NASCAR Podcast
SHOW #379 – Guest: Contender Round Drivers – We recap the horror that was Dover since Jimmie was knocked out of The Chase, Kerry is in the corner sobbing for the foreseeable future, Does Roush-Fenway dole out the good cars?, Dale Jr. gets spiffy 2016 paint, Petty goes Ford from Ford, $5 part costs the 48 team millions, plus a full Charlotte preview. Hosted by Toby Christie and Kerry Murphey
( Roughly 48:00 mins)
BUSCH RETURNS TO RACING IN 2016 AS SPONSOR OF
DRIVER KEVIN HARVICK AND NO. 4 TEAM OF STEWART-HAAS RACING
Storied Brand to Engage with Fans “Earning It” at Racetracks Nationwide
and Launch @BuschBeer Twitter Handle
Concord, N.C. (Oct. 8, 2015) – Busch announced today that the brand will return to NASCAR, reigniting its storied history in the sport by sponsoring Kevin Harvick and the No. 4 team of Stewart-Haas Racing for select races beginning with the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.
Busch, Busch Light and other special-edition Busch paint schemes will be featured on Harvick’s No. 4 Chevrolet SS for 12 races in 2016. The iconic Busch logo will first appear on the hood for the Feb. 13 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Formerly known as the Busch Clash, this non-points exhibition race helped kick-start the brand’s involvement with NASCAR 36 years ago. Additional races will be determined shortly after NASCAR releases the 2016 Sprint Cup schedule.
“Busch’s NASCAR roots go back to 1978 and we’re thrilled to reconnect with these passionate fans that identify with our ‘Here’s to Earning It’ message on a daily basis,” said Chelsea Phillips, Director of Value Brands, Anheuser-Busch. “Kevin and the entire No. 4 team have been tremendous partners for Anheuser-Busch since 2011 and we have exciting plans to engage with the NASCAR community both on and off the track nationwide in 2016.”
Harvick has represented Budweiser since 2011, and in 2014 he and Budweiser moved to Stewart-Haas Racing. In their inaugural season with the team co-owned by Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, Harvick made five trips to victory lane and won the 2014 Sprint Cup championship.
The Busch brand, along with its current tagline “Here’s to Earning It,” has a time-honored tradition of rewarding hard-working men and women who “earn it” every day, which aligns perfectly with the NASCAR fan base.
“Busch beer belongs in NASCAR,” said Harvick, a winner of 31 Sprint Cup races, eight of which have come with Stewart-Haas Racing. “The entire Stewart-Haas Racing team and I can’t wait to have the Busch logo on the No. 4 car next season as we work toward another Sprint Cup championship.”
To celebrate their return to the sport, Busch will employ a comprehensive marketing approach to engage with racing enthusiasts and loyal Busch consumers through on-track, experiential, in-market and retail activations during the 2016 NASCAR season. TV spots will also air leading up to the season and during races, recognizing Harvick, his pit crew and fans alike who “earn it” every day so they can enjoy race weekends.
“NASCAR provides the opportunity to further the brand marketing initiative of recognizing outdoor pursuits of our Busch drinkers and celebrate those hard-working individuals behind the scenes that help the No. 4 car perform week-in-and-week-out,” added Phillips.
In conjunction with the NASCAR announcement, and to remain in touch with Busch drinkers, Busch is expanding its social media presence by launching the brand’s first-ever Twitter handle. Starting today, consumers can follow @BuschBeer and use the hashtag #BuschIsBack.
Busch has a rich racing history and some of the highlights of the brand’s involvement in the sport from its beginning include:
Sponsored the Busch Pole Award in 1978, which was presented to the pole winner of each NASCAR Winston Cup Series race
Sponsored Cale Yarborough’s No. 11 car throughout the 1979 and 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup seasons
Introduced the Busch Clash in 1979, held each year at Daytona International Speedway the week prior to the Daytona 500
Served as the title sponsor of NASCAR’s stepping-stone division to Sprint Cup – currently known as the NASCAR XFINITY Series – from 1984 through 2007
Expanded involvement with racing via the Busch All-Star Tour in 1985, a series of dirt track events in the Midwest
“Official Beer of NASCAR” from 1988 through 1997
“Some of my fondest racing career memories to-date involve the Busch brand, including winning the 2001 and 2006 Busch Series championships,” Harvick said. “The brand is historic and I’m looking forward to building the Busch racing legacy with all that we’re able to accomplish in 2016.”
Oct. 4, 2015
By Seth Livingstone
NASCAR Wire Service
DOVER, Del.—Jimmie Johnson has had so many memorable and triumphant days at Dover International Speedway.
He’d won three of the previous four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at the Monster Mile and taken the checkered flag in 10 of his 27 Sprint Cup starts.
