Race Highlights:

    Richard Childress Racing teammates finished ninth (Paul Menard), 16th (Kevin Harvick) and 19th (Jeff Burton).

    Menard maintained an Average Running Position of 9.587, the eighth-best of the 43-car field and spent 163 out of 201 laps (81.1 percent) running in the top 15, earning a 101.2 Driver Rating.

    Menard ranked fifth in NASCAR's Loop Data category Fastest Drivers Early in a Run (190.674 mph), eighth in Green Flag Speed (190.212 mph) and 10th in Fastest Drivers Late in a Run (189.927 mph).
    According to NASCAR's Loop Data Statistics, Harvick maintained an Average Running Position of 16th and completed 84 Green Flag Passes during the Pure Michigan 400.
    Harvick ranked second in the Loop Data Statistics category Closers, gaining seven positions in the last 10 percent (20 laps) of the race.   
    Burton made 106 green-flag passes over the course of the 400-mile event.
    Greg Biffle captured his second victory of the 2012 season and was followed to the finish line by Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Marcos Ambrose.
    The next scheduled Sprint Cup Series race is IRWIN Tools Race Night at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 25. The 24th race of the 2012 season is scheduled to be televised live on ABC beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM beginning at 6:30 p.m.

 

    2011 CC Team Icon 27 NSCS Menards  

     Paul Menard, Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Team Finish Ninth at Michigan International Speedway

     

    Paul Menard started from the 10th position and drove the Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet to a ninth-place finish in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. When the green flag dropped on the 201-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series affair Menard powered into the top five by lap 10. Battling a tight-handling machine in the center of the turns, the No. 27 Chevrolet team lost track position but remained in the top 10. Crew chief Slugger Labbe called for air pressure and chassis adjustments during scheduled caution-period and green-flag pit stops throughout the race to help alleviate the challenges that Menard was facing on the No. 27 Chevrolet. A lap-137 pit stop under yellow-flag conditions and a subsequent visit to pit road under caution seven laps later, armed the neon yellow racer with fresh tires and a full tank of fuel. As teams began to make green-flag pit stops, Menard assumed the lead on lap 175. The Eau Claire, Wis., native made his final pit stop under caution on lap 182, forfeiting the point position for new tires, Sunoco Green E15 fuel and one last set of adjustments to improve the car's handling. Menard survived two final restarts, including a green-white-checkered finish, advancing from the 12th spot to cross the finish line in the ninth position.
     

     Start - 10                    Finish - 9                  Laps Led - 8                  Points - 15

     

    PAUL MENARD QUOTE:

     "It was a pretty good day for the Pittsburgh Paints/Menards team. We adjusted on the car's handling throughout the race and the pit crew was solid in the pits as always. We took a gamble at the end and thought we had more cars a lap down when they cycled through their green-flag pit stops and the caution came out. Still, we're happy with a top 10 and are looking forward to heading to Bristol (Motor Speedway) next weekend."  

       

     

     

    2011 CC Team Logo 29 Jimmy Johns     

    Kevin Harvick and the Jimmy John's Team Finish 16th at  

    Michigan international Speedway

     

    Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Jimmy John's team finished 16th at Michigan International Speedway after battling handling issues during the Pure Michigan 400. The 36-year-old driver started from the 20th position and ran within the top 20 as he fought a tight-handling Chevrolet. Harvick brought the Richard Childress Racing machine down pit road under yellow and green-flag conditions as the Jimmy John's pit crew executed two and four-tire pit stops with air pressure and chassis adjustments, in an effort to combat the handling issue on the No. 29 Chevrolet. As the 201-lap event neared an end, the caution flag was displayed for the final time with five laps remaining in the event. During the caution period, crew chief Shane Wilson called Harvick to pit road for right-side tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment on lap 196 for one final attempt to correct the handling issue. The RCR driver was scored in the 17th-position for the green-white-checkered restart and was able to pick up one spot during the final laps, crossing the finish line 16th. The top-20 finish moved Harvick up one position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, to eighth, 85 points behind the leader.

     

    Start - 20                   Finish - 16                   Laps Led - 0                    Points - 8

     

    KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:

    "Obviously, that was not the kind of day we were expecting to have. Our team struggled all weekend to find the speed and setup we needed to get the Jimmy John's Chevrolet out front. We'll regroup this week and switch our focus to Bristol (Motor Speedway)."

