It’s taken me a week to process the whole Bristol/WWE scenario, but one thing jumped out at me. While almost everyone thought that Carl Edwards was right to spin out Kyle Busch, one thing was overlooked. This is the third time since 2006 that Carl Edwards has used his car to spin out someone else during caution laps.

2006 Pocono: After getting wrecked by Tony Stewart, Edwards sought justice by spinning out the #20 while entering pit road.

2006 Michigan Busch Race: While fighting for the lead Dale Earnhardt Jr bumped by Edwards to win the race. Edwards caught up to Earnhardt on the Victory Lap and bumped him several times and then confronted him in Victory Lane. This led to NASCAR placing Edwards on probation.

2008 Bristol: Edwards bumps Kyle Busch to pass for the win. Busch bumps into Edwards during cool down lap which Edwards returns by plowing into Busch and spinning him out. Both drivers were placed on 6-race probation.

Using a car as a weapon needs to stop, no matter who it is or how entertaining. Kyle Busch was wrong to start it, but Edwards was just as wrong to finish it. Neither should be commended for it, especially someone with a history of bumping under caution.

I am still not sure if there is a whole connection between NASCAR racing in California and the color white.

But, this weekend we find Jimmie Johnson carrying the white “super hero” look banner in his spiffy and spanky white Jimmie Johnson Foundation firesuit.

I think someone needs to stand up in the next corporate meeting of the Nomex division at Dupont and remind the designers that NASCAR drivers look silly in white.

Yes, that includes Dale Earnhardt Jr and his boy Brad Kesolowski.

Gillett Evernham Motorsports (GEM) signed Reed Sorenson to a contract this week. It’s one more blow for Ganassi Racing, although on the bright side they now have two cars for their two remaining drivers. For Sorenson and GEM it could be a nice reclamation project. Sorenson is only 22, has three years of Cup experience and will now get better cars than Ganassi could offer. For GEM it’s like getting a quality prospect at a bargain price. Sorenson still has upside, but GEM needs to surround him with a strong team.

Shedding the Past

Through 24 races Sorenson sits in 31st place in the points and has mustered only two top 10’s and has twelve sub-30 finishes. Despite the struggles, and they are not all Sorenson’s fault, he is still only 22 and talent doesn’t evaporate. The biggest point of emphasis is Sorenson needs to cut down on the number of wrecks. Pairing him with a veteran crew chief might be a good combination to a) find a comfortable setup and b) ensure that Sorenson doesn’t try to do too much in the car. The other challenge for Sorenson is qualifying for races in 2009. Whether he takes over Patrick Carpentier’s #10 car or a 4th GEM car, he will enter the season without a top 35 spot in the owner points. How he fares in the first five races will dictate his short term success.

What is the Reasonable Expectation?

In almost three full seasons (97 starts) Sorenson has 5 top 5’s, 13 top 10’s and one pole. His final point finishes are 24th, 22nd and he currently sits 31st. Not exactly numbers that indicate stardom, but they should improve with GEM’s better cars. Someone currently driving these better cars is Elliott Sadler. Through 24 races has 2 top 5’s, 6 top 10’s and sits 20th in the standings. Sorenson is good enough to match Sadler and eventually challenge for the occasional win. While this year has been a complete disaster for Sorenson, keep reminding yourself that he’s still only 22. Not every top prospect will take off like Kyle Busch. Sorenson might just take a little longer to run at the front of the pack.

Other Silly Season Posts

[Logano's Run]
[Penske for your Thoughts?]
[What Kind of Pictures Does Casey Mears Have?]“

Sunday night marks the final Labor Day race at California, er sorry Auto Club Speedway. It caps an illustrious, rich, five year history. Next year Atlanta will get the Labor Day weekend event, which is not the Southern 500, but is at least a compromise for hard core traditionalists. The race has featured blistering heat, cautions from hot dog wrappers, and that’s about Maybe the most memorable moment came in the 2005 fall race. Kyle Busch became the youngest driver to win a Cup race in 2005 at age 20. Not only that but he also donated his $241,065 winnings to the Red Cross’s Katrina relief efforts.