But when it came to securing a place in the 2015 Contender Round of NASCAR’s playoffs, the six-time premier series champion and his team were literally unable to seal the deal on Sunday.
A faulty axle seal on the No. 48 Chevrolet sent Johnson to the garage, creating an obstacle he could not overcome, in the process short-circuiting his attempt to match Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. as seven-time Cup champions.
Crew chief Chad Knaus and the 48 crew elected to replace the entire rear end assembly in the hope of saving time. Still, the major operation dropped Johnson to the back of the pack, 37 laps behind the leaders.
He finished 41st, ahead of only crash victims Jeb Burton and Brett Moffitt, in the AAA 400.
Entering the day, Johnson appeared to be in excellent position to advance in the Chase. He was fifth in points, 27 ahead of the dreaded 13th-place elimination point.
Although he was 16th in the running order, thanks primarily to a speeding penalty on pit road, he was doing what he needed to do when his racing luck turned sour after his 100th lap.
“It was instantaneous,” Johnson said of the moment he experienced trouble. “I was coming down the front stretch and it started vibrating. The right rear hub started seizing up and it was just metal-on-metal.
“It’s part of racing. It shows how critical everything is on a race team and how important every component is. You just can’t take anything for granted.”
Still, a rear end seal was one of the last things on Johnson’s mind at Dover.
“As I worry about things, I worry about a flat. I worry about a pit call. You worry about hard racing and something going on,” he said. “You don’t worry about an axle seal failing and the rear end burning up. It’s just not on your radar.
“Maybe five in my career have ever gone (failed). I know it’s a delicate piece and, obviously, a very important piece. But I don’t think it was due to anything on the track. It’s inside the hub. … Not being at the root cause of the mistake, I guess I’ll sleep a little bit better.”
That was small consolation. Sitting in his car in the garage as his team made the necessary repairs, Johnson knew his Chase hopes were in definite jeopardy.
“Once you’re behind the wall and you get more than one or two (laps) down, you know it’s out of your hands,” he said. “I was trying to run through scenarios. Chad updated me a couple of times of what needed to happen. We needed a few big pileups to get us back in that thing and I just didn’t see it happening.”
Back on the track, with laps ticking down, the sickening feeling only intensified.
“I really didn’t have anything to fight for,” Johnson said. “It was completely out of my control how many laps we were down. Within 20 or 30 minutes of being back on the track, I could see the flow of the race. Guys were minding their manners (with) a lot of green-flag runs and I knew we were in trouble.”
Just out of his car on pit road, Johnson had yet to digest the day with his team. But he knew Knaus and his crew would take this one hard.”
“We pride ourselves on no mechanicals (issues),” he said. “Stuff doesn’t fall off our race cars. Our cars don’t break. So, this stinks for sure.
“We take for granted how indestructible these cars are. But a very simple and inexpensive axle seal took the rear end out of our car and cost us.”
–30–
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race – AAA 400
Dover International Speedway
Dover, Delaware
Sunday, October 04, 2015
1. (15) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 400, $263590.
2. (13) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 400, $206191.
3. (12) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 400, $157175.
4. (11) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 400, $156691.
5. (18) Aric Almirola, Ford, 400, $155336.
6. (17) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 400, $116640.
7. (1) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 400, $145901.
8. (27) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 400, $102215.
9. (19) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 400, $119673.
10. (4) Joey Logano, Ford, 400, $134273.
11. (9) Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 400, $116285.
12. (10) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 400, $132571.
13. (20) Greg Biffle, Ford, 400, $117818.
14. (16) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 400, $119493.
15. (3) Carl Edwards, Toyota, 400, $85035.
16. (8) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 400, $128351.
17. (7) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 400, $97710.
18. (2) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 400, $97480.
19. (6) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 399, $115080.
20. (26) Sam Hornish Jr., Ford, 398, $109600.
21. (24) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 398, $90480.
22. (28) David Ragan, Toyota, 398, $109394.
23. (21) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 398, $118866.
24. (22) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 397, $107838.
25. (14) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 397, $89405.
26. (25) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 396, $108369.
27. (30) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 395, $105138.
28. (31) Cole Whitt, Ford, 394, $94488.
29. (23) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 394, $107338.
30. (32) David Gilliland, Ford, 394, $96577.
31. (29) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 393, $121930.
32. (35) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 393, $77155.
33. (40) Reed Sorenson, Ford, 391, $77005.
34. (37) Matt DiBenedetto #, Toyota, 391, $78330.
35. (42) JJ Yeley(i), Toyota, 390, $76605.
36. (41) Josh Wise, Ford, 389, $76437.
37. (38) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 387, $76501.
38. (36) Alex Kennedy #, Chevrolet, 386, $71402.
39. (43) Timmy Hill(i), Chevrolet, 380, $67330.
