Wimmer claims victory in the Pepsi 300 at Nashville

From the Crossville Chronicle - Crossville, Tn. Wednesday March 26, 2008

Photo by Joe Dunn

By Joe Dunn / joe@onpitroad.com

In a NASCAR Nationwide Series race that was dominated by Kyle Busch, a late race mistake turned the lead over to Clint Bowyer on lap 162. That head would be lost on lap 205 to Bowyer’s Richard Childress Racing teammate Scott Wimmer who laid claim to the win and the coveted Gibson Guitar Trophy.
The win is the first of the 2008 season by a driver who is not a competitor in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Wimmer last drove full time in the Cup Series in 2006 for Morgan McClure Racing in the #4 car where he was released after 20 races. Late in 2006 he hooked up with RCR as a part time driver doing mostly testing. "Stepping down and running a partial schedule in the Nationwide Series is not what I want to be doing, but those are the cards that are dealt to me right now," Wimmer said. "I'm with a great team with Richard Childress Racing and have great teammates. You can struggle in a single-car operation or a lower-budget team, but that's not where any driver wants to be. I'm just trying to do the best I can for Richard right now, and hopefully, it'll fall that someday I can get back to racing Nationwide full time or Sprint Cup full time. But right now, I'm having a good time."
Following Wimmer across the line was Bowyer and Defending Series Champ Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Kelly Bires and David Stremme in sixth. Seventh through tenth were Denny Hamlin, Cale Gale, David Reutimann and Nashville native Bobby Hamilton Jr.
David Stremme has a local connection as he teamed up with D&R Motorsports and Randy Weaver of Crossville this year in the Super Late Model Dirt Racing action. David’s participation in the Weaver team has been limited somewhat this year as his Nationwide Series racing and negotiations to get back into a NASCAR Sprint Cup ride have kept him very busy. But that has not curbed his enthusiasm about the working with Randy, Speaking of Randy, David commented, “It’s neat to see what he does and just how talented he is on dirt. I want to do some dirt racing and I figure with a guy like Randy that would really be good. I saw Randy run and he does real well, I want to do some dirt racing and I figured he would be a great guy to get hooked up with.”
For Crossville fans of Randy Weaver who have not had a chance to see him lately, his schedule indicates that he will be at Crossville Raceway USA on Hwy 70N, Sunday afternoon for an open practice. This will be the first event of the season for the track as they prepare for a full season of racing at the legendary track. The gates will open at noon on Sunday and practice will run until dark. For updated information on Crossville Raceway USA call 456-5000 or go to www.Crossvilleracewayusa.net.

Clarksville Speedway adds 2nd UMP Open Wheel Modified race for this weekend

By Joe Dunn - On Pit Road http://www.onpitroad.com
March 18, 2008

With the Bluegrass Bash at Western Kentucky Speedway having to be postponed due to flooding, the management of Clarksville Speedway have decided to add a second UMP Open Wheel race to the weekend schedule.
In addition to the $2,000.00 to win race scheduled for Friday March 21, a $1,000 to win UMP Open Wheel race will be added for Saturday March 22. Saturdays entry fee for the Open Wheel will be $25.

20 Cars Start Each Feature
WWW.CLARKSVILLESPEEDWAY.COM
CALL 931-645-2523 FOR MORE INFO.
Clarksville StormPay.com Speedway located at:
1600 Needmore Road Clarksville Tennessee 37040

Jeff Burton survives Bristol for the win

From the Crossville Chronicle - Crossville, Tn. Wednesday March 19, 2008

By Joe Dunn / joe@onpitroad.com

The weekend rains passed before Sunday, clearing the way for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. It was a chilly day but the fans warmed to an exciting race where Tony Stewart had the dominant car all day, but in the final laps it was a Richard Childress Racing day with a 1-2-3 finish.
Jeff Burton savored the win and felt redemption for his second place finish last year. But the race sure looked to be a Joe Gibbs race again as Stewart led for 267 laps. On a restart on lap 496 his teammate Denny Hamlin got by Stewart for the lead and on lap 498 Kevin Harvick pushed Stewart into the wall, bringing out a final caution. On the final restart Hamlin had a fuel pickup problem which opened the door for the RCR cars. This was the first ever 1-2-3 finish for RCR.
Kyle Busch retains the points lead this week with Biffle still in second, as Harvick, Burton and Dale Earnhardt Jr. round out the top five. Sam Hornish Jr managed a 29th place finish that enabled him to get the 77 car into the top 35 in points as the 2008 points begin the lock in starting with the next race at Martinsville.
The day was also a special celebrated day as Dale Jarrett competed in his final Nascar Sprint Cup points race. Dale will compete again in the All Star race, but he now moves to the broadcast booth working for ESPN on the Nascar Nationwide Series races. David Reutimann will move from the 00 Aarons car to take over the 44 UPS car from Jarrett.
Sunday was the bright spot for the weekend as Qualifying on Friday was washed out by the rain. On Saturday, the Nationwide race started late and ended early because of the rain. Clint Bowyer took the win for RCR on Saturday.
The Bristol races were not the only events affected by the weather, as all of the local dirt track racing from Bulls Gap, Tazewell, Winchester, Maryville, Wartburg, Seymour and Spring City, Tennessee were rained out. For local fans, work continues at the Crossville Raceway with the first practice scheduled for March 30.

