
*4:35 p.m. ET Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole qualifying (FOX Sports 2)
*8 p.m. ET UNOH 200 (FOX Sports 1)

Friday, Aug. 23
9 a.m.-noon ET Nationwide Series final practice (FOX Sports 1)
Noon-2 p.m. ET Sprint Cup Series practice (FOX Sports 1)
2:45-3:30 p.m. ET Sprint Cup Series final practice (FOX Sports 1)
3:40 p.m. ET Nationwide Series Coors Light Pole qualifying (FOX Sports 1)


FOX Sports 1 NASCAR Programming Highlights
*Select NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races as soon as 2015
*Select NASCAR Nationwide Series races starting in 2015
*NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races
*NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
*Practice and Qualifying sessions from all three national series
*NASCAR RaceDay, providing pre-race coverage
*NASCAR Victory Lane,
providing pre-race coverage
*Race Hub, a daily studio show with the latest from drivers, owners and garages.
*All Speedweeks events leading up to the Daytona 500 including:
**Daytona 500 Coors Light Pole Qualifying
**Sprint Unlimited at Daytona (2014, 2017-22)
**Budweiser Duel, now in prime time

FOX Sports 1 Frequently Asked Questions
Helpful Websites
FOX Sports 1 FAQ:      https://msn.foxsports.com/other/page/foxsports1-faq
FS1 Channel Finder:   https://msn.foxsports.com/foxsports1
FOX Sports Letter to Fans

GENERAL FS1 QUESTIONS
Q: What is FOX Sports 1?
A: FOX Sports 1 is America’s newest sports network, a national 24-hour cable channel being launched by FOX on August 17, 2013.

Q: What is FOX Sports 2?
A: FOX Sports 2 is an extension of FOX Sports 1 that features live coverage of sporting events and connects with fans through entertaining studio shows and original programming.

Q: How will I know what channel FOX Sports 1 is on?
A: In most markets, FOX Sports 1 will be located in the same channel position now occupied by SPEED.  As we get closer to launch, more updated FOX Sports 1 information will be available via the Channel Finder (Click here). 

Q: What can I do if I don’t get FOX Sports 1 on August 17?
A: We would suggest that you place a call to your TV provider and let them know that you’d really like to have FOX Sports 1 included in your basic package.

Q: Will I have to pay more for FOX Sports 1?
A: For the overwhelming number of viewers who subscribe to a cable, satellite or telephone company video service, FOX Sports 1 will likely be included in your expanded basic level of service at launch.

Q: How will FOX Sports 1 be different from the other sports networks I get?
A: Over the past several years, FOX Sports has acquired or renewed rights agreements with entities like the FIFA World Cup, MLB, NASCAR, NFL, UFC and collegiate conferences like the Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Conference USA, Pac-12, and soccer leagues around the world to develop a full, robust programming schedule. FOX Sports 1 will have nearly 5,000 hours of live event, news and original programming annually.

Q: In addition to NASCAR, what sports will FOX Sports 1 televise?
A: FOX Sports 1 has seven pillar sports: college basketball and football, MLB, NASCAR, NFL (ancillary programs), soccer and UFC. FOX Sports 1 boasts nearly 5,000 hours of live event, news and original programming annually and that number will continue to grow. College football on FOX Sports 1 is highlighted by regular season coverage of Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA games. FOX Sports 1 carries dozens of exclusive prime time college basketball games from the Big East, Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA and the network is home to the Big East men’s basketball tournament. Starting in 2014, select MLB League Championship Series and Division Series games as well as regular season games are coming to FOX Sports 1. Soccer is highlighted on FOX Sports 1 with the world’s most prolific club soccer competitions, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League and CONCACAF Champions League. FOX Sports 1 carries the world’s oldest soccer competition, the FA Cup; CONCACAF Gold Cup; CONCACAF Qualifiers, FIFA Women’s World Cup coverage in 2015 and 2019; FIFA Men’s World Cup coverage in 2018 and 2022. UFC is also a core programming pillar. In addition to Saturday pay-per-view preliminary cards, Wednesday nights are home to the UFC with UFC Tonight, live events and The Ultimate Fighter.