     

     


    Jeff Burton and the Wheaties Chevrolet Team Finishes 19th at Michigan International Speedway

     

    After starting from the 32nd position in the Pure Michigan 400, Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Wheaties Chevrolet team scored a 19th-place finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Michigan International Speedway. As soon as the green flag was displayed, Burton showcased speed by passing 10 competitors in the first two laps. Crew chief Drew Blickensderfer played different strategies throughout the day, taking only right-side tires only during most of the routine pit stops while Burton ran in the top 20. By lap 140, the South Boston, Va., native climbed his way into the eighth position. On a lap-148 restart, the 21-time Sprint Cup Series race winner made contact with another competitor, sending the No. 31 Wheaties Chevrolet back in the field. Burton overcame handling challenges of the car and passed three cars over the final portion of the 201-lap event to bring home a 19th-place finish. Burton now sits 20th in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

     

    Start - 32                     Finish - 19                    Laps Led - 0                  Points - 20

     

    JEFF BURTON QUOTE:

    "While we were expecting a better finish than 19th-place, I felt like this team played a good strategy today. We were much improved from the first time we came to Michigan (International Speedway) in June. We were able to test at Bristol (Motor Speedway) a few months ago so I plan to improve on my top-10 finish there in March next Saturday under the lights."

RCR PR

Country music star Luke Bryan will perform a pre-race infield concert on Sunday, September 16, at Chicagoland Speedway as a prelude to the GEICO 400 and the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. All fans with a race ticket can enjoy the concert from the grandstands, and for the first time ever season ticket holders and fans with pit passes will be able to walk down to the infield to enjoy one of country music’s premier talents. Bryan will also be performing the National Anthem prior to the GEICO 400 getting underway.

The concert will take place from the grass in the tri-oval, which can be accessed through newly-installed crossover gates in the grandstands. Fans can also remain in the infield during driver introductions for an up-close-and-personal experience like never before. For NASCAR fans unable to attend the race, ESPN will carry one song from Bryan’s live performance during NASCAR Countdown (1p.m. ET).

“Adding an artist of Luke Bryan’s caliber and appeal to our GEICO 400 pre-race festivities only increases the excitement that the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup brings,” said Scott Paddock, Chicagoland Speedway president. “By providing our fans access to the infield and an up close and personal look at what is sure to be a remarkable concert performance, we’re confident that we will provide them with an experience that will exceed all expectations.”

All fans with a race ticket will be able to see the concert from the grandstands, with the ability to purchase a pit pass for infield access. A special “Luke Bryan Fan Section” package is also available in the grandstands. For more information on the Luke Bryan concert, visit www.ChicagolandSpeedway.com.

Bryan recently scored his third consecutive Platinum single with “Drunk On You” from his Platinum-certified album, tailgates & tanlines.  The single joins previous Platinum tracks “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” and the two-week #1 hit “I Don’t Want This Night To End.” Luke is one of only three country artists, including Jason Aldean and Taylor Swift, to have three consecutive Platinum-selling tracks on their current album.  Bryan was named “Top New Artist” by the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2010 and won “Male Video of the Year” for “I Don’t Want This Night To End” at the 2012 CMT Music Awards.

Chicagoland Speedway is the first race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup this September – the first of ten ‘playoff’ style NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in pursuit of the 2012 championship. The Dollar General 300 powered by Coca-Cola NASCAR Nationwide Series will kick off the weekend on Saturday, Sept. 15 with the GEICO 400 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup concluding the weekend on Sunday, Sept. 16.

CLSPR

 Jason White knew the hard work of his GunBroker.com team was going unnoticed. On Saturday in the Irish Hills of Michigan, it all came together for the young race team and their No. 23 GunBroker.com Ford.  White earned a career best second place finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series running of the 13th Annual VFW 200 at Michigan International Speedway.

White started the 200-mile event from the 12th position as a result of his qualifying effort earlier in the day at the recently repaved 2-mile oval. He would begin the race fighting a “tight” condition, but a great adjustment on the team’s first pit stop had the No. 23 Ford rocketing to the front of the field.   With track position at a premium with limited racing grooves, crew chief Doug George made a decision to gamble and come down pit road just past the halfway mark for fuel right on the edge of their pit window.  The strategy would pay off perfectly with Jason charging to the second place finish.