This year’s race is likely to feature Busch the younger. He and Edwards have combined to win seven of the last eight Cup races. Edwards won the February race plus the August Michigan race which gives him a slight advantage heading into Sunday night. The biggest key to the race is anticipating the transitions from day to night. That means drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart will have a say in the outcome. All three drivers have teams and crew chiefs that tend to thrive when the lights go on (it also means #88 fans may not be thrilled once the sun goes down).

What Happened Last Year

Jimmie Johnson led 84 laps including the last 21 to take his 5th win. He would win the next week at Richmond plus four straight during the Chase on his way to 10 total. The win also served notice that he was ready for the Chase after his usual summer lull.

Notes

• Cousin Carl and the Shrub were placed on probation for their attempt to hug with their cars after the Bristol race. The probation means no retaliatory fireworks from last week, but it may not signal the end of the rivalry for the season. NASCAR’s probation is for six races. Roughly translated that means “We want a nice clean start to the Chase and build some drama, but once things get to Martinsville, have at it.

• Jimmie Johnson holds the top driver rating (114.7) at California over the past seven races. He also has spent the most time in the top 15 (92% of all laps) and owns the best average finsih (5.3). I don’t believe in momentum, but if a driver were to signal his intentions for the Chase, Fontana is a good place to do so.

• Kyle Petty has started all 16 races at Fontana, but has never finished in the top ten. He has never finished better than 17th, has only led 4 laps and has not fared better than 27th in 2008.

Who Will Win?

The obvious answer is the two headed monster known as Kyrl Buschwards. Obviously both drivers have been the class of the field all season, and simply starting with their normal stuff would make them favorites to win. My question is will they start their normal stuff? Sure another ten points would be nice to have in the Chase, but I imagine unearthing a new advantage for their Chase cars would be nice too. Fontana is the last time that Chase teams will truly have a chance to experiment with setups. If I’m Busch or Edwards, why not take a chance on something that could potentially pay off for up to five Chase races? It would be especially beneficial when the #18 and #99 appear to be so close otherwise. So I’m not picking either driver to win this week. Maybe it’s my incredible theory or maybe I’m just bored (I blame Nintendo for my severely shortened attention- oohh, shiny- span. Anyway, I’m picking Greg Biffle to win this week. He’s great at California, has run very well this year and has some of the same tricks as Edwards and is overdue for a win.

The 1976 sci-fi movie Logan’s Run was a story about a futuristic society that prized youth more than anything. So prized in fact, that anyone over 30 was euthanized.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s 2009 driver lineup has a similar theme. Not that they sent Tony Stewart out to pasture, but if any team can cope with losing a two-time Cup champion it’s Gibbs.

Logano Is Better Than Some Cup Drivers
Joey Logano has been known by NASCAR fans since he was 15.

Mark Martin claimed at that time that he was already a better driver than some Cup drivers.

After crushing at all the lower levels of stock car racing and scoring a win in half of a Nationwide season, Logano is apparently ready for the big time. He will hop into the #20 car with arguably the greatest rookie expectations ever.

He inherits all of the elements of a championship team including crew chief Greg Zipadelli, and big sponsorship from Home Depot. When you factor in Logano’s success at every level to date, it’s easy to see why there’s the expectation for Logano to pick up where Stewart leaves off.

Can Logano Really Win At The Cup Level?
Logano is obviously talented, but can he really be expected to make the Chase and compete for multiple wins in his first season?

Based on how well Gibbs cars have run this season it’s easy to assume the good times will keep rolling, but NASCAR is a cyclical sport. Gibbs was good in 2007 but struggled to win races while Hendrick cars dominated. Now the two teams have swapped places in 2008. It’s almost certain that other teams will catch up to Gibbs in 2009. Logano could have a spectacular season by normal rookie standards, go winless like Tony Stewart in ‘08 and some people will still deem the season a disappointment.

No matter what happens, Logano’s promotion to the Cup scene at age 18 is one of the biggest stories of the season and will be closely followed next year regardless of his success.

What Do You Think?

• Is the hype warranted?
• Where do you see Logano finishing in 2009?
• Can he win multiple races?
• Can he make the Chase?