40. (33) Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, Engine, 365, $63330.
41. (5) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 364, $107266.
42. (34) Brett Moffitt #, Ford, Accident, 346, $55330.
43. (39) Jeb Burton #, Toyota, Accident, 186, $51830.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 119.87 mph.
Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 20 Mins, 13 Secs. Margin of Victory: 2.639 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 8 for 43 laps.
Lead Changes: 14 among 3 drivers.
Lap Leaders: M. Kenseth 1-23; K. Harvick 24-41; M. Kenseth 42; K. Harvick 43-112; Kyle Busch 113; K. Harvick 114-195; Kyle Busch 196; K. Harvick 197-232; Kyle Busch 233-247; K. Harvick 248-312; Kyle Busch 313; K. Harvick 314-354; Kyle Busch 355; M. Kenseth 356-357; K. Harvick 358-400.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): K. Harvick 7 times for 355 laps; M. Kenseth 3 times for 26 laps; Kyle Busch 5 times for 19 laps.
Top 16 in Points: M. Kenseth – 2,137; J. Logano – 2,123; D. Hamlin – 2,119; C. Edwards – 2,118; M. Truex Jr. – 2,104; Kurt Busch – 2,100; J. Gordon – 2,100; B. Keselowski – 2,100; Kyle Busch – 2,099; R. Newman – 2,099; D. Earnhardt Jr. – 2,098; J. Mcmurray – 2,098; J. Johnson – 2,086; K. Harvick – 2,082; P. Menard – 2,075; C. Bowyer – 2,048.
–30–
Oct. 4, 2015
By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service
DOVER, Del.—By Jove, he’s done it again!
Forced to win at Dover International Speedway to keep his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship hopes alive Sunday, Kevin Harvick did just that, dominating Sunday’s AAA 400 to stave off elimination from the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
In a virtual carbon copy of last year’s Chase race at Phoenix, where the 2014 premier series champion had to win to advance to the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Harvick led 355 of 400 laps (a career best at any track) in winning for the third time this year and the 31st time in his career.
“I think we’re better than we were last year, just because of the experiences and things that we’ve had,” Harvick said after the race. “I think when we look at everything that’s gone on over the last couple of years, it’s just been a lot of fun.
“So, it’s just that never-quit attitude. That’s what (team co-owner) Tony Stewart said when we went to Homestead last year. He said, ‘Whatever you do, do not quit until they throw that checkered flag.’”
Harvick won the race and secured his first Sprint Cup title by a half-second over Ryan Newman.
But there was one major difference between last year’s must-win race and the one on Sunday. Phoenix is Harvick’s best track. At Dover, on the other hand, he had never won before and had posted just four top-five finishes in 29 previous starts.
As fast as Harvick’s No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet was, however, none of the statistics mattered. After a restart with 24 laps left, he pulled away to a 2.639-second victory over Kyle Busch, who likewise secured a berth in the 12-driver Contender Round with his second-place run.
Nor did the stats help Jimmie Johnson, whose shocking ouster from the playoffs took place at the Monster Mile where he holds a record 10 victories. The six-time series champion took his No. 48 Chevrolet to the garage on Lap 106 after a rear axle seal failed.
Johnson lost 36 laps while his team replaced the rear end housing and was credited with a 41st-place finish, leaving him 12 points shy of the Chase cutoff, which came down to a tiebreaker for the 12th and final spot between third-place finisher Dale Earnhardt Jr. and fourth-place Jamie McMurray.
Joining Johnson and McMurray on the Chase sidelines were Paul Menard (25th Sunday) and Clint Bowyer, who like Harvick faced a win-or-bust scenario at the one-mile concrete track.
Narrowed to 12, the field for the Contender Round now includes Challenger Round winners Matt Kenseth (Chicago), Denny Hamlin (New Hampshire) and Harvick, as well as Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Newman and Earnhardt.
But on Sunday, Harvick showed his hand as the speed horse in the Chase, just as he was last year. Harvick’s car was fast last week at New Hampshire, but he ran out of fuel while leading with three laps left to create the must-win scenario at Dover.
“Anytime you can go through moments like this and gain some momentum and prove to yourself that you can do things like this, there’s no way you can’t be stronger,” Harvick said. “I’m just so proud of those guys and so proud of our fans and everybody for all their support all week. There it is—stay the course.”
Kyle Busch conceded Harvick’s victory was bad news for everyone else still in the Chase.
“The way he ran today—hell, yeah,” Busch said. “That was a guy that we wanted to knock out. That’s a guy that can win all these races, and you don’t want to have to compete against a guy like that.
“But that’s why they’re as good as they are, and they were last year’s champion, so they’re going to have an opportunity to continue on. We’ll see what happens. There’s still two more rounds to figure out who’s going to make it to Homestead.”
The Final Lap Weekly 