Ryan Newman: Goes For The All-time Pole Record Three Is A Charm For Jimmie Johnson At Atlanta In The Loop: Not A One Man Show In Atlanta 2008 Rookie Class - Who Is Going To Shine This Year? Ryan ‘The Rocket’ Newman Likes His First Lap Out Front DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 4, 2008) — Starting up front is nothing new for Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge), especially with a nickname like ‘The Rocket’. Newman is tied for first with Buddy Baker for the most poles at Atlanta Motor Speedway with seven each. But Newman has never been able to parlay his great starting position into a win at Atlanta. Newman’s longtime coach and mentor Baker has done just that winning the 1979 spring race from the pole. Fourteen drivers have won from the pole, more than any other starting spot — most recently Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge) in 2006. Newman notched six consecutive poles through 2003-2005 and grabbed his seventh last year in this race. This week leading up to the Kobalt Tools 500, Newman talked about how special breaking the tie with Baker would be. “Atlanta has always been a place where I like to qualify, and it would be an honor to get the all-time pole record there. Buddy Baker really helped me throughout my racing career, and that’s why we named the car we won the Daytona 500 with after him.” “We always drove the tracks backwards because it gives you a different perspective of entry and exit points. That’s something we did at Atlanta when he was teaching me about the track and I have always qualified well there, so I think it would be an honor to both of us if I am able to get my eighth pole there this weekend.” Jimmie Johnson Looks To Be The First To Make It Three Straight After one of the most impressive seasons in NASCAR history last year the two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway pursuing his third consecutive victory after sweeping both races last season. Atlanta has been one of Johnson’s most proficient stops on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule, posting eight top-five and nine top-10 finishes including three wins (2004, and sweeping both races in 2007) in 13 starts. The NASCAR Loop Data statistics show Johnson is at the top of several pre-race categories at Atlanta, including Driver Rating (118.2), Average Running Position (5.652), and Laps in the Top 15 (93.7%). Rick Hendrick co-owns the No. 48 with Jeff Gordon and Hendrick has the second most wins at Atlanta with 10, behind the Wood Brothers’ 12.   This weekend Johnson looks to do something no other driver has done — win three in a row at Atlanta. Six times a driver has swept both Atlanta races in a single season: Marvin Panch (1965), Bobby Allison (1972), Bill Elliott (twice: 1985, 1992), Carl Edwards (2005), and Johnson (2007). And although the No. 48 team struggled at Las Vegas last week - Johnson finished 29th with an ill handling car - with an Average Finish of 9.7 look for the No. 48 car to improve upon its 14th-place points position. In The Loop: Johnson Not A One Man Atlanta Show The clear frontrunner this weekend has to be Jimmie Johnson, who swept last season at Atlanta and since 2005 ranks first in the series in Driver Rating (118.2), Average Running Position (5.7), Green Flag Speed (176.654 mph) and Laps in the Top 15 (94%). But then there’s Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford), winner of two consecutive races this season who swept Atlanta in 2005. Since 2005, Edwards has a Driver Rating of 102.8, an Average Running Position of 11.7, 131 Fastest Laps Run and 1,606 Laps in the Top 15. He’s always a threat at the 1.54-mile track – Edwards has finished outside the top 10 only once in seven starts, and was runner-up to Johnson in the last Atlanta race in October. Another driver looking forward to Atlanta is Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota), who dropped from third to 11th after a 43rd-place finish at Las Vegas. Stewart finished second to Johnson in this race last season, and has two wins, seven top fives and 11 top 10s in his Atlanta career. Since 2005, Stewart has a Driver Rating of 104.2 (second-best), an Average Running Position of 10.2 (third), 127 Fastest Laps Run (fifth) and 1,600 Laps in the Top 15 (fourth). Also watch for a strong run from Greg Biffle (No. 16 Jackson-HewittFord), who is having a bit of a comeback in 2008. He’s finished outside the top 10 in each of the last two seasons, but currently sits in sixth after a strong third-place run at Las Vegas. Biffle has yet to win a race at Atlanta, but has had solid runs since 2005. In the last six AMS races, Biffle has a Driver Rating of 103.5 (third), an Average Running Position of 9.4 (second), a series-high 201 Fastest Laps Run (first) and 1,651 Laps in the Top 15 (second). A Sit Down With NSCS Director John Darby at the Phoenix Test This week’s two-day NASCAR Sprint Cup Series test at Phoenix International Raceway has proven extremely beneficial to the 47 participating teams, said NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby on Tuesday afternoon. Sandwiched between last week’s event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and this Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the two-day session marked the fourth of six NASCAR-sanctioned tests in 2008. This season marks the first full year of competition for NASCAR’s new race car; teams ran it in 16 of 36 events in 2007, including both events at Phoenix. “I guess the Phoenix test is a little bit different than some of the other testing we’ve done this year because we’ve already competed at Phoenix twice,” Darby said Tuesday afternoon as testing laps wound down, citing pre-race preparations done by teams’ research and development programs. During testing teams can load their cars with telemetry and data-acquisition devices – something not allowed during competition – to compile a road map of Phoenix’s one-mile surface. All that research will be dumped into computer and simulation banks for further, detailed research. That data also translates to similarly-shaped Richmond International Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which host future 2008 events. “The information that they collected these past two days, even beyond tuning up for the race we’re going to have here in April, will be a benefit to all the teams,” Darby said. As the series prepares for Sunday’s event at Atlanta – the fourth thus far in 2008 – Darby says he’s pleased with the new car’s competitiveness. “I’m tickled with it right now,” he said, citing improved competition at the Auto Club Speedway in California and Las Vegas in succeeding weeks. “It’s fun to watch the cars race, and be as racy as they are this early in the year, especially at tracks that we haven’t been to before,” Darby added. 