Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM)

Over his first 99 career starts, the 26-year-old has quickly established himself as one of the most prolific drivers in the history of the Truck Series. Busch’s 30 wins rank second on the all-time series wins list. Additionally, he ranks fourth all-time with 4,120 laps led, is tied for sixth with 12 poles and ranks ninth with 59 top-five finishes.

On Aug. 3, 2001, at the age of 16, the Las Vegas native made his Truck Series debut at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. After starting from the 23rd spot, Busch raced his way to a ninth-place finish in his first, of 574 – and counting – career starts among NASCAR’s top three divisions. He made five more Truck Series starts in 2001, highlighted by a near victory in his second series start, two top-five qualifying efforts and in what turned out to be his sixth and final start of the season, a second top-10 finish.

Busch was scheduled to make a seventh start that season, the maximum allowed – at the time – by NASCAR for a driver under the age of 18 in their first season, at the series finale at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. The young driver was the fastest in practice for the Auto Club 200, but due to circumstances beyond his control, was unable to qualify or race his No. 99 truck. The then 16-year-old was ejected from the track by CART officials because the American Racing Wheels 200 was part of a CART weekend featuring the Marlboro 500 CART FedEx Championship Series event. Marlboro threw Busch out of the garage because of an interpretation of the Master Settlement Agreement of 1998, prohibiting persons under the age of 18 in participating in events sponsored by tobacco companies.

Shortly after the Auto Club Speedway incident, NASCAR – whose title sponsor at the time was also a tobacco company – enacted a minimum age requirement for the 2002 season, which forced Busch to put his NASCAR career on hold until his 18th birthday.

After spending two seasons honing his skills in the American Speed Association, Busch returned to NASCAR upon turning 18 in May of 2003. He registered three top-10 finishes in seven Nationwide Series races that season, but did not make a Truck Series start.

Busch returned to the Truck Series for one start in 2004 and in 2005 began running several Truck Series races each season alongside his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. In his first Truck Series start of 2005, at the age of 20 years and 18 days, he became the youngest driver in series history to earn a victory when he won the Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In the next race at Dover International Speedway, he made it back-to-back victories and added his third career victory later that season at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Since scoring his first victory in 2005, Busch has won at least once each season and has scored multiple victories in each of the last five seasons.

In December of 2009, Busch entered the ownership ranks of the Truck Series when he announced that Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) would field a pair of entries for the 2010 season. With its owner behind the wheel for a series-leading eight wins in 2010, KBM’s No. 18 Tundra became the first team to win a Truck Series owners’ championship in their inaugural season since the series originated in 1995.

Entering this weekend’s race, Busch, the driver, has registered a series-leading six wins in 14 Truck Series starts this season while Busch, the owner, has tallied seven victories.

With no signs of slowing down, on or off the track, Kyle Busch – the owner and the driver – plans to keep on truckin’.

Other notable Truck Series highlights for Busch include:

- Has won 30.3% of the NCWTS races he has entered and finished first or second in 48.5%.

- Reached 25th win in NCWTS faster than any driver in the history of NASCAR’s top three series, attaining the milestone in just his 87th career start.

- 119.6 career driver rating entering the 2011 season is the highest accumulated by a NCWTS driver since the stat was introduced in 2005.

- Average career finish of 7.2 ranks first among active drivers with 50 or more career starts in the NCWTS.

Kyle Busch

What does the Truck Series mean to Kyle Busch?

“I love the Truck Series. I think it’s one of the best forms of racing we have in NASCAR. It’s definitely brought some excitement to the series over time with ESPN2 back in the 90s and of course with Speed Channel being the broadcast partner that we’ve had for the last few seasons. They’ve done a wonderful job for us. It’s definitely been a great series to run in, to be involved in, to win some races in and to now be owning a race team in the series is definitely great for myself and for all the people at Kyle Busch Motorsports that are employed there and that we can give jobs to and put food on the table for their families.

Without the sponsorships and without the strong partnerships that we have there, we wouldn’t be here and be doing what we do. We have to thank all those people with Dollar General, Flexco, Joy Mining Machinery, NOS Energy Drink, Traxxas, Toyota and I’m sure there are some that I am forgetting — forgive me.. It takes all of those people to stand behind you that can make your program successful and that you can build it.”

Eric Phillips, Crew Chief of the No. 18 NCWTS Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra:

What is the reason that tandem drafting hasn’t trickled down to the Truck Series?

“It’s a combination of a few different things. Probably the most obvious reason is that the bumpers on the trucks don’t line up as well as they do on the cars. Another reason is that most of the drivers in the Truck Series don’t have the same experience that the Nationwide and Cup guys do on the superspeedways and haven’t had the opportunity to tandem draft. The tandem drafting snuck up on people and we weren’t really prepared for it last year at Talladega — or this year at Daytona. Not only do the driver’s not have the experience, the teams in the Truck Series aren’t as experienced because we only run on the big tracks twice a year. Our staffs are smaller and we don’t have the time or resources to put into the research that is needed to prepare the trucks for the physical demand that the tandem drafting puts on the chassis and the motors. I think this weekend you’ll see a little bit more of two trucks working together to try and gain an advantage, but nothing like in the Cup Series where they are able to do it lap after lap.”

Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra:

Chassis KBM-F59: Chassis KBM-F59 is the same chassis that Busch used to squeeze past Aric Almirola on the last lap of last year’s Truck Series race at Talladega. The Tundra has been on the track once this season, registering a fifth-place finish in the season-opening race at Daytona.

Kyle Busch @ Talladega:

- Two-time defending winner of the Truck Series race at Talladega and has registered three top-three finishes in four career NCWTS starts.

- .002-second win over Aric Almirola in 2010 Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega Superspeedway was the closest margin of victory using electronic scoring in NCWTS history (10/30/10).

- Won the 2011 Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race (4/16/11).

- Won the 2008 Aaron’s 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race (4/27/08).

Kyle Busch 2011 Camping World Truck Series:

- In 14 starts this season, has won a series-leading six races (Phoenix, Nashville, Dover, Charlotte, Kentucky, New Hampshire) and is tied with Ron Hornaday Jr. for the series lead with 11 top-five finishes

- Ranks first among NCWTS drivers in Laps Led (703), Miles Led (782.41), Fastest Laps Run (325), Fastest Early in a Run (3.250 rank), Fastest Late in a Run (3.083 rank) and Green Flag Speed (2.50 rank)

Kyle Busch Motorsports and the No. 18 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra:

- Trails KHI’s No. 2 team by 73 points in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) owners’ point standings.

- Ranks first in the NCWTS in wins (7) and second in laps led (809), fastest laps run (390) and top-five finishes (14).

- Since joining the NCWTS in 2010, the team has compiled 15 wins in 46 races.

- Crew chief Eric Phillips ranks first among active crew chiefs with 25 career NCWTS wins and General Manager Rick Ren’s 27 wins as a crew chief are the most in the history of the NCWTS.

- In 2010 became the first team since the NCWTS originated in 1995 to win the owners’ championship in its inaugural season.

7-Year-Old Annabelle Lacy “Riding Shotgun with Kyle Busch Motorsports” for Saturday’s race:

7-year-old Annabelle Lacy from Odenville, Ala., was selected the winner of the “Riding Shotgun with Kyle Busch Motorsports” essay contest for Talladega Superspeedway. Lacy’s name and picture will adorn the area above the passenger side window of the No. 18 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra for the Coca-Cola 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Saturday, Oct. 22. Lacy and her family will have the opportunity to attend Saturday’s event compliments of Talladega Superspeedway and will get the chance to meet Busch on the starting grid prior to the race.

- Kyle Busch Motorsports Press Release

MacDonald Motorsports Thumbnail

Wimmer has competed in 19 of 27 races this season, most recently participated in the Food City 250 on Aug. 26 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Johnson City, Tenn. This weekend, he will drive the No. 81 K-LOVE Dodge in what will be his 225th series start.

“I really like this race track,” said Wimmer, who grew up about five hours away from Chicagoland, one of the closest tracks to his central Wisconsin home.

“I had a chance to run there in the spring and it was a lot of fun. It’s nice to be within driving distance to home; we don’t see that too much. You always want to run well when you are close to home. I know a lot of people from the Midwest and there will be a lot of familiar people you normally don’t get to see, which is nice.”

