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Notebook: Denny Hamlin looking forward to birth of first child

Aug. 3, 2012

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

LONG POND, Pa. — Driver Denny Hamlin announced Friday at Pocono Raceway that he and his girlfriend, former Charlotte Bobcats cheerleader Jordan Fish, are expecting a child in January.

“It’s been a long time coming, so it’s going to be exciting to be a dad,” Hamlin, 31, told reporters in Pocono’s media center. “It’s going to be a great experience. I’m really excited about it and just excited to be part of it.

“For my parents to have grandkids, it’s all going to be good. Everything works great, things happened, and we’re excited that the timing’s going to be in January, since it’s the offseason — all that seems to be aligning perfectly for us.”

Continue reading “News Bites: Daddy Hamlin, Gordon Heisman, Menard Pocono Backup”

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by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com

Jimmie Johnson and team have overcome a dismal start in NASCAR Sprint Cup 2012 season by accumulating three wins among 15 top-10 finishes. Jeff Gordon and team have experienced worse setbacks over the past 20 races, but have recently climbed from 24th to 15th with eight top-10 finishes.

Both Johnson’s No. 48 team and Gordon’s No. 24 team bring momentum into Pocono, but Gordon is sorely in need of one or two wins from the six races remaining before the Chase for the Sprint Cup playoffs.

Jimmie Johnson shared his confidence.

“From a performance standpoint, we’re as strong as we’ve ever been,” Johnson said.
“We’ve had issues late in a race that cost us track position for a variety of reasons, and that’s the part we need to make sure is buttoned up before the Chase starts and carry that through the Chase. But, from a performance standpoint, these are amazing racecars. We’ve made a lot of progress through the offseason, and then, getting started this year. I feel really good about the Chase. I’m ready for it to start.”

Continue reading “FYI WIRZ: NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson And Jeff Gordon Take Momentum Into Pocono”

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FYI WIRZ: NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rest before Indy

by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com

The long NASCAR Sprint Cup season starts in cool temperatures of normally warm winters common to Daytona Beach, Florida and ends nine months later in Homestead, Florida as temperatures drop again going into fall. Along the way NSCS drivers weather the intense heat of spring and summer inside their roaring cars at 23 tracks across the USA.

Continue reading “FYI WIRZ: NASCAR’S Jimmie Johnson And Dale Earnhardt Jr. Rest Before Indy”

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by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com

Twelve drivers have won in 19 of 36 races in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season. Only five have multiple wins—Tony Stewart and Brad Keselowski own three wins and Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin have all grabbed two checkered flags this year.

All NSCS drivers view for the top 12 spots, but this year the spread of winners has made Chase territory premium ground. Only Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., and Carl Edwards have been among the nifty dozen through the completed19 races without a single win.

But top finishes without a win will not be enough to hold a secure spot on the Chase contender list. Over the next seven races Chase hopefuls must find victory lane.

PHOTO CREDIT: NASCARMEDIA

If the present list of 12 winning drivers remains intact with only winning drivers nabbing multiple victories, the final group of contenders should line up quickly. If that win list expands to include first 2012 wins from Harvick, Truex and Edwards, the competition for spots gets even more intense. Add to that a win from Paul Menard or Jeff Gordon and the value of every point takes on the price of gold. .

Continue reading “FYI WIRZ: NASCAR’s Point Race Tightens With Kasey Kahne And Tony Stewart Wins”

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by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com

The LENOX Industrial Tools 301 marks the 19th race of the long 36–race NASCAR Sprint Cup season in Loudon, N.H. this Sunday, July 15 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The 1.058-mile oval track with limited 12 degree banking is known for tight corners and difficult passing. Fans far from the stands can view the tight action at 12:00 p.m. on TNT.

Tony Stewart vaulted four positions to break into the top-five in the NSCS point battle, but strong runs by some and unusual outside top-10 finishes by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle and Jimmie Johnson widened the point spread. Kenseth’s third-place finish in Daytona extended his lead and helped to stretch the point field.

Continue reading “FYI WIRZ: NASCAR’s Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr. On Top Heading into Loudon”