It warrants a thread: it's ROAD RACING WEEKEND IN AMERICA. NASCAR regains my interest for a weekend (F1 isn't shown live in the U.S. this weekend, so I'll probably be splitting Sunday afternoon with Valencia as a primary and the stock cars during commercials, then switch over to the end of the NASCAR after F1 concludes, this I share because you care) by taking a break from oval racing and hitting two road racing venues in two days.
The NASCAR Nationwide Series, sharing the day with Grand-Am, runs the legendary 4.048-mile Road America Saturday 3:30 PM GMT -5.
Some drivers of interest there?
Corvette Racing icon and Le Mans champion Ron Fellows returns to the #5 for JR Motorsports, serving as teammate to Danica Patrick, known more of her oval exploits but still of a road racing background in Formula Ford and Atlantics. Grand-Am, Champ Car, and Star Mazda graduate Michael McDowell will be in the #18 for Joe Gibbs Racing, while F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve races the #22 for Roger Penske. Another ex-F1 competitor, Nelson Piquet, Jr., will pilot the #30 for Turner Motorsports alongside fellow Brazilian Miguel Paludo in the #32 team car; Paludo began in sports car racing, while the 32 won this race last year with a different driver. Max Papis, experienced in F1, CART, and sports cars himself, drives for Kevin Harvick in the #33.
Last year's strange finish...
Sunday, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series runs at Sonoma Raceway, that's at 3:00 PM GMT -5. Sonoma is the site of the new United States World Touring Car Championship round.
No official entry list is out yet for that one, but some guys I do know in the field include:
Full-time NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne in the #5 for Rick Hendrick, a winner at Sonoma before and a graduate of the Atlantic Championship, scoring points in the 2001 race on the streets of Houston. Australian V8 Supercars champion Marcos Ambrose, winner at Watkins Glen in 2011, continues his full season program in the #9 Richard Petty Motorsports entry, looking for redemption after he lost the 2010 race by shutting off his engine under caution to conserve fuel. Casey Mears pilots the #13 for Bob Germain; Mears won the Rolex 24 with Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon, as quick as the former and quicker than the latter. Mears is an Indy Lights veteran; he won at Houston in 2000. Tony Stewart is a damn fine road racer himself. He's in his very own #14 as always. A.J. Allmendinger takes over the #22, last year's winning entry, bringing with him extensive Champ Car and related ladder experience, while Jeff Gordon, once thought to be a potential CART prospect, looks for a solid result in his #24 after a season of struggles not unlike Allmendinger's. Gordon was, for a time, the dominant force on NASCAR road courses, and has, like the aforementioned Stewart, done an F1 demonstration. Trans-Am and Rolex 24 veteran Paul Menard started out in the International Ice Racing Association before a road that led him to the #27 stock car he won last year's Brickyard 400 in. Boris Said steps into the #32 for FAS Lane Racing, bringing with him two Daytona wins, one Sebring win, and one 24 Hours of the Nürburgring win. Juan Pablo Montoya won his first stock car race in Sonoma; his F1 experience and success in CART are well-documented. Bobby Labonte in the #47 and Brian Vickers in the #55 aren't likely to be contenders Sunday, but both share a common experience: driving a Ferrari GTE for AF Corse. Labonte, experienced in Grand-Am's DP and GT classes (nearly winning his class in the 2010 Rolex 24), tested one in Portugal last winter, while Vickers raced one just this morning in Le Mans. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has finally broken his losing streak in the #88, and while he isn't regarded as a road racer, Junior has finished on the overall podium in both Rolex 24s he has contested (2001 and 2004). Junior's sports car career ended at Sonoma in 2004, when a fiery accident in a Corvette left him badly burned.
0
Road Racing Weekend In America
Started by
Massa
, Jun 18 2012 12:52 AM
52 replies to this topic
#1
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Posted 18 June 2012 - 12:52 AM
Eric
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Posted 18 June 2012 - 12:53 AM
NASCAR on a road course is ugly, it's sloppy, it's confusing...it's fun. Some of these guys are really horrible road racers, I must admit. 
Eric
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Posted 18 June 2012 - 04:06 PM
Don't worry, you won't be missing much from Valencia. The qualifying result is pretty much how they'll finish as it is such a terrible track. Don't watch it otherwise you'll hate F1 again.
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Posted 18 June 2012 - 04:26 PM
I don't really see how that's different from any other week.
The Grand Prix only overlaps with about 30 minutes of the NASCAR race anyway, and truth be told, I can't sit through an entire Cup race. Too long. So I'll probably just watch F1 and then catch the last hour or so of the stock cars.
The Grand Prix only overlaps with about 30 minutes of the NASCAR race anyway, and truth be told, I can't sit through an entire Cup race. Too long. So I'll probably just watch F1 and then catch the last hour or so of the stock cars.
Eric
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Posted 18 June 2012 - 04:37 PM
The first time NASCAR ran Sonoma?
This is why a lot of us are excited for the 2013 cars...they're very similar to the late 80s/early 90s cars in spirit.
Two years later...Tommy Kendall appears to have the win and then...
They use a different layout at Sonoma now, of course, but stock cars can put on a good show here.
This is why a lot of us are excited for the 2013 cars...they're very similar to the late 80s/early 90s cars in spirit.
