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Concord, NC (May 23, 2011) – “My heart goes out to all the people that have been affected by the devastating Missouri tornado on May 22nd, especially in my hometown of Joplin. It is difficult to put into words, the emotions I have when I see the devastation and destruction that was caused by this storm. My thoughts and prayers are extended to all the people who are dealing with so much loss. I would also like to thank all those that have reached out to me to express their concerns for my family. Although I don’t personally have any family in Joplin any longer, there are still many people there that need our support and prayers.”

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1 4 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Now Hiring Ford 100 141.7 $1,203,300
2 1 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Toyota 100 117.6 $258,300
3 18 00 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 100 78.0 $133,300
4 6 14 Tony Stewart Burger King Chevrolet 100 99.8 $103,275
5 3 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford 100 119.5 $128,275
6 13 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford 100 85.1 $93,275
7 15 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 100 66.3 $88,125
8 86 6 David Ragan UPS Ford 100 53.3 $87,125
9 14 29 Kevin Harvick Realtree Outfitters / Budweiser Chevrolet 100 49.0 $86,125
10 10 39 Ryan Newman Haas Automation Chevrolet 100 54.9 $85,125
11 11 5 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s 5% Every Day Chevrolet 100 85.2 $84,100
12 8 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Energizer Chevrolet 100 51.5 $83,100
13 16 22 Kurt Busch Shell / Pennzoil Dodge 100 49.6 $82,100
14 21 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. AMP Energy Super Free / National Guard Chevrolet 100 38.1 $81,600
15 12 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet 100 75.0 $81,000
16 2 33 Clint Bowyer BB&T Chevrolet 100 60.6 $90,725
17 9 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops / National Wild Turkey Fed. Chevrolet 100 39.9 $80,600
18 87 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge 99 28.4 $80,500
19 5 25 Mark Martin Farmers Insurance Group Chevrolet 93 57.0 $80,400
20 17 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet 90 28.8 $80,300
21 7 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota 59 80.5 $80,189

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By Barry Johnson
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(May 22, 2011)

NEWTON, Iowa—Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won Sunday’s John Deere Dealers 250 at Iowa Speedway for his first career victory in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Stenhouse outdueled Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski, the only Sprint Cup Series regulars in the race, for the win.

“Just to come away with a victory is nice; I’m relieved,” said the 23-year-old Stenhouse, making his 51st series start. “The guys were A-plus today — they nailed it. We kept the car good all race and that was the key.

“I was just glad we finally got that win.”

Edwards, who won Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race in Charlotte, had the lead after a restart for a caution with 22 laps to go in the 250-lap race. But on Lap 232, Stenhouse made the decisive pass on his Roush/Fenway Racing teammate. Edwards finished second and Keselowski third.

The race had a track-record 17 lead changes among seven drivers, including Stenhouse and Edwards swapping the lead with each other eight times. Stenhouse led 41 laps and Edwards 33.

Reed Sorenson, who led a race-high 77 laps, and Elliott Sadler rounded out the top five. Kenny Wallace, making his 500th Nationwide Series start, finished sixth.

Stenhouse’s previous best finish was third in July 2010 at Daytona.

With his finish, Sadler keeps the series points lead by seven over Sorenson and eight over Stenhouse.

Michael McDowell, Justin Allgaier, James Buescher and Austin Dillon rounded out the top 10 at Iowa.

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By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(May 21, 2011)
CONCORD, N.C. — Carl Edwards led every lap of the final 10-lap segment and pulled away from Kyle Busch to win his first Sprint All-Star Race and the $1-million prize that goes with it.
First out of the pits for a restart on Lap 91 of 100—after a mandatory four-tire stop—Edwards finished .443 seconds ahead of Busch to become the eighth different winner of the All-Star Race in the last eight years.
David Reutimann ran third, followed by Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle. Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, David Ragan, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman completed the top 10.

Biffle passed Busch on Lap 4 and held the top spot throughout the remainder of the first 50-lap segment. All cars were required to make green-flag pit stops for four tires after completing Lap 25, but that didn’t affect the running order.

Biffle was first off pit road, followed by Edwards and Busch, and that’s the way they ran when NASCAR threw the halftime caution after Lap 50. After a two-tire call, Edwards was first off pit road and led the field to the green flag to start the second segment, a 20-lap run.
Edwards had pulled away from the action behind him when Kasey Kahne’s collision with the Turn 1 wall brought out the second caution. Eight cars from 11th on back, including Dale Earnhardt, Clint Bowyer and Harvick, came to the pits under caution, setting up divergent strategies as the race progressed toward its conclusion.

Jimmie Johnson took the lead after the restart on Lap 63, but Edwards regained the top position with a pass of Johnson on Lap 69 and held the point when NASCAR threw the scheduled caution after Lap 70 to end the second segment.

Again strategies diverged, as Edwards, Busch, Jeff Gordon, Biffle, Stewart and Hamlin remained on the track while Johnson led a larger group of cars to the pits under the yellow.
Edwards restarted in the lead on Lap 71, only to see Busch and Gordon surge past him on the restart. Johnson fell back after a two-tire stop and returned to the pits on Lap 76, after Regan Smith’s spin off Turn 2 caused the fourth caution.

Busch pulled away after a restart on Lap 79, but Edwards gradually tracked him down, clearing Busch for lead in Turn 3 on Lap 86. Edwards held the top spot, with Busch, Biffle, Stewart and Hamlin behind him when NASCAR called the scheduled caution after 90 laps, signaling a 10-minute break before the final 10-lap dash.