Q: Can I get FOX Sports 1 on my phone or tablet?
A: When FOX Sports 1 launches in August, the FOX Sports GO app will also be released. The groundbreaking mobile sports experience for iPhone, iPad, Android devices and web will offer more than 1,100 live games and events from across FOX Sports, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports’ 22 regional sports networks. It will also have scores, highlights, news, stats and analysis. Access to games and live events will be free to fans who receive their video programming from a participating cable, satellite or telephone company.

NASCAR ON FOX SPORTS 1
Q: Will NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races be on FOX and FOX Sports 1?
A: FOX Sports 1 also carries select NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events beginning 2015. In 2014, FOX broadcast channel will continue to broadcast the races from Daytona through Dover as in the past. In addition, FOX Sports 1 will be the home of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.  The NASCAR Sprint All-Star race, all SpeedWeeks events  including Daytona 500 Qualifying, Sprint Unlimited at Daytona, the Budweiser Duel, and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series Practice and Qualifying sessions will continue to air on FOX Sports 1. Additionally, FOX Sports 1 carries NASCAR RaceDay, NASCAR Victory Lane and Race Hub shows.

Q: Where can I find my favorite NASCAR shows?
A: NASCAR Race Hub will air weekdays at 4:30pm ET on FOX Sports 1. NASCAR RaceDay and NASCAR Victory Lane will continue to lead into and air following NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.  Fans can continue to check NASCAR.com and FOXSports1.com for TV schedules or check local listings.

What other NASCAR programs will be on FOX Sports 1?
A: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, Speed Weeks coverage, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Practice and Qualifying sessions.  FOX Sports 1 will continue to carry NASCAR RaceDay, NASCAR Victory Lane and Race Hub shows.

SPEED QUESTIONS
Q: What happens to SPEED programming when FOX Sports 1 launches?
A: FOX Sports continues its major commitment to motorsports programming with top-level NASCAR events, including NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races as well as popular programs like NASCAR RaceDay, NASCAR Victory Lane and RaceHub.

Q: What will happen to the SPEED website?
A: NASCAR news, updates and editorial features will live under the “NASCAR” section on FOXSports.com.  SPEED.com will continue to cover all other motorsports news and series such as F1, IndyCar, MotoGP, Supercross, Sports Car racing and more.

Q: What will happen to SPEED’s social media platforms?
A: The SPEED Facebook (facebook.com/speed) and Twitter (@SPEED) accounts will continue to provide motorsports news and coverage as they have in the past.  Also, NASCAR fans will still be able to engage with high quality content via the NASCARonFOX facebook (facebook.com/NASCARonFOX) and twitter pages (@NASCARonFOX).

Posted on by George Winkler

Definitions could get blurred with intensity building as standings continue to be tight

With four races to go until the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and the standings ever so tight, it was interesting to hear Brad Keselowski talk about racing Kyle Busch during the closing moments of the Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International — a race in which Keselowski, who is badly in need of a win in order to solidify a spot in the Chase, finished a close second.

“There’s racing and wrecking,” Keselowski said. “Those are two different things. Everybody defines them a little differently and I guess that’s the code you live your life by. Me, I define last year as racing and some people would define that as wrecking. If I was gonna take out Kyle today it would have been wrecking in my mind and there’s a distinct difference.”

Keselowski was referring at least partly to last season, when he contributed to sending Busch into a spin at Watkins Glen that led to a seventh-place finish for Busch, who ultimately missed the Chase. Keselowski finished second and, of course, went on to win the championship. Now, after Keselowski’s third straight second-place finish at The Glen, one wonders if he missed an opportunity.

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WILD CARD STANDINGS

Pos Driver Wins Pts Pos Pts from 10th
1. Kasey Kahne     2 12th      -3
2. Ryan Newman     1 14th      -20
3. Tony Stewart     1 17th      -31
4. Kurt Busch     0 11th      -2
5. Jeff Gordon     0 13th      -15
6. Jamie McMurray     0 15th      -25
7. Joey Logano     0 16th      -27
8. Aric Almirola     0 18th      -64
9. Paul Menard     0 19th      -66
10. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.     0 20th      -94
11. David Ragan     1 26th      -226

While it’s respectable that Keselowski chose to be honorable toward the end of the race last week, will he regret not driving through Kyle on the way to Victory Lane? We shall see in the next few weeks.

