Posted on by Staff Report

Country singer Justin Moore teams up with the Crown Royal Heroes ProjectTM

When Jacksonville, Fla. firefighter Pat Copeman and Tampa, Fla. police officer Paul Scott met country singer Justin Moore before this year’s Daytona 500, it wasn’t just another meet and greet. 

Heroes in their community, Copeman and Scott were nominated as part of Crown Royal’s annual “Your Hero’s Name Here,” an initiative that awards naming rights to the winner for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 28, 2013.

Moore performed a special concert and treated the two to a VIP race weekend experience, courtesy of Crown Royal.

Nominees must be 21 or older and can be any kind of hero, from first responders to veterans. The official name of the race is the Crown Royal Presents the “Your Hero’s Name Here” 400 at the Brickyard. To nominate your hero, visithttps://yourherosnamehere.nascar.com/ through April 14 to submit nominations. 

Five finalists will be chosen from the entries, and then fans will decide the winner. During a special ceremony leading up to the race, the winner will be revealed. He or she will receive a trip to Indianapolis and get the “royal” treatment throughout the weekend before handing the trophy bearing his or her name to the race winner. 

The race is the culminating event of the Crown Royal Heroes ProjectTM, an ongoing commitment to recognize everyday heroes and give back to their communities. This is the seventh time Crown Royal has award naming rights of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race to an adult fan and the second consecutive year at the Brickyard 400.

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Posted on by Zack Albert

Richard Petty Motorsports driver sits 10th in points after steady start

Many New Year’s resolutions die on the vine, sometimes before winter ever loses its grip on the calendar. But here it is March, nearly the turn of spring, and Aric Almirola is still chasing his resolution, an ever-moving target.
 
"At the beginning of the year, we sat down and made a list of goals," said Almirola, in his second full season with Richard Petty Motorsports, "and that is No. 1 on our list of goals is to put that 43 car back in Victory Lane."

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Three starts into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, Almirola has inched toward that end, stringing together finishes of 13th, 15th and 16th to open the season. It’s nothing splashy, but the consistency has placed him 10th in the early standings.
 
Pair that with the strong finishing kick he had last season and Almirola has reason to believe that he’s ever closer to a breakthrough win at NASCAR’s highest level.
 
"Chemistry is a big deal and confidence is a big deal, and right now, I feel like we’ve got both of those things going," Almirola said Tuesday during the weekly NASCAR teleconference. "We show up to the race track and we expect to run in the top 10. And you look at the race teams that compete and that consistently finish in the top 10, the top 15, eventually they win races, and we think the same thing.
 
“We feel like if we continue to put ourselves in position to run in the top 10 and be contenders, then that one day will come where things go our way and we’ve got a fast car and we get track position at the end of the race and we go out and win a race. That’s reallywhat we’re focused on."
 
Part of the chemistry stems from a growing bond with crew chief Todd Parrott, who took over Petty’s famed No. 43 for the final 10 races last season as the team used its absence from the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship to focus on a new direction for 2013. That change sparked Almirola’s efforts in the fall, pushing him to contend for the win at Kansas before crashing and launching him to a remarkable fourth-place  run at Martinsville.
 
Having all those pieces remain in place over the winter break is what had Almirola, who turns 29 on Thursday,eager to keep the team’s fire lit.
 
"We have just really clicked … ," Almirola said. "We have fast race cars every week, and right from the very get-go, (Parrott has) understood me and I’ve understood him, and we just know how to get our cars where we want them throughout the weekend for the race. So I’ve been real encouraged, and I was really excited this wholeoffseason to get going this year because I knew what we were capable of after the last 10 races of last year."
 
While Almirola has done his best to keep the resolution, he’s also intent on managing expectations as the scrappy Petty team tries to get the best of its better-heeled powerhouse rivals. The team’s state of mind has been to do more with less; Almirola has adopted the mindset of keeping his head in the game and minimizing errors.
 
It’s added up so far — the Almirola/RPM pairing sits 13 positions higher in the Sprint Cup standings after three races this season compared to a year ago.
 
"The big thing for me was the first few weeks of this year to not make any major mistakes," Almirola said. "I wanted to go out and have solid days, don’t get caught speeding on pit road, keep our track position all day and just race smart, and put ourselves in position to where here in the next few weeks, we can go compete and be a legitimate threat for trying to make the Chase.
 
"Right now, I know we are only three weeks into it, but myself and everybody on our race team feels like that’s a possibility."

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Posted on by Nascar

Several drivers head to short track to prepare for April race

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion James Buescher was one of five drivers taking part in the first day of a two-day test session March 12 at Martinsville Speedway.

Buescher, 13th in the series’ season-opening event last month at Daytona International Speedway, was joined by Turner Scott Motorsports teammates Miguel Paludo and Jeb Burton, Chase Elliott and Caleb Holman.

The Kroger 250 is scheduled for Saturday, April 6, the second of this season’s 22 stops for the series.

"It’s a tough place.You’ve got to stay on top of it."