Wimmer is no stranger to Chicagoland; he has five NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Chicagoland, with a best finish of 13th twice – in 2001 and 2002. MacDonald Motorsports, which is 26th in the owner championship standings this season, is seeking its first top-10 finish this year.

“I’ve known Randy MacDonald for a long time,” Wimmer said. “He kind of came up through the same ranks as I did. Randy has had a lot of drivers in that car over the past couple of years that didn’t necessarily have a lot of experience, and I try to help the team out as much as possible. It was good to run there in the spring, and I’ll take what I learned then and try to apply it to this weekend.”

Wimmer said he was also excited to be driving the K-LOVE car this weekend.

“It’s great to see the partnership they have with MacDonald Motorsports,” Wimmer said. “I look forward to representing them. If we can have a couple of strong practices, stay out of trouble and be there at the end of the race, we should have a good finish. It will be good for K-LOVE, the team, and carry some momentum over through the end of the year.”

Practice for the Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland Speedway begins at 11:40 a.m. CT Friday, with final practice scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT (live, SPEED, 4:30 p.m. ET). Qualifying for the race begins at 11:05 a.m. CT (live, SPEED, noon ET).

The 200-lap race begins at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, with live television coverage on ESPN2 starting at 3 p.m. and live radio coverage on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio beginning at 3:15 p.m.

Quick Notes:

- This is the 28th of 34 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011.

- Wimmer has competed in five NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Chicagoland Speedway, with a best finish of 13th, in 2001 and 2002.

- Out of 1,000 possible laps in his five starts at Chicagoland Speedway, Wimmer has completed 993 laps and has been running at the finish of all five races.

- Wimmer is currently 22nd in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings, one point ahead of rookie Ryan Truex. His best finish this season was 12th in the Aaron’s 312 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

- In 224 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts, Wimmer has accumulated six wins, 29 top fives and 74 top 10s. His best finish in the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship points standings was third in 2002.

- K-LOVE is a nationwide network of contemporary Christian radio stations heard locally on 94.3 in Chicagoland.

- MacDonald Motorsports Press Release

Allgaier Motorsports Logo Thumbnail

Despite racking in the team’s eighth top-15 finish of the year, Fairhope, Alabama’s Grant Enfinger has impressed many with his strength and durability driving for the family-owned Allgaier Motorsports team, the 2008 ARCA Racing Series championship organization.

After enduring mechanical gremlins last Friday at Michigan International Speedway and taking the checkered flag in the 14th position, which consequently was the team’s worst finish thus far in 2011, Enfinger is hyped to get back to short track racing where the team mustered a runner-up finish in the most recent short track brawl at Toledo Speedway last month.

“I’m really enjoying the short tracks this year,” said Enfinger. “We’ve been competitive everywhere but our program really seems to come to life at the short tracks. Kelly (Kovski, crew chief) and the team have been working hard on our No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / Racetires.com Dodge Charger for Winchester this weekend and I feel this might be one of our best opportunities to seal the deal.”

Enfinger continued, “It’s been a real privilege to drive for Allgaier Motorsports this season. They truly are one of the best family-owned organizations in the ARCA Racing Series. We have limited sponsorship and we’re working hard to bring additional partners on-board. All we can do though is continue to inch forward and keep running the way we’ve been running and hopefully everything will pan out.”

Officially taking the half-way point of the 2011 season this weekend at Winchester, Enfinger overall is pleased with his team’s efforts. In fact, he thinks the team will only continue to build steam and momentum in the final 10 races of the year.

In the first nine races, Enfinger driving the Mike Allgaier owned automobile has produced two top-fives, six top-10s and eight top-14 efforts. The team qualified a season best fifth earlier this month at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.

“I cannot say enough about the hard work that the Allgaier Motorsports team puts out on a weekly basis,” Enfinger sounded. “The guys are racers like me and we want to win. We’ve been definitely close a lot of times this season; hopefully we’ll be able to finally be the first ones to take that checkered flag on Saturday night.”

Speaking of Saturday night, Enfinger will make his ARCA debut at Winchester, one of the fastest short tracks on the ARCA circuit. While Enfinger has never competed at the speedway before in an ARCA car, he isn’t fazed but his lack of inexperience at the half-mile oval.

“I’ve heard that Winchester is brutal but a blast,” he said. “It’s definitely fast if not faster than Salem, but smooth. Our goals don’t change this weekend. We just need to go out there and keep our No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / Racetires.com Dodge Charger in the hunt and bring home a good finish for the entire Allgaier Motorsports team.”

Currently, Enfinger occupies the sixth position in the ARCA Racing Series point standings, just 10 markers behind fifth place competitor Chad McCumbee.

Entering Winchester, Enfinger has 26 ARCA Racing Series starts to his credit. In those events, he has maneuvered nine top-fives and 16 top-10 finishes including a career-best finish of second three times at Kentucky Speedway (July 2009), Chicagoland Speedway (August 2009) and Toledo Speedway (May 2011). He has controlled the field eight times for 141 laps. Two fifth place qualifying runs at Toledo Speedway (October 2008) and Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (June 2011) are his best time trials efforts to date.

The Winchester ARCA 200 presented by Federated Auto Parts (200 laps / 100 miles) is the ninth of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 22nd ARCA race at Winchester is a one-day show. Practice begins Saturday, June 25 with a one hour and half practice session planned from 1:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin later in the day at 4:45 p.m. The field will take the green flag later that night shortly after 8:00 p.m. The race will not be televised but event coverage including live timing and scoring throughout the 1,321st race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards since it was formed in 1953 will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com presented by ARCANation.com. All times are local.

For more on Grant Enfinger, please visit grantenfinger.com.

Additional input on Allgaier Motorsports is available by logging onto AllgaierMotorsports.com.

No. 44 Ansell / Menards Ford Fusion

Frank Kimmel is looking to make the 30th appearance of the ARCA Racing Series at Michigan a memorable one. Kimmel has continued to pile up steady finishes over the past few weeks, but still longs for his first win of the season. “We’ve been knocking on the door all season. I’m happy with how consistent we’ve raced, but at the same time it’d be nice to end up in victory lane.”

Last weekend, Kimmel qualified 3rd overall for the Pocono ARCA 200. He was consistently fast throughout the race until a loose window net and long pit sequence shuffled the field. Fog would shorten the race, with Kimmel in the 8th position.

Kimmel will be piloting the Roush-Yates powered No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford for the RainEater Wiper Blades 200 at Michigan International Speedway. Fortunately for Frank, Michigan is one of his better tracks. He has 2 career wins and an average finishing position of 13th at MIS. Kimmel still remains 2nd in the overall point standings for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. He’s 155 points behind the current leader, Ty Dillon.

Activities for Frank Kimmel begin with a Menards store location visit on Thursday, June 16, which will last for an hour. Frank is set to sign autographs and pose for pictures with race fans and Menards shoppers. Kimmel will appear at the Jackson Menards store near exit 38 on Highway 127 – 3588 Page Avenue – at 7:00 p.m.

“I always enjoy getting to visit any Menards location and getting to visit with the fans. It reminds me why I love what I do,” said Kimmel. “Hopefully, we’ll bring out a pretty good crowd that might buy a pair of Ansell gloves while they’re in the store.”

Then, on Friday night, Frank Kimmel will look to find some luck in the Irish Hills of Michigan. When the sun goes down the speeds will go up, and Kimmel will attempt to drive his way to his first victory of the season, and 3rd of his career at Michigan International Speedway in the RainEater Wiper Blades 200.

Watch for Frank Kimmel as he goes for his third win at Michigan International Speedway driving the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford on June 17th for the RainEater Wiper Blades 200 in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. Also, be sure to visit a Menards location to purchase your next pair of Ansell Gloves. More information can be found at www.frankkimmel.com, www.ansellracingus.com, www.menardsracing.com, and www.arcaracing.com.

Also, be sure to visit your local Menards in Central Indiana to take advantage of the in-store ticket sales promotion for the Ansell Protective Gloves 200, which begins June 1 and runs thru July 27. In addition to the discounted, advance ticket sales promotion, the drive-to-retail contest promo will run, in stores, July 1 thru July 20.