We also shall see if drivers get a little more desperate and perhaps forego the gentlemanly agreements toward the end of races.

The intensity is certainly building to a boiling point. We saw it on Jeff Gordon’s face after he wrecked on Lap 14. We saw it in the way Marcos Ambrose disgustedly tossed his helmet aside after Max Papis spun him out with six laps to go. We even saw it on Twitter with Kasey Kahne’s comments toward Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.

It should get real interesting as the Race for the Chase pulls into stops at Michigan, Bristol, Atlanta and Richmond, alternating between speedways and short tracks with only 24 points separating eighth place (Keselowski) from 13th place (Gordon) and with three drivers in that span (Kez, Gordon and Kurt Busch) still searching for their first win of the season.

Is it racing or wrecking? We’ll see if the definitions get blurred in the coming weeks.

Ready to pounce: Kurt Busch’s quest to become the first single-car team driver to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup got closer to becoming a reality last week when he finished ninth at Watkins Glen. That moved him up two spots in the standings to 11th place, just two points behind Martin Truex Jr. in 10th place. And following a fourth-place finish at Sonoma, it certainly was a good year at road courses for the No. 78.

In general, Busch has been coming on of late, with five top-10 finishes in the past seven races. However, just when fans get comfortable with seeing Busch pile up strong finishes, he’ll stumble upon a finish that is 30th or worse. In the 18 races starting with Fontana, Busch has finished in the top-10 10 times but also has five times when he placed 30th or worse. Literally, there has been no in between with him.

He returns to Michigan where he had one of those bad moments, a 35th-place showing earlier this season. He had a fast car that day and led 21 laps, but then he got loose in a corner and smacked the wall, thus ending his chances at a good finish. Busch has two wins and eight top-10s in 25 Cup races at Michigan International Speedway. His Driver Rating of 87.7 there is 12th among active drivers.

In danger of falling out: Jeff Gordon matched Kasey Kahne last week with the dubious distinction of dropping four spots in the standings. Gordon fell to 13th place after wrecking on Lap 14 of the Cheez-It 355 and finishing 36th. Kahne, who’s in 12th place, has two wins to fall back on in the Wild Card race, while Gordon has none. Currently, Gordon would not make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

The frustration Gordon showed in his post-wreck interview was palpable, and fans could get a sense he felt he was missing out on a golden opportunity. With Gordon’s strong history on road courses (Sprint Cup Series-best nine wins) it was almost surreal to see the driver of the No. 24 experience such a setback at Watkins Glen.

So now what? The good news is Gordon is just 15 points behind Truex in 10th place — and five points in front of Ryan Newman, who holds the final Wild Card spot. Since the standings are so tight, there is bound to be plenty of shuffling in the next four weeks. Then, it will come down to who is holding the most victories for the winner of the Wild Cards to be determined.

Gordon has 14 wins in his Cup career at the next four tracks (Michigan, Bristol, Atlanta, Richmond), with his last win coming in 2011 at Atlanta. However, his last victory at Michigan, this week’s track, was way back in 2001.

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Grant Reed, a viral sensation and inspiration to many is set to give command to fire engines at Mid-Ohio’s first race

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hendrick Motorsports has a history of ringing a victory bell after any of its four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams wins a race the previous weekend. Grant Reed, a 13-year-old from Mansfield, Ohio, recently took part in a similar tradition but with a far greater meaning.

Reed, the cancer patient and Ohio State fan who became a viral sensation for nicknaming his brain tumor “Michigan” for motivation, reached his own personal finish line six weeks ago, completing his chemotherapy treatment at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital. In keeping with the facility’s tradition, Reed took part in the ringing a bell in front of an audience of patients and caregivers. 