— James Buescher on Martinsville

“We basically have a whole new package for our short-track program this year,” Buescher, 22, said. “The plan is to take what we learn here, go back to the (shop) … go through all the notes and make sure we hit every detail we can to make sure the trucks are right when we come back here for the race.

“With NASCAR opening up the testing rule, it’s kind of nice to be able to come test at Martinsville. The last couple of years we’ve tested at Motor Mile (in Radford, Va.) to try to get ready for this race. You have to kind of have to guess if what works there will help you here. This takes a lot of the guesswork out.”

Early morning rain delayed the start of the day’s activities, but by 11 a.m. the sun was out and trucks were busy putting laps down on the 0.526-mile short track.

“It’s been a little green this morning,” Burton said of the track surface, “so we were taking it easy. Once some rubber gets built up, it will get a little tighter in the corner. … Today, it’s more about figuring out what we need to be the best we can be when we come back. It doesn’t pay to practice. We’ve got to go kick their butt (in the race).”

Buescher scored four wins a year ago en route to the title, and finished with two top-10s at Martinsville. However, his sixth-place finish in the fall race, he said, was deceiving.  

“We finished third in spring and thought we had it figured out,” Buescher said. “We ran up front all day long and really never fell out of the top five all day. We thought we had a shot to win the race.  

“We thought we’d finally figured Martinsville out, and then we came back in the fall and we didn’t. Halfway through the race I think I was a lap down. So to come back and finish sixth — we kind of threw up a Hail Mary, got some track position and worked hard to get a top-10 finish. But we definitely weren’t that strong all weekend long. … I guess what we figured out about Martinsville is don’t take it for granted … it’s a tough place. You’ve got to stay on top of it.”  

The Kroger 250 will be Elliott’s first appearance in the series. The development driver for Hendrick Motorsports is fielding a Turner Scott entry in nine races this season.  

That being the case, he said the test provides a good opportunity to learn “the characteristics of the track.”  

“Obviously (it’s) very unique,” Elliott said. “You’ll hear a lot of Cup guys talking about this place being a lot of fun. It’s notorious for putting on some good races and I think you’ll see that here in a few weeks.  

“I’m still trying to get the hang of it; by no means have I got it figured out. I’m just trying to get an idea of what I need to do to go fast when it’s race time.”  

Bryan Silas (T.R.3 Motorsports) and Scott Riggs (Robby Benton Racing) are expected to join those testing here on Wednesday.  

Cup regulars Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin won last season’s Truck Series races at Martinsville. Harvick is scheduled to return.

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Posted on by Staff Report

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Posted on by Staff Report

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Although seeking win, No. 18 team pleased with top-five showing

LAS VEGAS — For the third time in as many events this season, Kyle Busch had one of the fastest cars on the race track. For the first time, he recorded a finish that reflected it.

After a Daytona 500 that ended prematurely because of a blown engine and a Phoenix race in which he was limited by a damaged race car, the Las Vegas native finally broke through at his hometown race track. Busch rebounded from an early pit-road speeding penalty to lead 27 laps, and finished fourth Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“It’s not what we wanted — but it’s definitely what we needed,” crew chief Dave Rogers told his driver over the radio on the cool-down lap. With good reason, given that Busch entered Sunday 33rd in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings, and vaulted 16 spots after his first top five on the young season. Only Kasey Kahne, who led 114 laps Sunday before finishing second, made similar gains with a 15-position upswing.

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“We had a good run today,” Busch said as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth celebrated in Victory Lane. “I made a mistake and got us mired back in traffic, but we fought hard and we battled back up through there. The biggest thing we take out is we’ve got to figure out how we can make these race cars last longer on the long runs for me. Kenseth there was pretty good and he stayed good throughout the long run, but me — we went to hell in a hand basket there after a minute.”

That wasn’t unusual in a race where much of the field fought loose conditions. Although Busch’s car was often unstoppable on restarts — including one such instance where he swooped low to force it three-wide before grabbing the lead — he could only stay out front for so long before the handling on his No. 18 deteriorated.

“For about 10 laps, the thing was a rocket ship,” he said. “And then it started getting so loose you could barely hold on to it, and you try to save those tires and not abuse your stuff and it gets loose, worse. That’s something we definitely need to build on and work on. It’s unfortunate that we’re not in Victory Lane and our teammate is, but it’s all good for Joe Gibbs Racing.”

Busch and Rogers made a late bid to try and get there. Running third when Travis Kvapil’s blown engine brought out the event’s penultimate caution, the No. 18 team decided to sacrifice a little track position on the restart for potentially a better car at the end of the race. Crewmen removed a spring rubber out of the right-rear, which necessitated a longer stop and placed Busch in seventh place on the ensuing restart.

“We weren’t going to beat (Kahne) the way our car was handling, so we thought we needed to a make significant enough of a change to help it on the long run,” said Busch, who suggested the change. After some debate, Rogers agreed.