Other Silly Season Posts

[The Reed for Speed]
[Penske for your Thoughts?]
[What Kind of Pictures Does Casey Mears Have?]“

NASCAR announced today that it has placed Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards on probation for the next six races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as a result of their on-track incident last Saturday at the conclusion of the race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Busch, driver of the No. 18 car and Edwards, driver of the No. 99 car, both violated Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing; hitting another competitor’s car after the race had concluded) of the 2008 NASCAR rule book.

The probation takes effect beginning with this weekend’s event at Auto Club Speedway.

Pepsi 500

And the beat goes on. Another boring race in California and another battle between Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards for the win this weekend.

My Pick To Win

I’m going to put my money on Carl to keep his momentum going and pull a little closer to Kyle as we near the Chase.

In 8 races at California Carl has finished worse than 6th only 1 time. Last year he finished 2nd in the spring and won the fall race here. The little bump that he gave to Kyle last week won’t affect the outcome of this race but it could do so somewhere in the future.

California Frontrunners

Kyle Busch got his first ever Cup win here in the fall of 2005 and has since run off 6 straight top 10 finishes at California. Once again Kyle will run towards the front of the pack the whole race and will be in a position to challenge Carl at the end of the race.

Jimmie Johnson beat Carl last spring here and then finished 2nd to him in the fall. He is about the only driver who can give a serious challenge to Carl and Kyle this weekend unless someone else shows up with a much better car then they have in the past.

Matt Kenseth is the next closest competition for this trio. Matt just doesn’t seem to have everything together at the end of the race right now. At least he isn’t as good as Carl and Kyle at the end of the races recently. Matt also has a string of 6 straight top 10 finishes at California including a pair of victories.

Kasey Kahne has done pretty well at California during his career with a win and 6 top 10 finishes in 9 starts there. I think Kasey will bounce back from last week’s woes and post a top 10 finish here once again and try to get back into the top 12 and a spot in the Chase.

Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin should both have good cars here this weekend and the Toyota power should help them on the long straight-aways at California. This should keep them in contention for top 10 finishes also.

Jeff Gordon is hit or miss at California and this year there are more misses than hits for his team. Jeff has 3 top 5 finishes in his last 4 starts at California and had a good run at Bristol last weekend. Have they been holding back a little bit heading into the Chase? I don’t think you can hold back as far as they have been.

Clint Bowyer and David Ragan are battling for the final Chase spot with 2 races to go with only 12 points separating these 2 drivers. Both have done okay at California but I give this week’s edge to Ragan because of the success of his teammates here. I can’t wait for Richmond!

Yahoo! Fantasy Picks

Group A

• Carl Edwards (starter)
• Jimmie Johnsn

Group B

• Martin Truex Jr (starter)
• Kyle Busch (starter)
• Kasey Kahne
• David Ragan

Group C

• Brian Vickers (starter)
• Paul Menard

Stay Away From

• Bobby Labonte

Dark Horse

• Brian Vickers, David Ragan

“

“Jr Motorsports’ Nationwide driver Brad Keselowski has enjoyed a breakout 2008. He has two wins and sits second in the point standings. He is now considered one of the brightest prospects in NASCAR. It’s hardly surprising that Penske Racing offered him the chance to replace Ryan Newman in the #12 car in 2009. What is more surprising is that Keselowski turned it down. That says a few things about the two parties. One, Keselowski must be on the fast track for a seat in the #5 car in 2010, which is obviously a better car than the #12. With great connections at Chevrolet with not only JR Motorsports and Hendrick, but also with Haas Racing (he has tested for Haas this year), Keselowski is in the rare position as a young driver that can turn down Cup rides.

Two, Penske South is no longer a choice destination for drivers. In 2005 Kurt Busch, fresh off his Nextel Cup title, was lured to the #2 car to replace the retiring Rusty Wallace. While it was a surprise that Busch would leave Roush, it still made sense because the #2 was a premier Cup car. Now things are different. The team has won five races in three years and Penske has only made the Chase once (Busch in 2007). Ryan Newman was willing to leave Penske for an upstart Stewart-Haas Racing organization and no other top drivers have hinted at any interest in the #12 ride.