Come Saturday, Reed will make more noise as the grand marshal of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200 (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), giving the command to fire engines for the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ first race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. He said he’s prepared for the sound of 40 cars rumbling before the start.

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“When I was younger, I had an addiction for monster trucks,” said Reed, who will also ride in the pace car during parade laps and attend the drivers’ meeting. “It’s basically the same if you think about it.”

Troy Reed, his father, playfully corrected him, one of many light moments Wednesday in the “enchanted forest” area of the hospital where former Nationwide champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr., plus current series competitors Trevor Bayne and Chad Hackenbracht greeted patients and their families ahead of Saturday’s event.

For the drivers — who chatted, signed autographs, posed for pictures and gave away toy cars and stuffed animals — the chance to talk to Reed and other patients was an eye-opener. 

“We always look to come here to give them something, but just the way they carry themselves will pump you up,” Bayne said. “It’s great to be here and just spend time with these guys.” 

The appearance unofficially kicked off events leading up to the inaugural Nationwide race at Mid-Ohio, but also served as a reminder of the unique sponsorship arrangement with the children’s hospital. The insurance company’s foundation made a $50 million gift to the hospital in 2006; having the hospital’s name as part of the race title only broadens awareness of the facilities’ reach.

“It’s really a privilege to have this gift, this race brought to us by Nationwide Insurance,” said Niki Shafer, the vice president of annual giving for Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “They’ve been a decades-long partner of the hospital and they just keep bringing us these wonderful assets to be able to share our story.” 

At least six “patient champions,” including Reed, will attend Saturday’s event and at least 13 cars will carry special emblems or paint schemes representing patients from each driver’s home state. Fittingly, Reed’s image will be carried on the hood of Ohio native Sam Hornish Jr.’s No. 12 Penske Racing Ford.

The Reed family’s connection to Mid-Ohio and NASCAR isn’t new. Troy Reed, a firefighter in Mansfield, worked as part of the safety team at the 2.4-mile road course years ago and has attended races at Bristol Motor Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway among others.

He said he’s anxiously awaiting Saturday’s race, not just for the experience but for the ability to spread the word about the facility that has cared so lovingly for his son.

“We’ve been NASCAR fans for a long time,” Troy Reed said. “It’s very cool. It’s a great opportunity for us to have some fun. He’s spent the last year and half not having fun, so it’s good to see him have fun, but more importantly for us, it’s good because it can bring some awareness for pediatric cancer. … There’s a lot of kids still fighting that battle that he’s been lucky enough to win.”

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Glen coverage

WATCH: Watkins Glen
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With Crafton being a model of consistency, Gaughan must chip away at his lead to get ahead

WELCOME, N.C. – If you want to win a championship, says Brendan Gaughan, “there’s the textbook.”

Gaughan’s talking about fellow NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Matt Crafton, who will carry a 52-point lead into this weekend’s Michigan National Guard 200 at Michigan International Speedway.

“Matt has proven himself to be the one to beat,” said Gaughan, who sits sixth in points and 75 behind the ThorSport Racing driver. “He’s doing exactly what Travis Kvapil did to win the (2003) championship. That’s what it takes. He’s won one race and all he’s doing is top-10ing us to death. I’ve got more top-five finishes (6) than anybody in the series, including him, but he’s got (a top 10 finish) every race.”

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In an extremely tight battle outside the top spot, only 33 points separate second-place Jeb Burton and 10th-place Timothy Peters (377-344). Ryan Blaney, defending series champion James Buescher and Ty Dillon, Gaughan’s Richard Childress Racing teammate, are third through fifth, respectively.

Crafton has proven to be the model of consistency, going 11-for-11 in top-10s thus far this year. He’s been atop the standings for eight consecutive races.

“He’s not going to beat himself,” Gaughan said. “The only way you’re going to beat him – you better start winning races and start chipping away at that points lead.”

Gaughan, an eight-time winner with 206 career starts in the series, hopes to do just that this weekend at MIS, where he has not raced since the track was repaved prior to the 2012 season. In seven career starts on the wide, sweeping 2-mile oval, he has four top-10 finishes including one win.

“It’s my style of place,” Gaughan said. “We know I like big places like that."