“We thought we were going to finish third or fourth if we didn’t make any changes, so we knew that we could make a change and get back in the top five,” the crew chief said. “But the only way to win it was to make a big change and go for it. We felt confident enough that we would climb back into the top five, so figured it was time to gamble and try to get that win.”

Ultimately, the plan didn’t work — Kenseth and Kahne streaked away from the field after the final restart, deciding the race outcome among themselves. But the result was still a vast improvement for a team that hadn’t started worse than fourth in the first two events, and has had fast cars in all three races, but lacked anything to show for it. The engine failure at Daytona resulted in a 34th-place finish, and Busch wound up 23rd at Phoenix after banging off the wall while trying to pass eventual winner Carl Edwards.

“We needed a top five,” Rogers said. “We need top fives to climb back into this thing, and then worry about the wins later.”

For a while, it seemed Las Vegas would be a battle as well. Busch was fourth when he was caught speeding while entering pit road for his first stop of the day, which required him to serve a pass-through penalty. He emerged 19th, but still on the lead lap, and stayed quiet over the radio as he worked his way back up through the field.

“It was the first pit stop, so we had plenty of time to get back up through,” Busch said. “I just tried to continue to fight hard all day and come back from being back in traffic.”

He did just that, and the result was a substantial points improvement at his hometown track before moving on to one of his best — Bristol Motor Speedway, where he’s won five times.

“It was a good finish,” Busch said. “The finish that we need, and hopefully we can continue getting a couple more.”

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Posted on by Holly Cain

Driver gets relief from self-imposed pressure after move to JGR

Related: Kobalt Tools 400 results

LAS VEGAS — NASCAR’s ultimate straight man Matt Kenseth is well known among his friends and fellow competitors — and even the NASCAR media corps — for his dry wit and great sense of humor.

He doesn’t get flustered, doesn’t get overly excited. His emotional spectrum is normally the middle of the road.

So listening to Kenseth’s raised voice on the team radio as he took the checkered flag in Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and watching him celebrate in Victory Lane, it was obvious that this particular win was an especially emotional moment.

And it had little do with it being his 41st birthday.

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"I’m pretty fired up to win with these guys," said Kenseth of his first victory in his first season driving Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas after spending his entire previous 13-year NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career driving Roush Fenway Racing Fords.

"You know, I was pretty comfortable where I was at," he explained, pausing to chose the right words. "We had cars that could win races (at Roush). We had an organization that could win races. Although I knew — and I still know — it’s not really that much of a risk and I’m 100 percent sure it was the right thing and all that, still there’s some pressure, there’s some unknowns (about switching teams).

"To come over there (to Gibbs) and get in that car, I know they’re expecting me to perform and do my job. Before this year, I can’t remember the last time I’ve ever been nervous at all inside of a race car. … You want to meet their expectations or exceed them and you want to go do your job to the best of your ability."

The 2003 Sprint Cup champion joined an already stellar stable of Gibbs drivers, including Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch. The idea was to make a good thing even better.

But no one discounted the initial challenges. Kenseth not only had a new boss, but a new car make, pit crew, spotter, sponsor and crew chief. 

Kenseth brought a title and 24 wins with him to Gibbs, but because of the massive re-set to his surroundings, his learning curve was expected to be steep, and the team was prepared to balance expectation with patience.

"I knew this day would come, but to do it just in our third race is really special obviously," said Kenseth’s crew chief Jason Ratcliff. "The hard work that these guys have put in over the winter, we’ve just got a great group here and we’ve got Matt and we’re going to win a lot of races, I think. He’ll probably get mad at me for saying that because he doesn’t like that.

"But … I knew that we would get into Victory Lane at some point, and to do it this early in the season is great and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season."

If Kenseth was worried about carrying his weight among the other heavyweights on his team, this win only three races into the season should help assuage his concerns.

He’s the first JGR driver to win in 2013 and is one of only five drivers in the Sprint Cup Series with two top 10s already. His win Sunday moved him up 11 positions in the Sprint Cup Series championship standings to seventh place. He trails fourth-place Hamlin by nine points and leads 17th-place Busch by 21 points.

Engine worries in the opening two races of the season troubled the team, so perhaps it explains the wide smile and pep in the step for Toyota boss Lee White after joining Kenseth in Victory Lane on Sunday.

"I think, lots of times a victory — the thrill of it — depends on … what happens leading up to it," said team owner and namesake Joe Gibbs. "We’ve had a tough couple weeks as everybody knows so I really appreciate our partner Toyota.

"In tough times, everybody kind of bands together around our place and we start fighting and we worked our way out of some tough times. Obviously, Matt has just been special. He came over, I think he brings a lot and Denny and Kyle both really respect him.

"We’ve got three guys that really can get after it and drive a race car."

For Kenseth, it was a perfect way to settle in and exhale.

"I felt a lot of pressure that I put on myself to come in here and perform," Kenseth said. "We’re only three weeks in, but man, all three races we had a car where if everything went right we could have won. I’m not a huge ‘goal’ person, but my goal was to win and to win early. I’m glad we got a win, but it’s still only week three. I feel like this is the beginning. … It feels really great to get the win, and hopefully that’ll keep some momentum going for our team."