“This is awesome for me and this GunBroker.com team,” stated White. “We had a strong truck all weekend and after that first pit stop we were one of the fastest trucks on the track.  With the track having just one groove of racing, we knew it would come down to a track position battle at the end. We made a decision to take a gamble on the fuel mileage and it paid off for us.  I saved as much as I could the last few laps and actually ran out on my cool down lap, so the guys had it calculated just right.  I knew we were on the verge of performances like this and hope it serves as a spring board for the remainder of the season.”

White, who earned his fifth top-10 finish of the season, maintains his 10th position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers’ standings – 15 points out of the ninth position.

“I am very proud of the guys on this team,” added Jason.  “We are a single truck team competing against much larger organizations but we have a close knit atmosphere here with these guys. They put forth a tremendous effort and take pride in what we accomplish.  While I am proud of myself for getting my best NASCAR finish, this is really a testament to the hard work of the guys on this team. I firmly believe we are ready to visit Victory Lane and that is just around corner for this team.”

Jason and his GunBroker.com team have very little time to enjoy this finish as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action on Wednesday August 22nd when the series visits Bristol Motor Speedway for the very popular running of the UNOH 200.

WWIPR

Richmond International Raceway has options available for fans to upgrade their September 7 & 8 race day experiences with packages that include pre-race pit passes, exclusive driver appearances, food & beverage and much more.

Pit Stop Club ($2,300 per group of 8), includes:

·         Eight reserved grandstand seats in the Commonwealth Mezzanine on the frontstretch for the Saturday, September 8, Federated Auto Parts 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race

·         Guided garage tours for each guest
·         Pre-race pit passes for each guest
·         Exclusive Q&A with NASCAR drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano
·         Two VIP parking passes
·         Admission to the Pit Stop Club hospitality area, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., which includes a full dinner buffet with beverages – complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks and water

Torque Club ($800 per person), includes:

·         Reserved, outdoor stadium seat with arm rests, cup holders and in-seat beverage service for both the Federated Auto Parts 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race
·         Pre-race pit pass for both days
·         All-inclusive gourmet food package
·         Unlimited soft drinks and water
·         Adult beverage tickets
·         Reserved parking
·         Access to the indoor, air-conditioned lounge

Veranda Club ($320 per person), includes:

·         Reserved seat in the top row of the Veranda grandstand for both the Federated Auto Parts 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race
·         Pre-race pit pass for Saturday, September 8
·         Exclusive Q&A with NASCAR drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano
·         Guided garage tour on Saturday, September 8
·         VIP parking for both September 7 and September 8
·         Access to the Pit Stop Club hospitality area prior to the Federated Auto Parts 400 on Saturday, September 8, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., which includes a full dinner buffet with beverages – complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks and water

For more information on these options, please call RIR’s Corporate Sales Office at 804-228-7611 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

RIR PR

The first twelve races of the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season have been a learning experience for rookie Ross Chastain. There are many ups and downs for young drivers and it’s all part of the learning curve that a rookie goes through competing in one of NASCAR’s top touring series.

On Saturday afternoon, Ross and the SS Green Light team ran the entire gamut of emotions while having a very solid run in the Melon 1 / Engine Parts Plus Toyota running inside the top-fifteen for nearly the entire NCWTS VFW 200 at the Michigan International Speedway.

Through different pit strategies during the middle stages of the 100-lap event the rookie driver found himself running in the top-five with less than five laps remaining before having to pit for a splash of fuel and dropped all the way to eighteenth at the checkers behind first-time winner Nelson Piquet Jr.

Chastain was featured on SPEED-TV’s “NCWTS Setup” show as former Daytona 500 winner and NCWTS announcer Michael Waltrip joined Ross at one of Melon 1’s watermelon farms in Delaware to explain the process of growing and distributing watermelon throughout the United States.

Ross qualified for the VFW 200 in twenty-first with a lap of 40.27 seconds at over 178.75 mph on the freshly re-paved two-mile speedway in the Irish Hills of Michigan. The Melon 1 / Engine Parts Plus Toyota would not stay back in the field for long as Ross moved up five spots in the first ten laps and then into the top-fifteen where he would stay for the entire race before pitting with less than five laps to go.

“We had a very good handling truck,” Chastain said. “We didn’t have the overall speed to run with the front trucks. I really don’t understand everything yet with all the aerodynamics on these trucks; between the amount of downforce and drag we just didn’t have the outright speed some of the other trucks had, but we were pretty good around other trucks.”

