CROWN ROYAL 400: Richmond International Raceway May 3rd 2008

Track Details
Completed : 1946
Distance : .750 miles
Shape : D-shaped oval
Banking : 14° turns
8° frontstretch
2° backstretch
Frontstretch : 1,290 feet
Backstretch : 860 feet
Seating : 112,029
Contact Info
P.O. Box 9257
Richmond, VA 23227
(866) 455-7223
Official Web site

2007 Race Results
Sprint Cup Series
Chevy Rock & Roll 400 :: Jimmie Johnson - 09/08/07
Crown Royal Presents The Jim Stewart 400 :: Jimmie Johnson - 05/06/07

Cup Historical Race Winners

Nationwide Series
Circuit City 250 presented by Funai :: Clint Bowyer - 05/04/07
Emerson Radio 250 :: Kyle Busch - 09/07/07
Track Records
RACE RECORDS
Sprint Cup Race Record :: Dale Jarrett 109.047 - 09/06/97

Cup Historical Race Winners

Nationwide Race Record :: Dale Jarrett 104.928 - 09/08/95
Truck Race Record :: Bob Keselowski 104.167 - 09/04/97

QUALIFYING RECORDS
2008 Qual Records Data not available.

Racing actually began in Richmond in 1946, when Ted Horn drove a Champ Car to victory over a .5-mile dirt track at Strawberry Hill Speedway.

NASCAR was founded in 1948, and five years later the sanctioning body staged a race in its Grand National Division at Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds on April 19, 1953.

In 1971, the racing division became known as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and is now known as the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.

Since that first race in Richmond in 1953, the track has undergone three name changes, four configuration changes and one surface change, from dirt to asphalt.

Lights were also added to the facility in 1991. RIR is the only track to hold all of its major events under the lights.

Richmond's unique, .75-mile layout produces tremendous side-by-side racing, yet drivers obtain high enough speeds to give it a superspeedway feel. That rare combination still allows for the beating and banging that fans love, with the drivers' skill playing a major role.

The track's fall date is now the final race leading up to the 10-race Chase for the Nextel Cup.



DAYTONA DAVE~Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 AMP Fan



I HAVE BEEN ONLINE BUDDIES WITH DAVE FOR A LONG TIME NOW. HE & HIS WIFE SEEM TO BE WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT TO ME!!! I HAVEN'T REALLY EVER HAD TOO MUCH OF A CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW DAVE BUT I CAN TELL HE LIKES TO HUNT, SPEND TIME WITH HIS FAMILY & FRIENDS AND FROM THE PICTURES THAT I HAVE SEEN IN HIS PHOTO ALBUM...LOVES TO TAILGATE WITH HIS FRIENDS!!! PLEASE GO CHECK OUT THIS GREAT RACE FAN'S PROFILE!! THANKS FOR BEING A GREAT MY SPACE BUDDY!!!

http://www.myspace.com/daytonadave1

HIGHLIGHTED DRIVER
MATT KENSETH #17 DEWALT ROUSH/FENWAY RACING




Driver Details
Sponsor : DEWALT
Manufacturer : Ford
Car Owner : John Henry
Team : Roush Fenway Racing
Crew Chief : Chip Bolin
> Biography
> Community Crew
> RoushFenway.com
Birthday: March 10, 1972
Hometown: Cambridge, Wis.

YEAR-BY-YEAR NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RECAP

2007 -- Finished fourth in series points. ... Has finished in the top 10 in the standings for six consecutive seasons, tied with Jimmie Johnson for the most. ... Won two races -- California (February) and Homestead. Has won at least one race in six consecutive seasons. ... Finished season with 13 top-fives and 22 top-10s. ... Led a lap in 20 different races, leading the most in four of them.

2006 -- Finished second in series points. ... Won four races -- California (February), Dover (June), Michigan (August) and Bristol (August). ... Won back-to-back races (Michigan and Bristol) for the second time in his career. ... Tied for the series high with 15 top-five finishes. ... Only spent one week outside the top 10 (finished 15th in season-opening Daytona 500). ... Was either first or second in points for 27 of 36 weeks. ... Led 1,132 laps, second among all drivers.

2005 -- Finished seventh in series points. ... Led a career-high 1,001 laps ... With 12 races to go before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, rallied from 24th place in the standings and 320 points out of 10th to make the Chase.

2004 -- Finished eighth in series points. ... Finished with two wins. Won back-to-back races early in the year at North Carolina Speedway on Feb. 22 and Las Vegas on March 7. ... His win at North Carolina Speedway was a photo finish with Raybestos Rookie of the Year Kasey Kahne -- and a series season highlight. ... Began the 10-race Chase in fifth place and finished eighth. ... One of only four drivers to be ranked in the top 10 all season.

2003 -- Won the series championship. ... Finished with one win, 11 top-fives and a series-high 25 top-10s. ... Only two DNFs, the first at Kansas in the season's 30th event, and the second at Homestead in the season finale, after clinching the series crown. ... Spent 35 of 36 weeks in the top 10, his only week outside it coming after a 20th-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500. ... Assumed the points lead after a fourth-place finish at Atlanta, the season's fourth race, and held it for 33 consecutive weeks. ... Clinched the title following a fourth-place finish at Rockingham in Week 35.

2002 -- Finished eighth in series points. ... Won a series-high five races (Texas, Phoenix, Michigan, North Carolina and Richmond), a career-best. ... Finished with 11 top-fives and 19 top-10s. ... Pole-sitter at Dover spring race.

2001 -- Finished 13th in series points. ... Finished fourth at Michigan, Talladega, New Hampshire and Phoenix for his only top-fives. ... Had only six qualifying attempts of 20th or better and none better than 13th. ... Team won the 2001 World Pit Crew Competition championship at Rockingham in October.

2000 -- Finished 14th in series points. ... Won NASCAR Sprint Cup Raybestos Rookie of the Year title over Dale Earnhardt Jr. ... Won the circuit's longest race, the Coca-Cola 600, at Lowe's Motor Speedway for his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup win. ... Followed that performance with a second-place finish the following weekend at Dover.... Posted 11 top-10 finishes, including the Daytona 500.

1999 -- Finished 49th in series points. ... Drove five races for Roush Fenway Racing in preparation for his rookie season. ... Scored his first career top-five finish at Dover, where he finished fourth. ... Also ran at Michigan, Darlington, Charlotte and Rockingham in second half of season.

1998 -- Finished 57th in series points, driving in only one race. ... Drove the No. 94 Ford in place of Bill Elliott at Dover so Elliott could attend his father's funeral. ... Finished sixth in the race.

