Wild’ West: Infineon A Welcome Sight For Chase HopefulsIn past years, the scenario would seem far-fetched, farcical even: A driver with a couple of top-10 finishes, sitting just outside the top 20, is a legitimate championship contender.
But that statement describes Marcos Ambrose, and after this weekend, he could very well fall into the “championship contender” category.
All thanks to the Wild Card in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format for 2011.
After race No. 26 at Richmond International Raceway, the top-10 drivers earn berths into the 12-driver Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Spots 11 and 12 go to those drivers outside the top 10 with the most wins, provided they are in the top 20 in points.
Ambrose, currently seven points outside the top 20, would likely need a win for any Chase considerations. It could happen this weekend. It almost did last year.
The Aussie was the tough luck loser at Infineon last year. He held the lead with seven laps remaining, but stalled during a caution period, giving up the top spot. Jimmie Johnson went on to grab his first road-course win; Ambrose finished sixth. Ambrose has two top 10s in his last two Infineon races, including a third in 2009.
A few other drivers outside the top 10 also eye Infineon – a track that has seen six different winners in the last six races – as a Victory Lane landing pad.
Jeff Gordon: With two wins this season, Gordon would own the No. 1 Wild Card spot if the Chase began today. Gordon, all-time leader in road course wins with nine, has five wins at Infineon – but none since 2006. He has finished in the top 10 in each of the last five Infineon races. Gordon is currently 12th, 17 points outside the top 10.
Tony Stewart: The two-time series champion has two Infineon wins, and top 10s in the last four races there. Over the last 10 years, Stewart has scored more points on road courses than any other driver. He sits 11th, just one point outside the top 10.
Juan Pablo Montoya: The Colombian has two career wins, both at road courses. His first career win came at Infineon in his rookie year of 2007. He also conquered Watkins Glen International last season. Montoya is 15th in the series standings, 46 points outside the top 10.
Mark Martin: This Sunday’s start will make Martin the all-time leader at Infineon, with 21. In his career there, he has one win, seven top fives and 13 top 10s, his last coming in 2004. Martin is 14th, 37 points outside the top 10.
Bonus Babies: Tight Top 10 Chase BubbleThough the likes of Jeff Gordon – with his two wins – could rely on the Wild Card Chase berth, a top 10 position entering the Chase could prove vital.
Prior to the opening Chase race at Chicagoland Speedway, the 12 drivers in the Chase will have their points reset to 2,000, but only the top 10 will get three bonus points for each win during the 26-race regular season.
And right now, that top-10 bubble couldn’t be tighter.
A scant two points separate eighth-place Ryan Newman and 11th-place Tony Stewart.
As mentioned above, Stewart has two wins at Infineon, so figure he’ll vault back into the top 10. What about the others…
Ryan Newman, 8th: Has scored five top 10s in nine starts, with a best-finish of second in 2006.
Denny Hamlin, 9th: Coming off his first win of 2011, Hamlin has two top 10s in five Infineon starts.
Clint Bowyer, 10th: The Richard Childress Racing driver has three top fives in five Infineon starts, including a fourth-place run in 2008.
Road Course Ringers Add New Faces To Toyota/Save Mart 350They’re called “road course ringers” but for nearly 40 years, they haven’t exactly rung the bell.
Several NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams – especially those looking to add or solidify points toward a top-35 ranking – annually employ road course specialists for the schedule’s two left-and-right-turn events at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International.
Dan Gurney was the most successful “ringer” winning five times at the old Riverside International Raceway in the 1960s, the final four in a car owned by the Wood Brothers. The late Mark Donohue was the last specialist to take a checkered flag, also at Riverside, driving a Roger Penske-owned AMC Matador to a one-lap victory over NASCAR Hall of Fame member Bobby Allison in 1973.
Jan Magnussen, in 12th, was the highest finisher among “ringers” in last year’s Toyota/Save Mart 350. Both Magnussen and Boris Said were lap leaders in the 2010 race.
Here’s a rundown on the specialists in this Sunday’s Infineon race:
• Tony Ave (No. 38 Ford) – best finish 31st Watkins Glen (2004).
• Tomy Drissi (No. 37 Ford) – NASCAR GRAND AM Road Racing veteran making NSCS debut.
• P.J. Jones (No. 77 Dodge) – best finish fourth Watkins Glen (2005).
• Andy Pilgrim (No. 46 Chevrolet) – seven-time GRAND-AM winner from Nottingham, England making NSCS debut.
• Boris Said (No. 51 Chevrolet) – best finish third at Watkins Glen (2005). Won NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Infineon in 1998 and the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve road course last season.