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Motorcoach manufacturer signs multi-year partnership with NASCAR

NASCAR and Prevost have signed a new multi-year partnership that designates the leading manufacturer of premium touring and conversion coaches, as the Official Luxury Motorcoach of NASCAR, announced Monday. Prevost assembles motorhomes for a number of NASCAR team owners and drivers who make the race track their home for more than 30 race weekends a year. 

Prevost, along with its converter partners, manufactures innovative motorhomes that stand up to the demand of a 10-month-long NASCAR schedule. A fixture at the track each weekend, Prevost motorcoaches are utilized across the driver and team owner lots, sponsor hospitality compounds, manufacturer engineering stations, and fan camping areas.

“Prevost’s state-of-the-art motorcoaches provide a home-away-from-home for members of our industry throughout the course of a demanding season,” said NASCAR Chief Sales Officer Jim O’Connell. “Our three national series provide a grand stage for Prevost to showcase its motorhomes to a substantial number of brands and consumers at the track who may consider purchasing or leasing a product or vehicle.”

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NASCAR will utilize Prevost motorcoaches this year for at-track hospitality through the NASCAR Fuel for Hospitality® program, which is specifically designed for Official NASCAR Partners to provide employees and customers with a VIP race-day experience at the track. In addition, Prevost will also be joining the NASCAR Fuel for Business Council® to buy and sell directly with top Fortune 500 companies.

“This new partnership between Prevost and NASCAR is a natural fit for two thriving brands that share an unrelenting commitment to innovation,” said Prevost President and CEO Gaetan Bolduc. “Prevost continues to set the standard for advancements in motorcoach technology and safety so that we maintain our position with customers as the Ultimate Class."

Prevost’s involvement with NASCAR began in the 1980’s, as its converter partners Featherlite Coaches and Marathon Coach played an integral role in transporting NASCAR events across the country and providing trackside offices and living quarters for sponsors, suppliers, and families.

Prevost’s parent company is The Volvo Group and its U.S.-based office is located in Greensboro, N.C.

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Posted on by Staff Report

Check out which car colors will hit the world’s fastest half-mile

Editor’s note: This story will be updated as additional paint schemes are revealed.

This weekend’s races at Bristol Motor Speedway will give NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers their first chance to shine on a short track this season. Though fenders will clang, tires will rub and dents will be plentiful on the .533-mile bullring, it’s important that the cars will look their best — at least at the start.

Below are some of the special paint schemes you’ll see at the Jeff Foxworthy’s Grit Chips 300 and the Food City 500.

RELATED: Purchase die-casts of favorite driver | Classic die-casts

Jamie McMurray will drive the No. 1 CESSNA Chevrolet.

SHOP: Jamie McMurray die-casts

Kasey Kahne will drive the No. 5 Great Clips Chevrolet.

SHOP: Kasey Kahne die-casts

Danica Patrick will drive the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet.

SHOP: Danica Patrick die-casts

Clint Bowyer will drive the No. 15 NAPA Filters Toyota.

SHOP: Clint Bowyer die-casts

David Ragan will drive the No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford.

SHOP: David Ragan die-casts


J.J. Yeley will drive the No. 36 United Mining Equipment Chevrolet.

SHOP: J.J. Yeley die-casts

David Gilliliand will drive the No. 38 A&W All American Food Ford.

SHOP: David Gilliland die-casts


Ryan Newman will drive the No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet.

SHOP: Ryan Newman die-casts

Scott Riggs will drive the No. 44 No Label Watches Ford.

SHOP: Scott Riggs die-casts


Bobby Labonte will drive the No. 47 Bush’s Beans Toyota.

SHOP: Bobby Labonte die-casts

Brian Vickers will drive the No. 55 RK Motors Toyota.

SHOP: Brian Vickers die-casts

Carl Edwards will drive the No. 99 Kelloggs/Frosted Flakes Ford.

SHOP: Carl Edwards die-casts

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Kyle Larson will drive the No. 32 Cottonelle Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

SHOP: Kyle Larson die-casts

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Posted on by Staff Report

Johnson, Keselowski battle tight; Edwards, Kahne make big gains

1. Jimmie Johnson (No. 48)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Where he stands: Johnson leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings with 129 points.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Johnson continued his strong start to the season by running up front all afternoon in Las Vegas. The No. 48 car led at three different times for 66 total laps and battled teammate Kasey Kahne for the lead for most of the race. A caution on Lap 235 necessitated one final restart, and Johnson lost a bit of ground over the final 30 laps, but still finished fifth.
This week: In 22 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Johnson has one win, seven top fives, 13 top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Johnson ranks fourth out of 47 drivers with an average place of 12.9.
Last year: Johnson recovered from a poor qualifying round to place in the top 10. Starting 22nd, the No. 48 Chevrolet — with some new adjustments — worked its way up to seventh place by Lap 175. Johnson was in eighth place on Laps 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400 and 425 before finishing ninth.
What he said: “At times I though we may win us another. … It was a strong performance. I wish we could have been in Victory Lane with our sponsor as the race sponsor.”