Two years later...Tommy Kendall appears to have the win and then...
They use a different layout at Sonoma now, of course, but stock cars can put on a good show here.
Eric
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Posted 18 June 2012 - 04:57 PM
Those are cool clips, thanks for sharing. I'm not sure how much I'll see of it with BTCC and F1 both on at the same time (live BBC race, not sure how I'm going to manage it ) but I'll try and catch some. I watched the Nationwide race from Montreal last year and quite enjoyed it.
) but I'll try and catch some. I watched the Nationwide race from Montreal last year and quite enjoyed it.
#7
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Posted 18 June 2012 - 06:28 PM
If you're around Saturday, you can try to catch the Nationwide, at least.
Robby Gordon is running Sonoma!
http://www.planetrob...ontext=featured
Sharp car, too.
Gordon's team ran out of money earlier this season, and hasn't raced in months. Gordon is currently in the process of starting the Stadium Super Trucks Series for 2013, while also running his SPEED Energy Drink company. So he's keeping busy.
I really hope by devoting all his effort into this race and Watkins Glen, as well as the Nationwide race in Montréal, Gordon will do well. He has the ability, having won at Sonoma and Watkins Glen in 2003.
Gordon's résumé, in the opposite order of how a résumé should be with the most recent and most relevant stuff down at the bottom:
1986-1990, 1996, and 2009 SCORE International off-road champion
1987, 1989, and 2006 Baja 1000 champion
1989-1990 and 2005 Baja 500 champion
1990-1992 12 Hours of Sebring class winner
1990-1994 24 Hours of Daytona class winner (best overall was P2 in 2002)
1992-1999 CART competitor: two victories, four poles, nine podium finishes (including the two wins), best championship classification fifth (1994 and 1995)
1993-1995, 1997, 1999-2004 Indianapolis 500 competitor: best finish fourth (1999), five top tens
1996-1997 IROC vice champion (runner-up)
1991, 1993, 1996-1998, 2000-2012 NASCAR competitor: three Sprint Cup wins, one Sprint Cup pole, and one Nationwide win
Seven-time Dakar Rally stage winner
Guy has a hell of a temper, too. Very fun. The race just got a lot more exciting.
Robby Gordon is running Sonoma!
http://www.planetrob...ontext=featured
Sharp car, too.
Gordon's team ran out of money earlier this season, and hasn't raced in months. Gordon is currently in the process of starting the Stadium Super Trucks Series for 2013, while also running his SPEED Energy Drink company. So he's keeping busy.
I really hope by devoting all his effort into this race and Watkins Glen, as well as the Nationwide race in Montréal, Gordon will do well. He has the ability, having won at Sonoma and Watkins Glen in 2003.
Gordon's résumé, in the opposite order of how a résumé should be with the most recent and most relevant stuff down at the bottom
:1986-1990, 1996, and 2009 SCORE International off-road champion
1987, 1989, and 2006 Baja 1000 champion
1989-1990 and 2005 Baja 500 champion
1990-1992 12 Hours of Sebring class winner
1990-1994 24 Hours of Daytona class winner (best overall was P2 in 2002)
1992-1999 CART competitor: two victories, four poles, nine podium finishes (including the two wins), best championship classification fifth (1994 and 1995)
1993-1995, 1997, 1999-2004 Indianapolis 500 competitor: best finish fourth (1999), five top tens
1996-1997 IROC vice champion (runner-up)
1991, 1993, 1996-1998, 2000-2012 NASCAR competitor: three Sprint Cup wins, one Sprint Cup pole, and one Nationwide win
Seven-time Dakar Rally stage winner
Guy has a hell of a temper, too. Very fun. The race just got a lot more exciting.
Eric
#8
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Posted 18 June 2012 - 08:32 PM
Forty-four entries for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway this weekend. One driver will fail to qualify. The #10 Tommy Baldwin entry and the #30 Inception Motorsports entry both have TBA listed as the driver. I'm assuming both are looking for someone with road course experience.
Eric
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Posted 18 June 2012 - 11:48 PM
Forty-five entries for the Sargento 200 at Road America. Two drivers will fail to qualify. Two TBA drivers, one in the #08 Black Cat Fireworks Ford and the other in the #74 KOMA Unwind Chevrolet.
Drivers entered in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races:
Michael McDowell
Josh Wise
Mike Bliss
Kurt Busch
Joe Nemechek
Ironically, McDowell, Wise, Bliss, and Nemechek will all start-and-park in the Cup race should they make it.
Drivers entered in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races:
Michael McDowell
Josh Wise
Mike Bliss
Kurt Busch
Joe Nemechek
Ironically, McDowell, Wise, Bliss, and Nemechek will all start-and-park in the Cup race should they make it.
Eric
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Posted 18 June 2012 - 11:52 PM
One driver I missed when trying to outline guys with a lot of road racing experience? T.J. Bell, driving his own #50 in the Nationwide race. Will he be a factor? Doubtful. Nevertheless, Bell spent one season in the U.S. F2000 National Championship, two seasons in the Atlantic Championship, and raced in the 2002 24 Hours of Le Mans with Team Ascari, DNFing in an Ascari KZR-1 Judd. His co-driver? The Stig, Ben Collins.