“What excites me the most about going to Michigan this year is going with RCR. In years past, you go there with what you think is really good or what you hope is going to be good. The fun part about being at RCR is it’s what we know is really good.

“We have some of the best aero packages, we have some of the best engine packages with (Earnhardt Childress Racing). So we know we will be that much better when we go there. … It’s a place that I like, on a team that excels at places like that, so I’m hoping for good results.”

"Scoring top-10 finishes on a weekly basis is no small task, regardless of series, Gaughan said."

Having a fast truck is no guarantee of a solid result.

“You’ve got to have no mechanical failures, no pit stop problems, no random problems like an oil line going or blowing a right front from (running over) debris,” Gaughan said. “When we ran in 2003, we were as consistent as you could be, with a string of nine top-10s in a row … and we still didn’t win the championship because there were just too many races with a bad result."

Which makes Crafton’s strong run that much more remarkable.

“Matt, what he’s doing is really impressive,” said Gaughan. “But you look at his demeanor and the type of driver he is and it doesn’t surprise you.”

Qualifying is scheduled for 9:35 a.m. ET on Saturday, with the Michigan National Guard 200 slated to begin at 12:30 p.m. It will be the first race for the series on the new Fox Sports 1 cable network.

Nelson Piquet Jr. is the defending race winner.

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Penske’s No. 22 Ford sails into Victory Lane at Watkins Glen with Keselowski behind wheel

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Things could have gone better for one of Penske Racing’s drivers at the close of the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International. Joey Logano sputtered to a 21st-place finish as he ran out of fuel on the final lap of the race. If it had to be one Penske car, though, it’s a good thing for the team it was Logano’s No. 48, and not the No. 22 — a car battling the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the owners points.

After the checkered flag had flown, the No. 22 sailed into Victory Lane, piloted by Brad Keselowski. Sam Hornish Jr., another Penske racer and a contender for the series championship, was just behind him. With the 1-2 finish, Penske inched closer to both the owners championship and the points lead.

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"We’ve done that quite a bit lately (finish 1-2) and one of those times we’ll get it turned around to where I’m on the leading edge of it," Hornish said. "But it was a great organization effort and the fact that at a lot of points we were 1-2-3, so it was a good day for us."

Keselowski’s win may have prevented Hornish from coming a bit closer to overtaking the points lead from Austin Dillon, but it also took a large swing at the lead of the car Kyle Busch has so frequently driven to Victory Lane in the owners standings. The No. 22 is now only five points behind the No. 54, with 819 compared to Gibbs’ 824.

The team would have less cause to celebrate had Logano been coasting to the checkered flag in the 22 and Keselowski headed to Victory Lane in the 48, earning points for a car that had just made its debut.

"On the Nationwide level, although we won the driver’s title in 2010, we did not win the owners title, and I think it’s something (team owner Roger Penske) certainly holds and values, so it’s nice to see that we’re a little closer there," the defending Sprint Cup Series champion said. "But we still have a lot of work to go and obviously the 54 team is a very strong team."

Penske’s No. 22 Ford has seen Victory Lane seven times this season: four times with Keselowski, twice with Logano and once with AJ Allmendinger. All of those times, crew chief Jeremy Bullins was atop the pit box, giving Penske the most wins the team has had in a Nationwide season, with several left to run.

Bullins also has two additional top-fives with Keselowski and four with Logano. In a sport that is often dependent on the cohesiveness of the team, the crew chief has no problem working with a different driver in the car nearly every week.

"What we feel like is going to be the best set-up is usually close," Bullins said.

He has to change his thinking most significantly during the race, when drivers with very different styles of driving are looking for changes to their car.

"I think the adjustments that we’ll make during the race vary because I think the drivers have a different style of adapting to an ill-handling car. I think if Brad’s got a loose car versus when Joey’s got a loose car, he’s probably gonna drive it a little bit differently to try and compensate for that, so the adjustments that we might use will be different."

