Cool-Down Lap: Kurt Busch could find redemption in Sonoma performance

June 25, 2012: Commentary

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

SONOMA, Calif. — After doing all the right things on a sunny Sunday at Sonoma, Kurt Busch can take an object lesson from the driver who finished right behind him in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

That driver is Brian Vickers, who six months ago was radioactive, unemployable, a laughingstock to a prospective sponsor.

Within an extremely small window of opportunity, Vickers has achieved a remarkable transformation. The driver who sullied his own reputation by waging war on championship contender Matt Kenseth last fall at Martinsville now has an opportunity to regain a firm foothold in NASCAR Sprint Cup racing.

Continue reading “Cool-Down Lap: Kurt Busch Could Find Redemption In Sonoma Performance”

June 24, 2012

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

SONOMA, Calif. — Clint Bowyer’s victory in Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma was a surprise to the driver who chased him for more than 20 laps — Kurt Busch — but in retrospect, history may have been on Bowyer’s side.

“I just kept thinking, ‘He’s a dirt Late Model racer from the Midwest — there’s no way he can be able to run the road course,’ but he did,” said Busch, who finished third despite hitting a tire barrier in Turn 11 at the 1.99-mile track and breaking the panhard bar on his No. 51 Chevrolet.

With Busch’s car damaged and vulnerable to a pass during a green-white-checkered-flag finish that took the event two laps beyond its scheduled 110 laps, Bowyer held off charging Tony Stewart to claim his first victory of the season and the sixth of his career.

Continue reading “Clint Bowyer Fends Off Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch For Sonoma Victory”

1 1 30 Nelson Piquet Jr.(i) Qualcomm/Autotrac Chevrolet
2 2 18 Michael McDowell(i) Pizza Ranch Toyota
3 3 5 Ron Fellows AER Manufacturing Chevrolet
4 5 33 Max Papis Menards/Rheem Chevrolet
5 8 12 Sam Hornish Jr. Alliance Truck Parts Dodge
6 4 22 Jacques Villeneuve Discount Tire Dodge
7 6 11 Brian Scott Dollar General Toyota
8 22 54 Kurt Busch(i) Monster Energy Toyota
9 14 88 Cole Whitt # VooDoo Ride Chevrolet
10 7 31 Justin Allgaier Brandt Chevrolet

Continue reading “2012 Road America Nationwide Series Race Results – Piquet Wins From The Pole”

1 30 Nelson Piquet Jr.(i) Qualcomm/Autotrac Chevrolet 133.066 SEC / 109.516
2 18 Michael McDowell(i) Pizza Ranch Toyota 133.380 SEC / 109.258
3 5 * Ron Fellows AER Manufacturing Chevrolet 133.641 SEC / 109.044
4 22 Jacques Villeneuve Discount Tire Dodge 133.671 SEC / 109.020
5 33 Max Papis Menards/Rheem Chevrolet 133.799 SEC / 108.916
6 11 Brian Scott Dollar General Toyota 134.193 SEC / 108.596
7 31 Justin Allgaier Brandt Chevrolet 134.313 SEC / 108.499
8 12 Sam Hornish Jr. Alliance Truck Parts Dodge 134.457 SEC / 108.383

THE FINAL LAP WEEKLY – FEATURING JUSTIN ALLGAIER

9 32 * Miguel Paludo(i) Duroline Brakes Chevrolet 134.655 SEC / 108.223
10 7 Danica Patrick GoDaddy.com Chevrolet 134.675 SEC / 108.207

Continue reading “2012 Road America NASCAR Nationwide Series Starting Lineup – Piquet On Pole”