2. Brad Keselowski (No. 2)

Penske Racing, Ford 

Where he stands: Keselowski is second in the standings with 124 points. He is five points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is five points ahead of third-place Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Keselowski — who started on the pole — led 12 laps and overcame a late pit-road snafu to finish third. The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion is the only driver to record top-five finishes in all of the season’s first three races.
This week: In six career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Keselowski has two wins, two top fives and two top 10s. He is the defending race champion. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Keselowski ranks sixth out of 47 drivers with an average place of 13.3.
Last year: Keselowski won last year’s Food City 500, his first victory of what would be his championship season, and his second consecutive victory at the Bristol after winning the 2011 fall race. In a show of dominance, the No. 2 led 228 of the event’s 500 laps, including the final 111.
What he said: “Never ever give up. Never give up. This team doesn’t and we didn’t (Sunday). You get a good run like we did and that is a product of that effort. I thought we had some really good speed there at the end.”

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Where he stands: Earnhardt Jr. is third in the standings with 119 points. He is 10 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and 17 points ahead of fourth-place Denny Hamlin.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Earnhardt Jr. stayed in the top 10 throughout the duration of the race to continue his strong start to the season. Junior’s seventh-place finish was actually his worst of the season, which again indicates how strong he’s been through three races.
This week: In 26 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Earnhardt has one win, seven top fives and 12 top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Earnhardt ranks ninth out of 47 drivers with an average place of 14.0.
Last year: Earnhardt’s recent middle-of-the-road showings at Bristol continued with a 15th-place finish. It was Junior’s fourth consecutive race at the .533-mile track in which he finished outside the top 10.
What he said: “We ran a little bit better than where we finished, but just needed a little track position at the end. We got a pretty good little start to the season. We are working on (the car), trying to improve and we are running up front. So, real happy with that.”

4. Denny Hamlin (No. 11)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Hamlin is fourth in the standings with 102 points. He is 27 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and four points ahead of fifth-place Carl Edwards.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Hamlin led three laps after deciding not to pit during a late caution when most of the leaders went in. It was a risky strategy, and Hamlin was quickly passed on the restart and eventually had to pit under green-flag conditions. To exacerbate matters, he was flagged for speeding on pit road. Still, the No. 11 car seemed pleased with his 15th-place finish.
This week: In 14 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Hamlin has one win, four top fives and seven top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Hamlin ranks 15th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 16.0.
Last year: Success would come for Hamlin at Bristol in the fall of 2012, but the 2012 Food City 500 didn’t produce the desired results for the No. 11 Toyota. Hamlin finished 20th, and had to work to salvage that after dropping down to near 30th place midway through the race.

5. Carl Edwards (No. 99)

Roush Fenway Racing, Ford 

Where he stands: Edwards is fifth in the standings with 98 points. He is 31 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is three points ahead of sixth-place Mark Martin.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Edwards put together his second consecutive strong showing and continued his quick ascent up the standings. Edwards was out of the top 20 after a rough week at Daytona, 11th last week after winning the Subway Fresh Fit 500 and now fifth after finishing fifth in Las Vegas.
This week: In 17 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Edwards has two wins, four top fives, seven top 10s and two poles. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Edwards ranks 10th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 14.7.
Last year: In what would become the story of Edwards’ 2012 season, the No. 99 Ford endured a difficult day. Just 25 laps into the race, Kasey Kahne bumped into Kurt Busch and was sent into the wall. Edwards, barreling around Turn 1, had no chance of avoiding the wreck. He hit Kahne hard, and then Marcos Ambrose sandwiched Edwards from behind. Edwards got back out on the track after major repairs and finished 39th, running 245 laps.
What he said: “We wanted better but I think if I would have done a better job on my restarts then we would have been better. … That was a wild race and some hard driving.”

6. Mark Martin (No. 55)

Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Martin is sixth in the standings with 95 points. He is 34 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is two points ahead of seventh-place Matt Kenseth.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Mark Martin’s name wasn’t called much. That’s because the driver of the No. 55 Toyota stayed in the middle of the pack throughout the race. His 14th-place finish allowed him to move up one place in the standings.
This week: In 46 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Martin has two wins, 16 top fives, 23 top 10s and nine poles. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Martin ranks 11th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 15.1.
Last year: Martin did not run in the 2012 Food City 500. Instead, the veteran watched Brian Vickers captain the No. 55 Toyota to a fifth-place finish for Michael Waltrip Racing. Vickers is again expected to run this race in the No. 55 as Martin is driving a part-time schedule.
What he said: “I didn’t get a good restart on the last one, but the one before I did. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the last one — the last one didn’t come out as well for me.”