PREVIOUS RACING HISTORY

Won the 2004 International Race of Champions (IROC) competition by winning the final two races in the four-race schedule. ... Has 23 career NASCAR Nationwide Series wins in 222 starts. ... Has won at least one race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in five consecutive seasons, nine of the last 10. ... Finished third in 1999 NASCAR Nationwide Series standings with four wins and two poles. ...Was second in 1998 NASCAR Nationwide Series points race with three victories. ... First NASCAR Nationwide Series win came at Rockingham. ... First NASCAR Nationwide Series ride in April 1997 was with a team owned by Robbie Reiser, his crew chief in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for eight years. ... Started just 21 races that season and finished second in the Rookie of the Year race. ... Was running second in the American Speed Association standings when he left for the NASCAR Nationwide Series. ... Began his short-track career at age 16, winning his first feature in his third race while he was still a high-school junior. ... Won 10 features in his first two seasons at tracks around Wisconsin and had 46 super late-model victories over the next three seasons. ... Won Alan Kulwicki Memorial race in 1993 and track titles at Madison International and Wisconsin International tracks the following year. ... Won another track title at Wisconsin International in 1995 and had 15 wins in 60 races. ... Made his NASCAR Southeast Series debut in 1995, finishing in the top-three in three of four starts. ... Won one race and finished third in the Hooters ProCup Series in 1996.

NOTEWORTHY

Worked on father's racecar for three years before starting to drive it. "My dad made me a deal when I was 13," Kenseth said. "He would buy a racecar and drive it if I would work on it and keep it up. Then, when I turned 16, I could drive the car. It was hard work but it was also a great experience and really prepared me to do more than just steer the car." ... Avid Green Bay Packers fan who exchanged helmets with quarterback Brett Favre at a 2003 Monday Night Football game at Lambeau Field.

AARON'S 499 Talladega Superspeedway April 27th 2008

Track Details
Completed : 1969
Distance : 2.66 miles
Shape : Tri-oval
Banking : 33° turns
16.5° frontstretch
2° backstretch
Frontstretch : 4,300 feet
Backstretch : 4,000 feet
Seating : 143,231
Contact Info
P.O. Box 777
Talladega, AL 35161
1-877-Go2-DEGA
Official Web site

2007 Race Results
Sprint Cup Series
Aaron's 499 :: Jeff Gordon - 04/29/07
UAW-Ford 500 :: Jeff Gordon - 10/07/07

Cup Historical Race Winners

Nationwide Series
Aaron's 312 :: Bobby Labonte - 04/28/07

Craftsman Truck Series
Mountain Dew 250 :: Todd Bodine - 10/06/07
Track Records
RACE RECORDS
Sprint Cup Race Record :: Mark Martin 188.354 - 05/10/97

Cup Historical Race Winners

Nationwide Race Record :: Mark Martin 168.937 - 04/26/97

QUALIFYING RECORDS
2008 Qual Records Data not available.

On an unassuming stretch of land suited for soybean farming located next to a couple of abandoned airport runways, crews constructed the biggest superspeedway in NASCAR, Talladega Superspeedway.

Since Alabama International Motor Speedway (as it was called until 1989) opened its gates in September 1969, the track has surpassed every initial expectation.

Talladega, Ala., emerged as the top choice among several possible sites in the Southeast, with the main criteria for selection being availability of land, access to the interstate system and a population base of at least 20 million people within 300 miles.

Anniston insurance executive Bill Ward, a race driver and fan himself, helped NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation founder William H.G. (Bill) France find the land in Alabama, following a casual conversation with France in Daytona in the mid-1960s. Ward found what he thought was the perfect site in north Talladega County near an airport that the U.S. Government had sold to the City of Talladega after World War II. He set up a meeting with then-Talladega mayor James Hardwick and other city officials, and in a restaurant in Anniston in 1966, France got the group to consider the idea of putting a major track on the site. After a trip to the Firecracker 400 in Daytona to observe first-hand the potential economic impact, the group was sold.

Several obstacles had to be overcome, including financing. With France as the guiding force, however, construction began on the 2,000-acre site on May 23, 1968, with the first race being the 'Bama 400 Grand Touring race on Saturday, Sept. 13, 1969. Ken Rush drove his Camaro to Victory Lane in that event. The next day, Richard Brickhouse won the first Grand National (now Nextel Cup) race, the Talladega 500, edging Jim Vandiver and Ramo Stott.

The practice and qualifying speeds were so high (Charlie Glotzbach won the pole at 199.466 mph) that the tire companies could not come up with a compound that held together for many laps. The Professional Drivers Association (PDA), led by Richard Petty, declared the situation unsafe, and left the track Saturday afternoon.

France decided the race would go on, using the drivers that decided not to participate in the boycott, plus some of those who had raced the day before. The full 500 miles were run without a major incident.

His action broke the back of the PDA, which dissolved a couple of years later.

In 1987, Bill Elliott established a world stock car record when he posted a speed of 212.809 mph in qualifying. Mark Martin established a 500-mile stock car record in 1997 when he won the caution-free spring race with an average speed of 188.354 mph.

But the track's true dominator was Dale Earnhardt, who posted 10 Cup wins at Talladega.

The grandstands seating capacity is 143,231 including the most recent expansion of the O.V. Hill South Tower. The 212-acre all-reserved infield holds many thousands more.

Perhaps the greatest 1-2-3 finish in motorsports occurred a 1981 race, when rookie Ron Bouchard passed both Darrell Waltrip and Terry Labonte in the final 500 yards to win by less than a foot over Waltrip and two feet over Labonte.



PHYLLIS~Kevin Harvick Fan #29 Shell/Pennzoil



Phyllis and I have not been friends that long, on My Space, but she is a Happy Harvick fan and that is just one big point on her side...LOL..Phyllis is an up beat, vivacious person and I enjoy the energy she casts out to her online friends...especially when it comes to her passion for NASCAR and Kevin!!! Please check out Phyllis' My Space Profile. Thanks for being a GREAT friend, Phyllis!!!

http://www.myspace.com/armymob

HIGLIGHTED DRIVER OF THE WEEK
REED SORENSON #41 TARGET



Driver Details
Sponsor : Target/Glad
Manufacturer : Dodge
Car Owner : Chip Ganassi
Team : Chip Ganassi Racing
Crew Chief : Jimmy Elledge

Birthday: Feb. 5, 1986
Hometown: Peachtree City, Ga.

YEAR-BY-YEAR NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RECAP

2007 -- Finished 22nd in series points. ... Earned first career pole at Indianapolis. Led the first 16 laps of the race and finished fifth. ... Third-place finish at Atlanta in October was a career high.

2006 -- Finished 24th in series points. ... Season-high fifth-place finish came at Michigan in June. ... Finished 10th at Atlanta in March for first career top-10. ... Started seventh at Dover in September, his highest start of the year. ... Finished the season fourth in Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings.

2005 -- Finished 67th in series points. ... Competed in two races for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (Atlanta and Homestead). ... Top finish was 28th at Homestead.

PREVIOUS RACING HISTORY

Has three NASCAR Nationwide Series wins in 93 races. Finished in the top 10 in standings in 2005 and 2006. ... Had 21 top-10s in 25 ASA starts in 2002 and 2003. ... Competed in regional Quarter Midgets and in 1996 set qualifying records at both the East and West Coast National events, winning the National Championships in 1997 and earning nine Southeastern Championships and setting 15 different track records during his Quarter Midget tenure. ... Racked up 84 wins, 152 top-five finishes and 168 top-10 finishes in 183 starts in Legends Cars, five-eighths-scale fiberglass full-fendered versions of the famed NASCAR modifieds.

NOTEWORTHY

After five successful seasons in Quarter Midgets, Sorenson was crowned the national champion in 1997. ... He became the youngest driver to date to receive Rookie of the Year honors en route to a fourth-place finish in the 2003 ASA Series standings. ... In 2004, he won his first ARCA event in just his second start at Michigan in July.