60 Years Of NASCAR: Atlanta Motor Speedway NASCAR’s 60th Anniversary celebration continues this weekend, as the three national series heads to one of the most historic tracks in the sport. Atlanta Motor Speedway hosted its first race in 1960, with Fireball Roberts taking the checkered flag. Since then, Atlanta’s Victory Lane has enjoyed a conveyor belt consistency of NASCAR champions. In total, 61 of the 97 Atlanta winners have won NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships. And for 14 years (from 1987-2000), the series champion was crowned at Atlanta, which was then the final race of the season. One of those finales is considered an epic moment in NASCAR history. The 1992 finale at Atlanta was Jeff Gordon’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup race, Richard Petty’s last race and featured what was then the closest points finish in history – Alan Kulwicki edged Bill Elliott by 10 points to win the championship. 2008 Raybestos Rookie Of The Year Class Update The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year class reads like a list of who’s who of open wheel racing over the past several years. Names like Sam Hornish Jr., Dario Franchitti and Patrick Carpentier. Dario Franchitti (No. 40 Fastenal Dodge) Sam Hornish Jr. (No. 77 Penske Truck Rentals Dodge) and Regan Smith (No. 01 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet) are heading to Atlanta looking to improve their points positions because all three are sitting outside the top-35 — 36th, 38th and 39th respectively. All three drivers have started the first three events on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule, but Hornish Jr. has the highest finish of all three with a 15th at Daytona. Franchitti and Smith both got their best finishes this season at California — 26th and 31st respectively. Patrick Carpentier (No. 10 Cintas Dodge) made his first start of the 2008 season last week at Las Vegas, but was caught in an accident on Lap 116 — he finished 40th. The NASCAR Season-To-Date Loop Data shows Hornish Jr. with a Driver Rating of (58.6), Smith with a Driver Rating of (37.8) and Franchitti with a Driver Rating of (33.2). Time Has Come For Teams Flirting With Top-35 Cut-Off; 2008 Points Are Criteria After 5th Race For the NASCAR Sprint Cup teams residing in the proximity of the 35th position in car owner points, the time has come to get it in gear. Atlanta Motor Speedway is the fourth stop on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, and the second to last chance for teams in the top 35 of the 2007 car owner points to guarantee themselves a spot on Sunday. Dave Blaney (No. 22 Caterpillar Toyota) driving for Bill Davis Racing sits on the bubble this week - 35th in the owner point standings with 212 points. Casey Mears (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) is currently 34th in the points after having a turn around season last year winning his first race at Charlotte and posting five top-five and eight top-10 finishes. But Mears hasn’t been able to carry his momentum from last season to this year after being in accidents on two consecutive weekends — Daytona and California. 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Owner Points – After 3 Races Position    Points   Team                   Owner                Driver 32nd          230        No. 44 Toyota       Michael Waltrip    Dale Jarrett 33rd           230        No. 55 Toyota       Michael Waltrip   Michael Waltrip 34th           219        No. 5  Chevrolet     Mary Hendrick    Casey Mears 35th          212         No. 22 Toyota      Bill Davis           Dave Blaney 36th          200         No. 40 Dodge        Felix Sabates      Dario Franchitti 37th          193         No. 7   Dodge        Robby Gordon     Robby Gordon 38th          192         No. 77 Dodge        Roger Penske      Sam Hornish Jr. NSCS Etc. NASCAR Weekly Teleconference: This week NASCAR was joined by Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Wrigley’s Big Red Dodge), Sam Hornish Jr., and J.J. Yeley (No. 96 DLP HDTV Toyota) during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing session at Phoenix International Raceway. Q: We will start off with our first guest, Juan Pablo Montoya. Juan, if you could just give us a brief update on how your morning went so far. Montoya: I think it went pretty good. We ran probably 20, 25 laps straight, tried a couple different things in the car, trying to understand where we need to go with the car and make some changes. … To see the complete transcript from this week’s NASCAR Teleconference from Phoenix log on to NASCARMedia.com. The Momentum: Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford) heads to Atlanta with a full head of steam after winning back-to-back weekends this season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at California and Las Vegas. Edwards swept both races in Atlanta in 2005, and the March event of 2005 was his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup win. For the first time in Edwards’ career he leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings, his previous best points position was third. Georgia Natives Coming Home: Reed Sorenson (No. 41 Target Dodge), Bill Elliott (No. 21 Little Debbie Ford) and David Ragan (No. 6 AAA Ford) are all from different parts of Georgia, but all call Atlanta Motor Speedway their home track. Sorenson is from Peach Tree City just 30 miles away from Atlanta. Elliott is from Dawsonville some 58 miles from Atlanta. Ragan is from Unadilla about 120 miles from Atlanta. Up Next: Food City 500 At Bristol Motor Speedway The fifth race on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule will be Sun., March 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Last year at Bristol’s Food City 500, the ‘New Car’ made its debut.  Kyle Busch (No. 18 Snickers Toyota) won the race, beating Jeff Burton  (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) to the finish line by just .064 seconds. Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet) sat on the Coors Light Pole for the Food City 500, his second pole of the year in 2007. Gordon went on to post seven poles in 2007— the most of any driver. The action kicks off on Sunday with driver introductions at 1:30 p.m., and the green flag is scheduled to drop at 2 p.m. for the 2008 running of the Food City 500. 2008 SCHEDULE, POLESITTERS, RACE WINNERS DATE RACE FACILITY 2008 POLESITTER 2008 RACE WINNER   *–Non-championship event. X–Qualifying canceled, field set by rule book.

