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Posts from the ‘John Andretti’ Category

31
Mar

Petty, Andretti to field fifth IRL car for two events

For the second consecutive year, Richard Petty will be joining forces with Andretti Autosport to field a fifth IZOD IndyCar for the team. Last year, Petty joined the team for one race; however the deal is for two races this time around.

John Andretti will be making his IndyCar Series career debut at Kansas on May 1 before heading to the Indianapolis 500 on May 30. Andretti will be racing the No. 43 Window World Honda both events for Andretti Autosport.

“It would be difficult to script a scenario any better than the one we have here,” Andretti said. “The relationship I have with Richard, the respect I have for Michael and his team, the partnership I enjoy with Window World and all of it focused on the Indianapolis 500 – it’s really a perfect situation. I can’t wait to get in the car and get to work. May can’t get here soon enough.”

The car will also be dressed up in “Petty Blue” and “Day-Glo Red,” colors made famous by Petty during his 200-win career in NASCAR.

This is the second year that Petty will be a co-owner for an Indy 500—a race in which Petty hadn’t attended until 2007.

“I’m excited to be a part of this venture with John, Andretti Autosport and Window World for the Indy 500,” Petty said. “There is so much history around this event, and the Andretti’s have such a rich tradition in racing. I’m looking forward to watching John hit the track in May.”

Andretti Autosport has two Indy 500 victories, occurring in 2005 and 2007. The team fields four full-time cars with drivers Mario Andretti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan and Danica Patrick.

Andretti Autosports, owned by IRL legend Michael Andretti, has three IZOD IndyCar Series championships.

10
Feb

Fantasy Pick’Em: 2010 Daytona 500

We’ll be two months and three weeks removed from the last points-paying NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race by the time the checkered flag drops at Daytona for the 52nd running of the Daytona 500.

Of course, everybody’s going to be extra hungry to take the checkered flag in the first and biggest race of the season – especially those drivers who are running limited schedules this season or others who failed to register a victory in 2009. But as we all know, only one will claim the victory and the Harley J. Earl Trophy.

This year’s fantasy column is going to run similarly to last year’s. I’ll pick five drivers with a shot to win, with one singled out as my pick and one left-field pick as my dark horse. It’s up to you folks playing fantasy racing games online to do the rest. Without further ado:

Tony Stewart is my pick to win the Daytona 500. Stewart-Haas Racing proved it was no pushover last year, and with a year under their belts they’ll be even stronger in 2010. Smoke is certainly hungry for a win in the 500, as his teammate (Ryan Newman) and crew chief (Darian Grubb) have both already won the biggest race. He’s got the stats to back him up too: In the 14 Daytona races since 2003, he has only failed to lead laps three times, and in both 2005 races he led over 100 laps. He’s also got three Daytona Cup wins, the most recent coming in last year’s Coke Zero 400.

My dark horse pick is another former Daytona winner, John Andretti. Running a dream schedule of major Cup events and likely the Indianapolis 500 this year, he’ll no longer have to worry about points racing and keeping a car in the top 35. He can run as hard as he wants when he races and go for victories. Keep in mind how Mark Martin elevated his game in 2007 with the pressure of points racing off his back, and nearly won the 500.

Three other drivers you can expect to do well on Sunday:

Marcos Ambrose has an average finish of 11.5, best among active drivers at Daytona. True, he’s only made two starts, but he hasn’t taken a big hit in the Cup cars, and he’s learned plenty from his Nationwide experience, including what it feels like to wreck at the superspeedway. He successfully avoided the accident at the end of last July’s race to finish sixth.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. desperately needs a strong run after a dismal 2009 that saw him sink to 25th in points, his worst ever showing in Sprint Cup. He qualified second, a sign that he’ll be fast on race day, but he needs to avoid the bad luck that plagued him at Daytona (as well as seemingly everywhere else) last year.

Finally, one cannot count out pole sitter Mark Martin. Sunday will mark the third time in four races he’ll sit on the front row of a Cup race at Daytona, and his first pole at the track since the 1989 Pepsi 400, in which he finished 16th. But shockingly, Martin has never won a points-paying Sprint Cup event at his home track (he lives in nearby Port Orange); in his 50th start at the track, can the 51-year-old win the 52nd Daytona 500?

5
Feb

Window World’s CEO passes away unexpectedly

Todd Whitworth, CEO of Window World, died unexpectedly Friday from a cause not yet known. Window World is a sponsor for Front Row Motorsports and Latitude 43. Their foundation, Window World Cares, also appears on the hoods of many races for those two teams. The foundation is sponsoring both Boris Said, driver of the No. 26, and John Andretti, driver of the No. 34, this weekend at Daytona International Speedway.

“This loss is monumental on all levels,” Blair Ingle, President of Window World said. “His passion for auto racing, Window World Cares, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Veteran’s Airlift Command were immeasurable. We know in our heart that Todd would want to have John (Andretti) and Boris (Said) continue to race this weekend and raise support for Window World Cares and St. Jude. We will all feel pride knowing that the legacy of Todd will be carried through their efforts.”

The two teams will run a memorial decal on the cars this weekend at Daytona as well as black bands are the sleeves of their uniforms.

“My heart is heavy,” Andretti said. “Todd was more than a sponsor partner of mine. He was a true friend and I’m deeply saddened by his sudden loss. Todd and I met a few years ago and he almost immediately became a part of the Andretti family. His family and extended Window World family are all in my prayers, especially his wife Tammy and children Anna Grace, Wyatt and Tucker.”

Window World first began their NASCAR sponsorship program in 2009 with Front Row Motorsports.

23
Dec

NASCAR tweeks Bud Shootout qualifying criteria; Dale Jr will be eligible

For the second consecutive year in a row, NASCAR has changed the way drivers will become eligible for the first technical race of the season, the Budweiser Shootout.

Starting with the upcoming shootout, the chase field from the previous season, former NASCAR champions, former Budweiser Shootout race winners, former winners of the Daytona 500 and Coke Zero 400, and the previous year’s Raybestos Rookie of the Year winner will be eligible for entry. A driver also has to have competed in a Sprint Cup Series events within the last two years to enter.

“As NASCAR evolves, we tailor the Budweiser Shootout’s qualifying criteria to provide fans with a lineup that showcases NASCAR’s best drivers on the high banks of Daytona,” Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig said. “The new criteria put a premium on race winners at NASCAR’s most storied track – Daytona International Speedway – and we’re looking forward to kicking off the new season with an electric night of racing.”

The format of the race will remain the same as last year.

Drivers that are now eligible for the shootout are John Andretti, Greg Biffle, Geoff Bodine, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Derrike Cope, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Bill Elliott, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Terry Labonte, Joey Logano, Sterling Marlin, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Newman, Ken Schrader, Tony Stewart, Brian Vickers and Michael Waltrip.

27
Aug

Chart of the week: Winning percentage

Kyle Busch’s victory in last Saturday’s Sprint Cup race at Bristol was his 16th in 174 Cup starts, which moved him ahead of Carl Edwards in winning percentage. As the chart shows, Jimmie Johnson has the best Cup winning percentage among active drivers (eighth overall), followed closely by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon. The chart is comprised only of drivers with at least 100 Cup starts.

Rk. Overall Rank Drivers Wins Races Win. pct.
1. 8 Jimmie Johnson 43 279 15.41
2. 10 Jeff Gordon 82 569 14.41
3. 24 Tony Stewart 36 380 9.47
4. 26 Kyle Busch 16 174 9.20
5. 27 Carl Edwards 16 181 8.84
6. 36 Kurt Busch 19 316 6.01
7. 38 Greg Biffle 14 246 5.69
8. 40 Bill Elliott 44 804 5.47
9. 42 Mark Martin 39 746 5.23
10. 43 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 18 351 5.13
11. 44 Matt Kenseth 18 352 5.11
12. 47 Kasey Kahne 10 204 4.90
13. 50 Ryan Newman 13 284 4.58
14. 53 Jeff Burton 21 535 3.93
15. 56 Bobby Labonte 21 570 3.68
16. 57 Denny Hamlin 5 139 3.60
17. 58 Kevin Harvick 11 310 3.55
18. 62 Terry Labonte 22 864 2.55
19. 68 Clint Bowyer 2 133 1.50
20. 75 Brian Vickers 2 196 1.02
21. 79 Robby Gordon 3 330 0.91
22. 81 Jamie McMurray 2 246 0.81
23. 83 Elliott Sadler 3 381 0.79
24. 82 Joe Nemechek 4 509 0.79
25. 86 Martin Truex Jr. 1 141 0.71
26. 94 Michael Waltrip 4 747 0.54
27. 95 John Andretti 2 380 0.53
28. 100 Casey Mears 1 240 0.42
Source: racing-reference.info
4
Jun

Sprint Cup Series races to include double-file restarts, starting at Pocono

NASCAR made if official today, announcing that beginning with this weekend’s Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono, all races in the series will utilize the fan favorite double-file restart.

The new format will keep all leaders to the front of the field and lap down cars to the rear end of the field as they will line up double file, the same style NASCAR used in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race in May.

“We’ve heard the fans loud and clear: ‘double-file restarts – shootout style’ are coming to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “This addition to the race format is good for competition and good for the fans.”

The race leader will get the option to restart on the inside or outside lane. The second place car will then restart in the opposite lane that the leader chooses. The rest of the field will be sorted by position with odd numbered positions restarting in the inside lane and even numbered positions restarting in the outside lane.

This new restart format will be used during the entire race and only for Sprint Cup Series events.

NASCAR will continue to use the “free pass” rule to put the first car one lap down back onto the lead lap. However, NASCAR will now implement the “wave around” rule that will allow lap down cars to stay on the track and not pit during a caution period to get one lap back. The only change to the free pass rule is that it will now remain in effect for the entire race.

The wave around rule will also prevent situations where cars on the tail end of the lead lap restart in front of the leaders after a caution during green flag pit stops.

Three time-champion Tony Stewart said that he is excited about the new rule and that he fully supports NASCAR’s decision.

“I’m excited about it,” Stewart said. “The good thing is that when they drop the green, you’re going to be racing with the guys you’re racing for position instead of trying to clear lapped cars. Since NASCAR has adapted the ‘free pass’, I think that’s something that now justifies being able to put those lapped cars to the back and let them race with each other, and let the guys who are racing on the lead lap do the same. I’m behind NASCAR 100% on this.”

Kevin Harvick as well offered his words of agreement.

“I think it’s great that NASCAR is listening to the fans,” Harvick said. “These new restart procedures are going to make our sport even more exciting than it already is. This will not only benefit the lead lap cars, but also the cars that go a lap down, so you get the best of both worlds.”

Mark Martin said that even though the decision isn’t a win for everyone, it is for the fans.

“There will be winners and losers with the decision,” Martin said. “The fans will definitely be winners.”

18
May

John Andretti Qualifies For the Indy 500

NASCAR driver John Andretti has officially qualified for the Indianapolis 500, an IndyCar Series event held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway May 24th.

Andretti was bumped out of the starting field midway through the third and final day of qualifying for the race. Andretti made a qualifying attempt with just 15 minutes remaining in the session, allowing him to start 28th in the 33 car field.

Andretti, who will be making his 10th career Indianapolis 500 start, qualified for his lowest starting position in his career at the Indianapolis 500. His previous low was 27th which he recorded his first Indianapolis 500 in 1988.

“I’m exhausted,” said Andretti after learning he had made it into the race on Sunday. “I don’t want to do this anymore, to be honest. Just coming down pit road, you would have thought that I won the race. I couldn’t hear the crowd, but I could see them standing and waving. The fans have always been behind me at Indianapolis. The team did such a great job.

“I’ve always looked at these guys on the bubble on Bump Day and absolutely felt for them. I was with Marty Roth last year and the jubilation was unbelievable. I can’t imagine how embarrassed I would have been to call Richard Petty and have him ask, ‘Where do you start?’ And I don’t (start). It’s been a very, very tough day. I’m going to say that one is for my dad (Aldo Andretti).

“When I took the white flag and I made it through Turn 1 flat, I thought I wouldn’t get through it. Turn 1 had been killing me all day. It was the wind and I had been struggling with it all day. I’m glad the race isn’t tomorrow. I am physically, mentally, just totally exhausted.”

Qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 is split into four days.

On the first day, named ‘Pole Day,’ the fastest 11 drivers race for the top-11 positions. After the 11 spots are filled, the ‘bumping’ occurs. Drivers can turn in several qualifying laps during the day, to either prevent being bumped or to get back into the top-11 drivers after being bumped.

During the second day, positions 12 through 22 are set. This works the same as Pole Day. However, the top-11 drivers are exempt from the session.

Positions 23 through 33 are qualified on the third day, to set the remainder of the 33 car field.

On the fourth and final day, named ‘Bump Day,’ all drivers are allowed to once again improve their position. Any driver that turns in a time fastest then the 33 qualified drivers will take the 33rd position and the other driver will be bumped from the field. The field will then all advance up on more position to fill the vacant spot. The only time a driver that bumps another driver out of the field is not given the 33rd starting position is when the driver out-qualifies a driver the set his or her time on bump day.

4
May

Fans can follow Andretti at Indy on new website

Driver John Andretti will chronicle the progression of Richard Petty’s first entry in the Indianapolis 500 this month on a website dedicated to the team and its sponsor, Window World.

Petty-Andretti.com will serve as the host for daily video blogs by Andretti and other team members as they prepare for the Indy 500 later this month.

Petty, co-owner of Richard Petty Motorsports with George Gillett and Ray Evernham, will enter a No. 43 IndyCar Series car into the 500 as partners with Dreyer and Reinbold Racing.

Racersites.com, which runs the official team websites for Penske Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, among others, plans to launch the new Petty-Andretti site this week. Window World is headlining the site with the phrase, “Your window to Indy.”

“The idea is to give the fans an insider perspective on what’s happening with this team, with John, and with Richard Petty coming to the Indy 500 for the first time,” said Chuck Tate, president of Racersites.com. “The key is the insider access. We don’t have a schedule, we don’t have a bio of John. It’s not the traditional driver site or team site. It’s a perspective from John that’s designed to engage the fans.”

In addition to the video blogs, the site will feature question-and-answer opportunities with Andretti and photo galleries.

Michael Smith is a reporter with SportsBusiness Journal.

17
Feb

Notebook: Gilliland gets ride for California

By Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

Yates Racing’s David Gilliland has been named to drive the No. 71 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend in the Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., the team announced Tuesday.

Gilliland, who was not on the preliminary entry list for the Auto Club 500, drove the No. 38 Yates Racing Ford last season. He remains under contract with Yates, which approved his driving for TRG. Since TRG is outside the top 35 in owner points, Gilliland must qualify based on speed to make the race. Slugger Labbe will be the crew chief for the team.

TRG Motorsports officials say they plan to enter the No. 71 Chevrolet in the next four races in an attempt to lock into the top 35 in owner points, a position that would guarantee the car a starting spot in races. The team attempted to make the field for the season-opening Daytona 500 with Mike Wallace driving but missed that race.

Parrott lands job as Nationwide crew chief

Brad Parrott has been hired as crew chief of RAB Racing’s No. 09 Nationwide Series car with rookie driver John Wes Townley, effective immediately.

Parrott has more than 20 years of experience in NASCAR, working with Penske Racing, Robert Yates Racing, Roush Fenway Racing and most recently Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

Andretti sponsorship extended four races

Window World will extend its Sprint Cup sponsorship of the No. 34 team and driver John Andretti, Front Row Motorsports announced. The company, which was on the team’s car for the Daytona 500, also will sponsor Andretti in the next four Cup races.

31
Jan

Notes: Andretti Will Race In The 500 for EGR

By Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

ANDRETTI TO RACE IN DAYTONA 500

John Andretti will drive the No. 34 Window World Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet in the Daytona 500 on Feb. 15th, FOXSports.com reported.

Andretti will have a technical alliance that partners Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins and Andretti with EGR for Daytona and beyond, Ganassi sources confirmed on Friday.

DRIVER DRUG TESTING GOES WELL

NASCAR does not anticipate suspending any drivers who took their preseason drug tests last week in North Carolina, sanctioning body spokesman Ramsey Poston said today.

Drivers in NASCAR’s three national series must pass a drug test during the preseason, and most drivers took their test last week at the NASCAR Research and Development Center.

This is the first season that NASCAR is requiring its drivers to pass a preseason drug test. Its previous policy allowed NASCAR to test at any time for reasonable suspicion — which is still the policy today — but did not require the passing of a preseason test.

SKINNER, MALSAM TO DRIVE FOR RANDY MOSS

Randy Moss Motorsports has announced that 1995 trucks champion Mike Skinner and rookie Tayler Malsam will drive full time for the team in the 2009 Camping World Truck Series season.

Sponsors weren’t announced, but Skinner said he helped bring Toyota to the team, which is switching from Chevrolets. Skinner will drive the No. 46 while Malsam will drive the No. 81.

Both drivers had originally hoped to drive for Bill Davis Racing in 2009, but that team was sold, and the new owners don’t expect to compete this year.

KVAPIL FILLING IN FOR TOWNLEY AT DAYTONA

RAB Racing has tabbed Travis Kvapil to fill in for John Wes Townley in the Nationwide Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 14.

Townley, a contender for 2009 Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the series, has not been approved by NASCAR to race at tracks over two miles in length.

Kvapil will be making his fifth career Nationwide start but first series start at the 2.5-mile Daytona trioval. He has competed in Truck and Sprint Cup series races at the track.

COMPTON, WYLER RACING TEAM UP

Wyler Racing has announced the hiring of Stacy Compton to drive its No. 60 entry in the 2009 Camping World Truck Series.

Compton, 41, was a co-owner with Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia last year, but the team had to park his truck during the season because of financial reasons, and the team was sold in the offseason.

7
Jan

ANNOUNCEMENT: FanZone has Sprint Cup Series Driver Profiles

FanZone Sports is announcing the addition of driver profiles for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors. This week we have focused on adding profiles for each driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Each profile will include:

  • Driver Name, Car #, Team, Car Owner, Car Make, Crew Chief, Birthday, Hometown, Sponsors, and where the driver started his first Sprint Cup Series race
  • Also a 2009 Season Summary that will display the number of races the driver has started, won, had a finish in the Top 5, 10, or 20, current points rank, and the amount of money the driver has won so far that season in race winnings.
  • Also a detailed history of how the driver has performed at each race track on the Sprint Cup Series, as well as how the driver fairs at different track types, such as Superspeedway’s, Restrictor Plate Tracks, Short Tracks, and Road Courses.

Go to the Sprint Cup Series driver page (fanzonesports.net/nascar/sprint-cup-series-drivers/) and click on any driver to view their profile.  These will be updated after each weekend of on-track action.

8
Jul

NASCAR Season Midway Review

Well, Kyle Busch capped off the season’s midway point at Daytona with his 10th career win and his sixth this season.

NASCAR’s premier series is in their first full year with the Car of Today, and it has undergone some criticism.  It actually got so out of hand that NASCAR President Mike Helton called a mandatory meeting to tell drivers to basically, “Shut up and drive.”

The first half of the Sprint Cup Series season has provided NASCAR fans with some good, bad, and very ugly races.

On paper, for the most part, this is a record breaking season for competition.  The California race had a record 33 lead changes, the Coca-Cola 600 had 2,580 green flag passes, that was up almost 900 from the 2007 Coca-Cola 600.  The Michigan race tied a track-best 3,204 green flag passes.

NASCAR is getting more coverage than ever.  TV Ratings are up for the most part from last year.  Although some tracks are struggling with attendance, tracks are still selling out.

NASCAR is also going through some economic hardships.  Sponsors willing to fork out millions of dollars a year are few and far between.  Teams are shutting down, Petty Enterprises sold 50% of their company to Boston Ventures.

The competiton is also even, all four manufacturer’s have won at least three races.  All four manufacturer’s are represented in the top 12 in driver points.  There has been 10 different race winners, 11 different pole winners, 74 drivers have attempted to qualify for at least one Sprint Cup Series race, and 46 driver had led at least one lap.  All evidence that NASCAR has accomplished one goal — make competitors and manufacturer’s even.  Chevy no longer has a stangle hold on the field.  In fact, the first Chevy in the top last week at Daytona will Dale Earnhardt Jr. who finished 8th.

Also, Hendrick Motorsports is apparently struggling.  Despite the fact that they only have two wins, and have three of their drivers in the top six in points.  At this point in the season, Hendrick Motorsports drivers had 10 wins.

Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, and Ryan Newman all led the points standings for the first time in their careers this year.  And, Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle are back!  They are both back in the top 12, and Kahne has two wins so far.

And don’t forget.  The most-popular driver is showing that he indeeds deserves the attention.  He ended a two year winless streak with a win at Michigan, he has matched his 2007 numbers already, which is answering the question on how Dale Jr. would perform in 2008 after leaving DEI in 2007.  The answer — Great!

Speaking of DEI, recently, sources close to DEI are reporting that DEI could be sold to Max Siegel for as much as $130 million, which would take Teresa out of the picture.  This is still developing, but could get very interesting.

And, you can’t talk about the 2008 season without talking about Silly Season — 2009 edition.

Rumors have been circulating and some are very tasteful.

Sources yesterday confirmed that Joe Gibbs Racing will go to four teams, and Juan Pablo Montoya would be the driver.  Now, wouldn’t that be a combination.  Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Juan Pablo Montoya.  Add Joey Logano in the 20 after Stewart leaves to buy into Haas CNC Racing with Ryan Newman as a teammate, and you get headlines for the rest of the year.

Sources close to Tony Stewart say that he is expected to announce his future plans as soon as Indianapolis in two weeks.

As Silly Season continues to unfold, and the season heats up for the chase — stay tuned to NASCAR FanZone for all your NASCAR updates.


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