LINE UP:
1 78 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet National Day of Prayer / Furniture Row 187.386 51.103 Leader
2 20 Tony Stewart Toyota The Home Depot 186.896 51.237 -0.134
3 70 Ken Schrader Chevrolet Hunt Brothers Pizza 186.499 51.346 -0.243
4 84 A.J. Allmendinger Toyota Red Bull 186.423 51.367 -0.264
5 18 Kyle Busch Toyota M&M's Most Colorful Fan 186.416 51.369 -0.266
6 6 David Ragan Ford AAA Travel 186.303 51.400 -0.297
7 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota FedEx Freight 186.300 51.401 -0.298
8 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull 186.177 51.435 -0.332
9 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet AMP Energy / National Guard 185.974 51.491 -0.388
10 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's 185.837 51.529 -0.426
11 99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot 185.704 51.566 -0.463
12 21 Jon Wood Ford Little Debbie Honey Buns 185.517 51.618 -0.515
13 17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT 185.502 51.622 -0.519
14 28 Travis Kvapil Ford Northern Tool + Equipment 185.484 51.627 -0.524
15 45 Kyle Petty Dodge Marathon / Wells Fargo / PVA 185.481 51.628 -0.525
16 109 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet Miccosukee Resort & Gaming 185.305 51.677 -0.574
17 10 Patrick Carpentier* Dodge LifeLock 185.262 51.689 -0.586
18 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Garmin 185.187 51.710 -0.607
19 66 Scott Riggs Chevrolet State Water Heaters 185.061 51.745 -0.642
20 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet Pepsi / DuPont 185.022 51.756 -0.653
21 12 Ryan Newman Dodge Alltel 184.929 51.782 -0.679
22 15 Paul Menard Chevrolet Turtle Wax / Menards 184.818 51.813 -0.710
23 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 184.811 51.815 -0.712
24 00 Michael McDowell* Toyota Aaron's Dream Machine 184.758 51.830 -0.727
25 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Polaroid 184.701 51.846 -0.743
26 42 Juan Montoya Dodge Wrigley's Juicy Fruit 184.619 51.869 -0.766
27 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota NAPA AUTO PARTS 184.619 51.869 -0.766
28 8 Aric Almirola Chevrolet U.S. Army 184.601 51.874 -0.771
29 01 Regan Smith* Chevrolet DEI / Principal Financial Group 184.452 51.916 -0.813
30 44 David Reutimann Toyota UPS / 134th Kentucky Derby 184.377 51.937 -0.834
31 16 Greg Biffle Ford American Red Cross / 3M 184.288 51.962 -0.859
32 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal 184.048 52.030 -0.927
33 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker 184.019 52.038 -0.935
34 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios / Betty Crocker 184.019 52.038 -0.935
35 7 P.J. Jones Dodge RVs.com 183.822 52.094 -0.991
36 5 Casey Mears Chevrolet CARQUEST / Kellogg's 183.751 52.114 -1.011
37 77 Sam Hornish Jr.* Dodge Mobil 1 183.744 52.116 -1.013
38 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet AT&T Mobility 183.716 52.124 -1.021
39 29 Kevin Harvick+ Chevrolet Shell / Pennzoil 183.680 52.134 -1.031
40 38 David Gilliland+ Ford FreeCreditRep
ort.com 183.589 52.160 -1.057
41 07 Clint Bowyer+ Chevrolet DIRECTV 183.522 52.179 -1.076
42 9 Kasey Kahne+ Dodge Budweiser 183.343 52.230 -1.127
43 40 Dario Franchitti* Dodge TUMS Quik Pak 185.115 51.730 -0.627

Did Not Qualify
44 22 Dave Blaney Toyota Caterpillar 184.943 51.778 -0.675
45 96 J.J. Yeley Toyota DLP HDTV 184.487 51.906 -0.803
46 34 John Andretti Chevrolet Taco Bell 183.793 52.102 -0.999

+ Set by Owner Points

HARVICK'S PRE-RACE REPORTS



This Week’s Race Car at Talladega Superspeedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 219 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. This is the same Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS that Harvick drove to a 14th-place finish in the 50th running of the Daytona 500.

· Back in Yellow … After featuring a Reese’s paint scheme two weeks ago in Phoenix, Harvick’s No. 29 Chevy will return to its traditional bright yellow and red Shell-Pennzoil colors this weekend at Talladega.

· Talladega Totals … In 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Harvick has one pole, three top-five and seven top-10 finishes. Additionally, the Bakersfield, Calif., native has earned a 21.4 starting average, a 13.6 finishing average and has completed 2,633 of the 2,644 laps contested at the famed Alabama race track.

· Restrictor Plate Success … Harvick has competed in 28 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races on restrictor plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega), completing 98 percent of the laps. He has also collected one win (2007 Daytona 500), two poles, six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Additionally, “Happy” has led 142 laps and has recorded only one DNF (did not finish).

· Points Check … Harvick fell to fifth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings after his 19th-place finish two weeks ago at Phoenix International Raceway. The 32-year-old driver only sits four points out of fourth and 103 points out of the lead.

· After the First Eight … In the season’s first eight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, RCR-prepared cars have earned one win, seven top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. At the same time, RCR cars have led 230 of the 2,699 laps contested this season (8.5 percent). Meanwhile, Harvick’s teammate Jeff Burton leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings by 80 markers over Kyle Busch.

· Did you Know … Chevrolet holds the record as the manufacturer with the most success at the storied Alabama track with 34 victories. RCR contributed nine of Chevy’s wins, all of them coming from Dale Earnhardt.

· Mr. Consistency … Harvick has not recorded a DNF in 52 consecutive races, which is the longest active streak. Additionally, the 2007 Daytona 500 winner holds the modern era record with 58 consecutive races without a DNF (10/3/2002-8/1/2004).

· RCR at Talladega … Richard Childress competed as a driver in Talladega’s inaugural race in 1969 and used his winnings from that race weekend to help start RCR. Childress boasts nine victories at the Talladega oval - all of them coming with Dale Earnhardt. Additionally, in 105 starts, RCR boasts four poles, 27 top-five, 44 top-10 finishes and just shy of $7 million in earnings.

· Help Chevy Help Autism … During April – Autism Awareness Month – people who go to the Autism Speaks website (www.autismspeaks.org ), can click on the “Help Chevy Help Autism” icon and take a free virtual test drive of the 2008 North American Car of the Year – the all-new Chevy Malibu. Chevrolet has committed to a minimum contribution of $500,000, but every virtual test drive taken gets Chevrolet closer to its goal of donating up to $1 million to Autism Speaks to support its mission of increasing awareness of autism and raising money to fund autism research. Those who participate in the virtual test drive will be offered a free 30-day online trial of XM Satellite Radio.

· Up to Speed … Live coverage of the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway will take the green flag Sunday, April 27 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and will be telecast on FOX. The event will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for ninth of 36 points-paying NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races will air live on SPEED, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio Saturday, April 26 at 11 a.m. EDT.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:

How important is starting up front at Talladega?
“It makes you feel good when you can win the pole like we did in 2005 but it really doesn’t matter where you start. A big part of the race is how your car works with other cars, staying out of the wrecks and putting yourself in a position for the last few laps to win the race.”

