Paul Menard

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Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR

By: Toby Christie – Follow on Twitter @Tobalical

The Paul Menard Empire must be high-fiving this evening. They are the loyal fans of Paul Menard. They have faithfully stood beside their driver through his humble beginnings, and are now reaping the benefits since he went to Richard Childress Racing.

Menard turned the fastest lap in NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying with a speed of 181.714 mph. Menard was the only driver fast enough to crack the 181 mile-per-hour barrier. This pole marks Menard’s fifth career Nationwide Series pole.

Denny Hamlin will make it an all Sprint Cup regular front row, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was third followed by Austin Dillon and Nationwide point leader Elliott Sadler.

Other notable starters included: Kurt Busch (6th), Cole Whitt (7th), Kasey Kahne (8th), Danica Patrick (17th) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (20th).

The two drivers who have to take their equipment home early are Morgan Shepherd and Joe Jackson.

Here is the full starting lineup for tonight’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 300

1. 33-Paul Menard
2. 18-Denny Hamlin
3. 6-Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
4. 3-Austin Dillon
5. 2-Elliott Sadler
6. 54-Kurt Busch
7. 88-Cole Whitt
8. 38-Kasey Kahne
9. 30-Steve Arpin
10. 44-Mike Bliss
11. 11-Brian Scott
12. 20-Joey Logano
13. 22-Brad Keselowski
14. 12-Sam Hornish Jr.
15. 70-Johanna Long
16. 31-Justin Allgaier
17. 7-Danica Patrick
18. 43-Michael McDowell
19. 09-Ryan Truex
20. 5-Dale Earnhardt Jr.
21. 08-Kyle Fowler
22. 10-Jeff Green
23. 81-Jason Bowles
24. 01-Mike Wallace
25. 4-Danny Efland
26. 41-Timmy Hill
27. 40-Erik Darnell
28. 19-Tayler Malsam
29. 15-Blake Koch
30. 27-David Ragan
31. 39-Kelly Bires
32. 42-Josh Wise
33. 87-Joe Nemechek
34. 75-Scott Riggs
35. 47-Scott Speed
36. 46-Chase Miller
37. 51-Jeremy Clements
38. 52-Tim Schendel
39. 23-Robert Richardson Jr.
40. 50-T.J. Bell
41. 24-Benny Gordon
42. 14-Eric McClure
43. 74-Kevin Lepage

– Toby Christie is the lead Motorsports writer for Sicknissified.com, and he can be reached via twitter or email. Tweet him @Tobalical or email him at tobalical@sicknissified.com. You can also find his work at TheFinalLap.com this weekend.

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March 7, 2012 — NASCAR drivers Regan Smith and Paul Menard, along with Smith’s wife Megan and a friend of the Smiths, escaped injuries in a Colorado road accident today (Wednesday, approximately 8:45 a.m. MT). The foursome was on the way to a nearby ski slope.

Smith lost control of his Silverado truck after hitting a patch of ice near his mountain home in Evergreen, outside of Denver. The truck slid off the road and crashed into a collection of trees.

Continue reading “Regan Smith, Paul Menard escape injuries in Colorado traffic accident”

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WELCOME, N.C. (February 6, 2012) – Entering their ninth season with Richard Childress Racing driver Paul Menard, PEAK® Performance announced today the No. 27 Chevrolet will sport an exciting and electric look during 2012 Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway.

Expanding on their hood sponsorship of the Menards Chevrolet, PEAK has redesigned the No. 27 Impala to be completely adorned with the signature “PEAK blue” and “Menards yellow” as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series kicks off the season with the 54th running of the “Great American Race” on February 26. The special paint scheme will also be showcased in the Budweiser Shootout on February 18 and the Duel 150 qualifying race on February 23.

Continue reading “No. 27 PEAK/Menards Daytona Speedweeks paint scheme”

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7-Paul Menard Holds Off Jeff Gordon to Win Brickyard 400

Surprise winners in 2011, take three. For much of its 19 years, Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Brickyard 400 had been won by the greatest names in NASCAR: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Jarrett, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt, bill Elliott – champions all. No first-time winners in the bunch – until this July. Midwesterner Paul Menard wound up kissing the start-finish line bricks after prevailing in a torrid battle with four-time Brickyard 400 winner Jeff Gordon. Menard joined Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne and SHOWTIME Southern 500 winner Regan Smith to score a first victory on the schedule’s largest stages.

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Childress Statement on No. 27 Team Speculation

WELCOME, N.C. (September 16, 2011) – The following is a statement by Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing, regarding speculation surrounding RCR’s No. 27 team last week at Richmond International Raceway:

“There were no team orders despite all the speculation in the media. I know Paul Menard well enough that he wouldn’t have spun out on purpose even if he had been asked. We are at Chicagoland Speedway to win the race and get a great start toward the championship.”

There will be no further statements from RCR about the issue.