June 2009 - News

By Bill Marx
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
 
The drivers atop the top 12 should be feeling good with nine races to go before the Chase field is set. But from sixth place on down, not so much—and we have a restrictor-plate race coming up, which could knock out any one of those seven drivers. Here’s our weekly breakdown of the top 12:
 
1. Tony Stewart, 2,524. Stewart’s fifth-place finish Sunday gives him nine top fives—he had 10 all of last season—and improves his average finish to a series-best 8.2. His career best is 9.9 when he won his second Cup championship in 2005.

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
 
(June 28, 2009)
 
LOUDON, N.H.—Another rainstorm. Another first-time winner.
 
With 28 laps remaining in Sunday’s Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, rain stopped the race and made a winner of rookie Joey Logano, much as it had done for David Reutimann in the Coca-Cola 600 in May.

By Bill Marx
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
 
Here’s a look at the top five in points and five drivers to watch in Sunday’s Lenox Industrial Tools 301. All statistical references are for Sprint Cup races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway unless otherwise indicated. Driver rating is based on the past eight races at the track.
 
1. Tony Stewart, 115.6 driver rating. Stewart has one win, two seconds and a third in his past eight starts at New Hampshire and has led a series-high 605 laps in that stretch. If Stewart is in sniffing distance of a win, expect him to be aggressive. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

• More Than Half The Maximum 60 Slots Already Sold For Stewart’s Two-Day Fantasy Camp Set For Aug. 4-5 At TMS
• Event Expands To Two Days In An Effort To Topple Record Mark Of $262,000 Raised In Last Year’s Inaugural “Smoke Show”

FORT WORTH, Texas (June 23, 2009) – Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart is providing NASCAR enthusiasts with the chance of a lifetime through his “Smoke Show” fantasy driving camp and they have been responding to the unique opportunity.

SceneDaily.com

SONOMA, Calif. – Richard Petty Motorsports enjoyed a strong showing at Infineon Raceway Sunday, and not just because of Kasey Kahne’s win. AJ Allmendinger finished seventh in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Toyota/Save Mart 350 and Elliott Sadler was 10th to give the organization three teams in the top 10.

By Bill Marx
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
 
Here’s a look at the top five in points and five drivers to watch in Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350. All statistical references are for Sprint Cup races at Infineon Raceway unless otherwise indicated. Driver rating is based on the past four races at the track.
 
1. Tony Stewart, 109.5 driver rating. Stewart has two wins and six top 10s in 10 starts. He used his second win, in 2005, to spark his run to his second Cup championship. He is second only to Juan Pablo Montoya in driver rating but leads the way in fastest laps run and quality passes.

By Bill Marx
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
 
Mark Martin’s stay outside the top 12 was a short one. His victory in Sunday’s race at Michigan rocketed him up five spots to No. 8. He replaced David Reutimann, who dropped to 13th, three points behind No. 12 Jeff Burton. Here’s our weekly breakdown of the top 12:
 
1. Tony Stewart, 2,189 points. Stewart ran out of fuel 100 feet from the finish line but still finished seventh for his series-high 11th top 10. He can afford to continue taking chances. He is 382 points ahead of Reutimann with 11 races to go before the Chase field is set. In other words, Stewart is as good as in.

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
 
(June 14, 2009)
 
BROOKLYN, Mich.—Typical Michigan, but with an extra measure of suspense—the guy who wasn’t trying to win the race had a victory fall into his lap.
 
As is invariably the case at Michigan International Speedway, fuel mileage played a key role in Sunday’s LifeLock 400, where Mark Martin was the disbelieving beneficiary when the dominant cars of Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle ran out of gas in the final two miles of the 400-mile race.