Last Weekend's NASCAR Nationwide Series Official Race Results from Dover

via press release:

Before an estimated attendance of 29,000, Joey Logano won the OneMain Financial 200, his 16th NASCAR Nationwide Series victory. Prior to the green flag, the following car dropped to the rear of the field for the reason indicated: #15 (missed drivers meeting).

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES OFFICIAL RACE REPORT No. 28

27TH ANNUAL ONEMAIN FINANCIAL "200"
DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

Dover, DE - September 29, 2012
1-Mile Oval
200 Laps - 200 Miles Purse: $1,021,611

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Fin	Str	Car				Series	Bonus	Driver			Leader
Pos	Pos	No	Driver	Team	Laps	Points	Points	Rating	Winnings	Status	Times	Laps
1	3	18	Joey Logano	SportClips Toyota	200	0	0	149.8	$39,375	Running	2	184
2	10	33	Paul Menard	Menards/Rheem Chevrolet	200	0	0	110.2	29,675	Running
3	12	43	Michael Annett	Pilot/Flying J Ford	200	41	0	99.5	30,718	Running
4	4	2	Elliott Sadler	OneMain Financial Chevrolet	200	40	0	103.1	26,893	Running
5	7	54	Kyle Busch	Monster Energy Toyota	200	0	0	113.1	17,650	Running
6	13	88	Cole Whitt #	TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet	200	38	0	89.0	24,218	Running
7	38	11	Brian Scott	Dollar General Toyota	200	37	0	95.6	22,528	Running
8	5	38	Kasey Kahne	Great Clips Chevrolet	200	0	0	115.3	14,920	Running	1	3
9	6	6	Ricky Stenhouse Jr	Cargill/Rancher's Reserve Ford	200	35	0	99.6	22,018	Running
10	9	3	Austin Dillon #	Advocare Chevrolet	200	34	0	102.1	21,818	Running
11	15	19	Mike Bliss	Bandit Chippers Toyota	200	33	0	84.7	20,343	Running
12	1	20	Darrell Wallace Jr	Freightliner Toyota	200	32	0	91.6	23,618	Running
13	8	22	Ryan Blaney	Discount Tire Dodge	200	0	0	86.1	20,118	Running
14	11	99	Ryan Truex	SeaWatch International/Grime Boss Toyota	200	30	0	85.9	19,993	Running
15	21	44	Jeff Green	G-Oil Toyota	200	29	0	80.2	20,893	Running
16	25	7	Danica Patrick	GoDaddy.com Chevrolet	200	28	0	76.7	19,843	Running
17	24	87	Joe Nemechek	AM/FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota	200	27	0	73.7	22,368	Running
18	14	12	Sam Hornish Jr	Alliance Truck Parts Dodge	199	26	0	103.0	19,918	Running
19	16	30	Alex Bowman	Allegiant Air Chevrolet	198	25	0	70.5	19,668	Running
20	23	81	Jason Bowles #	SupportMilitary.org Dodge	198	24	0	67.9	20,293	Running
21	29	01	Mike Wallace	HelpJD01.com Chevrolet	197	23	0	64.0	19,568	Running
22	18	24	Blake Koch	Wings To Go Toyota	197	22	0	62.7	19,468	Running
23	34	27	J.J. Yeley	Drive Sober, Arrive Alive DE Ford	197	0	0	64.7	12,925	Running
24	33	41	Timmy Hill	Lilly Trucking Ford	197	20	0	53.1	19,343	Running
25	31	23	Jamie Dick	Viva Auto Group Chevrolet	197	19	0	50.5	13,300	Running
26	37	14	Eric McClure	Hefty/Reynolds Wrap Toyota	197	18	0	47.3	19,243	Running
27	27	51	Jeremy Clements	stjude.org/Clements Automotive Chevrolet	194	17	0	63.1	19,193	Running
28	41	4	Brad Teague	Danny Efland Racing Chevrolet	193	16	0	41.0	19,118	Running
29	39	39	Tim Andrews	Go Green Racing Ford	174	15	0	58.1	12,575	Oil Leak
30	2	31	Justin Allgaier	Brandt Chevrolet	164	15	1	105.3	19,293	Running	1	13
31	30	40	Erik Darnell	Key Motorsports Chevrolet	148	13	0	43.9	18,938	Running
32	35	52	Justin Jennings	Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet	108	0	0	41.4	12,410	Suspension
33	42	70	Tony Raines	ML Motorsports Dodge	53	0	0	37.9	18,818	Engine
34	17	86	Kevin Lepage	Qello Corp Ford	35	10	0	46.1	12,315	Axle
35	40	08	Danny Efland	Randy Hill Racing Ford	14	9	0	41.1	12,285	Overheating
36	43	75	Scott Riggs	Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet	14	0	0	36.2	12,260	Suspension
37	32	71	Carl Long	Rick Ware Racing Ford	12	7	0	40.9	12,240	Handling
38	26	46	Chase Miller	The Motorsports Group Chevrolet	9	6	0	40.4	12,176	Handling
39	20	42	Josh Wise	Key Motorsports Chevrolet	6	0	0	37.5	12,075	Electrical
40	19	00	Michael McDowell	O.C.R. Gaz Bar Toyota	6	0	0	32.0	12,020	Rear End
41	36	47	T.J. Bell	Curtis Key Plumbing Chevrolet	6	3	0	34.1	11,990	Vibration
42	28	15	Kelly Bires	Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet	4	0	0	29.4	11,950	Brakes
43	22	10	Charles Lewandoski	TriStar Motorsports Toyota	3	1	0	29.3	11,892	Vibration

