Race News February 7th

It May be a Bunch of Bull… Meet Indy Car Series New CEO

Randy Bernard

A page from Randy Bernard’s basic management philosophy: It takes a lot of hard work, which means you have to have a great team backing you.

For the past 15 years, Bernard experienced the former and was the beneficiary of the latter as he helped expand the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. brand, events, sponsorship and worldwide popularity as its Chief Executive Officer. Now he’ll lead the Indy Racing League — the sanctioning body of the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights — that shares a thread with the PBR of a relatively young and growing sports property that draws from its deep heritage.

Bernard was introduced as CEO by Jeffrey Belskus, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation.

“Randy is the right person at the right time to head the Indy Racing League,” Belskus said. “He brings a proven track record as a successful CEO, and is a sports marketer and a promoter. His skills blend well with the leadership in place at the league, which will enable them to direct their full attention to what they each do best.”

Bernard, who observed his 43rd birthday Jan. 31 while at a PBR event in Tampa, Fla., and will start with the league March 1, said he initially wants “to fade into the background, roll up my sleeves and be part of the team.” Read the story »

ARCA Remax/Menards Slick Mist 200 Footnotes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — She swapped paint at 200 mph, slid through the grass and saved her Chevrolet from hitting the wall. She fretted about the blinding sun, was coached by her crew in great detail during pit stops and made a banzai move for the front in the closing laps.
Danica Patrick didn’t win Saturday’s ARCA race at Daytona International Speedway, but one of the most ballyhooed debuts in stock-car history was as eventful as it was exhilarating.

“That was fun!” she radioed her JRM team after the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200. “Aww, yeah! I’m rubbing fenders, rubbing the side of the car. This thing isn’t going to be pretty but whatever.”

The sight of her No. 7 Chevrolet Impala in one piece after a typically caution-plagued ARCA showing at the 2.5-mile superspeedway was more than pleasing for her team.

“Be proud of yourself,” crew chief Tony Eury told Patrick, who is moving into NASCAR part-time this year with the team owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. “You done awesome.”

Rick Hendrick, whose powerhouse Sprint Cup team supplies chassis and engines to JR Motorsports, was just as impressed. Read the story »

Results Budweiser Shootout

Budweiser Shootout

Date: Saturday, February 6th
Site: Daytona International Speedway — Daytona Beach, Florida
Track: 2.5-mile tri-oval speedway
Laps: 75 (25 laps in 1st segment; 50 laps in 2nd segment)
Miles: 187.5
Capacity: 168,000
Total purse: $1,217,154 (2009 figures)
Payouts: 1st Place – $200,000; 2nd Place – $100,000; 3rd Place – $60,000

1 2 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 76 0 0 $202,357
2 19 Kasey Kahne Ford 76 0 0 $97,834
3 9 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 76 0 0 $57,834
4 17 Kyle Busch Toyota 76 0 0 $48,834
5 24 Denny Hamlin Toyota 76 0 0 $47,834
6 23 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 76 0 0 $46,834
7 21 Joey Logano Toyota 76 0 0 $44,834
8 3 Brian Vickers Toyota 76 0 0 $42,834
9 13 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 76 0 0 $40,834
10 20 Juan Pablo Montoya Chevrolet 76 0 0 $39,334
11 11 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 76 0 0 $38,834
12 7 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 76 0 0 $38,334
13 16 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 76 0 0 $37,834
14 14 Ken Schrader Toyota 76 0 0 $36,334
15 5 Greg Biffle Ford 74 0 0 $35,834
16 8 Matt Kenseth Ford 74 0 0 $34,834
17 1 Carl Edwards Ford 74 0 0 $32,834
18 12 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 74 0 0 $30,834
19 4 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 74 0 0 $27,834
20 6 Mark Martin Chevrolet 74 0 0 $25,834
21 15 Michael Waltrip Toyota 69 0 0 $23,809
22 10 John Andretti Ford 69 0 0 $22,809
23 22 Kurt Busch Dodge 32 0 0 $21,309
24 18 Derrike Cope Dodge 15 0 0 $18,809
Average Speed: 144.670 mph
Caution Flags: 5
Caution Flags Laps: 14
Lead Changes: 12
Lead Changes Drivers: 5
Total Laps: 76

Happy Wins Bud Shootout

Kevin Harvick

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — What began as an exhibition race ended as the cage match NASCAR wanted, won in a Chevrolet by a driver too sick to practice.