The Grand Prize winner gets to waive the green flag to start the Ansell Protective Gloves 200. Winning entry also receives: two (2) Suite Passes for the July 28th ARCA/USAC double-header at LOR, two (2) Suite Passes for the July 29th NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series race at LOR, two (2) Suite Passes for the July 30th NASCAR Nationwide Series race at LOR, and two (2) Suite Passes for the August 1st NASCAR Spring Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

First Prize (3 Winners) receive tickets to the July 28th ARCA/USAC double-header at LOR, July 29th NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series race at LOR, and the July 30th NASCAR Nationwide Series race at LOR. Second Prize (10 Winners) will receive a pair of Ansell Gloves.

- Sports One Press Release

Third-Place in Points … Bowman currently sits third in the K&N East standings. He is the only driver in the top-five in points who had no previous K&N Pro Series experience prior to the 2011 season.

Two Top-Five Finishes … The Tucson, Ariz. native has scored finishes of third at Greenville-Pickens Speedway (SC) and fifth at Richmond International Raceway (VA).

Previously at Iowa … Bowman finished ninth in last season’s USAC National Midget race from Iowa Speedway.

Quote from Alex Bowman … “I’m looking forward to this race. It’s the first track that I’m going to that I’ve been to before. We’ve proven that this team can run up front and now it’s time to win. A win, or at the very least, a top-three is what we’re shooting for.

“At Richmond we had a really good car, but I was still in learning-mode. We got a top-five out of it, but the car was probably worthy of a win. I think we can get that win at Iowa.”

- Spire Sports + Entertainment Press Release

Carl Edwards celebrates his fourth NASCAR Nationwide Series victory and 11th top-10 finish in 12 races on Satuday at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn. (Photo Credit: Jason Smith / Getty Images for NASCAR)

Overall, it was Edwards’ fifth win in the “Music City” as he also claimed the coveted Gibson Guitar back in 2003 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series after starting sixth.

Despite it being an off-weekend for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the best of the best still shined at the front Saturday afternoon in the first standalone battle of the season. Behind Edwards and Busch were reining Nationwide champion Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. The first of the Nationwide regulars Ricky Stenhouse Jr. claimed fifth.

It’s obvious that Edwards, the Columbia, Missouri native had one of the cars to beat as he controlled the field in the No. 60 Ford. Drive One Ford Mustang for 94 laps in the race’s first 112 circuits. A race that lacked cautions during the first half saw yellow fever pick up significantly with various spins and debris cautions shortly after halfway.

While the yellow flags were not welcomed for some, it did allow the opportunity for action to pick up on the race track which set up a brilliant side-by-side battle with Edwards and Busch which actually saw the two of them make contact while vying for the top-spot with 44 laps remaining.

After a torrid battle which including swapping the lead three times and virtually neck-and-neck for several laps Edwards was finally able to clear the Camry of Busch with 35 laps to go. The 2007 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion would eventually pull ahead of Busch by .0521 seconds at the end to give Roush Fenway Racing their second triumph of the year.

“I have to give credit to Jack Roush (co-owner), to Ford, Doug Yates (engine builder), Mike Beam (crew chief), the guys at the shop. It looked like we were facing some insurmountable challenges, and they worked hard and got these cars better,” said Edwards, whose 31st career Nationwide Series victory, tied him with NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Jack Ingram for fourth on the all-time Nationwide Series win list.

Busch, still lurking towards the all-time NASCAR Nationwide Series winner commented on his runner-up finish, “It was a good day. The Z-Line Designs Camry was a second-best car. We knew that yesterday through practice. We saw it on the track. We worked our guts out to try to make some changes to it and the guys did a great job, they just didn’t quite have enough today. We saw that all throughout the race. I got out there and led a little bit, but knew I was only biding my time out there. We had some fun, but all in all, if you look back on the season so far, it’s been pretty good for us. Every time we’ve had a good run, we’ve been able to be in the top-three. Sometimes you have a bad run and you end up with a blown engine or a loose wheel or get spun out at Talladega. Today was a good day.”

Outside pole sitter and Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne finished sixth followed by Austin Dillon, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular making his Kevin Harvick Inc. debut in seventh.

Reed Sorenson in the No. 32 Dollar General Chevrolet led the Turner Motorsports parade with an eighth place effort he was stalked closely by both JR Motorsports entries of Josh Wise (No. 7) and Aric Almirola (No. 88) who comprised the top-10.

Justin Allgaier who sported the Wolfpack Rentals decals on his Turner Motorsports’ No. 31 Chevrolet Impala inherited the points lead following a solid 11th place finish. Kenny Wallace in Robby Benton’s No. 09 Toyota Camry’s continues to flex muscle and show early season strength with a 12th place run.

Elliott Sadler, another driver pulling double-duty at Nashville Superspeedway finished 13th in the No. 2 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet Impala while Rusty Wallace Racing’s third team had the best showing of the bunch with David Reutimann and new sponsor Flatout Flatbread claiming 14th. Former point’s leader and Turner Motorsports teammate Jason Leffler completed the top-15.

Other notables inside the top-20 included Mike Wallace in JD Motorsports entry in 18th with Michael Annett after slamming the wall late in the race rebounded for 19th and David Stremme made his Nationwide return for ML Motorsports and claimed 20th.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s third driver Brian Scott appeared to be headed towards another strong outing in his No. 11 Shore Lodge Toyota Camry but a late race incident erased those chances forcing the Boise, Idaho native to settle for 22nd.

After Joe Nemechek finished a superb third last weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Kevin Conway wheeled his No. 87 ExtenZe Toyota Camry to a 24th place finish.

Go Canada Racing’s Nationwide debut with driver J.R. Fitzpatrick did not go as well as they had hoped. After showing some race early muscle, the team slipped back in the rundown and collected a 27th place finish.

Former ARCA winner Mikey Kile made his 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series debut for Turner Motorsports but handling issues plagued the Westlake, Louisiana native issuing a disappointing 29th place finish.

Engine gremlins continue to haunt R3 Motorsports and driver Robert Richardson Jr. after the motor expired on the No. 23 Wildlife Conservation Society Dodge Challenger R/T on lap 143. The team recently switched builders hoping to avoid the same plague.

Start and parks were in full force Saturday afternoon. Nine Nationwide teams parked their cars less than 35 laps into the 225 lap contest. The first to drop out was Johnny Chapman for Rick Ware Racing who only completed one lap. In fact, Rick Ware Racing whistled two start and parks with Chapman and Carl Long in the team’s No. 41 entry. The team’s full-race driver Timmy Hill finished 33rd after blowing a tire three quarters through the race.

Other S&P drivers included Tim Schendel, Tim Andrews (2nd Chance Motorsports), Nashville native Willie Allen, Matt Carter and Dennis Setzer.

For the first time in his NASCAR career 2008 ARCA champion Allgaier takes the points but is tied with Roush Fenway Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Allgaier’s second place finish at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway bests Stenhouse’s season best of fourth — explaining how Allgaier was appointed the top spot.

Leffler dropped two spots and now stands three points behind in third with Sorenson and Bayne fourth and fifth respectively both just four markers behind Allgaier.

In the owner standings, Stremme’s 20th place run accelerated the ML Motorsports team into the top-30 and locks them in for Richmond. R3 Motorsports because of their mechanical failure dropped two positions to 32nd and now sits 10 credits behind re-entering the top-30.

Next up for the NASCAR Nationwide Series is the first of two trips to Richmond (Va.) International Raceway this season for the running of the BUBBA Burger 250 on Friday, April 29 live on SPEED beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Kyle Busch celebrates after winning both Nashville Superspeedway NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races in which he has started. Busch raises a Gibson guitar in victory lane after dominating Friday night's Bully Hill Vineyards 200 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway (Photo Credit: Jason Smith / Getty Images for NASCAR)

Though Ron Hornaday, the king of restarts nearly spoiled Busch’s parade by taking the lead on a late race restart – Busch attempted to take the lead back but a spinning Brendan Gaughan inside 10 laps remaining brought out the yellow once again setting up for a wild finish.

On the restart, the duo raced hard but Busch overpowered the No. 33 of Hornaday before the field returned to the start finish line. With Busch back in control, Hornaday had to fend off the hungry pack of Nelson Piquet Jr. and Timothy Peters. From there it was clear sailing for Busch who took the checkered flag in a speedy ran event.