Kyle Busch brings home first win for Toyota

from the Crossville Chronicle - Crossville, Tn. Wednesday March 12, 2008

By Joe Dunn / joe@onpitroad.com

Record setting was the name of the game at Atlanta Motor Speedway Sunday as Kyle Busch racked up his first win of 2008, his first win for Joe Gibbs racing and the first win for Toyota in the Nascar Sprint Cup Series. Although it is Toyota’s first win it was not the first for a foreign manufacturer, but you have to go all the way back in the record books to find a race at the Linden, NJ airport on June 13, 1954 when Al Keller won the race driving a Jaguar.
With four weeks of racing in the books, Kyle leads the points in both the Nascar Spring Cup Series as well as the Nascar Craftsman Truck Series. Sunday in Atlanta it looked for a while as if Carl Edwards was headed to his third straight win, but an engine failure ended his day early. In a post race interview Kyle remarked about Edwards saying, “You know, Carl Edwards had the best car here today by far again. And whatever those guys have got over there that's figured out is really scaring us 'cause, you know, the 16 doesn't show it, the 17 doesn't show it, the 26 doesn't show it, but for some reason that 99 does. “
When Rick Hendrick showed Kyle Busch the day at the end of last season to make room for Dale Earnhardt Jr, a lot of folks figured it was a really bad sign for Kyle. So far he has shown folks that he is the real deal for 2008. But Dale Jr. has shown improvement also with his second consecutive 2nd place finish putting him 6th in the points. Also over the weekend, Kyle Busch picked up his second consecutive win in the Truck Series on Friday, while Matt Kenseth won the Nationwide Series race.
This week, the Trucks are off as the nationwide and The Sprint Cup Series both head the World’s fasted half mile, right down the road at Bristol Motor Speedway. Locals heading that way better bundle up for Sundays race as the weatherman is calling for high temperatures in the low 50’s. Sunday will also be the final race for Dale Jarrett who is retiring to head to the broadcast booth. Teammate David Reutimann will move over from the 00 Aaron’s car to the 44 UPS car for the rest of the season.

Edwards wins again, fails post race inspection

From the Crossville Chronicle - Crossville, Tn. Wed. March 5, 2008

by Joe Dunn / joe@onpitroad.com
Carl Edwards made it two in a row, winning again Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But a loose oil tank cover added to the mixed weekend. Nascar will announce their decision on a penalty later in the week, but he will keep the win. The penalty just caps off the bittersweet weekend for Carl, on Saturday he looked to be headed for a win in the closing laps of the Nationwide Series race, only to be hit from behind and spun by former teammate Mark Martin. The win put Edwards atop the points standing with Kyle Busch second and Ryan Newman third. The penalty will probably drop him out of the lead.
In local dirt track action the Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series $10,000 “Spring Thaw” scheduled for last weekend at Volunteer Speedway was postponed due to the weather, it is rescheduled for March 21 & 22. The Mountain Raceway Park in Maryville and 411 Speedway in Seymour both got their first practice sessions in on Saturday. Lots of positive comments from the drivers at both tracks. Tazwell Speedway’s practice was cancelled due to weather conditions. Cleveland Speedway’s first practice is scheduled for Tuesday March 11, while Wartburg will have theirs on Friday March 14 and Spring City’s will be Saturday March 15.
Crossville Raceway is opening this year under new management so their timetable is a bit behind the rest. Employees were at the track Sunday to get ready for the season, which begins with the first practice on Sunday March 30 at noon. Changing back to Friday’s for 2008, the first night of racing in Crossville is scheduled for April 11 with gates opening at 4:30 and racing at 7:30 pm. Workers will be busy until then rebuilding the track surface as well as sprucing up the buildings, grounds and installing new sponsor billboards and banners. Chris McConnell is busy this week meeting with local business’ arranging for the billboards. For questions about the track contact Chris at 456-5000.