How well do you feel like RCR stacks up to some of the other elite teams?
“I think we’ve run really well. We’ve been very consistent. We haven’t shown that dominance on a week-to-week basis as far as being able to lead a bunch of laps we still have to work to do. We have been very consistent over the first several weeks and we have to maintain that consistency. When we’ve had a bad day we’ve kept it so it’s not a 30th or 25th-place bad day.

“We’ve kept that kind of in the championship form I guess you can call it. That was one of our goals coming in … when we had a bad day our goal was to try to finish in the top 12 because that’s what we felt like it was going to take. Now we fell a little short of that in Phoenix but 19th is still better than 25th.”

Can RCR be the top dog like Hendrick was last year?
“They have been before. I don’t see why we can’t do that. I think if you go back and look at the history of RCR they’ve always been a very reliable race team. They always concentrated on being very consistent and finishing races and running laps. When we crash our cars we don’t give up, we try to fix them even if we just go out and run laps. That’s been kind of a trademark of the RCR organization long before I got here. It’s something Richard really pounds in everybody’s head.”



RESULTS OF THE AARON'S 499: KYLE BUSCH #18 M & M's



1 5 18 Kyle Busch Toyota M&M's Most Colorful Fan 190/5 188 Running
2 26 42 Juan Montoya Dodge Wrigley's Juicy Fruit 175/5 188 Running
3 7 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota FedEx Freight 170/5 188 Running
4 6 6 David Ragan Ford AAA Travel 160/0 188 Running
5 8 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull 160/5 188 Running
6 14 28 Travis Kvapil Ford Northern Tool + Equipment 150/0 188 Running
7 36 5 Casey Mears Chevrolet CARQUEST / Kellogg's 146/0 188 Running
8 21 12 Ryan Newman Dodge Alltel 147/5 188 Running
9 41 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet DIRECTV 138/0 188 Running
10 9 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet AMP Energy / National Guard 139/5 188 Running
11 35 7 Robby Gordon Dodge RVs.com 130/0 188 Running
12 38 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet AT&T Mobility 132/5 188 Running
13 10 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's 129/5 188 Running
14 22 15 Paul Menard Chevrolet Turtle Wax / Menards 126/5 188 Running
15 40 38 David Gilliland Ford FreeCreditRep
ort.com 123/5 188 Running
16 19 66 Scott Riggs Chevrolet State Water Heaters 115/0 188 Running
17 32 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal 112/0 188 Running
18 31 16 Greg Biffle Ford American Red Cross / 3M 109/0 188 Running
19 20 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet Pepsi / DuPont 111/5 188 Running
20 30 44 David Reutimann Toyota UPS / 134th Kentucky Derby 103/0 188 Running
21 16 109 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet Miccosukee Resort & Gaming 100/0 188 Running
22 29 01 Regan Smith * Chevrolet DEI / Principal Financial Group 102/5 188 Running
23 42 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Budweiser 99/5 188 Running
24 39 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Shell / Pennzoil 96/5 188 Running
25 1 78 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet National Day of Prayer / Furniture Row 88/0 188 Running
26 24 00 Michael McDowell * Toyota Aaron's Dream Machine 85/0 188 Running
27 27 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota NAPA AUTO PARTS 87/5 188 Running
28 43 40 David Stremme Dodge TUMS Quik Pak 84/5 188 Running
29 18 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Garmin 81/5 188 Running
30 4 84 A.J. Allmendinger Toyota Red Bull 78/5 188 Running
31 17 10 Patrick Carpentier * Dodge LifeLock 70/0 186 Running
32 15 45 Kyle Petty Dodge Marathon / Wells Fargo / PVA 67/0 186 Running
33 28 8 Aric Almirola Chevrolet U.S. Army 64/0 186 Running
34 34 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios / Betty Crocker 61/0 183 Running
35 37 77 Sam Hornish Jr. * Dodge Mobil 1 58/0 180 Running
36 12 21 Jon Wood Ford Little Debbie Honey Buns 55/0 179 Running
37 33 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker 52/0 174 Accident
38 2 20 Tony Stewart Toyota The Home Depot 59/10 173 Accident
39 23 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 46/0 173 Accident
40 11 99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot 43/0 153 Running
41 13 17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT 40/0 150 Running
42 3 70 Ken Schrader Chevrolet Hunt Brothers Pizza 42/5 141 Engine
43 25 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Polaroid 34/0 4 Engine

* Denotes Rookie




Harvick Caught In Wreck On Final Lap, Finishes 23rd
After starting 39th in Sunday's Aaron's 499 Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega, Kevin Harvick reminded us time and again why we love watching him race at superspeedways by charging his way through the field several times, once even taking the lead. He was on his final charge with one lap to go and moving through the teens when he was caught in a wreck, stalling his efforts. Harvick brought the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet home 23rd

POINT STANDINGS:
1 -- Jeff Burton 1347 Leader 9 0 1 3 6
2 -- Kyle Busch 1325 -22 9 1 2 5 6
3 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1268 -79 9 1 0 3 7
4 +2 Denny Hamlin 1248 -99 9 0 1 4 6
5 -1 Jimmie Johnson 1245 -102 9 1 1 4 4
6 -1 Kevin Harvick 1208 -139 9 0 0 2 4
7 +1 Clint Bowyer 1182 -165 9 0 0 2 6
8 +2 Greg Biffle 1148 -199 9 0 0 3 5
9 -2 Tony Stewart 1137 -210 9 0 0 3 5
10 -1 Carl Edwards 1084 -263 9 0 3 4 5
11 +1 Ryan Newman 1062 -285 9 1 1 2 4
12 +5 Juan Montoya 1029 -318 9 0 0 1 1