The Race: Kobalt Tools 500
The Place: Atlanta Motor Speedway
The Date: Sunday, March 9
The Time: 2:00 p.m. (ET)
The Track: 1.54-mile oval
The Distance: 500.5 miles/325 laps
TV: FOX, 1:30 p.m. (ET)
Radio: PRN, SIRIUS Satellite Radio
2007 Winner: Jimmie Johnson
2007 Polesitter: Ryan Newman
2008 Points
Rk  Driver             Points
 1   Edwards            491
 2   Ky. Busch         470
 3   Newman            450
 4   Kahne               444
 5   Harvick              428
 6   Biffle                  427
 7   Burton               421
 8   Truex Jr.            371
 9   Sadler               368
10  Earnhardt Jr.      361
11  Stewart             355
12  Ku. Busch         348
Pre-Race Schedule: Friday—Practice, 3-4:30 p.m.; Qualifying, 6:45 p.m. Saturday—Practice, 11-11:45 a.m.; Final Practice, 12:20 -1:20 p.m.

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Driving With Blinders On: Coleman Excels At First-Time Tracks
Determined Burton Seeks Record Three Straight Atlanta Wins
Familiar Territory: Bires Has Experience, Success At Atlanta

In 17 starts last year, Brad Coleman collected a pole, three top fives and five top-10 finishes while running for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Pretty heady stuff for the teenager who also gained respect in the garage and praise from his team for his ability to hold his own in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

But despite running for one of the top teams in NASCAR, his was only a part-time deal. He longed for a full-time opportunity and found it during the off-season with Baker-Curb Racing, formerly Brewco Motorsports.

After the first three races with his new team this season, the move seems to be the right one.

With decent results at Daytona and California, Coleman (No. 27 Cottonelle Ford) truly broke through at Las Vegas. After celebrating his 20th birthday on Feb. 26, Coleman posted his best finish of the young season (ninth) and for the first time in his series career, climbed into the top 10 in the rankings.

Through his first 22 career races, Coleman has had a knack for strong finishes at tracks he’s never
seen before. Atlanta Motor Speedway will be another first-time drive for the Houston, Texas native.

His results at first-time tracks in 2007 were impressive. He was fourth in his first race at Milwaukee; he was ninth at Talladega (plus a pole); eighth at Montreal; fifth at Watkins Glen; 16th at Texas; 15th at Michigan and 17th at Bristol.

“It’s a challenge I’ve learned to handle well,” he said. “You just have to go out there, be smart and find your groove.”
 
Man On A Mission: Burton Seeks Third Consecutive Win At Atlanta

It’s hard to figure how Jeff Burton (No. 29 Holiday Inn Chevrolet) would be seeking redemption when he’s coming to Atlanta.

After all, he’s won the last two races at the 1.54-mile track and is a strong favorite to become the first NASCAR Nationwide Series driver to win three straight  there.

But he was forced to shut down last week at Las Vegas where he was also the defending race winner. He was in second place before an expired engine forced him to retire on Lap 157, his first DNF since 2006.

Needless to say—Burton, who along with Scott Wimmer, produced an owner championship last year for Richard Childress—is primed for this one.

“Obviously, Las Vegas was disappointing,” he said.  “(We were) fast all weekend, but we had some things go wrong that were out of our control.

“(But) I don’t dwell on disappointment. I use it as an opportunity to learn and improve as a driver.”

You Gotta Believe: Keselowski Grins And Bears It Through Unlucky Times

JR Motorsports recorded its first series victory when Mark Martin won at Las Vegas last Saturday. Seemingly a cause for celebration by the owner, two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet) as the driver added to his all-time record for series wins (48).

But the celebration was fairly subdued. Arguably the most respected driver in NASCAR, Martin inadvertently caused an accident with three laps to go that took out contenders Carl Edwards (No. 60 Scotts Ford) and Martin’s teammate, Brad Keselowski (No. 88 U.S. NAVY Chevrolet).

Keselowski was in prime position to challenge for his first win, similar to his situation last summer in Memphis during a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.

There, Keselowski, subbing for a suspended Ted Musgrave, was seemingly in control of  things when another late-race incident took him out of contention. But Keselowski’s resolve remains firm.