“We weren’t quite fast enough to lead a pack, but when I got behind a couple trucks and helped push we could run faster lap times. I could really eat them up in the corners and that was a bit frustrating.”

“We kind of pit on accident on that last caution. They told me to come if the other trucks came, one or two in front of me came to the pits and I followed them and then no one came behind me. We could have restated about eighth or ninth. But once we were going on the long green I thought it as a good thing we came in,” Chastain explained. “Several of the other trucks made it to the end, but they tell me we wouldn’t have made it. I guess it’s the program we are on with the combination of aero and motor. It’s just one of those things. If there was a late caution we might have been right in a perfect spot to make it to the end.”

“At three or four races earlier this year we would have been happy with an eighteenth place finish,” Ross concluded. “Realistically we were a tenth to thirteenth place truck and if things had worked out a little differently with the stops we could have lucked our way to a top-five. We were running ahead of Dakota (Armstrong) when we came into the pit and we were right behind Jason White so we could have been right there in third or forth.”

“We learned a lot, but in the end we just needed a little more gas in the tank!”

Chastain picked-up one position to sixteenth in the NCWTS point standings as the SS Green Light Racing Team quickly prepares for Wednesday night’s UNOH 200 at the Bristol Motor Speedway.

SS Green Light Racing PR

Ryan Newman turned up the “WIX” in the Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. The driver of the No. 39 WIX Filters Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) put in a gutsy performance as he fought through sickness and an ill-handling racecar to finish eighth. It was Newman’s eighth top-10 finish this season and his fifth top-10 in the last six races.

Newman, who fought flu-like symptoms Sunday, was able to maintain a hold on the second of two wild-card spots in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with three races to go before the Chase begins Sept. 16 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill.

“I’m actually better now than I was getting into the racecar,” Newman said. “I think adrenaline takes over for most of that part. It was just a good run for the WIX Filters Chevrolet. We need to win, no doubt, but if we can manage those others guys, then we’re doing a good thing. A win is going to answer a lot of questions, and we’re all trying really hard.

“I think we had a 10th-place car today and we finished eighth, so that’s a bonus. I’m just proud of the guys – they kept working on this WIX Filters Chevrolet. We all worked hard today to have a good run and hold onto that wild card. Everything was good. We’ve just got to get great.”

Only the top-10 in points are locked into the 12-driver, 10-race Chase. Positions 11 and 12 in the Chase are wild cards, awarded to the two drivers between 11th and 20th in points who have the most wins. In the event of multiple drivers having the same number of wins, a driver’s point standing serves as the tiebreaker.

Kasey Kahne holds the 11th-place wild-card spot thanks to his two victories, the most of any driver outside the top-10. Newman has the 12th-place wild-card spot by virtue of his April 1 victory at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, combined with his 13th-place position in the point standings, which is higher than his fellow single-race winners in the top-20 in points – Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Marcos Ambrose and Joey Logano.

For Newman, Sunday’s race was an exercise of determination. He started 15th and broke into the top-10 for the first time on lap 12. Soon after that, however, Newman told crew chief Tony Gibson that the handling on his WIX Filters Chevy needed to be tighter. After just a few laps in the top-10, Newman fell back to 12th.

On lap 35, Newman pitted under green-flag conditions for four tires, fuel and wedge and air-pressure adjustments. Newman returned to the track in 21st, but his car remained “unsettled.” It started the run tight and then became loose over the course of the next green-flag run.

Despite the uncomfortable handling of the racecar, Newman had moved up to 13th by the time the caution flag waved on lap 65. Newman pitted for four tires, fuel and another air-pressure adjustment. Shortly thereafter, Newman radioed that the adjustments did not help his WIX Filters car. He told his crew that it was “way too loose” and that the adjustments they had been making were not keeping up with the changing conditions of the 2-mile oval.

Under caution on lap 88, Newman, who had been running in 18th, brought his gold-and-black Chevy back to the attention of his crew on pit lane. They executed a wedge adjustment, added fuel and changed right-side tires. He returned to the track for the lap-92 restart in 21st.

As the race wore on, loose turned out to be the theme of the day for Newman and his WIX Filters Chevrolet.

By lap 150, Newman had climbed back into the top-10. However, he told his crew he still needed to be “snugged up” in order to gain spots on the racetrack. He pitted under green on lap 165 for another wedge and air-pressure adjustment, four tires and fuel. He returned to the track in 20th.