7. Matt Kenseth (No. 20)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Kenseth is seventh in the standings with 93 points. He is 36 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is zero points ahead of eighth-place Greg Biffle.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Kenseth displayed one of the fastest race cars of the afternoon. He and his No. 20 team parlayed that speed with sound pit strategy to capture his first win of the year. Kenseth held off hard-charging Kasey Kahne over the final 30 laps to get the victory on his birthday — one of only three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers to accomplish that feat. The victory vaulted Kenseth 11 spots up the standings.
This week: In 26 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kenseth has two wins, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Kenseth ranks second out of 47 drivers with an average place of 10.7.
Last year: Kenseth continued a dominant run at Bristol by leading 45 laps and finishing second. It was his sixth consecutive top-10 finish at the short track.
What he said: “I’m not a huge goal person, but my goal was to win and to win early. I felt like I just — nobody has put any pressure on my except for myself, but I also know that Coach (Joe Gibbs) hired me to come in there and climb in that car and win races so you certainly want to do that and you don’t want to disappoint people.”

8. Greg Biffle (No. 16)

Roush Fenway Racing, Ford 

Where he stands: Biffle is eighth in the standings with 93 points. He is 36 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is four points ahead of ninth-place Clint Bowyer.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Biffle had issues with consistency for the first time this year. He was among the many drivers plagued with car issues, brought on by a lack of practice time on the track and weather conditions that differed greatly from the final practice. The No. 16 Ford finished 17th.
This week: In 20 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Biffle has six top fives, 11 top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Biffle ranks third out of 47 drivers with an average place of 12.4.
Last year: Biffle’s only pole at Bristol came last year, but it didn’t produce the result the No. 16 team hoped for. True, he led the first 41 laps, but his car remained loose throughout the race. Biffle still ran in the top 10, but some overcorrections on the final pit stop resulted in his car becoming too tight. That was difficult to fight off, and Biffle finished 13th.
What he said: "(That was) probably the hardest car I’ve had to drive the whole race … but we will keep digging."

9. Clint Bowyer (No. 15)

Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Bowyer is ninth in the standings with 89 points. He is 40 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is one point ahead of 10th-place Aric Almirola.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, there was no driver who personified some of the day’s driving frustrations more than Bowyer. Bowyer’s No. 15 Toyota nearly spun out while trying to pass leader Brad Keselowski on Lap 3, and things didn’t get any better from there. Bowyer managed to keep his car out of trouble and off the wall and at least earn points with his 27th-place showing.
This week: In 14 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Bowyer has four top fives and seven top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Bowyer ranks 19th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 17.4.
Last year: Bowyer’s fourth-place finish wasn’t his highest showing at Bristol, but it may have been his best. Bowyer qualified 16th and was out of the top 10 through the first 100 laps. Then he started picking off cars consistently, climbing into the top 5 and getting as high as third place in the final laps.
What he said: “It just wasn’t our day. We struggled right from the start. The car just started out really, really loose — so loose I thought I had a tire going down and pitted early. That put us behind the rest of the day.”

10. Aric Almirola (No. 43)

Richard Petty Motorsports, Ford 

Where he stands: Almirola is 10th in the standings with 88 points. He is 41 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is one point ahead of 11th-place Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Almirola’s crew worked on the No. 43 Ford throughout the race and kept the driver on the lead lap. Almirola remains in the top 10 through three races after Sunday’s 16th-place finish.
This week: In seven career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Almirola has one top 10. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Almirola ranks 29th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 25.6.
Last year: A lack of cautions really hurt Almirola, who struggled with his car all day and could have used the extra time on pit road. Multiple chassis adjustments during pit stops seemed to work at first, but the car remained loose for most of the day. Almirola finished 19th, two laps down.
What he said: “Headed to one of my favorite tracks (Bristol) next week in top 10 in points. Proud of my team.”

11. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 17)

Roush Fenway Racing, Ford 

Where he stands: Stenhouse Jr. is 11th in the standings with 87 points. He is 42 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and five points ahead of 12th-place Paul Menard. He is one point out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Stenhouse Jr. had some ups — leading the first lap of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career — and some downs – brushing the wall twice. Despite introducing himself to the wall, Stenhouse kept his car in race shape and a late caution allowed him to get back on the lead lap. He finished 18th, giving the Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate three top 20s this year.
This week: Stenhouse Jr. has no starts at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
What he said: “We were running in the top 10 no problem but then we were way too tight for some reason. Every pit stop we made we got tighter and tighter. … We will have to go check it out.”

12. Paul Menard (No. 27)

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Menard is 12th in the standings with 82 points. He is 47 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and three points ahead of 13th-place Jeff Gordon. He is six points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Menard had his second consecutive top-10 showing at Las Vegas. A 10th-place finish keeps Menard ahead of some of the sport’s bigger names due to the driver’s ability to keep his No. 27 Chevrolet out of trouble and finish races.
This week: In 11 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Menard has one top five and three top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Menard ranks 23rd out of 45 drivers with an average place of 20.2.
Last year: Menard has had a strong run at Bristol over the past two years. In last year’s spring race, he finished 10th and later placed 10th in the fall. In the 2011 fall race, Menard recorded his first top-five finish at Bristol, finishing fifth.
What he said: "It was a lot of fun to drive out there. We were able to run the top line in turns one and two at the end, but we were tight at the bottom in turns three and four, which cost us a little bit of time. The No. 27 pit crew did an awesome job in the pits and got me several spots on pit road."