“Man, Carl and I ran each other hard, which is what you’re supposed to do,” he said.  “That’s what this series is about.  It’s about racing hard and going for wins. We were going for the win, both of us. I ran him hard, he ran me hard and (Martin) got in the back of him.

“It is what it is, but we’re showing a lot of promise. We’re about there. It was about the happiest I could be wrecking out of a race.”

In The Loop: Bulls-Eye On Burton At Atlanta Motor Speedway

In each of the last two races, it’s been Jeff Burton in victory lane during the NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

He’s made it look easy, too.

In the 2006 race, Burton racked up 75 laps led and had a comfy margin of victory of 1.419 seconds. Last season, he led 29 laps and came home 1.064 seconds ahead of then-teammate Kevin Harvick (No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet).

Burton’s statistics have been phenomenal over the two wins. He has a Driver Rating of 133.7, an Average Running Position of 3.9, 51 Fastest Laps Run and has run 96% of the total laps in the 15.

So figure Burton to have a bull’s eye on his bumper. Two other favorites looking to dethrone the 27-time series winner are Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Hellmann’s Dodge) and Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Arby’s Ford).

Kahne finished second to Burton in 2006 and has finished outside the top 10 only once in six Atlanta starts. In his three races since 2005, Kahne has a Driver Rating of 114.1, an Average Running Position of 5.2, a series-high 64 Fastest Laps Run and a series-high 580 Laps in the Top 15.

Kenseth, always dangerous on intermediate layouts such as Atlanta, won there in 2004 and has finished in the top 10 in each of the last five trips to the 1.54-mile track.

In the last three races, Kenseth has a Driver Rating of 114.4, an Average Running Position of 4.9, 48 Fastest Laps Run and 574 Laps in the top 15.

Also watch for NASCAR Nationwide Series regular Jason Leffler (No. 38 Great Clips Toyota) to make a play for the win. Though an accident ended his day after 62 laps last season, Leffler enjoyed a strong sixth-place run in 2006. In that race, Leffler earned a solid Driver Rating of 94.9.

David Stremme (No. 64 Atreus Homes & Communities Chevrolet), who had a fifth-place finish at Las Vegas last week, another track where he had strong Loop Data stats, could also be a factor. He has an Average Running Position of 15.4 at Atlanta since 2005.
 
NASCAR Nationwide Series Coverage At Atlanta

ESPN2 continues its season-long coverage of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown. 

Dr. Jerry Punch will be the lead announcer for ESPN2’s coverage, joined in the booth for analysis by 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Jarrett, one of the founding drivers of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Andy Petree.

Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will report from the pits, while two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Tim Brewer will be in the ESPN DISH Tech Center.

Allen Bestwick will host NASCAR Countdown with analysis by Jarrett and Brad Daugherty, a former winning team owner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, in the ESPN pit studio.

The race will be simulcast on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s signature broadband sports network, and on ESPN Deportes, the domestic Spanish-language network. The event also will be simulcast on ESPN MobileTV.

ESPN2 is the home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series all season, with selected races on ESPN and ABC.

The Director’s Take: Hitting Setups Critical At Atlanta Motor Speedway

“Handling will be a critical component during our race at Atlanta,” said Joe Balash, NASCAR Nationwide Series director of the series’ lone stop at the 1.54-mile track.

“The way our mile-and-a-half tracks are configured allows teams to reach high speeds. Atlanta is truly one of those tracks where aerodynamics and the mechanical grip of coil binding come together.  “Teams have to figure out their setups to get the biggest advantage.

“They’ll focus on balancing the handling of the car, working to make their cars grip and handle through the corners and carry higher corner entry speed so as to not push through the center.”

Atlanta Motor Speedway

Most Wins: Mark Martin (3)
Most Poles: Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Dick Trickle (2)
Quick Fact: Jeff Gordon won his first national series race at Atlanta in NASCAR Nationwide Series competition in 1992.

NNS Etc.

• Kelly Bires (No. 47 Clorox Ford), a former Wisconsin high school wrestling state champion, has a good grip on the start to his season. Competing in his first full year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with JTG Racing, Bires, 23, has posted two top-15 finishes in the first three races.

  Consistency has been his key; according to Loop Data, nearly 80% of his laps last week at Las Vegas were in the top 15.

  Bires is not only coming off a stout performance but comes to a track where he has experience. He has raced at Atlanta twice in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition, finishing 19th in 2006 in his national series debut and 10th last year before moving to the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

• The NASCAR Nationwide Series has its share of Georgia natives represented at their home track this weekend.
  
  David Ragan (No. 6 Discount Tire Ford - Unadilla) won the 2007 Raybestos Rookie of the Year award and is one of four drivers competing full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He began racing at the quarter-mile track at AMS when he was 12 years old.

  Jeffrey Roth, the front tire carrier for Kevin Harvick’s No. 33 Chevrolet, is from Washington, Ga.

  Atreus Homes & Communities, sponsor of Rusty Wallace Racing’s Nos. 64 and 66 Chevrolets, is based in Atlanta as is Aaron’s Sales & Lease, sponsor of David Reutimann’s No. 99 Toyota.

