dodge rockwell automation
ThatsRacin.com: Nationwide Series
Motorsports News from ThatsRacin.com
- NASCAR blows the whistle on Gibbs teams
BROOKLYN, Mich. - The Nos. 18 and 20 Nationwide Series teams of Joe Gibbs Racing - which have dominated competition in the series most of the season - could face serious sanctions after NASCAR officials said late Saturday the teams had attempted to alter the outcome of a chassis dyno test.After Saturday's Nationwide race at Michigan International Speedway, NASCAR tested several cars on the chassis dynamometer, which measures rear-wheel horsepower, as officials have done several times this season.During the test, NASCAR officials discovered magnets on the accelerator pedals of the two Gibbs Toyotas. Several sources said the magnets could, in theory, keep the pedals from being fully depressed, which would limit the engines' output and distort the data available to officials."This was an attempt to interfere with NASCAR's post-race inspection process, and we are taking it very seriously," said Jim Hunter, vice president of corporate communications for the sanctioning body.Hunter would not go into detail about what NASCAR officials found, but said both teams faced penalties, which would be announced early next week. No action would be taken at the track this weekend, he said.Reached Saturday night, JGR team spokesperson Mike Arning said team officials felt that they were adhering to the rules laid out by NASCAR with the cars entered in Saturday's race.Last month, NASCAR announced rule changes for the Toyota engines used in the Nationwide Series. The new guidelines were intended to cut about 15 horsepower. Saturday's race at Michigan was the first since that change in which horsepower was expected to play a larger role in performance and the race outcome. The previous three events were on a short track and two road courses.So far this season, JGR's No. 18 and No. 20 Toyotas have combined for 13 wins in 25 races, with the most recent Kyle Busch's victory at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Clermont, Ind., in late July. - Inside the Nationwide Series
ELEVATORUP - Kyle Busch Less Toyota horsepower? No problem.UP - Cale Gale His run at O'Reilly Raceway Park was impressive from start to finish.UP - Iowa Speedway Adding a race at this venue should do nothing but help NASCAR.3 THINGS TO WATCH•JACQUES VILLENEUVE: The former Formula One star will make his Nationwide Series debut in the No. 32 Toyota for Braun Racing. He tested last week on the road course in Kershaw, S.C.•RON FELLOWS: The road racing ace is driving the No. 5 Chevrolet this weekend for JR Motorsports. He's made 12 series starts - all on road courses - and has three wins.•CLINT BOWYER: The series points leader did not drive in this race a year ago and will be making his first appearance at the track while trying to earn his first championship.OBSERVATIONS• There will be many road course "ringers" on hand for Saturday's race but the sleeper could be 20-year-old Brad Coleman. Coleman, 20, shares the world record for youngest team in Rolex 24 GT class to claim a top-10 finish with Colin Braun, 19. Coleman was eighth at this race last year and fifth a week later on the road course at Watkins Glen, N.Y.• In the hard-to-believe category: Series veteran Jason Keller, who holds the all-time record of series starts with 444, must carry a yellow "rookie stripe" on his No. 11 Chevrolet this weekend since he has never raced at Montreal previously. THIS WEEK'S RACENapa 200Where: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, MontrealWhen: 3:30 p.m. Saturday.TV: ESPN2Last year's winner: Kevin HarvickTop 10 in points: 1. Clint Bowyer, 3,216; 2. Brad Keselowski, 3,043; 3. Carl Edwards, 3,036; 4. David Reutimann, 2,926; 5. David Ragan, 2,885; 6. Mike Bliss, 2,838; 7. Kyle Busch, 2,828; 8. Mike Wallace, 2,618; 9. David Stremme, 2,587; 10. Jason Keller, 2,534. - Inside the Nationwide Series
ELEVATORUP – Landon Cassill
Two top-10 finishes and a pole in past five races. UP – Clint Bowyer
He continues to keep all challengers for the series title at arm’s length. DOWN – Brad Coleman
One finish of 15th or better in past eight races.3 THINGS TO WATCH•JOEY LOGANO: Returns to Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 team this week looking to pick up where he left off – with three finishes of sixth or better in his first four races.•REED SORENSON: Returns to the scene of his last NASCAR victory looking to repeat his victory of a year ago and add a spark to his season.•SCOTT WIMMER: Has finished in the top 10 in each of his last three races at the track, including a second place finish behind Sorenson a year ago.OBSERVATIONS• It could be due in part to the different cars used, but this season Nationwide Series “regulars” appear to be much more competitive against the Sprint Cup Series drivers, even in companion weekend events where the number of Cup drivers typically increase. Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, for instance, appear just as strong in races with several Cup drivers as without. Even in the series standings, five of the top-10 drivers are not Cup regulars.• Good move by NASCAR to transfer the series’ most popular driver award to NASCAR.com which has already produced a large response (more than 38,000 votes so far). In previous seasons, the award had been determined by a ballot in NASCAR Insider magazine. THIS WEEK'S RACEMissouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250
Where: Gateway International Raceway, Madison, Ill.