13. Jeff Gordon (No. 24)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Gordon is 13th in the standings with 79 points. He is 50 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is two points ahead of 14th-place Kasey Kahne. He is nine points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Jeff Gordon and team couldn’t seem to get the No. 24 Chevrolet right. Gordon was too loose early on, and voiced his displeasure with his vehicle even after multiple pit stops. Gordon stayed on the track during the wave-around for two cautions, which allowed him to make up some laps. He still finished 25th, one lap down.
This week: In 40 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Gordon has five wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s and five poles. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Gordon ranks first out of 47 drivers with an average place of 9.5.
Last year: Gordon has practically mastered Bristol’s steep banking and track intricacies. That’s why it was so disappointing last year when Dale Earnhardt Jr., his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, slightly bumped the No. 24 late in the race. The result: Gordon’s left rear tire cut down, and he was sent into the wall and out of the race. Junior apologized, and Gordon said he knew it was unintentional, but the four-time Sprint Cup Series champion still finished 35th after running in the top five the entire afternoon before the incident.
What he said: "(We’re) going to work hard so days like this don’t happen again."

14. Kasey Kahne (No. 5)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Kahne is 14th in the standings with 77 points. He is 52 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and one point ahead of 15th-place Joey Logano. He is 11 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Kahne put on a dominant showing that resulted in a second-place finish and rocketed him 17 spots up the standings. The No. 5 Chevrolet was among the fastest in the field and passed for the lead six times for 114 total laps in the 267-lap race. After a caution that lasted until Lap 241, Kahne was snared in traffic trying to exit pit road. He quickly jumped from six to second-place on the ensuing restart, but couldn’t quite catch leader Matt Kenseth.
This week: In 18 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kahne has three top fives, seven top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Kahne ranks 20th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 18.6.
What he said: "I had an unbelievable Farmers Insurance Chevrolet. Throughout the whole race the pit stops were great. Everybody did a perfect job."

15. Joey Logano (No. 22)

Penske Racing, Ford

Where he stands: Logano is 15th in the standings with 76 points. He is 53 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is two points ahead of 16th-place Marcos Ambrose. He is 12 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Logano felt he had his best car of the year. With qualifying washed out due to weather, though, the 22-year-old started 21st in a lineup based off last year’s final points standings. An early speeding penalty on pit road put the No. 22 Ford two laps down, but Logano gamely battled back to finish 12th. A fortuitous caution allowed Logano to get one lap down, and he was the beneficiary when the caution was thrown on Lap 225.
This week: In eight career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Logano has one top 10 and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Logano ranks 24th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 20.3.
Last year: Logano has qualified well at Bristol, but that hasn’t carried over in the final results. Six times Logano has qualified better than 10th, but he has just one top 10 and four top 20s. Last year with Joe Gibbs Racing, Logano qualified ninth and finished 16th.
What he said: "I screwed up and sped down pit road on the first stop. I went down a lap and tried the wave around, but never caught our break to go. I felt like we had a top-five car but just made a mistake."

16. Marcos Ambrose (No. 9)

Richard Petty Motorsports, Ford 

Where he stands: Ambrose is 16th in the standings with 74 points. He is 55 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is two points ahead of 17th-place Kyle Busch. He is 12 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Ambrose finished in 22nd place, one lap down. The driver struggled with his No. 9 Ford throughout the day and caused a caution to be thrown when he briefly lost control of his car trying to enter pit road.
This week: In eight career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Ambrose has two top fives and four top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Ambrose ranks 16th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 16.2.
Last year: Ambrose was caught in a multicar wreck that he simply couldn’t avoid. The seven-car accident caused a 21-lap caution and relegated Ambrose — who qualified 12th — back to the garage. The No. 9 Ford eventually returned and finished 36th, 111 laps down.

17. Kyle Busch (No. 18)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Busch is 17th in the standings with 72 points. He is 57 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and zero points ahead of 18th-place Tony Stewart. He is 16 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Busch put on a show at his hometown track. After finishing second in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, Busch finished fourth Sunday. He led five times for 27 laps and was the fastest car all afternoon on restarts. He provided one of the race’s signature moments when he dipped down onto the apron on a restart, making it three wide before scooting past Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne. Busch earned 41 points Sunday, more than the first two races combined (31).
This week: In 16 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Busch has five wins, seven top fives and 11 top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Busch ranks fifth out of 47 drivers with an average place of 13.0.
Last year: Busch’s wizardry at Bristol is well-known throughout the circuit, but the No. 18 experienced the other side of the .533-mile track. Busch was collected in a seven-car accident in Turn 1 on Lap 24 while running near the top 10. His car needed work, and he came back during the race, but finished in 32nd place and 77 laps down.
What he said: "I just hate it for my team. We had by far the best car in practice — I don’t know where that went. (Sunday) was a different day. The worst (Joe Gibbs Racing) car ended up winning the race — it’s funny how this game works."