Now Penske may be resigned to the idea that David Stremme is the best driver available. Stremme is a decent driver, but far from a Chase caliber driver. Penske has almost all of the resources to compete with the top teams, but simply can’t put it all together on a consistent basis. That lack of coordination would seem to point to a lack of leadership and management. It’s that lack of quality at the top that will also apparently cost the team a chance at any top driver.

Other Silly Season Posts

[The Reed for Speed] [What Kind of Pictures Does Casey Mears Have?] [Logano's Run]“

Richard Childress Racing announced Friday that Casey Mears will drive the #07 car in 2009 while Clint Bowyer moves to the #33 and new sponsor Betty Crocker (fingers crossed for a better paint scheme than Hamburger Helper).

While merchandisers and diecast makers can now begin production for 2009, there is one very large issue still lingering.

What About The Points?

• Where will the owners points from the #07 car go?
• And more importantly, why would Casey Mears even deserve a chance to receive them?

According to reports, the owners points and a guaranteed starting spot for the first five races of 2009 might stay with the #07 car. That would mean Clint Bowyer would have to endure the heartburn of qualifying on time (if qualifying isn’t rained out) for at least the first five races.

Gaining Points Isn’t Mears Strong Suit
In the past two seasons with Hendrick Motorsports, a team with greater success than RCR in recent years, Mears nearly squandered his owner points position after five races. He was 35th in points as late as Talladega last year and was 33rd after five races this year.

With that record why would Childress even consider granting Mears valuable owners points with the fair chance that Mears will squander them?

First off, Casey Mears is a decent Cup driver (and by all accounts is popular with other drivers) and in the right circumstances is capable running in the top 10, but he simply isn’t as good as Bowyer. In five plus Cup seasons (204 starts) Mears has one win, 12 top 5’s and 40 top 10’s. Bowyer has 2 wins, 13 top 5’s and 39 top 10’s in only 97 starts. Bowyer also made the 2007 Chase and is in the hunt again this year. Mears has never finished better than 14th.

Is Bowyer Being Penalized?
Last year Bowyer finished 3rd in the Chase and held a moderate chance of winning the title last year. If he is forced to make the first five races that would completely alter the team’s outlook. Instead of setting goals on wins and top ten finishes, they would have to be more conservative for the first part of the season.

It’s not like Bowyer is making way for a more accomplished or popular driver like Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr or even Mark Martin. Mears is average. There’s no shame in being average compared to the best drivers in the world, but he certainly doesn’t deserve to trump Bowyer in the RCR pecking order.

The owner points issue is moot if Bowyer, Jeff Burton or Kevin Harvick somehow win the Championship this year and the accompanying past champion’s provisional.

And that is about as likely as my plan to sit by my door and wait for the Publisher’s Clearinghouse van to pull in the driveway. It’d be nice, but unlikely.

Then There Is This
The other theory is that Childress will purchase the points from another team and slide them to Bowyer’s #33 car. While that is fine if everything works out, it still creates a situation where Bowyer ranks below Mears.

Based on results that doesn’t make any sense.

Other Silly Season Posts

[The Reed for Speed] [Penske for your Thoughts?] [Logano's Run]“

Auto Club Speedway: Pepsi 500

Courtesy of NASCAR MEDIA

• Edwards/Busch Rivalry Has New Look
• Several Drivers On Chase Bubble
• Clinch Scenarios: Three Drivers Control Own Destiny
• Remember Me? Johnson An Afterthought In Championship
• NASCAR Meets Hollywood

Carl Vs. Kyle: Emerging Rivals Fight For Chase Momentum

When Carl Edwards (No. 99 AFLAC Ford) bumped Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota) out of his way on Lap 470 at Bristol Motor Speedway, he was doing more than just trying to win the race. He was sending a message to Busch – and the entire NASCAR Sprint Cup Series field – that he is a true contender for the championship and won’t back down from anybody.

Edwards has been chasing Busch for the top spot the entire season and has narrowed the gap with consecutive wins at Michigan and Bristol. The two drivers have combined to win six of the last seven races and 14 of 24 on the season. Edwards was the runner-up in three of Busch’s victories and Busch has finished second in each of Edwards’ last two victories.

