Sprint Cup 2013: Race 14: Party in the Poconos 400

Friday practice and qualifying was rained out for Sunday's action at Pocono Raceway as the Sprint Cup Season goes through a transition from Fox to TNT covering the next six weeks -- meaning no more "boogity-boogity" and the personality driven Fox coverage to TNT's more reserved coverage which in recent years, thanks to a no nonsense professional aproach has served them well. The network announced its coverage package on NASCAR.COM:

http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/05/31/tnt-nascar-summer-series-2013-sprint-cup-series-television.html

Much will be decided before the real hot push to the Chase deadline jumps into high gear with the Brickyard 400. The one real certainty for this year is the dominance of (surprise?) Jimmie Johnson and the #48 Lowes Chevrolet team with Chad Knaus leading the crew. Despite Ford's miserable overall performance, consistency and avoiding trouble paired with one early victory in Phoenix, Carl Edwards is in 2nd place. He's followed by perhaps another slight surprise in Clint Bowyer before the season's most visibly dominant driver, Matt Kenseth checks in 4th place burdened by engine failure at last week's Dover race. As red hot as the Joe Gibbs cars have been, the ticking time bombs of possible engine failure always hovers over their possible successes. 

Last year's champ, Brad Keselowski, is currently struggling to maintain 10th position in the standings dogged by two infraction episodes which have cost points and disrupted leadership. Ford entries seem to be just a little short on power so far this year. Perhaps that big stylish simulated grill is a wedge in the wind, but the entire Ford operation needs to turn up the performance in all facets to be possible championship contenders come September. 

The summer season is here for NASCAR. Will it be smokin' hot?  Last week's win by Tony Stewart was the first true highlight for Stewart-Haas since Danica Patrick burst upon the field securing the Daytona 500 pole.

Pos.		Car#		Driver		Manu		Owners		Race
								Points		Attempts
								Rank
1		48		Jimmie Johnson		Chevrolet		1		13
2		99		Carl Edwards		Ford		2		13
3		15		Clint Bowyer		Toyota		3		13
4		20		Matt Kenseth		Toyota		4		13
5		29		Kevin Harvick		Chevrolet		5		13
6		88		Dale Earnhardt Jr.		Chevrolet		6		13
7		5		Kasey Kahne		Chevrolet		7		13
8		18		Kyle Busch		Toyota		8		13
9		27		Paul Menard		Chevrolet		9		13
10		2		Brad Keselowski		Ford		10		13
11		24		Jeff Gordon		Chevrolet		11		13
12		43		Aric Almirola		Ford		12		13
13		16		Greg Biffle		Ford		13		13
14		55		Mark Martin		Toyota		14		13
15		56		Martin Truex Jr.		Toyota		15		13
16		17		Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #		Ford		16		13
17		11		Denny Hamlin		Toyota		17		13
18		51		AJ Allmendinger		Chevrolet		18		13
19		14		Tony Stewart		Chevrolet		19		13
20		78		Kurt Busch		Chevrolet		20		13
21		22		Joey Logano		Ford		21		13
22		1		Jamie McMurray		Chevrolet		22		13
23		39		Ryan Newman		Chevrolet		23		13
24		31		Jeff Burton		Chevrolet		24		13
25		42		Juan Pablo Montoya		Chevrolet		25		13
26		9		Marcos Ambrose		Ford		26		13
27		13		Casey Mears		Ford		27		13
28		34		David Ragan		Ford		28		13
29		47		Bobby Labonte		Toyota		29		13
30		10		Danica Patrick #		Chevrolet		30		13
31		38		David Gilliland		Ford		31		13
32		7		Dave Blaney		Chevrolet		32		13
33		30		David Stremme		Toyota		33		13
34		83		David Reutimann		Toyota		34		13
35		36		JJ Yeley		Chevrolet		35		13
36		35		Josh Wise(i)		Ford		36		13
37		33		Landon Cassill(i)		Chevrolet		37		13
38		32		Timmy Hill #		Ford		38		13
39		93		Travis Kvapil		Toyota		39		13
40		87		Joe Nemechek(i)		Toyota		40		13
41		98		Michael McDowell		Ford		42		12
42		19		Jason Leffler		Toyota		44		12
43		44		Scott Riggs		Ford		46		6

Sprint Cup 2013: Race 13 - FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks

FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks

The NASCAR 2013 Sprint Cup tour makes its first stop at the Monster Mile in Dover, Delaware, one of the sport’s most unique tracks, one mile in length with high banks and concrete pavement. Like the “Lady in Black,” “The Track too Tough to Tame” in Darlington, South Carolina, the mid-Atlantic track is notorious for gobbling up race cars and sending competitive teams to the garage early as the slightest mishap provides little room for error. In recent years, Jimmie Johnson has owned the “Monster Mile” having won two out of four of the last spring races including last spring’s race. Johnson also won two out of four of the last fall races too, Brad Keselowski bringing home the trophy last fall.