Although Newman now had the fuel to make it to the end, the racecar was still too loose for his liking. When the caution flag waved on lap 182, Gibson opted to give up 15th place and bring Newman back down pit road to take a big swing at tightening the racecar. He pitted under caution for right-side tires and a wedge adjustment. Newman returned to the track for the restart in 13th.

The South Bend, Ind., native was determined to overcome his sickness and the loose racecar and get a top-10 finish at the track he considers home. Newman made a gutsy, three-wide move on the lap-187 restart and picked up five spots to move from 13th to eighth, which is the position he held until the checkered flag flew.

Newman’s teammate and SHR co-owner, Tony Stewart, finished 32nd after engine issues forced the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet to retire early.

Greg Biffle won the Pure Michigan 400 to score his 18th career Sprint Cup victory, his second of the season and his third at Michigan.

Brad Keselowski finished .416 of a second behind Biffle in the runner-up spot, while Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Ambrose rounded out the top-five. Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Newman, Paul Menard and Martin Truex Jr., comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were eight caution periods for 35 laps, with 15 drivers failing to finish the 201-lap race, which was extended one lap beyond the scheduled race distance by a green-white-checkered finish.

With round 23 of 36 complete, Stewart continues to lead the SHR duo in the championship point standings. He fell one spot to ninth and has 728 points, 95 back of new series leader Biffle and one point ahead of 10th-place Denny Hamlin with a 34-point cushion over 11th-place Kahne. Newman remained 13th in the standings and has 680 points, 143 behind Biffle and 47 behind Hamlin.

TSC

Trevor Bayne and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew went into Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 hoping to put behind them a disappointing run at Michigan International Speedway back in June, when engine troubles ended their day just after the start.

Bayne and his No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion didn’t make it to the end of Sunday’s race unscathed, but the overall performance certainly was impressive.

Bayne started sixth, ran as high as fifth early on, and was in the top 10 for most of the race. With 18 laps remaining, troubles arose, by way of a cut down left front tire, leaving him 24th in the finishing order.

“We had a good car and our strategy was going to work out at the end, but we cut down a left-front tire,” team co-owner Eddie Wood said.

The tire ripped apart the front end of the Wood Brothers’ Ford Fusion and caused Bayne to brush the outside wall in Turn One.

The Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew made quick repairs, but the team’s hopes for a top-10 finish or better were no longer a possibility.

Wood said that despite the outcome, he was proud of his team and his young driver, who was making just his 27th start in NASCAR’s elite Sprint Cup Series.

“Trevor did a good job all day,” he said. “He was especially good getting in and out of the pits.”

Wood also was pleased to leave Michigan, the home track for the U.S. automakers, with a Ford Fusion in Victory Lane, despite meaning that his team no longer held a share of the record for all-time Cup victories there.

Greg Biffle’s victory gave his car owner, Jack Roush, 12 Michigan victories, breaking a tie with the Wood Brothers.
“Congratulations to Jack Roush,” Wood said. “If we had to lose that record – for now – to anyone, we’d rather it be to our great friend Jack, whom we’ve known since back in the 1970s.”

Next up for Bayne and the Wood Brothers is the Sept. 2 AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where the Woods still hold the all-time record with 12 Cup victories.

Wood Brothers Racing PR

After a two-race reprieve from experiencing an unusual amount of bad luck, the black cloud returned with a force Sunday for Regan Smith, who saw a solid performance ruined in the Pure Michigan 400 when his car got clipped and sent crashing into the wall.

The Lap 75 of 200 incident at Michigan International Speedway was triggered when the No. 9 car of Marcos Ambrose came up on Smith's car and tagged the left-rear fender. The contact resulted in Smith's  No. 78 Chevrolet spinning out of control and eventually into the concrete barrier, causing major left-side damage.

The Furniture Row Racing driver, who was running in the top-12 at the time of the Turn 4 accident, was forced to drive his heavily damaged car to the garage where the crew made repairs. Smith returned to action on Lap 113 and finished 29th in a crippled race car.

"We came into Michigan with high expectations and we were delivering until an unnecessary move by the No. 9 car spoiled another strong performance by our Furniture Row/Farm American Chevrolet," said Smith, who posted ninth-place finishes at the last two Sprint Cup Series races. "We had at least another top-10 car and not much to show for it. I thought our luck cycle was changing. But I guess not -- a very disappointing day to say the least."