The next round of the battle is slated for Auto Club Speedway on Sunday evening, a place where each driver has succeeded. Edwards won the February race at the Southern California track, while Busch earned his first career win there in 2005.

So far, the two are the only drivers to clinch a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Busch has earned the top seed and will start with at least 80 bonus points (10 points for each win). Edwards has clinched the second seed and will have at least 50 bonus points.

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Bristol Blurs Bubble Picture

Two races remain before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and the 12 Chase participants are far from set. Only 101 points separate the drivers currently in positions 11 through 14.  Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota) (11th place), Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet) (12th) and David Ragan (No. 6 AAA Ford) (13th) each moved up one position after Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge) finished 40th at Bristol, dropping him to 14th in the standings.

Furthermore, seventh-place Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford) is only 141 points ahead of Ragan, the first driver on the “wrong” side of the bubble.

"I’ve felt like we’ve had a chance to be in the Chase since the beginning of the year,” Ragan said. “Our AAA Ford has been fast every week and as a team we haven’t made many mistakes. We deserve to be in the position we are in and just have to take these last two races one at a time."  

Ragan may have some difficulty catching the field at Auto Club Speedway, where he has yet to register a top-10 finish in three starts. His Driver Rating of 77.4, is 18th-best, the lowest of the drivers he is battling for a spot in the Chase.

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Two Down, 10 To Go: Several Drivers Look To Secure Chase Berths

Only two drivers – Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards – have clinched a position in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, leaving the final 10 spots up for grabs. Three drivers control their own destiny this weekend, with six others having the opportunity to clinch based on others’ results.

To clinch a Chase spot, a driver needs to leave Auto Club Speedway with a 196-point lead over 13th place.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet), Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) can all lock up a Chase berth regardless of what any other driver does. Earnhardt and Johnson each need to finish 40th or better, or finish 41st and lead at least one lap. Burton can sew up his spot by finishing 15th or better, 16th or 17th and lead one lap or 20th and lead the most laps.

"Well, we are obviously in a position of need,” Burton said. “We need to get ourselves in the Chase. That is goal number one. To do that, we need to have good finishes, we need to run well, we need to compete at a high level and we need to get the best finish that we can.

“We certainly don’t want to put ourselves in a situation that we didn’t have to be in because I did something silly or we had a mechanical problem. But at the same time, you have to compete at a high level. The competition is too tough.”

Six other drivers can clinch this weekend as well, but must rely on help from other drivers. All six must increase their current points lead over 13th place in Sunday’s race. The drivers who can  reach the important 196-point margin this weekend are:

Tony Stewart (No. 20 Subway Toyota)  – currently 170 points ahead of 13th; needs to pad his lead by 26 points.

Greg Biffle — currently 141 points ahead of 13th; needs to pad his lead by 55 points.

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet) – currently 129 points ahead of 13th; needs to pad his lead by 67 points.

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)  – currently 108 points ahead of 13th; needs to pad his lead by 88 points.

Matt Kenseth (No. 17 R & L Carriers Ford) – currently 78 points ahead of 13th; needs to pad his lead by 118 points.

Denny Hamlin – currently 57 points ahead of 13th; needs to pad his lead by 139 points.

Clint Bowyer is currently 12th in the standings, 12 points ahead of 13th. There is no scenario for Bowyer to clinch a spot if David Ragan starts Sunday’s race.

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Johnson Knows Experience Makes Him An Instant Championship Contender

It’s not often that a two-time defending champion is overlooked as a title contender in any sport. However, Jimmie Johnson finds himself in exactly that position as Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards dominate most championship predictions. Johnson obviously disagrees with the masses.

“We have a lot of forward momentum and progress with this race team,” said Johnson on the NASCAR teleconference. “I feel like we are one of the guys to be considered a favorite in the championship and look forward to getting started.”

It’s not that Johnson’s season has been subpar, either. He is currently fourth in the standings, and is one of four drivers with multiple wins on the season, including a recent triumph at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, one of the crown jewels of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule.