These past few races, Bullins has been right on point. With Keselowski’s latest win, he is now tied for the second-longest winning streak, with four in a row in the Nationwide Series. Keselowski said he will be back in the car at Bristol, which means Bullins will have to change his mindset once again when the series heads to Mid-Ohio next weekend. As the No. 22 team has proven again and again, they’ve got a winning car — no matter which of their drivers is sitting behind the wheel.

“It’s been a really good year for us,” Mike Nelson, NASCAR VP of Operations at Penske Racing said after the race. “…This is our eighth win for the season and that’s the most we’ve won in a Nationwide season… Things have been going our way and we’re real excited to be sitting here right now.”

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Mark Martin’s plans for next season still unknown

Michael Waltrip added a full-time driver, but lost a ride.

Brian Vickers’ move into Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 55 car full-time beginning next season makes things a little uncertain for the two veterans with which he’s shared the ride the past two years. One of those is the team owner, who piloted the vehicle at Talladega in the spring and at Daytona in the summer, and is slated to be back behind the wheel at Talladega this fall.

“I’m out of a ride right now. I’ve lost my ride. Darn it,” Waltrip said playfully at the announcement that Vickers would go full-time “… If we can come up with a sponsor that wants me to run Daytona or Talladega, I’m still open to running Daytona and Talladega. But that’s about it. I like going out west to run the K&N car, I’m going to do that a couple of times this fall. Maybe race the Ferrari a little bit. But really would like to race the Daytona 500 if we could figure it out.”

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A two-time Daytona 500 champion, Waltrip has started at least three Sprint Cup Series events each year since 1985. Although he’s scaled back his driving duties markedly since moving into team ownership, Waltrip occasionally wheels a K&N Pro Series or Grand-Am Sports Car entry in addition to a few Sprint Cup events. He ran this year’s Daytona 500 in a car fielded by Swan Racing.

His primary focus now is running a team that this season is trying to place Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. in the Chase for the Sprint Cup for a second consecutive year. As for driving next season? He’s not ruling anything out.

“My job is make sure these three cars are funded and are as well-prepared to go to battle as they can possibly be,” Waltrip said. “Who knows. We still have some open inventory on Clint’s car, so if we find a partner that wants to sponsor Clint in a few races and wants to run the Daytona 500 …. I’m kind of hoping that might be the case, (that) there’s someone that would take some of Clint’s races, and sponsor me, too.”

A larger question mark for 2014 is Mark Martin, who was not at the announcement earlier this week, but is driving the bulk of the schedule in the No. 55 car — 24 points events, including this Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 (1 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Michigan International Speedway. Although Martin has unveiled no firm plans for next season, the 54-year-old has intimated that he’s more likely to compete some rather than retire from driving altogether.

Both Vickers and Waltrip heaped praise upon Martin for his role in helping to transform MWR into a championship contender. It’s no coincidence, Waltrip said, that MWR’s breakthrough season was the first one after Martin arrived. While Waltrip left open the possibility that Martin could have some role with his organization going forward, any concrete plans for next year remain an unknown.

“We’ve talked a lot. We haven’t made any formal decision. But he certainty has his his footprint all over our company with the role he’s played the last two years. Not only driving the car, but his commitment to physical fitness. We built a new gym, and he helped direct us in the building of that. He’s just been a huge, huge part of where we are today,” Waltrip said.

“When he showed up, he had just gotten out of Rick (Hendrick’s) cars, and he said, ‘These cars are good, you can win in these cars.’ (The year) ’12 was sort of our defining year. We ran for a championship. We had two cars in the Chase. We hadn’t done anything like that. I think Mark’s confidence in our equipment gave Clint confidence in our equipment, and it rejuvenated Martin’s confidence in our equipment, and we had a pretty good year.”

With Vickers bound for full-time competition, Waltrip and Martin have even joked about splitting a ride of their own for 2014.

“I told him, ‘You want me to go get a sponsor? Maybe we’ll share something else?’” Waltrip said. “He said, ‘You let me know what we’re doing, and we’ll figure it out from there.’”

MORE:

WATCH: Kyle Busch
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VIEW: Full Watkins
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WATCH: Watkins Glen
video highlights

WATCH: What Drives
the 5?