Piquet Jr., the former Formula One ace finished a career-best second in the No. 8 Qualcomm / Autotrac Chevrolet Silverado for Kevin Harvick Inc. Timothy Peters out-dueled Ron Hornaday coming to the checkers to claim third in his No. 17 Dixie HomeCrafters, Inc. Toyota Tundra. Just an hour before the start of the event, the Red Horse Racing team announced the associate sponsor for Peters who scored his third consecutive top-five finish effort and best of the season.

Busch, who continues to smash records this year set another new marker as on lap 114, the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion led his 20,000th career lap in NASCAR competition. The statistic combines all of the laps that Busch has controlled the field in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He is only the 10th driver in NASCAR history to pull off such a feat.

It was the Las Vegas, Nevada’s 26th career win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and second consecutive spring victory at the 1.33-mile speedway. Friday’s performance was nearly a repeat of 2010 when Busch accelerated his Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) team to a victory from the pole.

“I can’t say enough this team, these guys. Happy Easter to everybody out there — it’s a happy Easter weekend. We’re proud to be out here in Nashville racing in Dollar General’s backyard. I can’t tell you enough about these guys on this team — phenomenal job. This Toyota Tundra was awesome thanks to the Triad engine guys who gave us great horsepower. This is a series I love to race in and participate in,” said Busch in his post-race press conference where he was also recognized for collecting his fourth top-five effort of the season in as many contests.

For Piquet Jr., the finish after starting fourth which was also a career best was a welcoming one the Brazilian after finishing 32nd and 30th in the last two events. KHI fielded four trucks in the Bully Hill Vineyards 200 with the rookie leading the way.

Ron Hornaday Jr. in the No. 33 Steak Umm Chevrolet Silverado slid to fourth at the end with James Buescher in the No. 31 Wolfpack Rentals Chevrolet Silverado leading the Turner Motorsports camp in fifth.

Matt Crafton who started 15th rallied to sixth in his No. 88 Menards / Ideal Door Chevrolet Silverado while points leader Johnny Sauter, the Martinsville (Va.) Speedway winner claimed seventh in the No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records Chevrolet Silverado.

David Starr claimed his second top-10 finish of the season with a 2011 best of eighth with Craig Goess Jr. in the No. 46 Greenville Toyota of North Carolina Toyota Tundra notching his first top-10 finish of the year in ninth for Eddie Sharp Racing with Parker Kligerman for reining NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Brad Keselowski shoving his No. 29 Penske Rental Dodge Ram to a 10th place finish.

Austin Dillon recovered from a late race spin to take 11th. A three wide battle between Cole Whitt (No. 60 Red Bull / Fuel Doctor Chevrolet Silverado), Ricky Carmichael (No. 4 Monster Energy Drink Chevrolet Silverado) and Jason White (No. 23 GunBroker.com Chevrolet Silverado) saw the trio fight it out down to the start-finish line with Whitt winning that war in 12th. Carmichael was 13th followed by White with his second top-15 finish of the season for Joe Dennette Motorsports.

Justin Johnson, the former NASCAR Whelen-All American Series champion finished 15th after qualifying a stellar third in his No. 51 Vision Airlines / Wounded Warriors Toyota Tundra. Johnson also led his first NCWTS laps of competition under green for two laps.

2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Todd Bodine had one of the trucks to beat Friday night but a miscue entering pit road under green cost the Chemung, New York native dearly as the No. 30 Germain.com Toyota made contact with the rear of the No. 7 of Miguel Paludo. Despite a gallant effort, Bodine’s crew was unable to return his driver to competitive form with Bodine finishing a distant 19th adding frustration to a less-than-stellar season thus far.

Tennessee native Bobby Hamilton Jr. finished 22nd after starting 30th for Rick Ware Racing in the No. 1 Chevrolet Silverado. Hamilton Jr., replaced Jeffrey Earnhardt who is no longer with the RWR organization.

Turn One Racing’s Justin Marks was the final truck on the lead lap in the 25th position in his No. 60 GoPro / South East Color Chevrolet Silverado.

Cale Gale making his first appearance of the year in the NCWTS and returning to KHI finished a disappointing 29th despite being just two laps off the pace.

After a solid start to the year for Ricky Benton Racing’s the 31st place finish for Clay Rogers in the No. 92 BTS Tire & Wheel / fleet HQ Chevrolet Silverado dropped him two positions in the standings from sixth to eighth.

Johanna Long, the only female in the fifth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event of the season struggled in her No. 20 Panhandle Grading & Paving Toyota Tundra but finished the race and netted a 32nd place finish overall.

Just three trucks failed to finish the 150 lap / 200 mile event with Nick Hoffman (34th; accident), Johnny Chapman (35th) and Mike Garvey (36th). Both Chapman and Garvey were start and parks.

Four drivers failed to make the race earlier in the day including Jennifer Jo Cobb in the No. 10 DriverBoutique.com Ford F-150 who worked with a skeleton crew which consisted of three females and her crew chief. Brian Johnson Jr., Norm Benning and John King were the other three drivers who failed to make the first of two NCWTS events at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway this season.

Sauter maintains a three-point lead over Peters with Crafton just one point behind Peters and four behind Sauter. Piquet was the biggest mover in the championship standings picking up eight positions from 25th to 17th.

Round six for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series takes the teams to another concrete oval at Dover (Del.) International Speedway for the running of the Lucas Oil 200 on Friday, May 13th. The race will be tape-delayed live on SPEED at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

Maryeve Dufault

Although what started out to be a great weekend for Tony Marks Racing’s No. 12 VR-12 / Dodge Motorsports / Victory h2o Dodge Charger race team by qualifying third on the starting grid, turned out to be quite challenging. After failing post-qualifying inspections due to a part malfunction, Dufault and the No. 12 VR-12 / Dodge Motorsports / Victory h2o Dodge Charger were moved to the end of the field to start in the 39th position. Immense storms and tornadoes swept thru the central Alabama area on Friday afternoon, causing the race event to be pushed back to Saturday at 8:00 a.m.

Even though all the challenges of mother nature and machine seemed to be coming against the Tony Marks Racing team, Dufault and the No. 12 VR-12 / Dodge Motorsports / Victory h2o Dodge Charger took the checkered flag with a 12th place finish.

Immediately beginning the 94 lap event, Dufault powered her way up thru the field gaining 14 positions right out of the shoot. She held onto that spot for the first few laps until the first caution flag of the day flew at lap 15. After pitting for fuel and two right side tires, Dufault went a bit above the yellow line coming out of pit road, so ARCA officials waived her to the end of the lead lap putting her back in the 24th position, but that was no challenge for her.

Dufault and the No. 12 VR-12 / Dodge Motorsports / Victory h2o Dodge Charger found some friends on the track and gained ground in the draft to push their way up to ninth position. With a couple more cautions coming out and so much movement on the track, Dufault ended up scoring her career best finish in only her second career ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards start.

“After all the emotions that we went thru this weekend, I think we had a really good finish for the No. 12 VR-12 / Dodge Motorsports / Victory h2o Dodge Charger team,” said Dufault. “I learned a lot out there today; it’s very different from Daytona. There were some people out there that try to mess your driving up so you just really had to be careful.”

For car owner Tony Marks, he was ecstatic with his driver’s performance and ability to maneuver in such a tight and intense race. “Maryeve despite her setbacks overcame the odds and did a great job for TMR and all of our sponsors,” he said. “We were in the lead draft and just missed a top-10 finish. I’m super proud of her “never give up attitude” and ability to master the draft so brilliantly in only her second career start.

Next up for TMR and Dufault will be their first tango with Salem (Ind.) Speedway for the running of the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200. The Sorel, Quebec Canada native will make her ARCA short track debut in the third race of the 2011 season. The field will take the green flag on Sunday, May 1 shortly after 2:00 p.m.

For additional information on TMT, Inc. please visit; tmtcompanies.net.

For more on Maryeve Dufault, please log onto Maryeveracing.com

To learn more about Tony Marks Racing, please click over to Tmr-racing.com

See the buzz that VR-12 is creating by clicking over to their website at VR-12.com.

Quench yourself with Victory Water, see how at Victoryh2o.com.