Qualifying for tomorrow’s race looks kind for Toyota having captured al top four spots and five out of six of the top qualifiers. Denny Hamlin won the pole following his strategy to amass victories to make up for lost time from his absence due to back injury. Winning a spot in the chase on points would be difficult, but with top 20 standings and enough victories, no one is counting the #11 car out of his pursuit of the championship.

Martin Truex Jr. from just across the Delaware River considers Dover his home track in the outside pole spot. Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth take the next two spots making Gibbs a most dominant force atop the field.

Desperate in need of some good fortune, Stewart-Haas driver, Ryan Newman, is the first non-Toyota ride in the #39 Chevrolet. Fortunes look good for the Penske camp who will have both crew chiefs back from suspension with Brad Keselowski in 8^th and Joey Logano in 9^th. If Jimmie Johnson will prevail, he’ll have to do so starting from 24^th.

Weather will be windy and warm with temperatures in the mid 80’s tomorrow afternoon with a slight chance of thunderstorms late in the afternoon.

POS		CAR #		DRIVER		MFG		SPONSOR		SPEED
1		11		Denny Hamlin		Toyota		FedEx Freight/Autism Speaks		157.978
2		56		Martin Truex Jr.		Toyota		NAPA Auto Parts		157.798
3		18		Kyle Busch		Toyota		M&M's		157.756
4		20		Matt Kenseth (PC5)		Toyota		Dollar General		157.736
5		39		Ryan Newman		Chevrolet		Haas Automation		157.715
6		55		Mark Martin		Toyota		Aaron's Dream Machine		157.604
7		29		Kevin Harvick		Chevrolet		Jimmy John's		157.549
8		2		Brad Keselowski (PC1)		Ford		Miller Lite		157.480
9		22		Joey Logano		Ford		Shell Pennzoil		157.460
10		1		Jamie McMurray		Chevrolet		Parade Media Group		157.405
11		5		Kasey Kahne		Chevrolet		Farmers Insurance		157.350
12		88		Dale Earnhardt Jr.		Chevrolet		National Guard		157.240
13		78		Kurt Busch (PC4)		Chevrolet		Furniture Row/Sealy		157.054
14		42		Juan Pablo Montoya		Chevrolet		Energizer		156.713
15		15		Clint Bowyer		Toyota		5-hour Energy		156.556
16		27		Paul Menard		Chevrolet		Menards/Libman		156.175
17		13		Casey Mears		Ford		GEICO		156.169
18		99		Carl Edwards		Ford		Subway		156.054
19		16		Greg Biffle		Ford		RiteAid/Ace		155.952
20		24		Jeff Gordon (PC6)		Chevrolet		AARP Credit Cards from Chase		155.696
21		33		Landon Cassill		Chevrolet		Bicycle NASCAR Playing Cards		155.440
22		14		Tony Stewart (PC2)		Chevrolet		Code 3 Associates/Mobil 1		155.407
23		17		Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #		Ford		Best Buy		155.239
24		48		Jimmie Johnson (PC3)		Chevrolet		Lowe's/Monsters University		155.206
25		51		Austin Dillon (i)		Chevrolet		Phoenix Construction		155.146
26		47		Bobby Labonte (PC7)		Toyota		Scott Products		155.086
27		83		David Reutimann		Toyota		Burger King/Dr.Pepper		155.059
28		38		David Gilliland		Ford		Long John Silver's		154.972
29		31		Jeff Burton		Chevrolet		Cheerios		154.679
30		9		Marcos Ambrose		Ford		DeWalt/Ace/CMN		154.619
31		98		Michael McDowell		Ford		Phil Parsons Racing		154.573
32		19		Mike Bliss(i)		Toyota		Plinker Tactical		154.500
33		43		Aric Almirola		Ford		Smithfield		154.480
34		30		David Stremme		Toyota		Widow Wax		154.295
35		34		David Ragan		Ford		Front Row Motorsports		153.984
36		87		Joe Nemechek (i)		Toyota		Royal Teak		153.636
37		7		Dave Blaney		Chevrolet		SANY		153.557
38		93		Travis Kvapil		Toyota		Burger King/Dr.Pepper		153.492
39		10		Danica Patrick #		Chevrolet		GoDaddy		153.381
40		36		J.J. Yeley		Chevrolet		DOHS Click it or Ticket		152.892
41		35		Josh Wise(i)		Ford		MDS Transport		152.355
42		32		Timmy Hill #		Ford		OXY Water		150.912
43		44		Scott Riggs		Ford		No Label		150.710