Smith started the scheduled 400-mile race from the 18th position and was able to move further to the front well before the race reached the halfway mark. Smith's crew chief Todd Berrier called for a few adjustments early in the race which gave Smith more grip on the 2-mile oval.  

"We were getting better and better, and I was confident that the improvement was going to continue for the remainder of the race," explained Smith.  "But we just never got to show what we really had. It bothers me that what happened could easily have been avoided."

Though the accident left Smith and his Furniture Row Racing teammates disappointed for the day, it didn't crush the confidence and enthusiasm levels for the resurgent single-car operation, which is based in Denver, Colo.

"Performance is what you always look for and right now we have speed and feel that we can run inside the top-10 from here on in," said Smith, who remained 23rd in points. "It's just avoiding the bad luck and being in the wrong place and the wrong time."

The race winner was Greg Biffle. Rounding out the top-10 in order were: Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Marcos Ambrose, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Paul Menard and Martin Truex Jr.

There were 16 lead changes among 10 drivers and six cautions for 27 laps.

FRR PR

Parker Kligerman
No. 7 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra
Start: 11th
Finish: 4th
Point Standings: 5th

Making his first start in the No. 7 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra on Saturday at Michigan International Speedway, Parker Kligerman set his sights on a solid finish to bring home after his crew worked countless hours to put together his Tundra for competition over the past week. New pavement on the two-mile asphalt oval created pack racing that relied heavily on drafting, much like restrictor plate racing. Kligerman put his driving skills to work and raced tight with the lead pack from the drop of the green flag, allowing him to pull away with a fourth place finish.

Very content after climbing into the seat of his No. 7 Red Horse Racing Tundra for the first time on Friday, Kligerman finished two of the three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) practice sessions prior to the scheduled end time. Crew chief Chad Kendrick and Kligerman agreed that the race would come down to hanging on in the draft and avoiding incidents to make it to the end for a chance at the win. With that strategy in mind, along with a stout Tundra underneath him, Kligerman methodically picked his way into the lead pack, just outside the top-five within the first few laps of the VFW 200.

Calling to Kendrick for the first time on lap eight, Kligerman reported his Tundra was too loose for his liking, especially in the draft in turns three and four. His first chance to pit came on lap 13 during the first debris caution, allowing his Red Horse Racing crew to make a few adjustments and help tighten him up.

After the restart, Kligerman continued his charge while drafting with the leaders through the next portion of the event, staying just within striking distance. His No. 7 Tundra still remained a little loose in traffic, but Kendrick assured his driver that everyone was fighting the same battle and he just needed to hang on until the end.

Following the final caution of the afternoon on lap 59, Kligerman held his position with the front pack and found himself in contention as the laps wound down. Crew chief Chad Kendrick called his driver down pit road with less than 15 laps remaining and the Red Horse Racing pit crew gave their driver enough fuel to make it to the finish. Running in seventh when the white flag flew, Kligerman passed a couple of trucks as they ran out of fuel in front of him and the No. 7 Tundra came across the finish line in fourth place.

"No one had told me there was fuel mileage racing at the end of the race, so when we passed a few trucks there on the last lap, I thought I just made a pass for the win," Kligerman described.

"But fourth place is an awesome start for this No. 7 Red Horse Racing team. I can't say thank you enough to Toyota, Toyota Racing Development and everyone on this team that spent so many hours in the shop over the past week to get this Tundra to the track. I'm so thankful for this opportunity and I look at a run like we had today and I know that this is an organization that can go win the championship."

No. 11
Todd Bodine
No. 11 Toyota Care Toyota Tundra
Start: 15th
Finish: 24th     
Point Standings: 14th  

The No. 11 Toyota Care Tundra team and Todd Bodine entered the VFW 200 at Michigan International Speedway optimistic to rebound after a plague of bad luck. Bodine battled forward after starting from the rear of the field due to a mechanical repair after qualifying and captured the lead just before halfway. While battling inside the top-five, Bodine was tagged by another competitor and sustained significant left side damage, which would ultimately cut down his left rear tire and end his afternoon a few short laps later with a 24th place finish.

During his qualifying lap on Saturday morning, Bodine felt a vibration underneath this Toyota Care Tundra. Taking all precautions and not leaving anything to chance, crew chief Rick Gay and his crew quickly changed the transmission and rear end gear in their Tundra. The changes would force Bodine to start from the tail of the field, but would remedy the vibrations he felt.