When: 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
TV: ESPN2
Last yearÂ’s winner: Reed Sorenson
Top 10 in points: 1. Clint Bowyer, 2,965; 2. Brad Keselowski, 2,782; 3. David Reutimann, 2,748; 4. Carl Edwards, 2,711; 5. Kyle Busch, 2,633; 6. David Ragan, 2,613; 7. Mike Bliss, 2,603; 8. Mike Wallace, 2,376; 9. David Stremme, 2,325; 10. Jason Keller, 2,278. - NASCAR veteran Jason Keller good to go for 10 races
Veteran Jason Keller, the Busch Series - now Nationwide Series - leader in starts, will run at least the first 10 races of the season with CJM Racing. If additional sponsorship is found, Keller could run the whole season with the team."On the one hand we are happy to be at Daytona knowing we are secure for at least the first 10 races, but then again itÂ’s also difficult knowing we might only be around for 10 races," said Keller."The team is coming into this season with a positive attitude and we hope to make some impressive runs and draw some attention to ourselves."Keller ran 15 races with CJM last season with a season's best sixth-place finish at the June race at Nashville. - Leffler, Toyota team aim high
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Jason Leffler doesn’t want to be the best with an explanation. He just wants to be the best.Leffler, who finished a career-best third and gave Toyota its first win in the Busch Series last season, has been touted as a driver who can contend with such Cup Series veterans as reigning series champion Carl Edwards and Clint Bowyer, who are also competing in what is now the Nationwide Series.But Leffler, who begins his third full season with Braun Racing, isn’t interested in just competing with the Cup drivers and their teams, he’s more interested in beating them.“We concentrate on winning races and running up front. We don’t play into being the top Nationwide-only team. We feel like we can beat all the Cup teams,” said Leffler.“We operate at 100 percent and we can be competitive week-in and week-out.”Leffler’s finish last season was his best in any of NASCAR’s top three series since his debut in 1999. Not coincidentally, it was also the first time Leffler had driven full, consecutive seasons with the same team.He ended the 2007 season with a win at O’Reilly Raceway Park, two poles, seven top-five and 11 top-10 finishes in 35 races. That bodes well as the 2008 season gets under way with Saturday’s Camping World 300 at Daytona International Speedway (1 p.m., ESPN2). Yet Braun Racing isn’t taking any chances. Along with experience and continuity with his team, Leffler has added a new crew chief, veteran Stewart Cooper, this season.“I can already see the improvements in the team. Stewart has been around the garage for a long time. He’s done a really, really good job during the winter to get everything organized and on the right track for the new season,” said Leffler, who consistently ran among the fastest laps at preseason testing at Daytona, Las Vegas and California.“So far, it’s all going good. To contend for the championship, we just need to find some consistency, and I think having Stewart Cooper on board is really going to help that.”In addition, Braun has added additional sponsorship and plans to field one or two additional cars throughout the season in select races