So it was during Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout won by Kevin Harvick, who won for the second year in a row. He battled Greg Biffle on the final restart before blowing past him during a two-lap extension. Biffle was collected in a multi-car wreck with a tap from Jeff Gordon.

Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray, in their first races driving a Ford and Chevy, respectively, were next with Kyle Busch (Toyota) fourth and teammate Denny Hamlin fifth.

“I didn’t get to see a lap in this thing, and it was a rocket,” said Harvick, who started second and led five times for 21 laps. “The best thing about it was that the car handled really well.” Read the story »

Daytona Qualifing Front Row Set Martin, Earnhardt Jr. Lead 2010 Daytona 500 February 14th

1 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet GoDaddy.com 191.188 47.074 Leader
2 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Amp Energy / National Guard  190.913
3 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet U.S. Army  190.577 47.225 -0.151
4 21 Bill Elliott Ford Motorcraft / Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center  190.573
5 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet Target 190.408 47.267 -0.193
6 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite  190.359 47.279 -0.205
7 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe’s 190.359 47.279 -0.205
8 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet Cheerios / Hamburger Helper  190.118 47.339 -0.265
9 18 Kyle Busch Toyota M&M’s 190.054 47.355 -0.281
10 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont 190.050 47.356 -0.282
11 17 Matt Kenseth Ford Crown Royal  190.050 47.356 -0.282
12 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge Mobil 1  190.050 47.356 -0.282
13 82 Scott Speed Toyota Red Bull  189.958 47.379 -0.305
14 47 Marcos Ambrose Toyota Kroger Floral  189.757 47.429 -0.355
15 12 Brad Keselowski Dodge Penske Racing  189.737 47.434 -0.360
16 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota NEMCO Motorsports  189.709 47.441 -0.367
17 20 Joey Logano Toyota The Home Depot  189.693 47.445 -0.371
18 71 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet TaxSlayer.com 189.665 47.452 -0.378
19 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker  189.593 47.470 -0.396
20 151 Michael Waltrip Toyota NAPA Auto Parts  189.454 47.505 -0.431 Read the story »

All Hendrick Front Row..Martin Pole Dale Jr. Outside

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.— Hendrick Motorsports teammates Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. secured the front row for the Daytona 500 on Saturday.

Martin, the only driver to top 191 mph during qualifying, earned his first Daytona 500 pole. Earnhardt will start second, trying to rebound from the worst season in his Sprint Cup career.

The front-row sweep validates, at least for a week, the offseason moves team owner Rick Hendrick made in an attempt to get Earnhardt’s team turned around.

“It’s such an incredible accomplishment for the 5 and 88 team,” Martin said. “It’s all about the team. That was not an accomplishment of mine. … To have Dale Jr. on the outside of the front row, locked in, just means we’re doing something right.”

Earnhardt was nearly as optimistic. Read the story »

Bobby Gerhardt ARCA Slick Mist 200 Daytona Winner

Bobby Gerhardt wins 6th ARCA Race at Daytona International Speedway

Danica Patrick finishes a solid 6th

Top 10

Pos Driver Points

 1 Bobby Gerhart 235
2 James Buescher 230
3 Mark Thompson 220
4 John Wes Townley 215
5 Patrick Sheltra 205
6 Danica Patrick 200
7 Ricky Carmichael 195
8 Tommy Joe Martins 190
9 Bryan Silas 185
10 Steve Arpin 180

More new soon!!