“I’ve all along said I would put the championship, if I was to see the championship, I would go off experience,” Johnson said. “I just think the competition is going to continue to increase. You’re going to see the pressure really do its best and worst to everyone in the Chase. It’s just going to be part of it.”

Johnson knows all about facing – and beating – the pressures of the Chase. He is one of two drivers, along with Matt Kenseth, who have been in the Chase every year since its formation in 2004. Last season, Johnson entered the Chase in sixth place and was considered second fiddle to teammate Jeff Gordon who had a lead of over 300 points before being seeded for the Chase. All Johnson did was win four of 10 Chase races and beat Gordon by 77 points, the widest margin in the four-year history of the Chase.

Overall, the numbers are astronomical: In 40 Chase races, Johnson has amassed 11 victories, 20 top fives and 28 top 10s. He has also led 9.6% of all laps run (1,243).

“(The Chase) is a lot closer to equal to what we have now,” Johnson said. “So I think it’s a great opportunity. We get into the final ten, and it’s great tracks for myself and the 48 team.”

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Top 35: No. 66 Chevrolet Leaps Into Locked-In Position

Scott Riggs (No. 66 State Water Heater Chevrolet) finished 27th at Bristol, bringing his Joe Custer-owned Chevrolet to 34th in the owner standings above Sam Hornish Jr. (No. 77 Penske Truck Rental Dodge) who finished 37th. The No. 77, owned by Roger Penske, sits 35th in the standings, the final locked-in position.

Each week the top 35 cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup owner standings are locked in to the race, regardless of qualifying time. The remaining eight positions are set based on qualifying.

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California-native AJ Allmendinger will have to  make the Pepsi 500 on qualifying time in the No. 84 Red Bull Toyota owned by Dietrich Mateschitz. The team is currently 36th in owner standings, 14 points behind the No. 77.

Mike Skinner (No. 00 Champion Mortgage Toyota), another California native, will attempt to put the Michael Waltrip-owned car into the race. Skinner, the all-time pole leader in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, is temporarily replacing rookie Michael McDowell to help the team make races. Skinner filled the same role for Allmendinger for five races earlier this season.

Loop Data: Auto Club Speedway Win Eludes Stewart

No doubt, Tony Stewart has had a prolific career. With 32 wins and two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, the Indiana native ranks among the most successful drivers in NASCAR’s history.

What may stand out most is Stewart’s versatility. He can win at any track, any where, any time. Only four tracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule have yet to be conquered by Stewart: Darlington, Las Vegas, Talladega and Auto Club Speedway – the site of this weekend’s race.

That list may be trimmed down to three after Sunday’s Pepsi 500. Stewart has finished in the top 10 in three of the last four races at Auto Club Speedway, and boasts some of the top Loop Data statistics at ACS since 2005.

Over the past seven ACS races, Stewart has a Driver Rating of 101.0 (fifth-best), an Average Running Position of 10.6 (sixth), 130 Fastest Laps Run (second) and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 75.2% (sixth).

In each of the past six ASC races, Stewart had a car that could have won – including the spring race of 2006, when he finished 43rd because of engine trouble.

The statistic breakdown is impressive:

Summer 2005: Stewart registered a Driver Rating of 128.2, his highest at Auto Club Speedway. Finishing fifth, Stewart also had an Average Running Position of 3.0 and 21 Fastest Laps Run, while running all 254 laps in the top 15.

Spring 2006: A last place finish is all Stewart will probably remember from this race, but he was certainly one of best out there. He had a Driver Rating of 101.9, an Average Running Position of 12.2 and 54 Fastest Laps Run.

Summer 2006: Statistically, the only real difference between the 2006 summer version and the 2006 spring version was the finish. Stewart crossed the line in ninth, but notched the exact same Driver Rating – 101.9 – as he did in the spring 2006 race.

Spring 2007: Leading 28 laps and scoring a strong Driver Rating of 114.4, Stewart finished eighth. His statistical highlight this race was a Pass Differential (passes minus times passed) of +34 – his highest at ACS.

Summer 2007: Though his 13th-place finish was solid, it stands as his worst statistical ACS performance of the past six races. He scored a Driver Rating of 91.7.