Wasting no time after the drop of the green, the two-time NCWTS champion broke into the top-20 before lap 10. He reported only a slight loose handling condition, which Gay would remedy with a minor chassis adjustment and four fresh tires under the first caution on lap 12. Bodine remained quiet after the restart, continuing to work his way through the pack up into the top-15.

Under the second caution period of the afternoon when most teams chose to take tires, Gay elected to do just a splash of fuel for his driver and sent him back out to the track with the lead. Restarting from the lead on lap 42, Bodine held his own among the lead pack and comfortably rode in the top three after leading the first few laps. Unexpectedly on lap 47, another competitor dove underneath Bodine and broke loose, sliding up the track into the No. 11 Tundra. The contact sent The Onion spinning and caused significant left side damage.

Gay organized his crew and called out directions to fix the damage as Bodine brought his battered Tundra down pit road for repairs. After pulling back sheet metal and changing tires, the crew sent their driver back out to competition just before the restart. Despite the repairs, the damage was too extensive and ultimately cut down the left rear tire, sending Bodine spinning into the retaining wall the next lap. Unable to make repairs this time around, Bodine completed his day in 24th.

 "The aerodynamics in these trucks is so sensitive that things get really touchy really quickly. So I'm not sure exactly what happened with the contact but it happens with this kind of racing," Bodine explained.

"We've just been having one of those years where things just don't seem to go right. But this Red Horse Racing team is tough. It's just a great team to work with. Rick Gay gave me a fast Toyota Care Tundra just like every week so far this season. We were going with strategy to get some track position and Rick did a great job with the call, it just didn't pay off this time. Nothing we could do different but I'm still proud of this team and the Tundra we had today."

No. 17
Timothy Peters
No. 17 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra
Start: 9th
Finish: 13th
Point Standings: 1st

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship points leader Timothy Peters and the No. 17 Red Horse Racing team traveled to Michigan Speedway with a brand new chassis ready for battle in the VFW 200. Looking for stability and the correct balance throughout the weekend, Peters and his crew never relented in their search and survived an intense 200 miles to come home in 13th.

The new racing surface on the two-mile oval threw most teams, including the No. 17 Red Horse Racing team, a curve ball during practice and qualifying. After searching for a good balance and stability in his Tundra, Peters qualified ninth and stayed just outside the top-10 looking in after the first few laps. He reported to crew chief Butch Hylton before the first caution and round of pit stops on lap 12 that he wasn't getting enough stability and was pretty loose all the way through the corners. Hylton called for fuel and a chassis adjustment to help remedy the handling situation.

The first round of changes wasn't quite enough and Peters elected to ride just behind the lead pack until the next opportunity for pit stops. That chance would come on lap 40, when the crew made some significant changes to help tighten up their Tundra. Making the changes in near record time, the Red Horse Racing crew sent Peters back out for battle.

Peters relayed to Hylton and his crew that the changes seemed to help, but he still needed to be tightened up more in order to run with the front pack. The next opportunity for another adjustment came just past halfway; as Peters brought his Tundra down pit road under the fourth caution of the afternoon for another substantial change.

With encouragement and backing from his team, Peters raced solidly within the top-15 for the second half of the event and laid down fast lap times that helped him close the gap between himself and the front pack. A fuel mileage gamble played out as the final 41 laps of the event were run caution-free and Peters was forced to come down pit road with just a few laps remaining to receive enough fuel to make it to the finish. The NCWTS points leader fought back and moved forward in the closing laps following the stop to finish 13th.

Hylton was compliementary of his crew after a race filled with several strategy calls and extensive changes made during pit stops to their No. 17 Red Horse RacingTundra.

"This Red Horse Racing team just never quits," Hylton explained. "No matter what happens during the race, we will always get it done. We didn't have the best Tundra today but sometimes that's the way it is. Our guys never stopped working as hard as they could and made all the changes they needed to very quickly. We threw everything we could at it today and that's all you can do. But the teamwork that this organization shows is what it takes to make it to the top.

Peters echoed his crew chief's compliments of the No. 17 crew following their efforts at Michigan.

 "It was kind of a frustrating day because I ran wide open the whole race and just couldn't go anywhere. But despite that, I couldn't be more proud of these guys that work on this Toyota Tundra than I already am. They're behind me week in and week out and they never stopped working to make this truck better all day long. All in all, we'll leave here and go to Bristol and just redeem ourselves and do what we did at Iowa. I like Bristol and I really feel at home at short tracks like that," Peters concluded.