Also, Travis Pastrana has rally experience, and has represented the U.S. (unsuccessfully) in the Race of Champions the last few seasons.
Also, Travis Pastrana has rally experience, and has represented the U.S. (unsuccessfully) in the Race of Champions the last few seasons.
Eric
#11
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Posted 19 June 2012 - 12:30 AM
http://upload.wikime...ASCAR_track.svg
Sonoma Raceway's NASCAR layout. Off of 4A they run it riiiiiiiiight up to the wall, you really have to hang it out there, so watch for how close they come to hitting (some of them will) there. As you'd expect, 11 is a huge action spot. You can get some real cluster**** stuff going on there, and some real overtaking. 1-2-3-3A is all uphill, then downhill into 4.
http://upload.wikime...oad_America.svg
Road America. Road America straight is a massive uphill climb. The Carousel and Kink are great places to get it all wrong. So is Canada Corner. It's one of the best road courses in all of the world, to be honest, though it's not quite suited to stock cars. Some great ALMS action, though, in 2011, for the overall win, without commentary (awesome awesome awesome awesome):
And in 2010, for the overall win:
I realize I'm in the wrong thread now, but NASCAR's never been that exciting at RA.
Sonoma Raceway's NASCAR layout. Off of 4A they run it riiiiiiiiight up to the wall, you really have to hang it out there, so watch for how close they come to hitting (some of them will) there. As you'd expect, 11 is a huge action spot. You can get some real cluster**** stuff going on there, and some real overtaking. 1-2-3-3A is all uphill, then downhill into 4.
http://upload.wikime...oad_America.svg
Road America. Road America straight is a massive uphill climb. The Carousel and Kink are great places to get it all wrong. So is Canada Corner. It's one of the best road courses in all of the world, to be honest, though it's not quite suited to stock cars. Some great ALMS action, though, in 2011, for the overall win, without commentary (awesome awesome awesome awesome):
And in 2010, for the overall win:
I realize I'm in the wrong thread now, but NASCAR's never been that exciting at RA.
Eric
#12
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Posted 19 June 2012 - 09:51 PM
Brian Simo will be in the #30 Inception Motorsports Toyota.
Trans-Am veteran and current ALMS LMPC driver Tomy Drissi will be in the #10 Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin.
David Mayhew will substitute for Michael McDowell in the #98 Phil Parsons Racing Ford.
I don't expect much o finterest from any of the three, but hey, driver changes are always fun.
Trans-Am veteran and current ALMS LMPC driver Tomy Drissi will be in the #10 Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin.
David Mayhew will substitute for Michael McDowell in the #98 Phil Parsons Racing Ford.
I don't expect much o finterest from any of the three, but hey, driver changes are always fun.
Eric
#13
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Posted 20 June 2012 - 11:58 AM
Massa, on 19 June 2012 - 12:30 AM, said:
http://upload.wikime...ASCAR_track.svg
Sonoma Raceway's NASCAR layout. Off of 4A they run it riiiiiiiiight up to the wall, you really have to hang it out there, so watch for how close they come to hitting (some of them will) there. As you'd expect, 11 is a huge action spot. You can get some real cluster**** stuff going on there, and some real overtaking. 1-2-3-3A is all uphill, then downhill into 4.
http://upload.wikime...oad_America.svg
Road America. Road America straight is a massive uphill climb. The Carousel and Kink are great places to get it all wrong. So is Canada Corner. It's one of the best road courses in all of the world, to be honest, though it's not quite suited to stock cars. Some great ALMS action, though, in 2011, for the overall win, without commentary (awesome awesome awesome awesome):
Sonoma Raceway's NASCAR layout. Off of 4A they run it riiiiiiiiight up to the wall, you really have to hang it out there, so watch for how close they come to hitting (some of them will) there. As you'd expect, 11 is a huge action spot. You can get some real cluster**** stuff going on there, and some real overtaking. 1-2-3-3A is all uphill, then downhill into 4.
http://upload.wikime...oad_America.svg
Road America. Road America straight is a massive uphill climb. The Carousel and Kink are great places to get it all wrong. So is Canada Corner. It's one of the best road courses in all of the world, to be honest, though it's not quite suited to stock cars. Some great ALMS action, though, in 2011, for the overall win, without commentary (awesome awesome awesome awesome):
I remember catching the end of that last year, a really exciting finish. Looks like Road America is one of these old school type circuits, which is good to see.
#14
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Posted 20 June 2012 - 05:41 PM
Road America is a great track...which is exactly why Nationwide doesn't belong there.
The track's just too long for stock cars. If NASCAR used local yellows like they used to at one point, it would be fine, but because everything is a full course caution in this era of NASCAR, it's agonizing on a 4.048-mile course.
For that Road America race, some entry list changes:
Puerto Rican Trans-Am racer Víctor González, Jr. will be in the #99 Toyota instead of Travis Pastrana.
Grand-Am Continental Tire Series driver Matt Bell will be in the #4 Chevrolet instead of Danny Efland.
Alex Kennedy will be in the #87 Toyota instead of Joe Nemechek...he was really, really, really horrid at Montréal last year.
Colin Braun will practice the #54 for Kurt Busch, but Busch will race it. Braun recently did a test with Extreme Speed Motorsports in ALMS and has been racing for Kia in the Continental Tire Series this year.