About Tony Marks Racing (TMR):

Tony Marks Racing was founded in 2009 through the passion for racing of team owner and former driver Tony Marks. Marks is the successful owner of TMT, Inc., a logistics, warehousing and packaging company with over 400 employees whose customers are mainly comprised of Fortune 100 companies.

Marks began his racing career in 1985 getting behind the wheel of everything from drag racers, Dirt Late Models, SCCA Formula Fords, USAC F2000 Open Wheel and ARCA cars. Tony personally raced until 2005 amassing numerous wins, championships and track records along the way until he then changed his focus from driver to owner and began building racing programs for his children Jared (16 years old) and Rachel (13 years old). Under the auspices of TMR, Jared began his racing career in 2002 in quarter midgets and now competes in late model, CRA, ASA and ARCA Series events while Rachel continues her development program racing quarter midgets and Bandoleros.

TMR has been at the forefront of charitable giving through its’ “Driving Against Hunger” and “Million Meal Challenge” race programs which have raised over $200,000 for Forgotten Harvest in 2010 at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series events at Michigan International Speedway.

For the NASCAR events TMR along with TMT, Inc. partnered with Forgotten Harvest for the “Million Meal Challenge For Our Kids” which helps to bridge the hunger gap while schools are out of session and feeds 20,000 children per day in the Detroit metro area. Forgotten Harvest was significantly displayed on the entry of Chase Austin during both the Truck and Nationwide events at Michigan International Speedway along with logos of “Million Meal Challenge” sponsors Walgreen’s, United Race Group, Holyfield’s Choice Alka-Power Water and Vitamin Spice. Evander Holyfield was also instrumental in the challenge, acting as Grand Marshall for the August race and announcing his “Fight Against Hunger” on behalf of Forgotten Harvest.

As the first race team to “Drive Against Hunger” through their partnership with Forgotten Harvest, TMR plans to continue their alliance with Forgotten Harvest and once again “Drive Against Hunger” during the 2011 season.

- Tony Marks Racing Press Release

Panther Racing

This will be Hildebrand’s first IndyCar Series start in St. Pete, although he earned his first career Firestone Indy Lights podium there in 2008 and the following year captured the pole position while driving for Andretti Autosport. Hildebrand led both the Lights races there in 2009, but was plagued by mechanical issues in each of the weekend’s two events. Both of his career IndyCar starts have been on permanent road courses (Mid-Ohio and Infineon) so this weekend will mark his first experience in an IndyCar machine on a temporary street circuit.

Panther has been successful in St. Pete in its history and recorded a best starting position of fifth with Tomas Enge in 2005 and a best finishing result of fifth with Vitor Meira in 2006. Dan Wheldon was running within the Top Ten competitors here last season before a suspension failure on the front straight ended the team’s day in the 20th position. Panther has led at St. Pete on two occasions; in 2005 with Enge and with Meira in 2008.

The No. 4 National Guard car is returning this season to the popular ACU Camo, black and red livery that first debuted in last year’s Indianapolis 500. The paint scheme was featured in the 500 and two subsequent races in 2010 and due to popular demand will be run for the majority of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season.

The core of Panther’s operation has remained intact during the offseason, with longtime chief engineer David Cripps and chief mechanic Dan Miller returning to lead the team’s on-track operation. Former Indianapolis 500 polesitter Pancho Carter returns to Panther this season as the team’s spotter and driver coach, after having worked with Sam Hornish Jr., Tomas Scheckter, Vitor Meira and Wheldon in previous tenures with the team.

JR Hildebrand, No. 4 National Guard Dallara Honda:

“I’ve always really enjoyed St. Pete and I got my first Firestone Indy Lights podium there the first weekend of the year in 2008 and it’s been a good track from the beginning. Since 2009 I felt like I’ve got some unfinished business there, when I led both races and had mechanical problems. I’m looking forward to getting back out to the racetrack, and St. Pete suits my style in a lot of ways, and a lot of the testing we’ve done this offseason has shown us the direction we want to go on the street courses. So a lot of our preseason preparation has lent itself to the National Guard car being good this weekend around St. Pete.”

- Panther Racing Press Release

Race: Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Sunday, March 27 (12:30 PM ET, ABC)

Track: Streets of St. Petersburg (1.8-mile street circuit)

Location: St. Petersburg, Fla.

NOTES / NEWS

Follow CGR on Twitter: Follow @CGRTeams for official updates from Chip Ganassi Racing’s INDYCAR and GRAND-AM teams.

Team Manager Mitch Davis on St. Pete: “After a productive Open Test at Barber Motorsports Park, we’re in a great spot heading into the IZOD IndyCar Series season-opener on the streets of St. Petersburg. Graham did a great job and Charlie learned a lot. We’re looking forward to getting the No. 38 Service Central Honda Dallara and the No. 83 Levemir and NovoLog FlexPen Honda Dallara to the track.”

Sports Business Award Nominee: Ganassi and Chip Ganassi Racing Teams have been nominated for two Sports Business Awards. Ganassi is a nominee in the Sports Executive of the Year category and Chip Ganassi Racing Teams received a nomination in the Professional Sports Team of the Year category. The winners will be announced at the Sports Business Awards Ceremony on May 18th.

Starting 2011 Strong: Chip Ganassi Racing Teams kicked off the 2011 season on a high-note, sweeping the top-two positions in the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona in January. Defending GRAND-AM Daytona Prototype Champion and now four-time Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Scott Pruett (with co-drivers Memo Rojas, Graham Rahal and Joey Hand) crossed the finish line at the 24-hour mark ahead of teammate Scott Dixon (with co-drivers Dario Franchitti, Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya) to give the team a record fourth Rolex 24 At Daytona victory (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011). It marked the first time a team has reached the four-win mark since Brumos Porsche (1973, 1975, 1978, and 2009), and the quickest to do so in the race’s 50-year history.

‘Chip Slam’: Ganassi, who in 2010 was responsible for the motorsport ‘Triple Crown’ (Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 wins), added the first ever ‘Chip Slam’ of motorsports to his resume with a victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan 30 (all four major wins in a 12-month period).

Award Winning: Ganassi has won a whole slew of post season awards for his team’s incredible 2010 season. Among the awards that he has won are: the Autosport Lifetime Achievement Award, the NSSN Champion of Champions Award, Pittsburgh’s Dapper Dan Athletic Award, International Motorsports Industry Show Achievement Award, as well as being named the honorary chairman of the Motor Sports Hall of Fame inductions early last year in Detroit. In addition, Ganassi was honored on the field by his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers prior to the game on Dec. 12 for his many contributions to the “City of Champions”. He was presented with a Steelers jersey by Art Rooney II.

Graham Rahal and the No. 38 Service Central Team

Meet Rahal at Tire Kingdom: Rahal will be signing autographs at Tire Kingdom in Largo, Florida from 6-7 PM on Friday, March 25th. Fans will have the chance to win a pair of tickets to the March 27th IZOD IndyCar season-opening race – the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Tire Strategy: The No. 38 Service Central car will support Tire Kingdom, Service Central’s Florida retail center, this weekend. Tire Kingdom offers quality brand tires and comprehensive automotive services performed by ASE-certified technicians at all 198 locations in Florida. For more information, please visit www.tirekingdom.com.

Barber Open Test Recap: Day one of testing at Barber Motorsports Park, Rahal turned 36 laps in the No. 38 Service Central Honda Dallara with a best time of 1:13:13. Day two of testing, Rahal turned 43 laps with a best time of 1:12:98.

Rahal on Barber Open Test: “Overall, a really good day for Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing. The No. 38 Service Central Honda ran great; we just didn’t get to have a new tire run there at the end. We’re looking forward to starting the season.”

Comfortable at St. Pete: In 2008, Rahal drove to victory lane at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Pete for the first time and became the youngest driver to win a race in INDYCAR history. In 2010, Rahal drove from the 16th starting position to a 9th place finish.

Rahal on St. Pete: “I love everything about St. Pete. Obviously, it’s been very good place to me. I feel very comfortable; not only the track but the atmosphere. It’s a very fun environment. Those are what make race weekends so enjoyable, so every year going there it’s at the top of my list. We’ve always had good runs there.”

Graham Rahal, One to Watch: Rahal was announced as the driver for Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing on December 16th in Indianapolis. Rahal’s open wheel career to date consists of 59 starts, 2 poles and 1 victory. This season he will try and add to Chip Ganassi Racings’ open wheel tallies of 714 starts, 70 poles and 80 victories.