18. Tony Stewart (No. 14)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Stewart is 18th in the standings with 72 points. He is 57 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is four points ahead of 19th-place Kevin Harvick. He is 16 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Tony Stewart was far from the only person complaining about a loose car. Unlike most, however, ‘Smoke’ and his team rallied and nearly pulled off a top-10 finish. Down to 25th-place and a lap down in the middle of the race, crew chief Steve Addington and his team made some crucial fixes during a pit stop on Lap 162. Over the next 100 laps, Stewart worked his way through the field, gaining 14 spots to finish 11th. After a three-point start to the season following a wreck at Daytona, Stewart climbed into the top 20 for the first time.
This week: In 28 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Stewart has one win, six top fives, eight top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Stewart ranks 13th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 15.8.
Last year: Stewart has done well at Bristol throughout his career, but his most recent results show a struggle. Stewart finished 14th in the 2012 Food City 500, his best showing in the past five races at the track. However, Stewart finished second in the event in 2010.

19. Kevin Harvick (No. 29)

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Harvick is 19th in the standings with 68 points. He is 61 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and two points ahead of 20th-place Jeff Burton. He is 20 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Harvick continued his climb out of a hole brought on by a wreck in the Daytona 500. In Las Vegas on Sunday, the No. 29 recorded its first top-10 finish of the season, finishing ninth on a day in which Chevrolets placed six cars in the top 11. It jolted Harvick to 19th place in the standings, behind two other big-name drivers who also made big moves last weekend.
This week: In 24 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Harvick has one win, nine top fives and 12 top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Harvick ranks eighth out of 47 drivers with an average place of 13.9.
Last year: Harvick’s 11th-place finish in the Food City 500 was one of the biggest stories of the afternoon. The No. 29 car was involved in the big wreck on Lap 24. During the ensuing 24-lap caution period, Harvick came in to pit road for adjustments nine total times. His car restored, Harvick drove from 30th place to 11th and finished on the lead lap.
What he said: "Our car was fast, but we had a few issues with the handling during the race.The No. 29 team kept at it all day making changes that allowed us to leave here with a good finish."

20. Jeff Burton (No. 31)

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Burton is 20th in the standings with 66 points. He is 63 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and zero points ahead of 21st-place Jamie McMurray. He is 22 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Burton finished 26th and five laps down after starting 20th.
This week: In 38 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Burton has one win, eight top fives and 15 top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Burton ranks 17th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 16.2.
Last year: A calculated gamble allowed Burton to get in the top 10 early and stay there for the rest of the race. Burton, who qualified 33rd, stayed on the track during the first caution on Lap 25. That shot the No. 31 Chevrolet into the top five, and Burton stayed near the lead for the remainder of the race and finished sixth.
What he said: "We had a successful test session on Thursday and made strong gains in practice on Saturday. I felt good about our chances, but the handling got away from us."

Five in the rearview mirror …

Jamie McMurray (No. 1)

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: McMurray is 21st in the standings with 66 points.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, McMurray finished 13th, his best showing of the season, and also led two laps. The No. 1 car had to navigate the entire field as EGR decided to switch engines for both McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya.
This week: In 20 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, McMurray has three top fives and eight top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, McMurray ranks 21st out of 47 drivers with an average place of 19.0.

Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56)

Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Truex Jr. is 22nd in the standings with 64 points.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Truex Jr. demonstrated why he was one of NASCAR’s most dangerous drivers on 1.5-mile tracks. Truex Jr. led the No. 56 Toyota to an eighth-place finish in his first top 10 of the season. Truex Jr. ran in the top five for a nearly 100-lap stretch midway through the 267-lap race.
This week: In 14 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Truex Jr. has two top fives and two top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Truex Jr. ranks 18th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 16.6.

Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42)

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Montoya is 23rd in the standings with 63 points.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Montoya finished 19th and was the last car on the lead lap. Like teammate Jamie McMurray, Montoya’s team swapped his engine before the race.
This week: In 12 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Montoya has three top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Montoya ranks 14th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 16.0.

Danica Patrick (No. 10)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet 

Where she stands: Patrick is 30th in the standings with 53 points.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Patrick made some driving mistakes and also saw her crew make some mistakes in pit road. The driver said it was a learning experience all the way around after her 33rd-place showing in which she finished six laps down.
This week: Patrick has one start at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. She finished 29th in 2012.

Ryan Newman (No. 39)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Newman is 31st in the standings with 50 points.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Ryan Newman exited the race early for the second consecutive week. On the restart following a caution waved on Lap 225, Newman missed a shift as he attempted to speed up. That caused an engine failure and sent him out of the race in 38th place.
This week: In 22 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Newman has one top five, 12 top 10s and three poles. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Newman ranks 12th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 15.3.

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