Raybestos Rookie of the Year Standings

Rank         Driver                 Points
1          Dario Franchitti          37
2          Bryan Clauson           25
3          Brian Keselowski       20
4          Cale Gale                    9

Results following Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Bill France Performance Cup Standings

Mark Martin’s win at Las Vegas last Saturday pulled Chevrolet even with Toyota in the Bill France Performance Cup standings, but Toyota holds the edge in wins, 2-1.

To date, Chevrolet (10) and Ford (6) are the only two manufacturers to win at Atlanta.

Up Next: Sharpie Mini 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway

The first short-track race of the season is up next for the NASCAR Nationwide Series on Saturday, March 15 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

ABC will broadcast its first NASCAR event of the season starting at 2 p.m. ET.

Defending series driver champion Carl Edwards won his first race of the year there last season, while Steve Wallace captured his first career series pole at the .533-mile track.

The Race: Nicorette 300

The Place: Atlanta Motor Speedway

The Date: Saturday, March 8

The Time:  2 p.m. ET

The Distance: 300.3 miles/195 laps

TV: ESPN2, 1:30 p.m. ET

Track Size: 1.54 miles

2007 Winner: Jeff Burton

2007 Pole: Kyle Busch

2008 Standings

1 Stewart        472
2 Ky. Busch    430
3 Harvick        430
4 Edwards      415
5 Ragan         409
6 Bowyer        396
7 Reutimann   369
8 M. Wallace  357
9 Franchitti#   344
10 Coleman    329

Schedule:
Friday—Practice 10:10-1:50 a.m.; Final Practice 1:05-2:50 p.m. Saturday—Qualifying,  9:15 a.m. (Impound).

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NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

Edwards Out Front And On A Roll:Carl Edwards has won two straight NASCAR Sprint Cup races and as a result, leads the series’ point standings. Victories the last two weeks at Auto Club Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway have returned Roush Fenway Racing to the top of the standings.The NASCAR Nationwide Series champion looks to continue his roll this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In 2005 he swept the season’s two AMS events, with the spring victory his first in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Competitive Balance Reflected By Early-Season Point Leaders            Edwards’ leading of the points marks the third consecutive week that a driver has led the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings for the first time. Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman was a first-time points leader coming out the season-opener, as was Kyle Busch coming out of the Auto Club 500 in Week 2.            Earnhardt Rides Runner-up Finish Into Standings’ Top 12:Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s impressive runner-up effort at Las Vegas has pushed him into this week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 12. Earnhardt, in his first year with Hendrick Motorsports, is 10th and starting to look like a contender once again.It’s been awhile. The last time Earnhardt was in the standings’ top 10 was the final week of 2006, when he finished the year fifth in points. The highest he got last year was 11th. Speaking of Comebacks…A resurgence is currently taking place for four other drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top 10: Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle and Elliott Sadler. All four have made Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup appearances in their career, and all four were afterthoughts in 2007. ·        Kahne, after a rough 2007, is the only driver to earn three top 10s in this season’s first three races. He made the Chase in 2006 after winning a series-high six races, but earned one top-five all last season. With a new sponsor and a renewed outlook, Kahne now sits fourth in the series standings.·        Newman broke an 81-race winless drought with his win at the Daytona 500, and now sits in third-place in the series standings. The last time he ranked in the top 10 in points was after the second race in the 2006 season (seventh). Newman made the first two Chases — in 2004 and 2005.·        Greg Biffle finished second in the final standings in 2005, and it’s been all downhill since. He failed to crack the top 12 in points last year and in 2006 only got as high as ninth. After a third-place finish at Las Vegas, he’s now in sixth.Sadler made the first Chase in 2004, and has since switched teams and finished outside the top 20 in both 2006 and 2007. A surprise sixth-place finish at Daytona and another top-15 at Vegas has Sadler in ninth place in the series standings. NASCAR’S 60th Anniversary Season Comes To History-Rich AtlantaThis season marks NASCAR’s 60th anniversary and during the sport’s first 60 years, Atlanta Motor Speedway has been a crucial historical contributor. For a number of years, Atlanta hosted the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series finale, such as in 1992 – Richard Petty’s final race in the series, Jeff Gordon’s first and a dramatic championship triumph by underdog driver/owner Alan Kulwicki.Atlanta Motor Speedway has been on the schedule since 1960 and has a history of bringing out the best in the best – 61 of the track’s 97 NASCAR Sprint Cup races have been won by series champions.

Close Finishes The Norm at AMS            Three of the top 10 closest finishes since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993 have come at Atlanta Motor Speedway:·            Dale Earnhardt finished 0.010 second ahead of Bobby Labonte in the fifth-closest race on March 12, 2000. ·            Kevin Harvick beat Jeff Gordon by 0.006 second on March 11, 2001, in the fourth-closest finish.                ·            Carl Edwards beat Jimmie Johnson by 0.028 second on March 20, 2005, in the 12th-closest finish (tied with Texas April 2004).  Local Flavor Large Part of Atlanta Weekend            A number of Georgia – and Atlanta-area – natives are at work in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series garages: 