The track's just too long for stock cars. If NASCAR used local yellows like they used to at one point, it would be fine, but because everything is a full course caution in this era of NASCAR, it's agonizing on a 4.048-mile course.
For that Road America race, some entry list changes:
Puerto Rican Trans-Am racer Víctor González, Jr. will be in the #99 Toyota instead of Travis Pastrana.
Grand-Am Continental Tire Series driver Matt Bell will be in the #4 Chevrolet instead of Danny Efland.
Alex Kennedy will be in the #87 Toyota instead of Joe Nemechek...he was really, really, really horrid at Montréal last year.
Colin Braun will practice the #54 for Kurt Busch, but Busch will race it. Braun recently did a test with Extreme Speed Motorsports in ALMS and has been racing for Kia in the Continental Tire Series this year.
Eric
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Posted 20 June 2012 - 07:51 PM
Eric McClure is returning to Nationwide competition after his wreck at Talladega in...April? May? Sometime a while ago.
It's ironic in that McClure has previously faked injuries and illnesses to get out of running road course races; he now returns from his first real injury to run a road course race.
Glad he's recovered...but the guy who replaced him, Jeff Green, a past champion, was a lot better...
It's ironic in that McClure has previously faked injuries and illnesses to get out of running road course races; he now returns from his first real injury to run a road course race.
Glad he's recovered...but the guy who replaced him, Jeff Green, a past champion, was a lot better...
Eric
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 04:33 PM
Cars hit the track today, so one last video before the action actually starts...
It's 2002. Jerry Nadeau won the Atlanta race in 2000 with Hendrick Motorsports and seemed to be a top talent for the future; something of a surprise, considering that Nadeau came from Formula 3 racing. In 2001, Nadeau lost two wins when he ran out of fuel, one at Chicago, and another on the final lap at Atlanta. Eleven races into the 2002 season, he was replaced by Joe Nemechek. After filling in for an injured Johnny Benson, Nadeau spent a few weeks on the sidelines before a one race deal with Petty Enterprises materialized.
The video (YouTube) starts at the final restart, with Bill Elliott leading Jerry Nadeau. Watch their battle, then skip ahead to 1:57:00 for the buildup and the dramatic finish...
http://tinyurl.com/6sgbuob
Jerry Nadeau would suffer career-ending head injuries in a 2003 practice crash at Richmond.
Also note how great NASCAR was at officiating then...everything was just a local yellow. Now, they've forgotten how to use local yellows, and everything is full course.
It's 2002. Jerry Nadeau won the Atlanta race in 2000 with Hendrick Motorsports and seemed to be a top talent for the future; something of a surprise, considering that Nadeau came from Formula 3 racing. In 2001, Nadeau lost two wins when he ran out of fuel, one at Chicago, and another on the final lap at Atlanta. Eleven races into the 2002 season, he was replaced by Joe Nemechek. After filling in for an injured Johnny Benson, Nadeau spent a few weeks on the sidelines before a one race deal with Petty Enterprises materialized.
The video (YouTube) starts at the final restart, with Bill Elliott leading Jerry Nadeau. Watch their battle, then skip ahead to 1:57:00 for the buildup and the dramatic finish...
http://tinyurl.com/6sgbuob
Jerry Nadeau would suffer career-ending head injuries in a 2003 practice crash at Richmond.
Also note how great NASCAR was at officiating then...everything was just a local yellow. Now, they've forgotten how to use local yellows, and everything is full course.
Eric
#17
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 04:47 PM
Chris Cook will race the #19 Toyota in place of Mike Bliss. Cook is a road course ringer, but has no actual document road racing experience. 
Pretty sure it's a start-and-park anyway; many of the road course ringers are.
Need a radio broadcast of the Sprint Cup race on Sunday? goprn.com will be streaming it. Yeah I know that URL is kind of weird, PRN is the Performance Racing Network, who are the official radio broadcasters of this race.
motorracingnetwork.com will carry the Nationwide race radio stream.
No one will fail to qualify for Road America's Nationwide race; the Rick Ware Racing #15 and Mike Harmon #74 have both withdrawn from the event. The TBA driver of the #08 Black Cat Fireworks Ford is Matt Frahm, while Tony Raines will be in the #70 ML Motorsports Chevrolet.
Wondering about Billy Prietzel, driver of the #23 Chevrolet in the Nationwide race? So was I. He's 59 years old, and has been racing Trans-Am (the current Trans-Am that isn't the real Trans-Am), though his origins are on the short tracks of Wisconsin in the 1970s. He has won mysterious road races at Daytona and Road America in an ASA car; it did not specify if those were actual ASA (it's a late model stock car series) races, or if he was running an ASA car in some type of SCCA run-offs or historic stock car series or something. Translation: set your expectations low.
Pretty sure it's a start-and-park anyway; many of the road course ringers are.
Need a radio broadcast of the Sprint Cup race on Sunday? goprn.com will be streaming it. Yeah I know that URL is kind of weird, PRN is the Performance Racing Network, who are the official radio broadcasters of this race.
motorracingnetwork.com will carry the Nationwide race radio stream.
No one will fail to qualify for Road America's Nationwide race; the Rick Ware Racing #15 and Mike Harmon #74 have both withdrawn from the event. The TBA driver of the #08 Black Cat Fireworks Ford is Matt Frahm, while Tony Raines will be in the #70 ML Motorsports Chevrolet.