13 -2 Kasey Kahne 1028 -319 9 0 0 0 4
14 -1 Jeff Gordon 1018 -329 9 2 0 3 3
15 +3 David Ragan 994 -353 9 0 0 1 2
16 +3 Brian Vickers 994 -353 9 0 0 1 2
17 -3 Martin Truex Jr. 949 -398 9 0 0 0 2
18 +3 David Gilliland 940 -407 9 0 0 0 1
19 -4 Matt Kenseth 909 -438 9 0 0 1 4
20 -4 Kurt Busch 903 -444 9 0 0 1 1
21 +1 Paul Menard 902 -445 9 0 0 0 0
22 -2 Bobby Labonte 895 -452 9 0 0 0 0
23 +1 Travis Kvapil 893 -454 9 0 0 0 2
24 +1 Casey Mears 887 -460 9 0 0 0 2
25 +1 Jamie McMurray 839 -508 9 0 0 0 1
26 -3 Elliott Sadler 832 -515 9 0 0 0 1
27 +2 Robby Gordon 797 -550 9 0 0 0 1
28 -- Scott Riggs 788 -559 9 0 0 0 0
29 +1 David Reutimann 764 -583 9 0 0 0 0
30 -3 Mark Martin 723 -624 6 0 0 1 3
31 +1 Michael Waltrip 708 -639 9 0 0 0 0
32 -1 Reed Sorenson 678 -669 9 0 0 1 1
33 -- Sam Hornish Jr.* 663 -684 9 0 0 0 0
34 -- Regan Smith* 656 -691 9 0 0 0 0
35 -- J.J. Yeley 551 -796 8 0 0 0 0
36 -- Dave Blaney 546 -801 8 0 0 0 0
37 -- Jeremy Mayfield 490 -857 7 0 0 0 0
38 -- Dario Franchitti* 483 -864 7 0 0 0 0
39 -- Mike Skinner 423 -924 6 0 0 0 0
40 +2 Joe Nemechek 397 -950 7 1 0 0 0
41 -- Patrick Carpentier* 390 -957 6 0 0 0 0
42 -2 Dale Jarrett 367 -980 5 0 0 0 0
43 -- Kyle Petty 363 -984 6 0 0 0 0
44 +1 Michael McDowell* 295 -1052 4 0 0 0 0
45 -1 Bill Elliott 277 -1070 4 0 0 0 0
46 +1 Aric Almirola 243 -1104 3 0 0 0 1
47 -1 Ken Schrader 234 -1113 4 0 0 0 0
48 -- John Andretti 149 -1198 3 0 0 0 0
49 +10 Sterling Marlin 100 -1247 1 0 0 0 0
50 -- David Stremme 84 -1263 1 0 0 0 0
51 -- A.J. Allmendinger 78 -1269 1 0 0 0 0
52 -- Jon Wood 55 -1292 1 0 0 0 0
53 -4 Johnny Sauter 52 -1295 1 0 0 0 0
54 -4 Kenny Wallace 34 -1313 1 0 0 0 0
55 -3 Jeff Green 0 -1347 0 0 0 0 0
56 -3 Chad McCumbee 0 -1347 0 0 0 0 0
57 -2 Johnny Benson 0 -1347 0 0 0 0 0
58 -4 Burney Lamar 0 -1347 0 0 0 0 0
59 -3 Tony Raines 0 -1347 0 0 0 0 0
60 -3 Boris Said 0 -1347 0 0 0 0 0
61 -3 Eric McClure 0 -1347 0 0 0 0 0
62 -2 Jacques Villeneuve* 0 -1347 0 0 0 0 0
63 -2 Stanton Barrett 0 -1347 0 0 0 0 0
64 -2 Carl Long 0 -1347 0 0 0 0 0

* Denotes Rookie



IT WAS AN EXTREMELY EXCITING RACE THIS WEEKEND, EVERYONE...FOR ONE...I WAS WONDERING IF IT WOULD EVEN HAPPEN SEEING THAT THEY WERE CALLING FOR RAIN!!! THANK GOD IT DID...THEN KEVIN ROLLED OFF 39TH!!! PHEW...BUT AS USUAL...TALLADEGA PROVED TO BE AN EXCITING BUT ALSO FRUSTRATING RACE FOR ALL!!! AGAIN, MATT KENSETH...BAD LUCK AGAIN!!! THIS IS SOOO SAD!!! I HAPPEN TO BE HUGE FAN OF MATT...HE IS LIKE MY 3rd FAVORITE DRIVER AND TO SEE ALL OF THIS BAD LUCK COMING HIS WAY!!!

I THOUGHT EITHER TONY STEWART OR DALE JR. WERE GOING TO HAVE A SHOT AT IT ALSO AND THEY GOT CAUGHT UP IN SOME MESSES TOO...THEN MY POOR HARVICK...DAMN...CAUGHT UP IN THAT WRECK WHEN THE WHITE FLAG WAVED....OH WELL...WHAT CAN YOU DO, RIGHT??? AT LEAST HE CAME IN 23rd AND ON TOP OF THAT...HE STANDS IN 6TH PLACE IN THE STANDINGS...THAT IS OK...

I AM NOT EVEN GOING TO DISCUSS THE WINNER THIS WEEK...I JUST SAY, BITTERLY, CONGRATS!!!

RICHMOND NIGHT RACE COMING UPON US, FRIENDS!!! GOTTA LOVE RICHMOND AND GOTTA LOVE NIGHT RACING...WHOO HOO!!! SO SEE YA ALL IN RICHMOND AND HOPEFULL KEVIN WILL HAVE A BETTER RUN THERE!!!! ~TAMI-LYN~

PLEASE POST YOUR PICKS

SUBWAY FRESH FIT 500 Phoenix International Raceway April 12th 2008

Track Details
Completed : 1964
Distance : 1 mile
Shape : Tri-oval
Banking : 11° Turns 1-2
9° Turns 3-4
3° frontstretch
9° backstretch
Frontstretch : 1,179 feet
Backstretch : 1,551 feet
Seating : 76,800
Contact Info
P.O. Box 13088
Avondale, AZ 85002
(602) 252-2227
Official Web site
2007 Race Results
Sprint Cup Series
Subway Fresh Fit 500 :: Jeff Gordon - 04/21/07
Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil :: Jimmie Johnson - 11/11/07

Cup Historical Race Winners

Nationwide Series
Arizona.Travel 200 :: Kyle Busch - 11/10/07
Bashas' Supermarkets 200 :: Clint Bowyer - 04/20/07

Craftsman Truck Series
Casino Arizona 150 :: Kyle Busch - 11/09/07
Track Records
RACE RECORDS
Sprint Cup Race Record :: Tony Stewart 118.132 - 11/07/99

Cup Historical Race Winners

Nationwide Race Record :: Jeff Burton 115.415 - 11/04/00
Truck Race Record :: Kevin Harvick 107.527 - 10/31/03

QUALIFYING RECORDS
2008 Qual Records Data not available.

In 1964, when Phoenix International Raceway was carved out of the foothills of the Estrella Mountains, it was intended to be a new jewel in the crown of American open-wheel racing.

Drivers like Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones and the Unsers soon came to love the 1-mile paved oval with the unique bend in the backstretch. And they really loved coming to Phoenix, where the tourism industry was just starting to grow and its Western style hospitality was second to none.

But it wasn't until 1988, when NASCAR's Cup Series racing came to PIR, that auto racing in Phoenix really became a major sporting attraction for the Valley of the Sun. New racing legends and legends-in-the-making like Davey Allison, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace and the rest of the Cup stars found out firsthand what their Champ Car brethren had known for years: Phoenix International Raceway is truly a great place to race, both for the drivers and especially the fans.

Today, Phoenix International Raceway has a tradition that is unmatched in the world of racing. The IndyCars have made 58 visits to PIR, and the annual fall NASCAR weekend, including Cup, Busch, Craftsman Trucks and Featherlite Southwest Series races, is one of the biggest events in the entire state.



DAVE THE SO CAL SMOKE ZONE~Tony Stewart Fan #20 Home Depot



Dave & I have been online My Space friends for a little while. He is a true Smoke fan. He has an awesome website on My Space. I encourage everyone to drop by and check it out!!! I have enjoyed Dave's comments and am glad to be friends with him!!! So, go ahead , friends. Go meet this AWESOME Tony Stewart fan!!!

http://www.myspace.com/mrbowler

HIGHLIGHTED DRIVER
RYAN NEWMAN #12 ALTELL PENSKE RACING


Driver Details
Sponsor : Samsung HDTV/ALLTEL
Manufacturer : Dodge
Car Owner : Roger Penske
Team : Penske Racing
Crew Chief : Roy McCauley

Birthday: Dec. 8, 1977
Hometown: South Bend, Ind.