Championship Points Update: Following the VFW 200 at Michigan International Speedway, Timothy Peters is now tied for first place in the NCWTS championship point standings. Parker Kligerman moved up to fifth, just 25 markers behind teammate and leader Peters after his fourth place effort. Todd Bodine slid back one position to 14th after his day ended in the garage due to an incident just past halfway. Team owner Tom DeLoach still sits in the top spot in owner's championship points.

RHR PR

The incredibly fast Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn has long been known to be hard on engines, as the sustained rpms necessary to lap the 2-mile oval at speeds nearing 200 mph often pushes mechanical parts and pieces to their breaking points.

Such was the case for Tony Stewart, as a broken valve spring within the engine of his No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet relegated him to a 32^nd-place finish in the Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday.

“It’s not something that’s the norm,” said Stewart after recording his first DNF (Did Not Finish) in 42 races. “I appreciate everybody at the Hendrick engine department. We had three different engine tuners down there trying to get it fixed for us. It wasn’t for a lack of effort. It’s not something I’m concerned about. It’s just a bad day. We have the best engine department in the world, definitely in this series, and they did everything they could do.”

Just after the race hit the lap-50 mark, Stewart radioed crew chief Steve Addington that he felt his engine was flat whenever he attempted to accelerate off the track’s corners. The problem didn’t improve, and when the caution came out on lap 65, Stewart brought his car to the attention of his crew on pit road. Two laps later, Stewart was in the garage, where a broken valve spring was deemed the culprit.

Crew members shut down the cylinder with the broken valve spring, with the hope being that Stewart could nurse his Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevy to the finish on only seven cylinders.

It worked, but only for awhile. The temporary fix proved to be just that, as Stewart pulled back into the garage on lap 119.

Another flurry of activity took place beneath the hood of the No. 14 machine, and on lap 151 Stewart returned to the track. His time on the track proved to be short-lived, however, as his seven cylinders were no match for the cars with healthy V-8s that surrounded him.

After staying out long enough to overtake T.J. Bell for 32^nd (Bell had fallen out of the race earlier with a broken transmission), Addington called Stewart to the garage area for good with still 20 laps remaining.

“You’ve got to do the best you can to get everything you can get,” said Stewart, who won his third Sprint Cup title last year in the closest championship battle in series history. “We saw last year how one point can make a difference. You just try to get everything you can get.”

Emulating that notion was Stewart’s teammate, Ryan Newman. The driver of the No. 39 WIX Filters Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) finished eighth to score his eighth top-10 finish of 2012 and his seventh top-10 in 23 career Sprint Cup starts at Michigan. It also kept him in the second wild-card spot for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with three races to go before the Chase begins Sept. 16 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill.

With round 23 of 36 complete, Stewart continues to lead the SHR duo in the championship point standings. He fell one spot to ninth and has 728 points, 95 back of new series leader Greg Biffle and one point ahead of 10^th-place Denny Hamlin with a 34-point cushion over 11^th-place Kasey Kahne. Newman remained 13^th in the standings and has 680 points, 143 behind Biffle and 47 behind Hamlin.

Only the top-10 in points are locked into the 12-driver, 10-race Chase. Positions 11 and 12 in the Chase are wild cards, awarded to the two drivers between 11^th and 20^th in points who have the most wins. In the event of multiple drivers having the same number of wins, a driver’s point standing serves as the tiebreaker.

Kahne holds the 11^th-place wild-card spot thanks to his two victories, the most of any driver outside the top-10. Newman has the 12^th-place wild-card spot by virtue of his April 1 victory at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, combined with his 13^th-place position in the point standings, which is higher than his fellow single-race winners in the top-20 in points – Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Marcos Ambrose and Joey Logano.

Biffle earned the point lead by winning the Pure Michigan 400. It was his 18^th career Sprint Cup victory, his second of the season and his third at Michigan.

Brad Keselowski finished .416 of a second behind Biffle in the runner-up spot, while Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Ambrose rounded out the top-five. Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Newman, Paul Menard and Martin Truex Jr., comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were eight caution periods for 35 laps, with 15 drivers failing to finish the 201-lap race, which was extended one lap from its scheduled distance by a green-white-checkered finish.

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