One-for-One: In January, Rahal celebrated his first GRAND-AM Rolex 24 At Daytona victory in his first race with the team. Rahal’s victory came 30 years after his father Bobby won the event in 1981.

Rahal, the Golfer: The IZOD IndyCar Series season kicks off this weekend, but Rahal already brought home two wins in 2011. In January, Rahal went to Victory Lane at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. In early March, Rahal he played in the Honda Classic Pro-Am golf tournament for Service Central. His team, Tadanobu Nagumo, Takao Oishi, Larry Day and pro golfer Nick Price ended up with the lowest net score and won the tournament.

- Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing Press Release

Theriault is certainly no stranger to Greenville’s half-mile oval and has competed there in the K&N Pro Series East (formerly the Camping World East Series) and Whelen All-American Late Model Series. In 2007, Theriault made history at Greenville Pickens Speedway when she became the highest finishing female in the K&N Pro Series and the first female to secure a pole starting position.

“I am really excited to get the season started at Greenville Pickens Speedway,” said Theriault. “I really enjoy racing at the track and have had some success there in the past. I can’t think of a better place to jump start our 2011 season, and I look forward to getting the season off to a strong start.”

In addition to her partnership with ProGold Lubricants for the 2011 season, Theriault will also receive support from Southern Woods N’ Water TV, a Christian-based reality show that documents some of the best hunting and fishing opportunities in North America.

“ProGold Lubricants is on board with us again for the 2011 season, and we couldn’t be happier to have their support,” said Theriault. “It’s also exciting to have the support of Southern Woods N’ Water TV as we head into our first race of the season. I am eager to return to familiar roots in the K&N Pro Series East and to continue developing my skills on the track.”

Theriault will hit the track at Greenville Pickens Speedway at 1:00 p.m. EST on Saturday for the first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East practice session of the 2011 season, followed by qualifying for the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 at 6:00 p.m. The green flag will drop for 150-lap feature event at 8:00 p.m.

Michelle Theriault and the No. 45 ProGold Lubricants Toyota Fast Facts:

Theriault at Greenville: Theriault made her K&N East Series debut at Greenville Pickens Speedway in 2007 where she started in the 21st position and drove to an eighth-place finish, becoming the highest finishing female in the series. Theriault has also competed in the Whelen All-American Late Model at Series at Greenville where she became the first female to start a feature from the pole position.

Return to the East: 2011 marks Theriault’s return to the East Series for the first time since her rookie season in 2007. Theriault notched three top-10 finishes (Greenville, Elko, Iowa) in just 13 starts during the 2007 season.

K&N East Series Did You Know?: The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule consists of 12 events and will travel to 10 different tracks throughout the 2011 season. The series will also visit select tracks in tandem with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series including Richmond International Speedway (VA), New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Dover International Speedway (DE). The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will also travel to Bowman Gray Stadium (NC) for the first time since its premiere season in 1987.

Autographs: Fans will have the chance to meet Michelle Theriault and all of their favorite NASCAR K&N Pro Series East drivers on Saturday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m during an on-track autograph session.

Keep Up With Michelle: For more information and the latest updates on Michelle Theriault, visit her website www.michelletheriault.com, or follow her on Twitter at @raceMichelleT. You can also become a “fan” of Michelle Theriault on her Facebook fan page.

Seen and Heard: Live race audio stream will be broadcasted by NASCARhometracks.com, provided by Speed51. The race will be televised on SPEED (date and time to still be announced).

- Michelle Theriault Racing Press Release

Jennifer Jo Cobb

Cobb, a native of Kansas City, Kansas refused to obey her car owners command and walked away from the situation taking an initiative and stand to save her integrity and career. Of course, the “he said, she said” games have played through the media, but one thing is for certain both Cobb and 2nd Chance Motorsports will be at Auto Club Speedway this upcoming Saturday for the Royal Purple 300. They just won’t be on the same team.

CATCHFENCE.com learned late Sunday night that Cobb will drive the No. 41 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing (RWR) who stepped up to the plate and offered to help the NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year contender. For now, the arrangement is a one-race deal but Cobb is exploring options for the remainder of the season, not only with Rick Ware Racing, but other Nationwide teams as well.

“Rick Ware Racing came to the rescue and is really softening the blow,” said Cobb, who started off her 2011 NASCAR season with an impressive sixth place run in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. “Yes, they start and park some cars, but it is for the sake of having competitive cars. They are here to race and they are giving me the opportunity to do that and I am extremely grateful!”

Rick Ware Racing currently operates one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team with Jeffrey Earnhardt and has two cars in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Rookie, Timmy Hill, is the full-time driver in the No. 15 Lilly Trucking Ford Mustang with the No. 41 being shared with a variety of drivers, now including Cobb.

This past weekend, Carl Long drove the No. 41 at Bristol, and with sponsorship from Greetingexpress.com he qualified 22nd and finished 28th completing 294 of the 300 laps. While sponsorship has yet to be announced for ACS, many assume that Cobb’s new ride will be decked out with some sponsorship from both Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing (JJCR) and Rick Ware Racing. A formal announcement is expected within the coming days.

While Cobb will once again be forced to make her way into the show based on her qualifying speed, the equipment that RWR has been utilizing in Nationwide should easily allow Cobb to make her inaugural debut at two-mile Auto Club Speedway for round five of the 2011 season.

Her sudden decision on Saturday afternoon immediately drew attention via the Social Media network. From Facebook to Twitter and even personal blogs, the feedback has mainly been positive. It also initiated spikes in her support and followers from her official Facebook and Twitter outlets. Praises also filtered in from the NASCAR community including props from 2010 Nationwide champion Brad Keselowski.

2nd Chance Motorsports’ Facebook page was taken down Saturday afternoon, after a slew of nugatory posts forced those officials to withdraw their page before resurfacing Sunday night focusing on California with their new driver, Tim Andrews.

Despite her disagreement with Russell, Cobb wished her former owner well in his future endeavors. “There’s no problem. There’s only things to overcome which is just wish him well, you stay away from me and I’ll stay away from you. You do your thing and I’ll do mine.”

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going! It’s not a surprise that Jennifer Jo Cobb will be racing in a couple of days. I’ve seen, read and heard it all about the situation over the last two days. In the end and no matter whose side you are on, Cobb’s dream lives on thanks to another team stepping up to the plate and wanting to help another RACER.

Good deal.

Editor’s Note: Please also read, Jennifer Jo Cobb Stands For What She Believes; Walks Away Before Start Of Bristol Event

Jennifer Jo Cobb (Photo Credit: Jerry Markland / Getty Images)

Cobb started the season driving the No. 79 Ford Mustang for 2nd Chance Motorsports owned by Mooresville, North Carolina’s Rick Russell. After missing the first season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, the team regrouped and made the show at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway and Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway. Her next target, the intimidating .533 mile Bristol Motor Speedway.

After showing some speed in practice, Cobb out qualified two machines on Saturday morning, enough to make her NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at BMS. Just 10 minutes before the start of the Scotts EZ Seed 300, Cobb was informed by her car owner that she was to start and park her machine.

Cobb detailed in a media gathering during the Scotts EZ Seed 300 that her company, Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing (JJCR), had purchased tires for today’s event. Despite that fact and an agreement between Cobb, Russell and 2nd Chance Motorsports, Cobb was not only asked to park her machine after a couple laps, but that she would not be driving the car in the next NASCAR Nationwide Series event (Royal Purple 300) at Auto Club Speedway next weekend.

Obviously shocked by what had transpired, Cobb tried to compose herself, but quickly made a statement based on her personal beliefs and promises that she would not start and park. Cobb, who finished sixth in the season-opening NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, walked away.

“It feels like such a ‘Jerry Maguire’ moment; there were rumblings all week about our team starting and parking and I had made a commitment to my sponsor, my fans, NASCAR that I am not a start and park driver. I am really serious about this and I have to really work hard to prove to people that I am serious about this. The conversation was never had with me until 10 minutes before the race started that I was to start and park,” stated a disgruntled Cobb. “You can imagine that it was a blow to my principles and my finances to hear this. As the owner of this team he has the right to ask NASCAR to black flag me and said that he would do so. So after thinking about it for several minutes because I didn’t have many, I tried to come up with a solution for him and there was also rumblings around town that he was going to surprise me and take me out of the car in California.”