YEAR-BY-YEAR NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RECAP

2007 -- Finished 13th in series points. ... Earned five poles. ... Finished second three times (Dover, Pocono, Martinsville). ... Pole at Atlanta ended a drought of 20 races without a pole, the longest of his career. ... Won three consecutive poles at Charlotte, Dover and Pocono. ... Average start of 13.8 was fifth-best in the series.

2006 -- Finished 18th in series points. ... Won the pole at Dover in June and at New Hampshire in July.

2005 -- Finished sixth in series points. ... Fourth consecutive season leading series in poles (eight). ... Scored only win of season at New Hampshire, passing Tony Stewart on Lap 199 and holding the top spot by two cars length. ... Qualified for the second Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in 10th.

2004 -- Finished seventh in series points. ... Strong season slowed by nine DNFs. ... Led series with nine poles, including four consecutive from Charlotte through Phoenix. ... Held off Kasey Kahne at Michigan to score the first of two wins. ... Dominated in his second win at Dover in September leading 325 of 400 laps. ... Qualified for the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in 10th. ... Title hopes dashed by four DNFs in last 10 races.

2003 -- Finished sixth in series points. ... Led the series in wins (eight), poles (11) and miles led (1,509.13) ... Had five DNFs in the first half of the season. ... Finished 38th or worse in six of the first 15 races. ... Scored first win at Texas, but followed with a four-race skid of three DNFs and 39th-place finish at Richmond in May, leaving him 27th in series points. ... With a victory at Chicago in July, kicked off a 13-race hot streak that included six wins ... His series-high 11 poles, including three consecutive at Atlanta, Phoenix and Rockingham, was the most since Cale Yarborough's 14 poles in 1980. ... Finished with a series-high 17 top-fives.

2002 -- Finished sixth in series points. ... Topped Jimmie Johnson for Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors in one of the most heated rookie battles in years. ... Set a rookie record with 22 top-10 finishes. ... Scored his first career win at New Hampshire in September in his 34th career start. ... Became just the second Raybestos Rookie to win the All-Star event -- following Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2000. ... Led the series with six poles, setting a rookie record for most poles in a season, topping Davey Allison's five poles in 1987. ... Had 14 top-five finishes, second only to series champion Tony Stewart. ... Tied Stewart in races led (22).

2001 -- Finished 49th in series points. ... Scored first pole in third career NASCAR Sprint Cup start, at Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, tying Mark Martin's record for earliest career pole. ... Competed in seven races with his best finish a second at Kansas. ... Also raced 15 times in NASCAR Nationwide Series, winning one race.

PREVIOUS RACING HISTORY

In 2000, made stock-car debut in ARCA race at Michigan, then won the next race he entered at Pocono. ... Also won ARCA races that year at Kentucky and Charlotte. ... In 1999, won USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet Series national championship with two wins and 12 top-10 finishes. ... Won seven times in midgets and once in sprint cars. ... Earned rookie of the year honors in Sprint Cars (1999), USAC Silver Crown (1996) and USAC National Midgets (1995). ... Was also the 1993 All-American Midget Series champion and rookie of the year.

NOTEWORTHY

Earned the nickname "Rocketman" after a series-high 11 poles in 2003. ... Is a member of the Quarter-Midget Hall of Fame. ... Started racing quarter midgets at age of 4-and-a-half. ... Graduated from Purdue University in August of 2001 with a B.S. degree in Vehicle Structural Engineering. ... Enjoys working on vintage cars and fishing.

STARTING LINE UP


POS CAR DRIVER MAKE SPONSOR SPEED TIME BEHIND
1 12 Ryan Newman Dodge Alltel 133.457 26.975 Leader
2 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Stanley Tools 133.412 26.984 -0.009
3 99 Carl Edwards Ford Aflac 133.378 26.991 -0.016
4 8 Mark Martin Chevrolet Army Reserve 100th Anniv. / U.S. Army 133.368 26.993 -0.018
5 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Budweiser 133.304 27.006 -0.031
6 18 Kyle Busch Toyota Snickers 133.274 27.012 -0.037
7 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's 133.240 27.019 -0.044
8 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal 133.190 27.029 -0.054
9 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker 132.876 27.093 -0.118
10 66 Scott Riggs Chevrolet State Water Heaters 132.871 27.094 -0.119
11 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet Nicorette / DuPont 132.851 27.098 -0.123
12 20 Tony Stewart Toyota Subway 132.836 27.101 -0.126
13 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet National Guard / AMP Energy 132.714 27.126 -0.151
14 15 Paul Menard Chevrolet Johns Manville / Menards 132.704 27.128 -0.153
15 42 Juan Montoya Dodge Wrigley's Big Red 132.553 27.159 -0.184
16 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota FedEx Kinko's / March of Dimes 132.416 27.187 -0.212
17 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Reese's 132.397 27.191 -0.216
18 16 Greg Biffle Ford 3M 132.256 27.220 -0.245
19 22 Dave Blaney Toyota Caterpillar 132.256 27.220 -0.245
20 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Target / Glad 132.071 27.258 -0.283
21 40 Dario Franchitti* Dodge Wrigley's Juicy Fruit 132.042 27.264 -0.289
22 96 J.J. Yeley Toyota DLP HDTV 131.970 27.279 -0.304
23 6 David Ragan Ford AAA Insurance 131.945 27.284 -0.309
24 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet DIRECTV 131.921 27.289 -0.314
25 84 Mike Skinner Toyota Red Bull 131.887 27.296 -0.321
26 44 David Reutimann Toyota UPS 131.801 27.314 -0.339
27 17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT NANO Technology 131.762 27.322 -0.347
28 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota NAPA AUTO PARTS 131.757 27.323 -0.348
29 00 Michael McDowell* Toyota Aaron's Dream Machine 131.704 27.334 -0.359
30 5 Casey Mears Chevrolet CARQUEST / Kellogg's 131.656 27.344 -0.369
31 77 Sam Hornish Jr.* Dodge Mobil 1 131.617 27.352 -0.377
32 28 Travis Kvapil Ford Ford. Drive one. 131.608 27.354 -0.379
33 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull 131.473 27.382 -0.407
34 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios / Betty Crocker 131.416 27.394 -0.419
35 7 Robby Gordon Dodge MAPEI / Menards 131.277 27.423 -0.448
36 38 David Gilliland Ford Yates Racing 131.224 27.434 -0.459
37 10 Patrick Carpentier* Dodge LifeLock 131.167 27.446 -0.471
38 01 Regan Smith* Chevrolet DEI / Principal Financial Group 131.105 27.459 -0.484
39 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet AT&T Mobility 130.928 27.496 -0.521
40 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 130.928 27.496 -0.521
41 78 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing 130.581 27.569 -0.594
42 70 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet Haas Automation 130.482 27.590 -0.615
43 21 Bill Elliott Ford Motorcraft Champion's Provisional

Did Not Qualify
44 45 Kyle Petty Dodge Wells Fargo 129.978 27.697 -0.722
45 34 John Andretti Chevrolet Front Row Motorsports 129.431 27.814 -0.839