# Sunoco Rookie of the Year Contender.
Bonus Points: includes winner, lap leader & most laps led points
(i) = Ineligible for driver points in this series

Failed to qualify: (3) #50 David Starr; #89 Morgan Shepherd; #74 Mike Harmon

TIME OF RACE: 1 hours, 37 minutes, 0 seconds       AVERAGE SPEED: 123.711 mph       MARGIN OF VICTORY: 0.876 second(s)

COORS 21 MEANS 21 POLE AWARD: Darrell Wallace Jr (155.905 mph. 23.091 secs.)

3M LAP LEADER: Joey Logano (184 Laps )

FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER: Joe Nemechek (10 Places)

MAHLE CLEVITE ENGINE BUILDER OF THE RACE: Joe Gibbs Racing Engines - Mark Cronquist (#18)

MOBIL 1 OIL DRIVER OF THE RACE: Elliott Sadler

SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Cole Whitt

Caution Flags: 3 cautions for 15 laps. [Beneficiary in Brackets] 47-50 (Competition [30]); 117-123 (Oil On Track From #51 [87]); 178-181 (Oil On Track From #39 [87]).

Lap Leaders: 4 lead changes among 3 drivers. Wallace Jr-pole, Allgaier 1-13, Logano 14-47, Kahne 48-50, Logano 51-200.

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES TOP 10
Driver	Points	Wins
1 - Elliott Sadler	1054	(4)
2 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr	1045	(5)
3 - Austin Dillon	1029	(2)
4 - Sam Hornish Jr	994	(0)
5 - Justin Allgaier	926	(1)
6 - Michael Annett	916	(0)
7 - Cole Whitt	843	(0)
8 - Mike Bliss	781	(0)
9 - Brian Scott	703	(0)
10 - Joe Nemechek	678	(0)

NEXT EVENT: October 12, 2012 - 31st Annual Dollar General 300, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC (300 Miles) (200 Laps)

= = =

Kurt Busch Starting His New Ride Early

We all know (I presume) that Kurt Busch is going to Furniture Row Racing (FRR) next year, replacing Regan Smith in the car.  But what I didn't realize was that it's not just for next year, but as a season closer act.

Seems that Kurt Busch will be driving for Furniture Row Racing in the last six races for the 2012 season, getting Regan booted sooner than expected.  That means starting October 13th, he's in the car at Charlotte.

In some earlier conversations, Kurt made mention that this ride switch is a no-brainer because of the under-funded scenario that Phoenix Racing has faced.  They've been showing up that the track with only 8 guys, old chassis, etc., etc..  FRR on the other hand, is a fairly well stocked team, and Smith sits two spots in front of Kurt in driver points.

I can't help but wonder if this sounds a death knell for Phoenix, with no sponsor lined up.

In owners points, the No. 78 is 25th, the No. 51 is 27th.

And speaking of owners points, the top-35 is not really a story this year.  The 35th spot is held by the No. 36 car and and 119 points back is the 36th place car of the No. 21.

[ESPN]

NASCAR Chairman And CEO Brian France On The Passing of Chris Economaki

It's a sad day indeed for the cadre of press as a predecessor and role model passes away today.

via press release, from Brian France
 

 

Statement From NASCAR Chairman And CEO Brian France On The Passing of Chris Economaki

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 28, 2012) – "The passing of Chris Economaki is a tough loss for me on both a personal and professional level, having known Chris throughout my life. Many people consider Chris the greatest motorsports journalist of all time. He was, indeed, 'the Dean.' Chris was a fixture for years at NASCAR events, and played a huge role in growing NASCAR's popularity. I'll miss seeing him and of course, I'll miss hearing that voice. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughters Corinne and Tina and the rest of Chris' family."