• Chip Wile, Bill Davis Racing PR – Atlanta, went to UGA 
• Paul Caven, jack man on the No. 45 – Summerville  
• Jacob Norman, front tire changer on the No. 45 – Marietta  
• Jason Jones, rear tire carrier on the No. 5 – Rhine 
• Chris Golder, shock specialist on the No. 88 – Alpharetta  
• Kyle Lewis, rear tire changer on the No. 26 – Marietta  
• Dwayne Moore, rear tire carrier on the No. 01 – Hampton  
• Adam North, jack man on the No. 31 – Sonaraville  
• Andy Lally, No. 7 NCTS driver – Longtime Dacula resident (Originally from Northport, N.Y.). Spent considerable time in Dacula while competing in Grand Am series. 
• Shane Sieg, No. 07 NCTS driver – Tucker 
• Billy Ballew, owner No. 51 NCTS team – Blairsville 
• Kevin Gravitte, jack man for the No. 13 NCTS team – Conyers
• Note: Graduated from Mount Vernon Christian School and helped win state basketball titles his junior and senior years. Henry County’s basketball athlete of the year his senior season.

 Home-Grown Drivers:David Ragan (Unadilla) won the 2007 Raybestos Rookie of the Year award in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and is one of four drivers competing full time in the NNS and in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Reed Sorenson (Peachtree City) spent two full seasons in the NASCAR Nationwide Series before moving to the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He’s always pointed to a win at this track as a career highlight. NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES Coleman’s Big Climb:Brad Coleman’s ninth-place finish at Las Vegas was his best of the young season and also propelled him into 10th place in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings, the first time in his short 22-race career he’s been ranked in the top 10. Coleman, who turned 20 on Feb. 26, is in his first full-time season after moving from Joe Gibbs Racing to Baker Curb Racing. Burton Chasing Three-Peat:Jeff Burton, he of the 27 wins and 282 starts in his NASCAR Nationwide Series career, goes for his third consecutive victory at Atlanta this weekend. Burton would be the first driver to win three in a row at Atlanta. He’s already won three straight when he did so at Darlington from 2001-02. He and Scott Wimmer claimed the 2007 NASCAR Nationwide Series owner championship in the No. 29 Holiday Inn Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES

All Eyes On Kyle Busch: Kyle Busch will pilot the No. 51 Toyota again for Atlanta businessman Billy Ballew. Busch is the only driver expected to compete in the trucks, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Busch, winner of the 2005 and 2007 fall races at Atlanta, looks to start a winning streak this weekend and stay atop the drivers’ point standings.  Top Winners:The five drivers with the most victories in the series’ five most recent seasons (2004—2008) will compete in the American Commercial Lines 200. Of those drivers, all but Johnny Benson have won an Atlanta race during that span. NCTS Top Five Winners:Todd Bodine 13Johnny Benson 9Mike Skinner 8Ron Hornaday Jr. 7Kyle Busch 7 Competitive Track:Atlanta Motor Speedway holds the record for the closest finish on a superspeedway. Ron Hornaday, Jr.  (No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet) edged Bobby Labonte in March 2005 by .008 second to take the win.  On the flip side, Hornaday finished second to Kyle Busch last October by a margin of .971 second—the widest margin in the track’s seven series races.  The race’s final lead change has taken place with 12 or fewer laps to go in all seven races held in Atlanta. There were last lap passes for the win on two occasions: Bobby Hamilton and Mike Skinner (2004) and Kyle Busch and Jack Sprague (fall 2005).  Speed On Track:F1 driver Scott Speed is slated to race for Morgan-Dollar Motorsports at Atlanta and Martinsville. Speed made his stock car debut in the ARCA series with a seventh-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway last October. Speed will drive the No. 46 Chevrolet. Scott is not the first Speed in NASCAR.  Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Lake Speed (no relation) made his mark in the sport with 402 series starts (1980-1998) and one win at Darlington in 1988.

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It’s Early But Atlanta Motor Speedway Could Prove Pivotal To Title Race
The Racer’s Group May Be New To NASCAR But Not To Top Competition
Raybestos Rookie of the Year Class Holding Its Own In 2008

Hot Racing In Hotlanta

Two races into the season, Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.54 mile “intermediate” track, could be pivotal for one’s championship run.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion has won at least one race on an intermediate track in six of the last eight seasons (including 2006-07). 

Todd Bodine (No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) is off to a strong start after winning the season opener at Daytona International Speedway and a runner-up finish at Auto Club Speedway.

“First place one week, second the next – that’s how you win championships,” he said.

Bodine has visited Victory Lane at AMS, the same year he won the series championship in 2006.

Reigning series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 30 Camping World/VFW Chevrolet) and former series champion Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) have both snagged the checkered flag at Atlanta. 

Skinner, with an average starting position of second in seven starts at Atlanta, is looking to end his current six-race winless streak and add another series title to his resume.

Three-time series champion Jack Sprague (No. 2 American Commercial Lines/RVs.com Chevrolet) is chasing his first win at AMS, one of eight tracks on the series schedule where the driver has yet to take the checkered flag.

NASCAR Preseason Thunder testing at Atlanta gave the team confidence going into this weekend. Sprague posted top-five speeds both days.

“I think we are going back to Atlanta even better than we tested,” he said.

The driver added, “We need to begin to get the ball rolling in the right direction this season and I think this weekend is the perfect place for us to do that.”