+ Set by Owner Points
* Denotes Rookie

RESULTS OF THE SUBWAY FRESH FIT 500: JIMMIE JOHNSON #48 LOWES


1 7 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's 195/10 312 Running
2 24 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet DIRECTV 170/0 312 Running
3 16 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota March of Dimes / FedEx Kinko's 165/0 312 Running
4 3 99 Carl Edwards Ford Aflac 160/0 312 Running
5 4 8 Mark Martin Chevrolet Army Reserve 100th Anniv. / U.S. Army 160/5 312 Running
6 39 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet AT&T Mobility 150/0 312 Running
7 13 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet National Guard / AMP Energy 151/5 312 Running
8 9 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker 142/0 312 Running
9 18 16 Greg Biffle Ford 3M 138/0 312 Running
10 6 18 Kyle Busch Toyota Snickers 134/0 312 Running
11 30 5 Casey Mears Chevrolet CARQUEST / Kellogg's 130/0 311 Running
12 34 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios / Betty Crocker 127/0 311 Running
13 11 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet Nicorette / DuPont 124/0 311 Running
14 36 38 David Gilliland Ford Yates Racing 121/0 311 Running
15 15 42 Juan Montoya Dodge Wrigley's Big Red 118/0 311 Running
16 8 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal 115/0 311 Running
17 26 44 David Reutimann Toyota UPS 112/0 311 Running
18 17 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Reese's 109/0 311 Running
19 31 77 Sam Hornish Jr. * Dodge Mobil 1 106/0 311 Running
20 14 15 Paul Menard Chevrolet Johns Manville / Menards 103/0 311 Running
21 12 20 Tony Stewart Toyota Subway / Home Depot 100/0 311 Running
22 25 84 Mike Skinner Toyota Red Bull 97/0 310 Running
23 35 7 Robby Gordon Dodge MAPEI / Menards 94/0 310 Running
24 32 28 Travis Kvapil Ford Ford. Drive one. 91/0 310 Running
25 40 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 88/0 310 Running
26 28 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota NAPA AUTO PARTS 85/0 310 Running
27 33 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull 82/0 310 Running
28 10 66 Scott Riggs Chevrolet Haas Automation 79/0 310 Running
29 23 6 David Ragan Ford AAA Insurance 76/0 310 Running
30 21 40 Dario Franchitti * Dodge Wrigley's Juicy Fruit 73/0 309 Running
31 19 22 Dave Blaney Toyota Caterpillar 70/0 309 Running
32 43 21 Bill Elliott Ford Motorcraft 67/0 309 Running
33 37 10 Patrick Carpentier * Dodge LifeLock 64/0 308 Running
34 29 00 Michael McDowell * Toyota Aaron's Dream Machine 61/0 307 Running
35 38 01 Regan Smith * Chevrolet DEI / Principal Financial Group 58/0 298 Running
36 5 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Budweiser 55/0 273 Running
37 42 70 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet Haas Automation 52/0 271 Running
38 27 17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT NANO Technology 49/0 269 Running
39 22 96 J.J. Yeley Toyota DLP HDTV 46/0 224 Running
40 41 78 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet Furniture Row
/ DenverMattress.com 43/0 208 Running
41 2 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Stanley Tools 40/0 161 Out of Race
42 20 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Target / Glad 37/0 144 Out of Race
43 1 12 Ryan Newman Dodge Alltel 39/5 134 Out of Race



Harvick 18th At PIR
After spending most of the evening clawing his way into the top-5, Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Reese's Chevrolet crew had to settle for a 18th-place finish in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 Sprint Cup Series race after being on the losing end of a fuel gamble. Despite the disappointment, it had been a solid night for Kevin and crew, who are now fifth in points

SPECIAL NEWS CLIP
AVONDALE, Ariz. - Tony Stewart announced on Friday at Phoenix International Raceway that Subway would be the primary sponsor on the No. 20 Toyota this weekend as well as the fall races at California Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.

But just as soon as Stewart touched on Subway's healthier "Fresh Fit" program, the discussion quickly moved to the unhealthy practice of former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series rookie Aaron Fike, who recently admitted to using heroin on and off the track.
Stewart shared the sentiment of other NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers that random drug testing should be mandatory.

"I'm all for it," Stewart said. "I would love it. I haven't been asked to take one yet and I think it should be mandatory drug testing all the time. I think non-stop through the year. Obviously, with this happening, as an organization we aren't doing a good job of seeing it before it happens.

"Aaron (Fike) coming out and saying that obviously is an indication we need to do a better job than what we are currently doing. I'm all for random drug testing from the time we go to Daytona until the time we finish the season at Homestead — I think it's a great idea."

Fellow two-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson said he couldn't believe Fike's behavior and considered the whole incident "absurd." Johnson said if there's any question of a driver's stability it should be reported to NASCAR without any exceptions.

"I don't know where we go from here but I am so happy that they figured out or found out what was going on and got him off the track," Johnson said. "That is absolutely unacceptable.

"I've not been tested by NASCAR. I'm confident that every driver in this garage area is willing and open to whatever NASCAR decides to do or whatever policies are put into place. I see no issues with that from any driver."

Kasey Kahne says he "wondered" about Fike in the Nationwide Series and has "no clue why he raced as long as he did." However, Kahne believes that the onus is on NASCAR to take a more proactive stance when it comes to testing drivers across the board.

"I think there is more that goes into it than just saying 'we're going to test you guys'," Kahne said. "I don't understand it totally because I've never been tested. I would be up for it (drug testing) at any time just so that I knew — and everybody else knows what's going on. As much money that's in this sport, and as lucky as we are to get to do what we do, we should be clean and everybody out there should be."

However, NASCAR has failed to take the first step in arbitrarily testing any of its superstars — including Stewart, Kahne and Johnson. NASCAR has always relied on suspicion before taking that first step.

"First of all, let me assure you that no issue or conversation that we have with a driver, owner or team member ever falls on deaf ears," said NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp. "Now, they might not always come out of the meeting with the answer they're looking for, but we listen.

"The responsibility here rests across the board — with the drivers and competitors, owners and teams and NASCAR. We test an individual when we have reasonable suspicion and a positive test results in severe consequences and is a career-changing moment for that person. NASCAR's policy is also supported by the various policies that the teams have in place that are required under the driver/owner agreements. No system is flawless, but we believe our zero tolerance policy that is in place has served the sport well."

Like Kahne, Kevin Harvick suspects that there are other drivers who have escaped under NASCAR's radar. Fike drove for Kevin Harvick, Inc., in the Nationwide Series in 2006. He crashed out after the first lap of the first race at Nashville Speedway and finished 42nd.

"I have been in a race with him and I know for a fact that he's not the only one," Harvick said. "There's another driver that is suspended that I can almost guarantee you was in a race car while he was under the influence and that pisses me off. That is not fair to the 95 percent of this garage and that's the bad part about it is 95 percent of this garage I can guarantee you is clean, but there's a five-percent chance ...

"It's just like the safety thing back in 2001 — the reason that we reacted to it, we weren't proactive until that situation happened. There's no reason not to be proactive in the state of the world of sports, there's no reason not to be proactive in the drug situation and that to me is irresponsible more than it is anything. I'm sure I'll be blasted from somebody for saying what I feel but I don't want to be on the race track with people like that.