Wondering about Billy Prietzel, driver of the #23 Chevrolet in the Nationwide race? So was I. He's 59 years old, and has been racing Trans-Am (the current Trans-Am that isn't the real Trans-Am), though his origins are on the short tracks of Wisconsin in the 1970s. He has won mysterious road races at Daytona and Road America in an ASA car; it did not specify if those were actual ASA (it's a late model stock car series) races, or if he was running an ASA car in some type of SCCA run-offs or historic stock car series or something. Translation: set your expectations low.
Eric
#18
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 04:59 PM
Road America historical fun facts:
Carl Edwards and Reed Sorenson are the two past winners at Road America. Neither driver is in the field for Saturday's race.
Jacques Villeneuve has won here twice in CART; his uncle, Jacques Villeneuve, scored his only CART win at Elkhart Lake in 1985.
Prior to the 2010 Nationwide race, the only other NASCAR race held at Road America was a 1956 race in the division now known as Sprint Cup. Tim Flock won in a Mercury.
Ron Fellows has finished second in every Nationwide race at Road America. His four Nationwide wins are on road courses, with three at Watkins Glen and one at Montréal.
Drivers who have finished in the top ten at Road America: Ron Fellows (2), J.R. Fitzpatrick (2), Carl Edwards (1), Brendan Gaughan (1), Brad Keselowski (1), Owen Kelly (1), Brad Coleman (1), Jason Leffler (1), Steve Wallace (1), Trevor Bayne (1), Reed Sorenson (1), Jacques Villeneuve (1), Elliott Sadler (1), Mike Wallace (1), Andrew Ranger (1), Michael Annett (1), Ricky Stenhouse (1), Ricky Carmichael (1)
Of those 18 drivers who have scored top ten finishes here, only six are entered in this race. Four are Canadian, including Fellows and Fitzpatrick, the only two with top tens in both races (Fitzpatrick is not racing this year).
Carl Edwards and Reed Sorenson are the two past winners at Road America. Neither driver is in the field for Saturday's race.
Jacques Villeneuve has won here twice in CART; his uncle, Jacques Villeneuve, scored his only CART win at Elkhart Lake in 1985.
Prior to the 2010 Nationwide race, the only other NASCAR race held at Road America was a 1956 race in the division now known as Sprint Cup. Tim Flock won in a Mercury.
Ron Fellows has finished second in every Nationwide race at Road America. His four Nationwide wins are on road courses, with three at Watkins Glen and one at Montréal.
Drivers who have finished in the top ten at Road America: Ron Fellows (2), J.R. Fitzpatrick (2), Carl Edwards (1), Brendan Gaughan (1), Brad Keselowski (1), Owen Kelly (1), Brad Coleman (1), Jason Leffler (1), Steve Wallace (1), Trevor Bayne (1), Reed Sorenson (1), Jacques Villeneuve (1), Elliott Sadler (1), Mike Wallace (1), Andrew Ranger (1), Michael Annett (1), Ricky Stenhouse (1), Ricky Carmichael (1)
Of those 18 drivers who have scored top ten finishes here, only six are entered in this race. Four are Canadian, including Fellows and Fitzpatrick, the only two with top tens in both races (Fitzpatrick is not racing this year).
Eric
#19
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 06:41 PM
Sonoma Raceway historical fun facts:
Active drivers with race wins here: Jeff Gordon (5), Tony Stewart (2), Kurt Busch (1), Jimmie Johnson (1), Kasey Kahne (1), Kyle Busch (1), Juan Pablo Montoya (1), Robby Gordon (1)
Other winners: Ricky Rudd (2), Rusty Wallace (2), Ernie Irvan (2), Mark Martin (1), Dale Earnhardt (1), Geoffrey Bodine (1), Davey Allison (1)
Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte are the most experienced active drivers at Sonoma; both will be making their twentieth starts here on Sunday. All-time leaders Mark Martin and Terry Labonte have twenty-one each; neither driver is racing this weekend.
Non-stock car road course experience of drivers in the field by series:
Grand-Am Rolex Series - DP (19 drivers)
#1 Jamie McMurray
#7 Robby Gordon
#9 Marcos Ambrose (DNP in race)
#10 Tomy Drissi
#13 Casey Mears
#14 Tony Stewart
#16 Greg Biffle
#18 Kyle Busch
#22 A.J. Allmendinger
#24 Jeff Gordon
#27 Paul Menard
#32 Boris Said
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
#47 Bobby Labonte
#48 Jimmie Johnson
#51 Kurt Busch
#88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
#95 Scott Speed
#99 Carl Edwards (DNP in race)
Grand-Am Rolex Series - GT (7 drivers)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
#19 Chris Cook
#20 Joey Logano
#32 Boris Said
#34 David Ragan
#47 Bobby Labonte
#88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (GTS...more of a Le Mans-style car)
CART/Champ Car World Series (5 drivers)
#7 Robby Gordon
#13 Casey Mears
#22 A.J. Allmendinger
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
#51 Kurt Busch (test)
SCCA Trans-Am (5 drivers)
#7 Robby Gordon
#10 Tomy Drissi
#27 Paul Menard
#30 Brian Simo
#32 Boris Said
Formula One (4 drivers)
#14 Tony Stewart (demonstration)
#24 Jeff Gordon (demonstration)
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
#95 Scott Speed
American Le Mans Series - GT (4 drivers)
#10 Tomy Drissi
#30 Brian Simo
#32 Boris Said
#88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
SCCA World Challenge - GT (4 drivers)
#5 Kasey Kahne
#10 Tomy Drissi
#30 Brian Simo
#32 Boris Said
Race of Champions (4 drivers)
#13 Casey Mears
#24 Jeff Gordon
#48 Jimmie Johnson
#99 Carl Edwards
British Formula 3 (3 drivers)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
#95 Scott Speed
V8 Supercars (2 drivers)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
#32 Boris Said
SCCA National Championship Runoffs - T1 (2 drivers)
#30 Brian Simo
#32 Boris Said
Champ Car/CART Atlantic Championship (2 drivers)
#5 Kasey Kahne
#22 A.J. Allmendinger
Barber Pro Series (2 drivers)
#22 A.J. Allmendinger
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
Barber National Championship (2 drivers)
#22 A.J. Allmendinger
#95 Scott Speed
American Le Mans Series - LMP1 (1 driver)
#10 Tomy Drissi
A1GP (1 driver)
#95 Scott Speed
GP2 Series (1 driver)
#95 Scott Speed
International Formula 3000 (1 driver)
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
24H Series - SP2 (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
IMSA GT Championship - GTO (1 driver)
#7 Robby Gordon
IMSA Supreme GT Championship - GTS-1 (1 driveR)
#32 Boris Said
24 Hours of the Nüburgring (1 driver)
#32 Boris Said
American Le Mans Series - LMPC (1 driver)
#10 Tomy Drissi
World Endurance Challenge - GTE-Am (1 driver)
#55 Brian Vickers
Intercontinental Le Mans Cup - GTE (1 driver)
#47 Bobby Labonte (test)
Porsche Supercup (1 driver)
#10 Tomy Drissi
International Touring Car Championship (1 driver)
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
Grand-Am Continental Tire Challenge - GS (1 driver)
#32 Boris Said
SCCA RaceTruck Challenge (1 driver)
#7 Robby Gordon
SCCA National Championship Runoffs - GT1 (1 driver)
#32 Boris Said
ADAC GT Cup (1 driver)
#32 Boris Said
SCCA Corvette Challenge (1 driver)
#32 Boris Said
SCCA World Challenge - Super Production (1 driver)
#30 Brian Simo
CART Indy Lights (1 driver)
#13 Casey Mears
Formula 3 European Cup (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
Formula 3 France (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup (1 driver)
#95 Scott Speed
Formula Renault 2.0 Germany (1 driver)
#95 Scott Speed
Asian Formula Renault Challenge (1 driver)
#95 Scott Speed
Formula Opel Nations Cup (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
Formula Vauxhall (1 driver)
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
Star Mazda Championship (1 driver)
#95 Scott Speed
European Formula Ford (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
British Formula Ford (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
Australian Formula Ford (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
New Zealand Formula Ford (1 driver)
#22 A.J. Allmendinger
SCCA Spec Racer Ford Pro Series (1 driver)
#10 Tomy Drissi
Formula Super Vee (1 driver)
#24 Jeff Gordon (test)
U.S. Formula 2000 National Championship (1 driver)
#5 Kasey Kahne
Active drivers with race wins here: Jeff Gordon (5), Tony Stewart (2), Kurt Busch (1), Jimmie Johnson (1), Kasey Kahne (1), Kyle Busch (1), Juan Pablo Montoya (1), Robby Gordon (1)
Other winners: Ricky Rudd (2), Rusty Wallace (2), Ernie Irvan (2), Mark Martin (1), Dale Earnhardt (1), Geoffrey Bodine (1), Davey Allison (1)
Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte are the most experienced active drivers at Sonoma; both will be making their twentieth starts here on Sunday. All-time leaders Mark Martin and Terry Labonte have twenty-one each; neither driver is racing this weekend.
Non-stock car road course experience of drivers in the field by series:
Grand-Am Rolex Series - DP (19 drivers)
#1 Jamie McMurray
#7 Robby Gordon
#9 Marcos Ambrose (DNP in race)
#10 Tomy Drissi
#13 Casey Mears
#14 Tony Stewart
#16 Greg Biffle
#18 Kyle Busch
#22 A.J. Allmendinger
#24 Jeff Gordon
#27 Paul Menard
#32 Boris Said
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
#47 Bobby Labonte
#48 Jimmie Johnson
#51 Kurt Busch
#88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
#95 Scott Speed
#99 Carl Edwards (DNP in race)
Grand-Am Rolex Series - GT (7 drivers)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
#19 Chris Cook
#20 Joey Logano
#32 Boris Said
#34 David Ragan
#47 Bobby Labonte
#88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (GTS...more of a Le Mans-style car)
CART/Champ Car World Series (5 drivers)
#7 Robby Gordon
#13 Casey Mears
#22 A.J. Allmendinger
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
#51 Kurt Busch (test)
SCCA Trans-Am (5 drivers)
#7 Robby Gordon
#10 Tomy Drissi
#27 Paul Menard
#30 Brian Simo
#32 Boris Said
Formula One (4 drivers)
#14 Tony Stewart (demonstration)
#24 Jeff Gordon (demonstration)
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
#95 Scott Speed
American Le Mans Series - GT (4 drivers)
#10 Tomy Drissi
#30 Brian Simo
#32 Boris Said
#88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
SCCA World Challenge - GT (4 drivers)
#5 Kasey Kahne
#10 Tomy Drissi
#30 Brian Simo
#32 Boris Said
Race of Champions (4 drivers)
#13 Casey Mears
#24 Jeff Gordon
#48 Jimmie Johnson
#99 Carl Edwards
British Formula 3 (3 drivers)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
#95 Scott Speed
V8 Supercars (2 drivers)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
#32 Boris Said
SCCA National Championship Runoffs - T1 (2 drivers)
#30 Brian Simo
#32 Boris Said
Champ Car/CART Atlantic Championship (2 drivers)
#5 Kasey Kahne
#22 A.J. Allmendinger
Barber Pro Series (2 drivers)
#22 A.J. Allmendinger
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
Barber National Championship (2 drivers)
#22 A.J. Allmendinger
#95 Scott Speed
American Le Mans Series - LMP1 (1 driver)
#10 Tomy Drissi
A1GP (1 driver)
#95 Scott Speed
GP2 Series (1 driver)
#95 Scott Speed
International Formula 3000 (1 driver)
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
24H Series - SP2 (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
IMSA GT Championship - GTO (1 driver)
#7 Robby Gordon
IMSA Supreme GT Championship - GTS-1 (1 driveR)
#32 Boris Said
24 Hours of the Nüburgring (1 driver)
#32 Boris Said
American Le Mans Series - LMPC (1 driver)
#10 Tomy Drissi
World Endurance Challenge - GTE-Am (1 driver)
#55 Brian Vickers
Intercontinental Le Mans Cup - GTE (1 driver)
#47 Bobby Labonte (test)
Porsche Supercup (1 driver)
#10 Tomy Drissi
International Touring Car Championship (1 driver)
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
Grand-Am Continental Tire Challenge - GS (1 driver)
#32 Boris Said
SCCA RaceTruck Challenge (1 driver)
#7 Robby Gordon
SCCA National Championship Runoffs - GT1 (1 driver)
#32 Boris Said
ADAC GT Cup (1 driver)
#32 Boris Said
SCCA Corvette Challenge (1 driver)
#32 Boris Said
SCCA World Challenge - Super Production (1 driver)
#30 Brian Simo
CART Indy Lights (1 driver)
#13 Casey Mears
Formula 3 European Cup (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
Formula 3 France (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup (1 driver)
#95 Scott Speed
Formula Renault 2.0 Germany (1 driver)
#95 Scott Speed
Asian Formula Renault Challenge (1 driver)
#95 Scott Speed
Formula Opel Nations Cup (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
Formula Vauxhall (1 driver)
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya
Star Mazda Championship (1 driver)
#95 Scott Speed
European Formula Ford (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
British Formula Ford (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
Australian Formula Ford (1 driver)
#9 Marcos Ambrose
New Zealand Formula Ford (1 driver)
#22 A.J. Allmendinger
SCCA Spec Racer Ford Pro Series (1 driver)
#10 Tomy Drissi
Formula Super Vee (1 driver)
#24 Jeff Gordon (test)
U.S. Formula 2000 National Championship (1 driver)
#5 Kasey Kahne
Eric
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 06:42 PM
Instead of reading that disgustingly long list, here's a picture of Paul Menard ice racing a Mazda 323:
Eric
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 09:45 PM
And now we talk about racing.
First practice from Road America and the top three drivers all have F1 experience: Villeneuve, Piquet, and Papis. McDowell, Fellows, Hornish, and Paludo are the top seven; you have to go to eight to get a traditionally trained stock car driver. That's Justin Allgaier, with Brian Scott and Justin Bowles rounding out your top ten. Danica Patrick was twelfth, just under three-and-one-half seconds off Villeneuve's pace. Gap between first place Villeneuve and slowest Chase Miller? Nearly twenty-one seconds. TWENTY-ONE SECONDS! Miller is a start-and-park.
Over in the world of Sprint Cup, first practice was paced by Jeff Gordon, who needs to turn his season around. Surprises Truex and Bowyer followed, with the rest of the top ten reading Logano, Kyle Busch, Newman, Ambrose, Gilliland, Kurt Busch, and Johnson. Montoya was twenty-second; Robby Gordon was a disappointing thirty-fourth in a very old Dodge without factory support. Slowest was Stephen Leicht (P44), who was 4.611 seconds off Jeff Gordon's fast time.
Qualifying is on at 6:30 PM GMT -5 at goprn.com; it will not be televised live.
First practice from Road America and the top three drivers all have F1 experience: Villeneuve, Piquet, and Papis. McDowell, Fellows, Hornish, and Paludo are the top seven; you have to go to eight to get a traditionally trained stock car driver. That's Justin Allgaier, with Brian Scott and Justin Bowles rounding out your top ten. Danica Patrick was twelfth, just under three-and-one-half seconds off Villeneuve's pace. Gap between first place Villeneuve and slowest Chase Miller? Nearly twenty-one seconds. TWENTY-ONE SECONDS! Miller is a start-and-park.
Over in the world of Sprint Cup, first practice was paced by Jeff Gordon, who needs to turn his season around. Surprises Truex and Bowyer followed, with the rest of the top ten reading Logano, Kyle Busch, Newman, Ambrose, Gilliland, Kurt Busch, and Johnson. Montoya was twenty-second; Robby Gordon was a disappointing thirty-fourth in a very old Dodge without factory support. Slowest was Stephen Leicht (P44), who was 4.611 seconds off Jeff Gordon's fast time.
Qualifying is on at 6:30 PM GMT -5 at goprn.com; it will not be televised live.
Eric
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 09:48 PM
Meanwhile, practice two is underway at Road America, with about fourteen minutes left. Papis, McDowell, Piquet, Villeneuve, and Hornish at the top in that order. Danica Patrick is currently seventh; she and Hornish are split by Ron Fellows. Only 33 of the 43 entered drivers have elected to participate in this session.
Eric
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 10:01 PM
Well, any conflict with the European Grand Prix may have been alleviated for me. I've heard that the U.S. will get Leigh Diffey doing play-by-play this weekend as Bob Varsha had a prior commitment. My enjoyment of F1 cannot outweigh the agony Leigh Diffey's commentary, nice of a guy as he is, puts me through. A corny street stock sideshow, Leigh Diffey (or Ben Edwards, who has a similar style) is great. An actual race? Calm yourself.
Anyway, in Nationwide, Cole Whitt will be in a backup car, and therefore starting last. He's ninth on the time charts right now, and will likely stay there, as rain has started. Nationwide will race in the rain, but with two minutes left in practice, there's no real point in changing over anyway.
Papis, McDowell, Piquet, Villeneuve, Hornish, Fellows, Patrick, Sadler, Whitt, Dillon the top ten. Kennedy a surprise in eleventh with Bowles, Braun (filling in for Kurt Busch), Allgaier, Stenhouse, Bliss, Habul (who?), Sweet, Young (who?), and Annett the top twenty.
Anyway, in Nationwide, Cole Whitt will be in a backup car, and therefore starting last. He's ninth on the time charts right now, and will likely stay there, as rain has started. Nationwide will race in the rain, but with two minutes left in practice, there's no real point in changing over anyway.
Papis, McDowell, Piquet, Villeneuve, Hornish, Fellows, Patrick, Sadler, Whitt, Dillon the top ten. Kennedy a surprise in eleventh with Bowles, Braun (filling in for Kurt Busch), Allgaier, Stenhouse, Bliss, Habul (who?), Sweet, Young (who?), and Annett the top twenty.
Eric
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 10:32 PM
Robby Gordon is retiring from NASCAR after Sunday's race. I hope he gives it a good run. He's raced everything, and raced it damn hard. On his own terms, too. He does his own work on his own cars and does it all. He'll still be racing, of course, just not in NASCAR. Come on Robby...
Eric
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 10:43 PM
Of course all anyone cares about with Robby's retirement is whether or not Danica will switch from #10 to #7 for 2013. 
http://www.goprn.com/live/ Qualifying live on radio.
Stephen Leicht had an engine failure in practice, so he hasn't gone out for his run. Tomy Drissi is out there. Drissi owns the company that produces promotional displays for movies to be displayed in cinemas, i.e. cardboard cutouts of movie characters or things placed in the lobby. As a result, Drissi has sponsorship from 20th Century FOX, and has Ice Age whatever number it is on the car now (I think it's 4...I only saw the first one...who knew they were still making them...)
http://www.goprn.com/live/ Qualifying live on radio.
Stephen Leicht had an engine failure in practice, so he hasn't gone out for his run. Tomy Drissi is out there. Drissi owns the company that produces promotional displays for movies to be displayed in cinemas, i.e. cardboard cutouts of movie characters or things placed in the lobby. As a result, Drissi has sponsorship from 20th Century FOX, and has Ice Age whatever number it is on the car now (I think it's 4...I only saw the first one...who knew they were still making them...)
Eric
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 10:49 PM
David Mayhew has a unique game plan: he is qualifying the #98, and I believe parking it in the race. After that, he will move over to his buddy Kevin Harvick's pit. In the event Harvick has to leave for the birth of his first child, Mayhew will then step in.
Eric
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 10:50 PM
Robby Gordon isn't retiring now? Okay I'm confused.
Eric
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 10:51 PM
Robby Gordon is done for 2012, but has sponsorship for two races in 2013-2014? Well anywya I hope he does well whatever is happening.
Eric
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 10:53 PM
According to NASCAR.com, Sonoma Raceway is 1.9900000095367432 miles.
Eric
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Posted 22 June 2012 - 11:09 PM
Robby Gordon didn't have forward bite...focusing on fuel mileage and tire wear...said he'll be back for Daytona 2013 so he hasn't retired.
Trying to keep track of all these hockey trade rumors at the NHL draft.
If Ambrose wins, Stanley Tools and Ace Hardware will donate $1,000,000 to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Even if they don't win, they'll still donate at least $100,000.
Trying to keep track of all these hockey trade rumors at the NHL draft.
If Ambrose wins, Stanley Tools and Ace Hardware will donate $1,000,000 to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Even if they don't win, they'll still donate at least $100,000.
Eric
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