Experienced Newcomers

TRG Motorsports may be new the new kid on the NASCAR block, but experience is something the team has. Since its inception in 1993, TRG (The Racer’s Group) has competed in and dominated the top level of sports car racing.

In the spring of 2007, owner and CEO Kevin Buckler made the decision to enter the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

On the decision to enter the series, Buckler said, “The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is extremely competitive. The guys are like gladiators out there.”

With the rookie duo of Andy Lally (No. 7 TRG Chevrolet) and Donny Lia (No. 71 TRG Chevrolet, Buckler and crew feel they have put together two teams that will hold their own in the series.

The first three-time Grand Am Rolex Series champion, Lally is competing in his first full NASCAR season and is on a mission to win in the series.

Lia joins TRG following an impressive 2007 season in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, which culminated with the series championship.

“I’m excited to be racing for TRG Motorsports. I know that we have good equipment and good people so I am confident heading into the season,” he said. 

Etc. & Quotable

• All Eyes On Busch … Kyle Busch will pilot the No. 51 Toyota again for Atlanta businessman Billy Ballew. Busch is the only driver expected to compete in the trucks, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta.

  Busch, winner of the 2005 and 2007 fall races at the track, looks to extend his winning streak this weekend and stay atop the drivers’ point standings.

  Busch looks forward to running again with the series. “It is great racing and it is fun to be able to go out there and run with these guys in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series,” he said.

  The driver added, “Anytime I can race with Billy Ballew, it is a lot of fun. We race to try to win, of course, every time we come out so to be able to go out there and have fun and race for points and for wins, it’s great. “

• Top Of The Winning Chart … The five drivers with the most victories in the series’ five most recent seasons (2004—2008) will compete in the American Commercial Lines 200.
  Of the five drivers, all but Johnny Benson have won five of the seven races at Atlanta.

NCTS Top Five Winners:
Todd Bodine  13, one win each season
Johnny Benson  9
Mike Skinner  8
Ron Hornaday Jr.  7
Kyle Busch  7

• Competitive Track … Atlanta Motor Speedway holds the record for the closest finish on a superspeedway. Ron Hornaday, Jr. edged Bobby Labonte back in March 2005 by .008 second to take the win. 

  On the flip side, Hornaday finished second to Kyle Busch last October by a margin of .971 second – the widest margin in the track’s seven series races.

  The race’s final lead change has taken place with 12 or fewer laps to go in all seven races held in Atlanta. There were last lap passes for the win on two occasions: Bobby Hamilton and Mike Skinner (2004) and Kyle Busch and Jack Sprague (fall 2005).

• Home Again … Tucker, Ga., native Shane Sieg (No. 07 Chevrolet) will make his third start at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend where his best finish is 13th (2004).

  The No. 13 ThorSport Racing Chevrolet team of driver Shelby Howard has a fellow Georgia native on its crew as well. Kevin Gravitte, who hails from Conyers, is the team’s jackman.

  Gravitte played basketball for Mount Vernon Christian School in two state championship seasons and was named team and title game’s Most Valuable Player.

  Championship team Kevin Harvick Inc. will have crew members making a homecoming as well. Austin Walker, the rear tire carrier and mechanic for the No. 2 ACL/RVs.com Chevrolet team, hails from Lawrenceville.

  Jeffrey Roth, rear tire carrier for Hornaday’s team, calls Washington, Ga., home.

  Roth will be pulling double duty for the weekend performing his duties for both the truck team and the No. 33 Camping World/RoadLoans.com/Rheem Chevrolet NASCAR Nationwide Series entry driven by Kevin Harvick.

• Speed On Track … F1 driver Scott Speed is slated to race for Morgan-Dollar Motorsports at Atlanta and Martinsville speedways. Speed made his ARCA stock car debut last October with a seventh-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway.

  Speed will drive the No. 46 Red Bull Chevrolet in Atlanta.

  Scott is not the first Speed in NASCAR.  Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Lake Speed (no relation) made his mark in the sport with 402 series starts (1980-1998) and one win at Darlington in 1988. Both are former karting champions.

• Double Duty … Bill Davis Racing drivers Skinner and Benson have stepped in to help pilot the No. 27 Toyota entry into the top 35 owners points of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

  Skinner ran the car last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where he had a strong qualifying run, placing the car fifth.

  Benson, winner of AMS’ NASCAR Nationwide race in 1995, will take over this weekend.

Rookies Holding Their Own

The seven Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidates are eager to take the green flag at Atlanta. And for good reason. Right out of the gate, the class is showing strength.

Colin Braun (No. 6 Con-way Freight Ford) and Phillip McGilton (No. 22 3Wide Life Toyota) held steady in the top 10 at Auto Club Speedway.

Fellow rookie classmates Justin Marks (No. 9 Crocs Toyota) and Brian Scott (No. 16 Shark Energy Drink/Albertsons Chevrolet) rounded out the top 10 the previous week in Daytona.

The 20-year-old Scott took the rookie points lead after California. But the competition is tight with only a single point separating he, Braun, Marks and McGilton. 

The driver sits 13th in the series point standings and is a mere 18 points out of 10th.