"Aaron drove a couple of races for me and there was no reason to think that they were suspicious, but there's certain people that maybe they experiment with a lot of things. I don't know about drugs to tell you the truth, but I know that I want to be next to the guy and I want to know he's clean. I don't want to have to get in a truck or get in a Nationwide car or get in a Cup car and think that somebody had been out the night before and not been clean.

"I'm frustrated with the fact that I have to answer questions about Aaron Fike. Everybody that has to do a media bullpen today will have to answer a question about Aaron Fike and it really, really ticks me off that we have to answer that because everyone should know that we are taking random drug tests, and every driver in this garage should take them, in any garage in NASCAR. This has always been perceived as a clean sport. Let's not let it be perceived as something that is not clean now because it is for the most part. But let's prove it."

POINT STANDINGS:
1 -- Jeff Burton 1215 Leader 8 0 1 3 6
2 +1 Kyle Busch 1135 -80 8 1 1 4 5
3 +1 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1129 -86 8 1 0 3 6
4 +2 Jimmie Johnson 1116 -99 8 1 1 4 4
5 -3 Kevin Harvick 1115 -100 8 0 0 2 4
6 +1 Denny Hamlin 1078 -137 8 0 1 3 5
7 -2 Tony Stewart 1057 -158 8 0 0 3 5
8 +3 Clint Bowyer 1044 -171 8 0 0 2 5
9 -- Carl Edwards 1041 -174 8 0 3 4 5
10 -2 Greg Biffle 1039 -176 8 0 0 3 5
11 +1 Kasey Kahne 929 -286 8 0 0 0 4
12 -2 Ryan Newman 915 -300 8 1 1 2 3

13 +1 Jeff Gordon 907 -308 8 2 0 3 3
14 +2 Martin Truex Jr. 897 -318 8 0 0 0 2
15 -2 Matt Kenseth 869 -346 8 0 0 1 4
16 +3 Juan Montoya 857 -358 8 0 0 0 0
17 -2 Kurt Busch 851 -364 8 0 0 1 1
18 +3 Bobby Labonte 834 -381 8 0 0 0 0
19 -2 David Ragan 828 -387 8 0 0 0 1
20 -2 Brian Vickers 828 -387 8 0 0 0 1
21 +1 David Gilliland 820 -395 8 0 0 0 1
22 +1 Paul Menard 779 -436 8 0 0 0 0
23 -3 Elliott Sadler 751 -464 8 0 0 0 1
24 +2 Casey Mears 741 -474 8 0 0 0 1
25 -1 Travis Kvapil 737 -478 8 0 0 0 1
26 -1 Jamie McMurray 730 -485 8 0 0 0 1
27 +3 Mark Martin 723 -492 6 0 0 1 3
28 -- Robby Gordon 685 -530 8 0 0 0 1
29 -- Scott Riggs 667 -548 8 0 0 0 0
30 +1 David Reutimann 664 -551 8 0 0 0 0
31 -4 Reed Sorenson 644 -571 8 0 0 1 1
32 -- Michael Waltrip 615 -600 8 0 0 0 0
33 +1 Sam Hornish Jr.* 608 -607 8 0 0 0 0
34 +1 Regan Smith* 554 -661 8 0 0 0 0
35 -2 J.J. Yeley 551 -664 8 0 0 0 0
36 +1 Dave Blaney 543 -672 8 0 0 0 0
37 -1 Jeremy Mayfield 490 -725 7 0 0 0 0
38 -- Dario Franchitti* 489 -726 7 0 0 0 0
39 +1 Mike Skinner 441 -774 6 0 0 0 0
40 -1 Dale Jarrett 367 -848 5 0 0 0 0
41 +2 Patrick Carpentier* 320 -895 5 0 0 0 0
42 -- Joe Nemechek 309 -906 6 0 0 0 0
43 -2 Kyle Petty 296 -919 5 0 0 0 0
44 -- Bill Elliott 274 -941 4 0 0 0 0
45 +2 Michael McDowell* 210 -1005 3 0 0 0 0
46 -1 Ken Schrader 192 -1023 3 0 0 0 0
47 -1 Aric Almirola 179 -1036 2 0 0 0 1
48 -- John Andretti 149 -1066 3 0 0 0 0
49 +8 Johnny Sauter 52 -1163 1 0 0 0 0
50 -1 Kenny Wallace 34 -1181 1 0 0 0 0
51 -- Jeff Green 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
52 -2 A.J. Allmendinger 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
53 -1 Chad McCumbee 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
54 +1 Tony Raines 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
55 -1 Johnny Benson 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
56 -3 Burney Lamar 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
57 -1 Boris Said 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
58 -- Eric McClure 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
59 -- Sterling Marlin 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
60 -- Jacques Villeneuve* 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
61 -- Stanton Barrett 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0
62 -- Carl Long 0 -1215 0 0 0 0 0

* Denotes Rookie

HEY EVERYONE...WELL ANOTHER DISAPPOINTING RACE FOR KEVIN HARVICK..I THOUGHT FOR AWHILE HE WAS GOING TO DO OK AND THEN HE JUST SLIDES BACKWARDS..RUNS OUT OF GAS AND CAN'T GET STARTED AGAIN...ERRRRR...BUT LET US TALK ABOUT THE BULLSHIT THAT FOX PULLED BY PLAYING THE RED SOX/YANKEES BASEBALL GAME RIGHT UP UNTIL AFTER THE GREEN FLAG DROPPED!!! I THINK THAT WAS TERRIBLY INSULTING THE SPORT OF NASCAR AND EVERY ASPECT INVOLVED FROM THE DRIVER TO US, THE FANS!!! IT IS ONE THING TO MISS THE GRREN FLAG DROPPING BUT TO MISS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AND THE FLY OVER!!!! I MAKES ME MAD ENOUGH TO HEAR PEOPLE SAY THEY DON'T EVEN THINK NASCAR IS A SPORT..WELL WTF...NOW IT IS ALMOST LIKE FOX ACTUALLY THINKS THAT TOO BY JUST THE DISRESPECT THAT WAS SHOWN SATURDAY NIGHT!!!! I AM GOING TO WRITE A LETTER TO FOX AND TELL THEM EXACTLY WHAT I THINK OF THAT!!! I ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE ALL FANS TO WRITE IN. http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar
TOO MANY DISAPPOINTMENTS TO THE RACE AND INCLUDING THE ENDING WITH THE WINNER IN MY OPINION..ALTHOUGH...KUDOS TO CHAD KNAUS FOR HIS GAMBLE WITH FUEL...AS MUCH AS I CAN NOT STAND THE DRIVER...I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED CHAD AND RESPECTED HIM FOR HIS SKILL OF BEING A CREW CHIEF...WITHOUT... WHAT EXACTLY WOULD JIMMIE JOHNSON BE???

WE HAVE ANOTHER WEEK OFF FROM NASCAR...I KNOW...BUMMER, BUMMER, BUMMER....SO WE WILL SEE YOU AT TALLADEGA ON APRIL 27th!!!! HAVE A GREAT NASCARISTIC WEEK!!! ~TAMI-LYN~

PLEASE MAKE YOUR PICKS: