Is There Any Doubt That Kurt Busch Has An Anger Management Issue?

While driving Kyle Busch's No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota during the Nationwide 5-Hour Energy 200 race on Saturday at Dover, Kurt Busch (KuBu) and Justin Allgaier had traded some paint chips.

In the video below, they look like the drivers had had their words, figured out where they stand, and probably moved on...

  NASCAR Hosted Video
-

But after the above linked bit took place, Busch was quizzed by lingering reporters from other venues, like Sporting News, radio reporters and such.

Bob Pockrass then found himself on the receiving end of Kurt Busch's "Punch mode" and with so many unkind words, could not seem to address a pretty good question, which was how Busch is affected in his driving on-track while being on probation.

And as you can see in the above link, he addresses being on probation because he can't even pick his nose right.  (Well, that's his opinion.)

Instead of addressing the obvious and GOOD question, this is what Pockrass got instead:



-

Learned Thy Lesson?

Kurt Busch was released from his premium ride at Penske Racing for his out-lash at Jerry Punch last season at Homestead.  And got himself a few rides for this season, and with every chance he had, made it clear that now he can return to the fun of racing.

Yet here Kurt was, evidencing the same "verbal skills" that lost him the ride many coveted.

NASCAR had words with Kurt on Sunday morning, and it's being said that they're considering if they should take any actions for his verbal lashing Saturday.

I'd be...  well, surprised if they don't.  But I've been surprised before like when they allowed Carl Edwards to send Brad Keselowski flying at 180mph with no serious repercussions, so anything is possible.

-

Regardless of opinions and such, what happens with Kurt and KBM?  I would be hard-pressed to see his brother letting him go.  I mean, the apple does not fall far from the tree, so I would presume he understands, considering his own, parallel past in the sport.

But I wonder what Monster Energy will do?  They have a cool minded rep and probably enjoy this, to some extent.  They were the ones that jumped on board backing his ride after his Punch incident.  So I would again, be surprised if they did anything... this time.

But we have a long season to go and there's plenty of opportunity for Kurt Busch to test his sponsor's patience.

Here's hoping Kurt Busch doesn't come after me for talking about this!

-

BTW:  Congrats to Joey Logano for the win on Saturday and Todd Bodine, for his win on Friday in the rain shortened Truck series race.  Bodine broke a 37-race win drought with that one.

=

sportingnews.com

=

Taylor Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt's Youngest, Got Married Recently

The youngest daughter to Dale Earnhardt Sr., Taylor Earnhardt, got married Saturday, May 26th, 2012, according to Middle Georgia's The Telegraph.

For those who don't know, Taylor is the only child that Dale Sr. and Teresa Earnhardt had together.  What surprised me was the bio that accompanied the press release.

She's a professional rodeo competitor, the director of Equestrian Development for DEI.  I did not realize that DEI had investments in other forms of horse power!  I guess if I cared and looked...

Taylor's husband, Brandon Putnam, is also a rodeo professional and owns a grading and trucking company.  Very cool.

:  The Telegraph.

--
   NASCAR-Bits-and-Pieces.com on Twitter & Facebook .
- -

Sonoma Will No Longer Be Called INFINEON Raceway

I was wondering what was up because I had a fair idea that the 10-year sponsor contract was coming to a close, and no official word was "leaked" about a renewal between the Sonoma road course and Infineon.  With that in mind, I guess for the moment, it's they'll be calling themselves Sonoma for a while.  Not sure how long it will stay that, but as is the case, in most things, everything reverts back to its original state!  Or in this case, name!

The track sent out a bit of press to the fans and here's their news note about the name change:

-

Dear race fans:
As many of you know, we will no longer be called Infineon Raceway beginning tomorrow, Friday, June 1.
To answer some of your most pressing questions, we sat down with raceway President & General Manager Steve Page to provide some insight about what the name change means for our fans.
I understand you will no longer be called Infineon Raceway as of June 1. Why is this happening and what does it mean for the raceway?Our 10-year naming-rights sponsorship with Infineon Technologies ends in June.  Under the terms of our contract, the name Infineon will be removed from signs, brochures and any other materials identifying the raceway. We are very grateful for Infineon's investment in the raceway, which, among other things, helped make possible the dramatic facility transformation we unveiled nearly a decade ago.
Will this change affect my experience at the raceway in any way when I attend events there during the 2012 season?Not in any way.  The management of the raceway has not changed, nor has our commitment to provide you with the best possible experience every time you are our guest at our facility.
What will you be calling the raceway as of June 1?For the next few months we will simply be identified by our location, "Sonoma." We will not have a formal name. We will formally re-brand the facility before the end of this year, whether with a new company or otherwise, with a major announcement, new logo, promotions and merchandise.  However, since this current change is happening in the middle of race season, our immediate focus is to produce a series of terrific events and continue providing you with the most diverse menu of racing of any facility in America. 
Where can I find you on the web?You can now find our website at www.racesonoma.com.  In terms of social networking, we will be at facebook.com/RaceSonoma (change coming soon!), on Twitter @racesonoma and YouTube at Race Sonoma.  Our phone number remains 800-870-RACE (7223).

- -

Press Teleconference Interview With Jamie McMurray

Last week Jamie McMurray spend a few minutes on the phone with the press answering some questions... below are excerpts from that NASCAR press conference where Jamie chats about his feelings on Ganassi programs, looking back at his first win, drivers have at, crashes in the industry and the changes that came to the All-Star race.

Check it out:

            Q. I was wondering if the All-Star performance or Showdown performance gave you any feeling that the Ganassi programs are making process?

            JAMIE McMURRAY: We have made probably some of the biggest changes after that race to our cars. The 42 car had a little different chassis than what I had, and I don't want to get into too much detail with you, but we fought some issues with my car even though it ran pretty good and the 42 didn't.

            We went back and made all of those changes that we had to our car so I'm pretty anxious to get out and see if we still fight the same issues. It's been such a good track for me and it's one of their tracks that I really look forward to. Our cars are definitely better than where they were last year but we still have a ways to go.

 

            Q. Is it difficult to stay kind of patient, with y'all making so many changes in the off-season, to obviously you want those changes to provide results but know that sometimes it can take time.

            JAMIE McMURRAY: Yeah, I don't think that -- -- I mean, there are certainly different per all ties that react different, differently.

            I don't think it does any good to voice your opinion publicly of how you think things are going. And so, you know, I know that there's a tremendous amount of work going on at our shop and that Chip is making a major financial contribution to getting everything where it needs to go.

            I mean, the fact is that if it was easy, everybody would run well, and it wouldn't be the challenge that it is, but it's a lot of work. When you get to have years like we did in 2010, it makes it even harder to not run well because you have the capability of doing it.

 

            Q. NASCAR made the tweak last week where they raised the side skirts a bit. Did that make a difference and would you like to see them do more with something?

            JAMIE McMURRAY: I didn't think it made a difference. I mean in the race that I was in, the 22 car was significantly faster than I was. And he got, you know, same thing, he got within ten car lengths of me and it was super hard to make the pass.

            But I mean, you know, there's no criticism there of NASCAR or anybody, because every former racer fights that; when your car is dependent on air and down force and you lose that, it's harder to pass. It is what it is, and when you're running the speeds we are running, you want to be the car up front. But I didn't think that -- I didn't think the side skirts made any difference.

            Q. Talking about Charlotte, does that help when you guys are working to make big strides that now you come to a track where you really know what you want and the feel that you want?

            JAMIE McMURRAY: For sure, because you do go to some tracks that you don't run well at you and don't know what you're looking for or if you're driving in the track just right.

            But Charlotte has always been really good for me, and I seem to be much more critical of the cars when we get there, because you kind of know what you want it to do.

            So it's a great place to feel comfortable at because we get to run there so much.

            Q. Does it seem like it's been ten years since your first win at Charlotte?

            JAMIE McMURRAY: No. Honestly, I always watch all of the races back before we go. Like I'll watch the 600 back from last year just to see if there's anything that you can pick up on, whether it's pit road speeding penalties or just what the track did from day to night.

            I stumbled across, actually, on YouTube, the 2002 win, and I watched a little bit of it just out of curiosity, and when you look back and they interviewed Jimmie and Ryan Newman and some of the guys and then you see the names of Rusty was still in the field and Bill Elliott, I looked back at that and I actually paused it and took it to Kristy and I was like, you've got to look at this and look how young everybody looked.

            Makes me feel very old today. It's been a long time. I feel really lucky that I've got to do this this long, but it's been a long time for sure.

            Q. What's the difference between the champion Jamie McMurray in 2002 and the Jamie McMurray of 2012? What's the main difference in you as a driver?

            JAMIE McMURRAY: Certainly seem much more educated but you still make mistakes, make not the same mistakes but there are still things that you can do better.

 

            Q. I would like to ask you a question about your spotter, Lorin Ranier, and can you speak to how that relationship works and how it's evolved through the years?

            JAMIE McMURRAY: Lorin ended up being my spotter when I first went to Ganassi in 2003 and he spotted for me for three years, and then I went to Roush and he was under contract at Ganassi still and he actually worked there selling parts and stuff.

...
            You feel like the guy understands you and kind of knows what you're thinking, and then, you know, also, I think Lorin's passion for the sport goes a long ways with his commitments. I have always enjoyed working with Lorin and been together a long time.

            Q. Is there anything that you like for him to tell you, either before a race or during a race?

            JAMIE McMURRAY: No. I'm actually really quiet on the radio. I don't really -- I always tell Lorin or anyone else that if you want to talk, we can talk afterwards. When you're in the car, you just really just want the essentials.

            Q. Some of the things we have heard recently like Tony Stewart after Talladega, if we don't have enough crashes, we need to do whatever we need to do to make it as zany for the fans as what we are asking for, and this past weekend Kurt Busch talked about WWE racing after Darlington and that's what the fans want and it needs to be that entertaining. And I'm wondering if there is not now with these kind of expressions some kind of backlash after 'Boys Have At It', which was so exciting for race fans and to see all of this conflict on the track, how do you absorb that, when you hear statements like that, do you feel like what drivers are looking for out of NASCAR racing is at odds with what fans are hoping for? What's your take?

            JAMIE McMURRAY: Well, I think sometimes the media makes more of what drivers say than what there really is. My opinion is, when NASCAR said 'Boys Have At It', that didn't change any driver's way of going about things. It's not like we all got together and said, let's get rowdy. It's coincidental that it happened then.

            As far as Kurt, I didn't really see exactly what Kurt said. I don't know, I think that there's -- I believe that there's some fans out there that like to watch racing, and then there's other fans that maybe like to watch the drama, maybe some that like a little of both.

            I mean, to me, if you like racing, then you should have loved Bristol. Why they changed the track, I don't know. To me that was one of the raciest tracks that we went to. There weren't crashes anymore. But as far as racing, if you were a race fan, that was good racing. I don't know. I think it was a little mix of both.

            The cars, we just don't seem to crash as much as we used to, and I don't think they are ever going to get that back. It doesn't really matter what the rules are or what NASCAR does to change the cars. I mean, the crashing just comes from, I think people getting smarter and racing smarter. I don't think it really has anything to do with them giving us more of a tolerance with our attitude.

 

            Q. I wanted to ask about the All-Star, I know fans were not happy about segment winners were put back into a final segment. What's your take on how the All-Star Race played out and should changes be made to it?

            JAMIE McMURRAY: This has been a topic of discussion throughout all race shops throughout the week. Personally I wasn't a big fan much the format, of the All-Star Race. I wish that they would do it more like a normal weekend and maybe let 43 guys start the first segment and then start eliminating people at every segment; whether you eliminate 20 people in the first segment or get it down to the ends where you only have five guys left or ten guys left that are racing it out.

            So then you have ten laps to go if you're not in the front four position, you have no chance of winning anyway. But I think it would be cool that if you had to make everybody race really hard every single segment and then you start eliminating people, I think that would be really interesting to see how that plays out.

            Q. How much has helping the people of Joplin or other charities helped your racing career.

            JAMIE McMURRAY: I don't know that helping anyone has helped my career at all, but, I don't know, I think that you that you get in a position where you can give back or you can use TV cameras and all of the exposure that we have in NASCAR for the better. I think that that's the most important time to use those tools.

---
            I think it's maybe the other way; maybe getting to be at a type of racing at the level that I'm at, you have access to so much media to get exposure and help raise money, that it maybe works the other way.

            Q. How surprised were you by the number of fans and media and drivers that stepped in to help?

            JAMIE McMURRAY: Yeah, I think that's just part of NASCAR and everyone seems to have a big heart and wanting to give back. Yeah, I think that's a no-brainer for those guys to want to help with that.

            FastScripts by ASAP Sports.

--

Vote To Put Your Favorite Driver On The Cover of A Game

There's a new contest in town where fans will be able to determine what NASCAR driver will adorn the front cover of the new NASCAR driving game, NASCAR The Game™: Inside Line.

Voting opened today and fans can vote for who they want on the cover.

It will be like a bracketed tourney as voting goes in stages.

(

OMG, seriously??? 

The first bracket is Dale Earnhardt Jr. up against Aric Almirola.

They put Kurt up against Kyle.  I'm guessing Kyle Busch will win this one. (I hope Kurt doesn't have another fit because of it.)

LOL... Danica Patrick vs. Landon Cassill.  Poor boy.

Juan Pablo vs Marcos.

Jimmie Johnson vs Greg Biffle.

Jeff Gordon vs Trevor Bayne.

I'd say the first brackets are stacked in an interesting fashion...  to make sure the "name" drivers last long enough in the competition.

)

-

The voting can be done once a day, and you can either go to the above link, or the driver's Facebook page.

It's a four-round, seven-week "tournament" of voting.

Of course, as with ANY Facebook app, it wants access to your profile...

{THIS APP WILL RECEIVE:

    Your basic info
    Your profile info: activities, birthday, interests, likes and location
    Friends' profile info: activities, birthdays, interests, likes and locations

This app may post on your behalf, including drivers you voted for and more.}

BUT, ON THE BRIGHT SIDE...  I was given the opportunity in the sign up screen to select who sees my updates... and I made it only me...  (My FB buddies are mostly NOT NASCAR fans.)

Here's the schedule for the voting, for when Dale Jr. will win:

• MAY 24 – Voting Opens (32 drivers)
• JUNE 10 – First Round Closes (16 drivers)
• JUNE 17 – Second Round Closes (8 drivers)
• JUNE 24 – Third Round Closes (4 drivers)
• JUNE 30 – Fourth Round Closes (2 drivers)
• JULY 15 – Final Round Closes (Champion)

Or, at least I'd be surprised if he did not win, since he wins everything else that's fan-voted in.

=

"I think the fans will really enjoy all of the new features and the opportunity to determine the cover driver for NASCAR The Game: Inside Line," said Blake Davidson, NASCAR vice president of licensing & consumer products and board member of NASCAR Team Properties. "The way Eutechnyx and Activision have integrated themselves into the sport has been amazing. From the fans to the teams, to NASCAR itself and now with our broadcast partners, they have been channeling that into something that evolves our NASCAR games into revolutionary interactive entertainment."

"We set out to reinvent NASCAR gaming last year with NASCAR® The Game™ 2011 – and we're very proud of it. With our continued enhancements to that game, and our very passionate fans helping guide us, we have an amazing platform to go to the next level with NASCAR The Game: Inside Line," said Dave Thompson, executive producer at Eutechnyx. "We've added a new in-depth career mode and robust online features that include realistic race weekends, and now aspiring drivers can rise up through the ranks, attract sponsors, and upgrade their car's components in the quest to be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion."

"The collaboration between Activision and Eutechnyx produced last year's hugely successful NASCAR game experience," said David Oxford, executive vice president, Activision Publishing. "NASCAR The Game: Inside Line builds on that platform and adds a number of innovative, cutting edge features that will give fans and gamers alike the chance to participate in the sport like never before."

Bruce's question:  Didn't their first game sort of flop?  Which makes me question the choice of 'spin' on the phrase "last year's hugely successful NASCAR game experience,"

Just sayin'. (Gaming Target review of the first game)

Visit www.nascarthegame.com/vote to vote in the "Drive for the Cover" campaign.

NASCAR The Game: Inside Line video trailer is available at NASCARTheGame.com/DriveFTC.

--

NASCAR-Bits-and-Pieces on Twitter & Facebook .
- -

The ALL STAR Race Is In The Books... And the Suggestions Are In, The Winner Is....

The NASCAR Sprint Cup All Star race from Charlotte is one of the most predictable races during the year.  Predictable being that no matter how it gets twisted and changed up by NASCAR, a billion opinions are let loose the day after about how it can be changed.

Me, I stopped worrying about how it can be changed because NASCAR will do what it does to the rules for getting into the All Star race, and how the format goes.  I'll just watch and see how it goes.

And how it goes was that in that final segment, Jimmie Johnson walked away with it, eliminating any and all drama to the race's end.  I watched on Twitter as many fans elicited their "boring" opinions about the event as it was unfolding and I could not disagree with them.  With one car pulling away, uncontested, for the prize, was anti-climatic, to say the least.

Though this win, in this new format, put Johnson tied with the most wins, three, in the All Star race.  He's tied with the late, great Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon for most wins in this race... three.

And the new rules and such were played out rather well by the No. 48 team.  Leave it to Chad to figure it out and beat the system.

And that's one thing a true fan can admire, and that's how Chad Knaus can take any game he's looking at and figure out how to get around, through and play by the rules just right to make things work out.  I would really, really, really hate to be up against this man in a war game or other tactics based game.  I'm more than willing to bet he'd be dangerous.  Cripes, Chad would probably figure out how to stay ahead of the game in "Calvin Ball!"  (A nod to fans of the Calvin and Hobbs fans out there.)

Come Monday, the calls came flying in to Sirius XM's NASCAR channel shows and I have to say, many folks are not shy about voicing their ideas about how the format for the All Star race can be changed.

To be honest, I think that no matter how you weight it or spice it up...  sometimes there is going to be a run-away winner.  But then one call came in that caught my attention.  He was a very calm man who came along and rather than injecting any funny business, more or less, described his idea in a sentence or two. 

A sentence or two is the magic formula that says if you have an idea and it takes more than a concise sentence or two to describe it, it's probably too complicated for the fans to pick up on.

This man proceeded to take very little time to suggest that if there has to be segments, to award finishing points per segment.  The most points earned by the end of the night wins the prize. 

And mandatory pit stops was the other thing I heard.

Apparently this method has been used by other racing series rather successfully over the years and the longer I dwelled on it, the more sense it started to make.  No more holding back within the system, between the segments.  No more NASCAR trying to get tricky in how it formats the night.  Have a few short segments that award points.  (I suggest short because that would force the drivers to race hard for those points.)

Pit stops, well, that could go either way, it's part of the strategy deployed, like when you toss out your pawns early in a good game of chess.  You can't change that premise, no matter how old the game is.  But points added up from segment to segment, well, that seems like it could actually make it interesting.  But how the points are awarded, and how the the cars are lined up to fight for those points, well, that's another matter altogether.

For now, I think I have heard a good idea finally.

Does anyone else have a good idea for the format of the NASCAR Sprint Cup All Star race?

=

--
NASCAR-Bits-and-Pieces.com on Twitter & Facebook .
- -

Dale Earnhardt Jr Lead (Sort of) The 2011 Diecast Sale Momentum... Again

Even though he's not achieved a victory on the track in a while, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is holding his own in the 2012 standings, holding at 3rd, only 14 points out of first.  But he has no wins this year and it's been a while!  Yet by the shear momentum of his popularity, he continues to be the golden child, so to speak of NASCAR merchandise.  And to be honest, when he does get his next win, fans will be feeling pretty vindicated.

But no matter what, Dale Earnhardt Jr., being the most popular driver of NASCAR, again, led the diecast sales of 2011.  A while back Lionel sent out a list of top selling diecasts.

Now true, Dale Jr. is not the No. 1 selling single diecast, but if you look at 4th, 7th, & 9th...  well, you'll see:

Lionel's top-10 diecasts for 2011, measured by sales:
1. Jeff Gordon No. 24 AARP/Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
2. Kevin Harvick No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet
3. Trevor Bayne No. 21 Motorcraft Daytona Win Ford
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Amp Energy Chevrolet
5. Tony Stewart No. 14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet
6. Dale Earnhardt No. 96 Cardinal Tractor Ford
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 National Guard Heritage Chevrolet
8. Tony Stewart No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Dale Jr. Foundation/Vh1 Save the Music Chevrolet
10. Kevin Harvick No. 29 Budweiser Military Tribute Chevrolet

-

Kurt Busch, Tony Gibson & Others On Probation From Darlington Events

Kurt Busch has found himself on probation yet one more time, and also has found himself contributing $50k to the NASCAR foundation from the events that took place at Darlington last weekend.

Last weekend a few things took place with a few laps to go and in the course of getting repairs to his car, when his team was done with him on pit road, he went screaming out of his pit, passing through Ryan Newman's pit.  Apparently it was a wee bit too close for some in that pit stall because I believe there were still a few guys standing around in it.

After the race, some of the crew for Ryan Newman's No. 39 car, took offense to the behavioral patterns they were observing and a few of them went over to Kurt's pit stall to "chat" about it!

Oops.

Here's how things look when all was said and done today after NASCAR handed out the penalties:

"NASCAR has fined Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 51 car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, $50,000 and placed him on NASCAR probation until July 25 for his actions during the May 12 race at Darlington Raceway.

Kurt Busch violated Section 12-1 (Actions detrimental to stock car racing; reckless driving on pit road during the race; involved in an altercation with another competitor after the completion of the race) of the 2012 NASCAR Rule Book.

Craig Strickler, a crew member for the No. 51 team, has been fined $5,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31 for violating Section 12-1 (Actions detrimental to stock car racing; interfering with a member of the broadcast media).

(Seriously, Craig?  Did you not take notes when Kurt went off on Jerry Punch?)

Tony Gibson, crew chief for the No. 39 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, has been placed on NASCAR probation until June 27 for violating Section 12-1 and Sections 12-4G and 9-4A (Crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his team members, aka, Rueger?).

Andrew Rueger, a crew member for the No. 39 team, has been fined $5,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until June 27 for violating Section 12-1 (Actions detrimental to stock car racing; failure to comply with a directive from a NASCAR official)."

Kurt Busch Has Another Bad Night and Ryan Newman's Team Didn't Like It!

Last weekend saw another Busch brother incident but I don't think it was what the media is making it out to be.

It all started with Kurt Busch getting loose and spinning late in the race.  Ryan Newman slowed to not hit him and got spun himself by someone else.  It was just racing and no one person caused the other person any harm.

Kurt wasn't having an optimal day as this was his second issue of the night.

But...

After pitting, apparently Busch was ticked at the world and once he finished his pit stop, peeled out through Ryan Newman's pit stall, which was in front of his.  The No. 39 team felt that was a bit haphazard.

But still, no big deal.

But then after the race, while Kurt was (per him) removing his helmet, hit Ryan's car.  That's when teams got into it with some difference of opinions and one of Ryan's guys went over to "chat!"

Nothing huge came of it, but a NASCAR official did get pushed a bit and ended up on the Kurt's hood.

To be honest, Kurt and Ryan had nothing to do with each others spin, technically.  Kurt was ticked and some sources say he was tearing up a verbal storm after his own spin.  But when he bumped Ryan's car, well, there was nothing Kurt could have been mad about and that, I'm sure, was just an accident or oversight.

But Ryan's team member might be getting an opportunity to contribute to the NASCAR foundation via a nice penalty.  We'll see what comes of that on Tuesday.

NASCAR-Bits-and-Pieces.com on Twitter & Facebook .
- -

Will Denny Hamlin Snag Another Win at Darlington?

Headed into Darlington for the the Bojangles' Southern 500, one has to wonder if this is the night that Jeff Gordon will stop having silly luck or will Denny Hamlin pour it on and snag another win?

Or will Jimmie Johnson or Brad Keselowski snag a win away from the favorites?  Check out the brief set of stats below and see what you think!

-
DARLINGTON-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M / OH / ES Ford)

·         Two wins, two top fives, five top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 14.2



Kyle Busch (No. 18 Wrigley Toyota)

·         One win, one top five, three top 10s

·         Average finish of 17.1



Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew / National Guard Chevrolet)

·         Three top fives, seven top 10s

·         Average finish of 15.2



Carl Edwards (No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford)

·         Three top fives, five top 10s

·         Average finish of 13.9



Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet)

·         Seven wins, 18 top fives, 21 top 10s; three poles

·         Average finish of 11.1



Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota)

·         One win, two top fives, five top 10s

·         Average finish of 6.5



Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's / KOBALT Tools Chevrolet)

·         Two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s

·         Average finish of 9.8



Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Rockwell Tools Chevrolet)

·         Three top fives, three top 10s; four poles

·         Average finish of 14.6



Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

·         One top five, two top 10s

·         Average finish of 7.3



Jamie McMurray (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet)

·         Three top fives, five top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 14.5



Ryan Newman (No. 39 WIX Chevrolet)

·         Seven top fives, nine top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 11.6



Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot / Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

·         Three top fives, 10 top 10s

·         Average finish of 12.3


Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)

·         Two top 10s

·         Average finish of 12.3

--
NASCAR-Bits-and-Pieces.com on Twitter & Facebook .
- -