This weekend will not be his first time to race at Atlanta.

He made his fourth series start last fall at the track where he finished on the lead lap in the 19th position, three spots higher than McGilton.

“It will be good to go back to a track where I have raced a truck,” he said. “I know that’s going to be a big advantage not to have to learn the track for a change,” he added.

Marc Mitchell (No. 15 Hyprene Ergon Chevrolet) competed in an American Speedway Association race at AMS several years ago.

Up Next

Testing at Martinsville Speedway is scheduled for March 12-13, with March 14 as a rain date if necessary.   The season will continue with the Kroger 250 at Martinsville March 28-29.

Mike Skinner is the defending winner of last year’s  Kroger 250.  Skinner, who won from the pole, captured the coveted starting position, setting a track record qualifying run of 19.728 seconds, 95.985 mph. Skinner also won last October’s race at the track, becoming the first driver to sweep both races in the same season.

In The Loop: Kyle Busch Leads The Pack

Kyle Busch likely won’t relinquish his stranglehold on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points lead this weekend.

Not if he keeps up his startling numbers at Atlanta. Busch is 2-for-2 there, checking into Victory Lane in both 2005 and last season. And he did it in dominating fashion.

His stats are incredible. In the two wins, Busch has a Driver Rating of 141.2, an Average Running Position of 2.3, an average Green Flag Speed of 176.067 mph (which is almost a full mph faster than second-fastest Jon Wood, No. 21 The Barnhill Group Ford), and spent all but one of the 260 laps in the top 15.

Two drivers – one a youngster and one a veteran champion – could steal Busch’s glory. Wood, 26, had a strong sixth-place run the last time he raced at Atlanta (2006). In that top-10 finish, Wood scored a Driver Rating of 107.9, an Average Running Position of 7.4, had 13 Fastest Laps Run and spent 126 of the 130 laps in the top 15.

Also watch for 2006 series champion Todd Bodine, winner of this year’s opener at Daytona, to contend for the Atlanta win. Bodine won there in 2006 and has two runner-up finishes at the 1.54-mile track. In his six Atlanta appearances, Bodine has a Driver Rating of 109.5, an Average Running Position of 8.6, a series-high 80 Fastest Laps Run and 663 Laps in the Top 15 (83.9 percent).

This Week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders
(Through two races of the 25-race season)

• Points leader – Kyle Busch (365)
• Driver Rating – Todd Bodine (130.6)
• Winnings – Todd Bodine ($141,400)
• Laps led – Todd Bodine (74)
• Victories – Todd Bodine, Kyle Busch (1)
• Keystone Light Poles – Erik Darnell (1)
• Top-five finishes – Three drivers with two
• Top-10 finishes – Three drivers with two
• Raybestos Rookie Leader – Brian Scott (1 point over 3 drivers)
• Races led – Mike Skinner (18)
• Weeks in Top 10 – Nine drivers tied with 19

Director’s Take: Expect Competitive Racing

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Director Wayne Auton is pleased. So far, so good he said. “The American Commercial Lines 200 should be another exciting race, as AMS always seems to have.”

“With a test earlier this year at AMS, teams are really geared up for this event. With the new rules packages in place for 2008 and a California race under their belts, teams are working on figuring out the aero along with the horsepower these engines are producing and how it will impact the racing. I expect, and people will agree, it will be a very competitive race.”

Auton also has compliments for the season’s Raybestos Rookie of the Year class. “With two races under our belt, the rookie class has proven why this year may be the best rookie class in years in the NCTS.”

He added, “With a small point difference separating the rookie class from top to bottom and a variety of teams all having a good start to the 2008 season, it is really anyone’s guess who will be the Raybestos Rookie of the Year in 2008.”

Toyota On A Roll, Chevy Tops For Atlanta

Toyota is off to a strong start in 2008. The manufacturer claimed not only the No. 1 spot at Auto Club Speedway but six of the remaining top-10 positions.

Toyota has won five consecutive races beginning with Ted Musgrave’s (No. 59 Team ASE Racing Toyota) victory at Texas Motor Speedway Nov. 2, 2007 but  only two of seven races at Atlanta.

Chevrolet holds the most wins by a manufacturer for Atlanta with four.

2008 Manufacturers’ Championship Point Standings
Toyota    18
Ford       10
Chevrolet  9
Dodge      7

FAST FACTS

The Race: American Commercial Lines 200
The Place: Atlanta Motor Speedway
The Date: March 7, 2008
The Time: 9 p.m. ET
Race Distance: 200.2 miles/ 130 laps
TV: SPEED, 8:30 p.m. ET
Track Layout: 1.54-mile banked paved speedway
2007 Winner: Mike Skinner
2007 Pole: Mike Skinner

2007 Standings
Rank Driver                 Points
1       Ky. Busch            365
2       T. Bodine              345
3       J. Benson             340
4       D. Starr                284
5       R. Crawford           281
6       P. McGilton          261
7       C. McCumbee      255
8       D. Setzer             254
9       R. Hornaday Jr.    253
10     S. Compton          250

Schedule: Friday: Practice, 9-10 a.m. and 11:20 a.m.-12:50 p.m. Qualifying, 4:45 p.m.

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