Cobb, who also has dabbled in the ARCA Racing Series said, “we have a five race agreement that says I am racing for him and that’s why I took the Nationwide points versus the truck points, everyone sees how that turned out for me. And so, because of the promises that he’s made, I made decisions about my career.”

As far as justifying her decision to walk away Cobb explained, “just felt like I owed it to my fans and my sponsors that I’m seeking and to NASCAR that if I say, ‘I’m here to race,’ that I go out and race.”

Jennifer Jo as she’s known in the garage also made it clear that she didn’t do what she did to start any drama but to prove and stands for what she believes.

Not only did Jennifer Jo Cobb walk away, but three of her crew from Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing (including her crew chief and tire specialist) and a crew member from 2nd Chance Motorsports, washed their hands of 2nd Chance Motorsports and walked away with Cobb prior to the green flag.

Immediately, she has been receiving encouraging support from everyone including others in the NASCAR community. “I’ve already been told by another team owner that he has my back and he will help me.”

With the rush that Cobb has feeling she was reserved when asking how to pick up from this mess and continue her presence in NASCAR. “You pick up the pieces.”

Despite the disagreement with Russell, Cobb wished her former owner well in his future endeavors. “There’s no problem; no issues in terms of like from here forward; there’s only things to overcome which is just wish him well. You stay away from me and I’ll stay away from you. You do your thing and I’ll do mine.”

Rick Russell offered his side of the story when asked about what happened.

“Five minutes before the race, she took her crew and left. We had a crew meeting here on Friday morning and I explained to everyone what our purpose was here this weekend. In Vegas we destroyed a car through Kyle Busch’s accident. We only had one car, so we had to have the body completely replaced on the car except for the roof, deck lid and rear bumper, so without a sponsor the total of about $16,000 about broke me to get this car together,” replied Russell. “We already had our entry in for here and California, so rather than try to roll this and lose this, we decided we’d come up here and I let everybody know we were here in a conservative mode. We would practice smart. We would qualify and we would make a few laps, and then we would park the car and save it for California.”

Other comments from Russell play the “he said, she said” game which can be expected in any coral. Believe what you want, but here are some of my own personal thoughts. I know Jennifer Jo Cobb. I know she is not a believer in the start and park campaigns. If she was told she was going to race, that’s what she planned to do. I know that she did receive some help from an outside source on a motor at Las Vegas despite what anyone says. The “he said, she said” game will continue but I personally stand behind Cobb. When it comes down to her personal beliefs, feelings and integrity, she did what was right for Jennifer Jo Cobb. I commend her for that.

Jennifer Jo Cobb owns a car and motor, and her JJCR team will attempt Texas Motor Speedway on her own. I expect her to receive some additional support from the racing community as the series steps forward.

Russell did state that Tim Andrews (who is a talented driver too) would be at the helm of the No. 79 machine at Auto Club Speedway next weekend.

In closing, Bristol Motor Speedway always provides some type of drama. Today, it started before the drop of the green flag. If Jennifer Jo Cobb wanted to start this race today, she could of. Russell’s comments are appropriate but I use the philosophy, if something doesn’t make sense, it’s usually not true. You be the final judge.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

Stenhouse’s previous NASCAR Nationwide Series outing at the .533-mile paved oval was last Spring when he rolled his sponsor-less No. 6 Ford Fusion from the 24th position. BMS marks the second NASCAR Nationwide Series pole for Stenhouse Jr., as his 2009 inaugural season of competition, he put his No. 16 3M Ford Fusion in the prime position at Iowa Speedway.

Jason Leffler, who this week is piloting the No. 30 AccuDoc Chevrolet Impala for Turner Motorsports, qualified second at 15.236 seconds or 125.939 miles per hour. Teammate and former ARCA champion, Justin Allgaier, qualified his No. 31 Brandt Chevrolet Impala third with Daytona 500 winner, Trevor Bayne, in fourth with Kyle Busch rounding out the top-five.

Elliott Sadler, in a black No. 2 Armour Vienna Sausage / Food City Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc., qualified sixth with tomorrow’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole sitter Carl Edwards lining up in seventh. Happy Kevin Harvick was eighth followed by Kasey Kahne in the No. 38 Great Clips Chevrolet Impala and Joey Logano to comprise the remainder of the top-10.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., making a rare start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series qualified his Hendrick Motorsports prepared No. 5 TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet 11th with defending Nationwide champion Brad Keselowski in 12th.

Brian Scott who took the pole early on in qualifying ended up 13th in his No. 11 Shore Lodge Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. Scott, a former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series winner at Dover (Del.) International Speedway has been tapped as a sleeper for today’s event.

James Buescher is taking advantage of an off-weekend in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and qualified his No. 34 Exide Batteries Chevrolet Impala for Turner Motorsports in 16th. Scott Wimmer (who confirmed last night on Dialed In with Claire B. Lang on Sirius XM Satellite radio that he will drive the No. 40 for Key Motorsports for the remainder of the 2011 season) qualified 19th ahead of Kenny Wallace with the UNOH Toyota colors closing out the top-20.

Rookie and Pastrana-Waltrip Racing driver Ryan Truex qualified 21st with other top-25 notables including former ARCA winner Jeremy Clements in the No. 51 RaceDaySponsor.com Chevrolet Impala in 23rd. Timmy Hill in his first ever Bristol experience qualified his No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford Fusion 25th.

ASA standout Tim Schendel returns to the series in the No. 52 Johnson City Press Chevrolet and qualified 28th ahead of IZOD IndyCar Series standout Danica Patrick, who despite sitting in the top-10 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings will bow-out of her NASCAR role to concentrate on her IZOD IndyCar Series schedule beginning next week.

Other notables in the field include; Willie Allen in the No. 05 31-W Insulation Chevrolet with Day Enterprises Racing. The Tennessee-based team will try to compete at upcoming races at Nashville Superspeedway and Kentucky Speedway this season.

Eric McClure in the No. 14 Hefty Black Out / Reynolds Wrap Chevrolet Impala will roll off 37th he is followed by Robert Richardson Jr. in the No. 23 Wildlife Conservation Society Challenger.

Jennifer Jo Cobb will make her NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Bristol for 2nd Chance Motorsports after qualifying on-time in her No. 79 Ford Mustang. Cobb who is concentrating on a NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule this season has one prior start at BMS last year in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. She rolls off 41st.

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standout Blake Koch brings up the rear of the field in the No. 81 DAYSTAR.com Dodge Challenger in 42nd. And starting 43rd will be Brad Teague in the No. 49 Chevrolet for Jay Robinson Racing.

The only car failing to make the show was Chris Lawson in the No. 03 North Texas Pipe Dodge Challenger for R3 Motorsports. The ARCA racer broke loose off the exit off turn four on his second lap of qualifications and crossed the start finish line sideways before pounding the inside retaining wall.

Lawson climbed from his machine under his own power dejected but okay.

45 cars and drivers were initially on the entry list for today’s race but after Kevin Lepage wrecked in practice yesterday in a second-entry for Team Rensi Motorsports, the team withdrew that machine because of no-backup.

Also, in response to yesterday’s tire concerns, Goodyear shipped over 1,300 right side tires from their Charlotte, North Carolina plant for the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. While the Nationwide Series will not be able to test the new tire until actual race conditions, NASCAR has scheduled a competition caution near lap 25.

The change comes after concern about excessive right-side wear after 30 laps where tires were shown to be bleeding down to the cords. To avoid potential headaches and from a safety measure both NASCAR and Goodyear implemented the change.

Trevor Bayne climbs out of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford in victory lane after winning the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. - Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images for NASCAR

Kelly Clarkson, the winner of the very first American Idol released that smashing hit in 2002. On Sunday afternoon at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Trevor Bayne enjoyed his “Moment Like This,” in just his second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) start. Beating the odds, Bayne held off several  NASCAR veterans to record his first career victory in the prestigious Daytona 500.

Bayne, who three years ago was just an up and comer in the USARacing Pro Cup Series undoubtedly received the best birthday present of all with a shell-shocking win in the “Great American Race.”