• Brian Simo (No. 81 Chevrolet) – best finish 10th at Infineon (2005).
Looking Back, Moving ForwardThrough 15 races this season, there has been the unlikely mix of dominance – especially on the qualifying front – and competitive balance.
Take Kurt Busch’s Coors Light Pole win at Michigan, for example. He has now won three consecutive Coors Light Poles (the first two at Kansas and Pocono). The last driver to win four straight: Ryan Newman in 2004. The record for consecutive poles is five, by Bobby Allison (1972), Cale Yarborough (1980) and Bill Elliott (1985).
But then add Denny Hamlin’s race win at Michigan to the mix. He became the 10th different winner in the 15 races this season, the most since 2003.
Some other statistical bullets from this season…
• Average of 13 different leaders per race, the most through 15 races in series history
• Average 31 lead changes per race, the most through 15 races in series history
• Average of 3,756 passes this season, the most through 15 races since the inception of Loop Data in 2005
• 42 different drivers have led at least one lap
One other key note on the qualifying front – it’s a major component of success at Infineon Raceway. At the road course, 17 of the 22 winners have started seventh or better, and 20 of the 22 started 13th or better.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Betty Jane France and the NASCAR Foundation are looking for champions in our communities. If someone you know has shown extraordinary charity and kindness of spirit in working for kids in need, honor their efforts by nominating them for the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award by visiting NASCAR.COM/Unites, calling 704.348.9683, or sending an email to BJFaward@nascarfoundation.com. … Two NASCAR Sprint Cup regulars – Joey Logano and David Gilliland – will run the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race on Saturday afternoon at Infineon. … Carl Edwards will run the NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Road America. … On Tuesday, June 21 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue signed Senate Bill 322, making stock car racing the official state sport of North Carolina. … Ken Schrader, winner of four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, will be competing in the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Series event at Road America on Friday, June 24. He also is scheduled to participate in a teleconference Wednesday, June 22 at 1 p.m. … Actor John Ratzenberger, best known for his work on the legendary sitcom "Cheers," will be the Grand Marshal for Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350. He is the voice of Mack in the upcoming Cars 2 movie. … Race fans can join NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer at the Cheerios Walk for a Healthy Heart across San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge on Wednesday, June 22. … The first ever hauler parade in Northern California will serve as the Sacramento kickoff to the weekend in Sonoma. The parade will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, as the haulers depart their staging area and cross the Tower Bridge, heading for the State Capitol.
But that statement describes Marcos Ambrose, and after this weekend, he could very well fall into the “championship contender” category.
All thanks to the Wild Card in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format for 2011.
After race No. 26 at Richmond International Raceway, the top-10 drivers earn berths into the 12-driver Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Spots 11 and 12 go to those drivers outside the top 10 with the most wins, provided they are in the top 20 in points.
Ambrose, currently seven points outside the top 20, would likely need a win for any Chase considerations. It could happen this weekend. It almost did last year.
The Aussie was the tough luck loser at Infineon last year. He held the lead with seven laps remaining, but stalled during a caution period, giving up the top spot. Jimmie Johnson went on to grab his first road-course win; Ambrose finished sixth. Ambrose has two top 10s in his last two Infineon races, including a third in 2009.
A few other drivers outside the top 10 also eye Infineon – a track that has seen six different winners in the last six races – as a Victory Lane landing pad.
Jeff Gordon: With two wins this season, Gordon would own the No. 1 Wild Card spot if the Chase began today. Gordon, all-time leader in road course wins with nine, has five wins at Infineon – but none since 2006. He has finished in the top 10 in each of the last five Infineon races. Gordon is currently 12th, 17 points outside the top 10.
Tony Stewart: The two-time series champion has two Infineon wins, and top 10s in the last four races there. Over the last 10 years, Stewart has scored more points on road courses than any other driver. He sits 11th, just one point outside the top 10.
Juan Pablo Montoya: The Colombian has two career wins, both at road courses. His first career win came at Infineon in his rookie year of 2007. He also conquered Watkins Glen International last season. Montoya is 15th in the series standings, 46 points outside the top 10.
Mark Martin: This Sunday’s start will make Martin the all-time leader at Infineon, with 21. In his career there, he has one win, seven top fives and 13 top 10s, his last coming in 2004. Martin is 14th, 37 points outside the top 10.
Bonus Babies: Tight Top 10 Chase BubbleThough the likes of Jeff Gordon – with his two wins – could rely on the Wild Card Chase berth, a top 10 position entering the Chase could prove vital.
Prior to the opening Chase race at Chicagoland Speedway, the 12 drivers in the Chase will have their points reset to 2,000, but only the top 10 will get three bonus points for each win during the 26-race regular season.
