Ron Fellows came closest of the road course “specialists” to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in recent years, taking back-to-back second-place finishes at Watkins Glen International in 1999 and 2004. He also qualified on the outside of the front row for the 1998 race at The Glen, in addition to winning four races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (three at Watkins Glen and one at Montreal) and two in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the New York circuit.

This weekend, Fellows will drive Phoenix Racing’s No. 09 Miccosukee Indian Gaming and Resorts Chevrolet for the first of two races this season.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Fellows said. “We’ve got a Hendrick (Motorsports) Motor, and we’ll find out about the chassis. I like Infineon, I had one of my best chances for my first Cup win there back when I drove for DEI (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.).”

Continue reading “Road Courses bring out the Ringers”

With the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visiting California wine country for Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350, one can expect to see several specialists competing at Infineon Raceway for the first of two road-course events this season.

Sunday’s race will be no exception. Veteran road racers Boris Said, Ron Fellows, Max Papis, Patrick Carpentier and Brian Simo are expected to be among the competitors suiting up to tackle the 12-turn, 1.99-mile circuit.

However, one can also expect to see the top stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series holding their own.

The days when a road-racing specialist could come in and dominate a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event has passed.

Continue reading “Some Cup Regulars ARE Road Specialists”

Double-duty drivers Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards face the toughest of the standalone travel itineraries this weekend – the Infineon/Milwaukee trek. It’s the road course in wine country versus short track in the country’s beer capital.

Double-duty drivers have always made it from Infineon to Milwaukee – sometimes just barely. The closest call recently was 2007 when Denny Hamlin took over for substitute driver Aric Almirola – who won the pole and was leading – on Lap 58. Hamlin crossed the finish line first, but Almirola was credited with his first career win.

Almirola – who leads all drivers with two poles at Milwaukee – is entered this weekend in the No. 40 Chevrolet for Key Motorsports. It will be his first time back since that turn of events. Subs this weekend are Johnny Sauter for Busch and Colin Braun, who won his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race last week at Michigan, for Edwards. Sauter, a Wisconsin native, won this race in 2005. Braun had a top-10 start in this race last year.

Scott Wimmer, a native of Wausau, Wis., has the chance to accomplish a driver’s dream – winning at his home track. Johnny Sauter (2005) and Paul Menard (2006) were the first Wisconsin drivers to win in NASCAR Nationwide Series competition at The Mile.

He’s come close, finishing second in 2007 and third in 2002. He’s driving the No. 5 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports this weekend. Kelly Bires, a native of Mauston, will be in the No. 10 Toyota for Braun Racing this weekend.

Erik Darnell and Jason Keller aren’t from Wisconsin but a win would hit home nonetheless. Darnell’s sponsor, Northern Tool + Equipment, is the race sponsor, while Keller’s sponsor, Kimberly-Clark, was based for many years in Neenah, Wis.