NASCAR 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Schedule Released

Ah, finally, the schedule for next year's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...

Check it out and see if you like what you see...

via press release

NASCAR Announces 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Schedule

New Cars, Same Fierce Competition In Store For 2013

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 25, 2012) – NASCAR announced today the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule for the 2013 season, a highly anticipated campaign that will welcome redesigned race cars to the track.

Though unveiled and tested throughout the 2012 season, the new models – Chevrolet's SS, Ford's Fusion and Toyota's Camry – will make their official entrance into NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition on Feb. 16 with the preseason non-points Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Qualifying for the "Great American Race" will take place on Feb. 17, followed by the season-opening 55th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 24.

"The new NASCAR Sprint Cup cars for next season have dominated fan conversation for more than a year, and the time is approaching to unleash them on the race track," said Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO. "Next year's schedule again will offer a strong mix of challenges for our talented drivers, and we believe fans will continue to enjoy what they've come to expect – the most exciting and competitive racing in the world."

The 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, marking the 65th season for NASCAR's premier series, will have a familiar feel, opening with the Daytona 500 before moving west to Phoenix International Raceway (March 3) and Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 10) for races Nos. 2 and 3. For the third consecutive season, NASCAR's playoffs – the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – will start at Chicagoland Speedway, near one of the country's biggest markets. The Chase will conclude with the season finale on Nov. 17 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

With Kansas Speedway's repave project now complete, next season's Talladega Super-speedway autumn event will return to its traditional spot on the calendar. Talladega's 2013 Chase race, No. 6 during the 10-race stretch, will run Oct. 20. Kansas will host its 2013 Chase event on Oct. 6.

Below is the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule in its entirety.

2013 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES SCHEDULE

Date	Site	Network
2/16	Daytona International Speedway (Shootout)	FOX, MRN, SiriusXM
2/17	Daytona International Speedway (Daytona 500 Qualifying)	FOX, MRN, SiriusXM
2/21	Daytona International Speedway (Duel)	SPEED, MRN, SiriusXM
2/24	Daytona 500	FOX, MRN, SiriusXM
3/3	Phoenix International Raceway	FOX, MRN, SiriusXM
3/10	Las Vegas Motor Speedway	FOX, PRN, SiriusXM
3/17	Bristol Motor Speedway	FOX, PRN, SiriusXM
3/24	Auto Club Speedway	FOX, MRN, SiriusXM
4/7	Martinsville Speedway	FOX, MRN, SiriusXM
4/13	Texas Motor Speedway	FOX, PRN, SiriusXM
4/21	Kansas Speedway	FOX, MRN, SiriusXM
4/27	Richmond International Raceway	FOX, MRN, SiriusXM
5/5	Talladega Superspeedway	FOX, MRN, SiriusXM
5/11	Darlington Raceway	FOX, MRN, SiriusXM
5/18	NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (Charlotte Motor Speedway)	SPEED, MRN, SiriusXM
5/26	Charlotte Motor Speedway	FOX, PRN, SiriusXM
6/2	Dover International Speedway	FOX, MRN, SiriusXM
6/9	Pocono Raceway	TNT, MRN, SiriusXM
6/16	Michigan International Speedway	TNT, MRN, SiriusXM
6/23	Sonoma	TNT, PRN, SiriusXM
6/29	Kentucky Speedway	TNT, PRN, SiriusXM
7/6	Daytona International Speedway	TNT, MRN, SiriusXM
7/14	New Hampshire Motor Speedway	TNT, PRN, SiriusXM
7/28	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	ESPN, IMS, SiriusXM
8/4	Pocono Raceway	ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM
8/11	Watkins Glen International	ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM
8/18	Michigan International Speedway	ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM
8/24	Bristol Motor Speedway	ABC, PRN, SiriusXM
9/1	Atlanta Motor Speedway	ESPN, PRN, SiriusXM
9/7	Richmond International Raceway	ABC, MRN, SiriusXM
9/15	Chicagoland Speedway	ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM
9/22	New Hampshire Motor Speedway	ESPN, PRN, SiriusXM
9/29	Dover International Speedway	ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM
10/6	Kansas Speedway	ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM
10/12	Charlotte Motor Speedway	ABC, PRN, SiriusXM
10/20	Talladega Superspeedway	ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM
10/27	Martinsville Speedway	ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM
11/3	Texas Motor Speedway	ESPN, PRN, SiriusXM
11/10	Phoenix International Raceway	ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM
11/17	Homestead-Miami Speedway	ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM

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