And right now, that top-10 bubble couldn’t be tighter.
A scant two points separate eighth-place Ryan Newman and 11th-place Tony Stewart.
As mentioned above, Stewart has two wins at Infineon, so figure he’ll vault back into the top 10. What about the others…
Ryan Newman, 8th: Has scored five top 10s in nine starts, with a best-finish of second in 2006.
Denny Hamlin, 9th: Coming off his first win of 2011, Hamlin has two top 10s in five Infineon starts.
Clint Bowyer, 10th: The Richard Childress Racing driver has three top fives in five Infineon starts, including a fourth-place run in 2008.
Road Course Ringers Add New Faces To Toyota/Save Mart 350They’re called “road course ringers” but for nearly 40 years, they haven’t exactly rung the bell.
Several NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams – especially those looking to add or solidify points toward a top-35 ranking – annually employ road course specialists for the schedule’s two left-and-right-turn events at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International.
Dan Gurney was the most successful “ringer” winning five times at the old Riverside International Raceway in the 1960s, the final four in a car owned by the Wood Brothers. The late Mark Donohue was the last specialist to take a checkered flag, also at Riverside, driving a Roger Penske-owned AMC Matador to a one-lap victory over NASCAR Hall of Fame member Bobby Allison in 1973.
Jan Magnussen, in 12th, was the highest finisher among “ringers” in last year’s Toyota/Save Mart 350. Both Magnussen and Boris Said were lap leaders in the 2010 race.
Here’s a rundown on the specialists in this Sunday’s Infineon race:
• Tony Ave (No. 38 Ford) – best finish 31st Watkins Glen (2004).
• Tomy Drissi (No. 37 Ford) – NASCAR GRAND AM Road Racing veteran making NSCS debut.
• P.J. Jones (No. 77 Dodge) – best finish fourth Watkins Glen (2005).
• Andy Pilgrim (No. 46 Chevrolet) – seven-time GRAND-AM winner from Nottingham, England making NSCS debut.
• Boris Said (No. 51 Chevrolet) – best finish third at Watkins Glen (2005). Won NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Infineon in 1998 and the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve road course last season.
• Brian Simo (No. 81 Chevrolet) – best finish 10th at Infineon (2005).
Looking Back, Moving ForwardThrough 15 races this season, there has been the unlikely mix of dominance – especially on the qualifying front – and competitive balance.
Take Kurt Busch’s Coors Light Pole win at Michigan, for example. He has now won three consecutive Coors Light Poles (the first two at Kansas and Pocono). The last driver to win four straight: Ryan Newman in 2004. The record for consecutive poles is five, by Bobby Allison (1972), Cale Yarborough (1980) and Bill Elliott (1985).
But then add Denny Hamlin’s race win at Michigan to the mix. He became the 10th different winner in the 15 races this season, the most since 2003.
Some other statistical bullets from this season…
• Average of 13 different leaders per race, the most through 15 races in series history
• Average 31 lead changes per race, the most through 15 races in series history
• Average of 3,756 passes this season, the most through 15 races since the inception of Loop Data in 2005
• 42 different drivers have led at least one lap
One other key note on the qualifying front – it’s a major component of success at Infineon Raceway. At the road course, 17 of the 22 winners have started seventh or better, and 20 of the 22 started 13th or better.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Betty Jane France and the NASCAR Foundation are looking for champions in our communities. If someone you know has shown extraordinary charity and kindness of spirit in working for kids in need, honor their efforts by nominating them for the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award by visiting NASCAR.COM/Unites, calling 704.348.9683, or sending an email to BJFaward@nascarfoundation.com. … Two NASCAR Sprint Cup regulars – Joey Logano and David Gilliland – will run the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race on Saturday afternoon at Infineon. … Carl Edwards will run the NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Road America. … On Tuesday, June 21 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue signed Senate Bill 322, making stock car racing the official state sport of North Carolina. … Ken Schrader, winner of four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, will be competing in the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Series event at Road America on Friday, June 24. He also is scheduled to participate in a teleconference Wednesday, June 22 at 1 p.m. … Actor John Ratzenberger, best known for his work on the legendary sitcom "Cheers," will be the Grand Marshal for Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350. He is the voice of Mack in the upcoming Cars 2 movie. … Race fans can join NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer at the Cheerios Walk for a Healthy Heart across San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge on Wednesday, June 22. … The first ever hauler parade in Northern California will serve as the Sacramento kickoff to the weekend in Sonoma. The parade will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, as the haulers depart their staging area and cross the Tower Bridge, heading for the State Capitol.
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