Spring 2008: Stewart’s highest position was third, but he finished seventh. His Driver Rating of 99.5 was eighth-best that race.

Raybestos Rookie Of The Year Standings:

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Rookie	Points
Regan Smith	181
Sam Hornish Jr.	179
Patrick Carpentier	170
Michael McDowell	156
Dario Franchitti	80

Regan Smith (No. 01 DEI/The Principal Financial Group Chevrolet) finished 14th on Saturday to extend his lead over Sam Hornish Jr. to two points in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year  standings.

It was the seventh time this season that Smith was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race, including all four short tracks (both Bristol Motor Speedway events, Martinsville Speedway and Richmond International Raceway.)

Manufacturers’ Standings

Carl Edwards’ victory was the sixth victory of the season for Ford, which now trails Toyota by 17 points in the Manufacturers’ Standings. Edwards is the only Ford driver with a victory this season.

Toyota is the only manufacturer without a win at Auto Club Speedway. Ford leads the way with nine victories, including Edwards’ February win, Chevrolet has six and Dodge has one.

NSCS, Etc: Hollywood Stars Play Role In ACS Weekend

Celebrities Aplenty at ACS

Several stars from various entertainment fields will be at Auto Club Speedway this weekend in different capacities. Actor/producer and host of the “The Price Is Right” Drew Carey will serve as Grand Marshal for Sunday’s Pepsi 500 and give the command for the drivers to start their engines. Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag from the hit MTV show “The Hills” will be the honorary starters and wave the green flag. Former American Idol runner-up Bo Bice will be singing the National Anthem.

Other celebrities expected at the track over the weekend include UFC Hall of Famer and former champion Randy Couture, two-time “Dancing With The Stars” winner Cheryl Burke and actor Ron Perlman of “Hellboy.”

When in Rome: Earnhardt Jr., Menard Visit Hit TV Shows

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make a special visit to the set of his favorite television show “The Office” while in Southern California for the Pepsi 500.

“I’m so excited to finally get to meet the cast of ‘The Office’,” Earnhardt said. “Jim’s my favorite character. He’s everybody’s favorite. I just think it’s a great show. It’s kind of like ‘Cheers’ and ‘Seinfeld’ were in their hay day. To me that’s what it’s like for this generation or for this decade. It’s just a good show. It’s a really funny show, well-written, great cast and it’s just done really well.”

Paul Menard (No. 15 Menards/Johns Manville Chevrolet) will also be making a trip to Hollywood, touring the set of ‘CSI’ on Thursday.

Burton Reaches Milestone

Jeff Burton will add his name to an exclusive list on Sunday when he starts his 500th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Burton, who will be the 29th driver to reach the 500-start mark, made his series debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July 1993. He is 30th all-time with 20 wins and has compiled 114 top-five and 205 top-10 finishes.

“It’s pretty hard to believe I’m coming up on my 500th start,” Burton said. “Professionally, there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. Competing in NASCAR’s top level series has been a lifelong dream and I’m fortunate that I have been doing what I love for as long as I have, but I still believe my best years are ahead of me. I’ve learned a lot over the years and this environment has made me a better person because of it. Racing is something I dreamed of as a kid and I’m fortunate that I am doing it.”

Hamlin To Make Special Delivery

Denny Hamlin will visit the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank on Thursday to present a special hybrid vehicle to the organization.

Hamlin, and local FedEx employees, will also work a volunteer shift at the Foodbank and will assist in loading meals for distribution.

For more information, contact Jon Mason (612) 387-8780.

Jimmie Johnson Foundation Gives Back

Jimmie and Chandra Johnson will host the second annual Jimmie Johnson Foundation Golf Tournament on Wednesday with funds to benefit the San Diego chapter of Habitat for Humanity. The events will start Tuesday as the Johnsons will put the finishing touches on one of two Habitat for Humanity homes being built with proceeds from last year’s tournament.

“The response we have received since we started this tournament is truly humbling,” he said. “While we are looking forward to this year’s tournament, I think we are most excited about handing the keys to the family who will be moving into the first house.”

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