To some though, Bayne’s win in the historic No. 21 for the legendary Wood Bros. Racing was not a surprise. The Knoxville, Tennessee native has instantly become a fan-favorite and a person in the garage, who you can walk up and talk about anything including asking for a prayer.

Bayne, the development driver for Roush Fenway Racing has left an impact on his fans, friends and colleagues that will affect us all emotionally and spiritually for years to come.

One of the first people the former NASCAR K&N Pro Series thanked in victory lane was God. The 20-year old’s soft and thankful demeanor in victory lane was enough to leave you speechless.

Bayne’s performance in the Daytona 500 capped off a strong week for the rookie. In qualifying on February 13th posted the third fastest qualifying effort in the No. 21 Motorcraft Ford Fusion which instantly drew attention. During his Gatorade Duel race on Thursday, February 17, Bayne once again flexed his muscle despite being caught in a last-lap incident with Jeff Gordon whom he locked together with vying for a victory. Instead his finish would set him deep in the starting line-up, but most importantly into the Daytona 500.

During the 200-lap event, Bayne was a favorite in the field. Quickly muscling his way to the front, Bayne was able to keep his head in the game and avoid two incidents in front of him including a massive 17-car pile-up on lap 29.

Bayne continued to show patience and maturity during the event and when it was time to rocket, Bayne latched onto the rear of David Ragan’s No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion and the two headed to the front. The race’s intensity in the stands and in the air picked up immensely in the final 10 circuits.

A caution three laps from the conclusion of the 500-mile event set up the first of NASCAR’s allowed three green-white-checkers. On the restart, David Ragan, the leader at the caution pulled an oops by darting his machine into the left lane before he crossed the start finish line. Ragan would be penalized with a black flag. In the midst of the media receiving NASCAR’s message from the tower, a multi-car incident broke out that involved Dale Earnhardt Jr’s and ultimately erased him from competition.

On the restart, several cars attempted to pass Bayne’s No. 21 Motorcraft / Quick Lane Ford Fusion but the two-car cabooses would be no match for the red and white automobile despite a late race charge from fellow Ford teammates Carl Edwards and David Gilliland who chased the legendary number to the checkered flag.

It was the first victory for Wood Bros. Racing for since Elliott Sadler recorded his first career victory at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in 2001.

Ford Motor Company scored their 600th career win in NASCAR in the 53rd annual Daytona 500. It was also the first time that the Virginia-based Wood Bros. Racing returned to victory lane at DIS since 1976 with the legendary David Pearson. Overall, it was Wood Bros. Racing fifth Daytona 500 triumph and their 98th victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 16 different drivers behind the wheel.

Trevor Bayne lifts the Harley J. Earl trophy with the No. 21 crew in victory lane after winning the 53rd Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. - Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

Wood Bros. Racing initially planned to run the first five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events with Bayne at the helm. However, following the win, the team has tentatively planned to attend the sixth race of the season at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, despite Bayne’s ineligibility to contend for a championship, since NASCAR’s new rules have this phenom focused on his Nationwide program.

Cheers to you Trevor Bayne. God rewarded you on Sunday for all the blessings you have given to others.

Other Daytona Ramblings:

• David Gilliland finished third in the Daytona 500 Sunday. The finish was a career best for Bob Jenkins’ Front Row Motorsports (FRM) in the No. 34 Taco Bell Ford Fusion. It was the Riverside, California native’s third career top-five finish in Sprint Cup competition and best effort since his runner-up position at Infineon Raceway in 2008.

• Regan Smith, driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet Impala continued his strong Speedweeks 2011 with a seventh place run in the biggest race of the year. It was a career-best finish for Smith whose team is based in Colorado. The comeback was impressive for Smith concerning he was involved in a late race skirmish.

• David Ragan who was denied his first Daytona 500 victory due to a late-race infraction was able to bounce back to finish 14th in his No. 6 UPS “We Love Logistics” Ford Fusion.

• Robby Gordon in his first race piloting a Dodge Charger showed extreme strength despite his 16th place finish. Gordon was the second highest finishing Dodge in the field behind Kurt Busch in the No. 22 Shell / Pennzoil Dodge Charger.

• 2010 Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray was unable to overcome late-race engine woes and had to settle for a frustrating 18th place finish.

• Steven Wallace, son of the notorious Rusty Wallace finished 20th and on the lead lap in his first Daytona 500 behind the wheel of the No. 77 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry.

Nationwide Series Ramblings:

• Tony Stewart made a daring pass in the final seconds of Saturday’s DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway to score his fourth consecutive NNS win at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Stewart was piloting an entry fielded by Kevin Harvick Inc.

• Landon Cassill, the outside pole sitter for Saturday’s season-opener unofficially takes the point’s lead heading to Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway next weekend as first and second place finishers Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer opted to use NASCAR’s new one-series points rules in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Cassill though is not scheduled to drive for Phoenix Racing at the one-mile oval, which ultimately could hand the lead to Turner Motorsports’ Reed Sorenson.

• IZOD IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick shined at Daytona. She qualified her No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet Impala fourth, became the first female driver to lead laps in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at the “World Center of Racing” before settling for a 14th place run, also a career best.

• Bobby Santos III in a car fielded by JR Motorsports after a practice incident demolished the primary car for Santos III and his team Jimmy Means Racing. Thanks to JRM, the team picked up sponsorship for the event from TaxSlayer.com and guided the Chevrolet bow-tie to a 17th place finish.

• Brian Scott in his No. 11 Shore Lodge Toyota Camry had an eventful first outing in his Joe Gibbs Racing entry. After qualifying a stout 11th, it appeared that Scott had one of the cars to beat but a tap from behind in the draft shot Scott’s Japanese nameplate into the wall and out of contention. After the damage was repaired, Scott returned to the track and recorded a 34th place run.

Camping World Truck Series Ramblings:

• After winning the USARacing Pro Cup Series championship in 2010, Clay Rogers was tapped by Ricky Benton Racing to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season-opener in the No. 92 Action Gator Tire Chevrolet Silverado. The team was able to avoid the carnage and finish third in the Nextra Energy Resources 250 and lead the track with the points lead thanks to NASCAR’s new point system. The RBR team has yet to announce if they will compete at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway next week.

• A week before Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series opener Miguel Paludo participated in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season-opener for Venturini Motorsports. The solid finish allowed the Red Horse Racing rookie to be a contender in the 100-lap contest and boast an impressive fourth place finish in the No. 7 Stenco / Duroline Toyota Tundra. Unofficially, Paludo enters Phoenix second in the championship standings, just one point behind Rogers.

• In her third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series superspeedway event, Jennifer Jo Cobb maneuvered a brilliant sixth place finish on Friday evening becoming the highest finishing female driver in the series since Tammy Jo Kirk finished 11th in the late 1990s driving for Geoffrey Bodine Racing. Cobb drives for JJCR (Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing), her own-race team. Cobb’s concentration though is focused on the NASCAR Nationwide Series for 2nd Chance Motorsports in the No. 79 Ford Mustang.

• Rick Ware Racing’s Jeffery Earnhardt was able to overcome an early race mishap where he missed his pit road stall to finish seventh in the first of 25 races this season. Earnhardt, driving the No. 1 Fuel Doctor Chevrolet Silverado is planning to run for the championship in the NCWTS.

• After missing the field in his Turn One Racing entry on Thursday night in qualifying, a deal was reached between Turn One Racing and Sieg Motorsports to replace Shane Sieg with Whitt, the Rookie of the Year contender. After starting shot gun on the field, the Red Bull Racing developmental driver shoved his way to a 14th place run.

• 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards runner-up championship contender Craig Goess Jr. finished 16th in his No. 46 Greenville Toyota of North Carolina Toyota Tundra in his first Daytona run for Eddie Sharp Racing.

• Chris Fontaine continues to make a name for himself in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Despite being crippled in the “Big One” at the end of the event, Fontaine proved that he has the talent and capability of running with the regulars despite his in-experience, finishing 19th. Fontaine is planning on running a limited schedule in 2011.

My final two-cents. I was and still am not impressed or satisfied with the two-car tango in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events. I hope NASCAR will make a change and bring life back to these restrictor plate races.

I’ll admit the conclusion of the Daytona 500 had your heart pumping and your jaw dropping but the racing stood for everything I didn’t want this week. Thankfully, despite the periods of boredom, in the end, a well-deserving young man proved that dreams really can come true.