Backstretch Motorsports

Ragan, NSCS at Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Ragan on racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway:

“I’m pretty pumped up to be going back to my hometown track. I love going to Atlanta, it’s close to home and the track is fun to race at. It’s a fast track with multiple grooves, which lets us choose different lines around the track. We’ve had some average weeks so far, but need to step it up and get a good hometown finish. UPS is also based in Atlanta, so we really want to get a good finish for them.”

Crew chief Donnie Wingo on racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway:

“I really like racing at Atlanta. There are multiple grooves and the tires wear out fast so it makes the driver have to work their way around the track to find different lines. It really is a challenging track because of the rate the tires wear out. So if you aren’t too fast to start with and you can be consistent on a long run, you’ll be better off in the end. Atlanta is home to David and our sponsor UPS, so we’re looking to get a good finish for everyone.”

FAST FACTS

• Hometown Boy: Atlanta Motor Speedway is David Ragan’s hometown track. Ragan is originally from Unadilla Ga., located approximately 90 miles from Atlanta Motor Speedway.
• Ragan has six prior starts in the Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway. His best finish was eighth place in the fall of 2008.
• A win this weekend would make David the first driver to win at Atlanta with primary sponsorship from Atlanta-based, UPS.
• Ragan has three Nationwide starts at Atlanta. His best finish was ninth in the fall race of 2009.
• Ragan made two Truck Series starts in 2006 at Atlanta for Roush Fenway Racing.

UPS Maximum Center Recognition— Atlanta Motor Speedway

The Pleasantdale West Center (SLIC - 3014) in the Georgia District was selected for the March 7 Kolbalt Tools 500 as part of the UPS Center Recognition Program. The Pleasantdale West Center, one of the top two centers in the district for 2009, is recognized for its exceptional service performance, which includes range of dispatch, exception scan and delivery scan frequency, and net delivered per piece and inside pieces per hour performance.

(Las Vegas, NV) March 1, 2010 – Mike Bliss cut the right front tire and hit the wall on lap 44 of Sunday’s Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, ending the day in 39th position. The Tommy Baldwin Racing crew brought the Kim Kardashian Fragrance Chevrolet to the garage after the contact with the wall and replaced the entire right front assembly. The team was able to get the car back out to the track on lap 160 in order to complete the necessary laps to finish 39th.

“We cut a tire down in turn one, which was too bad because I felt like we had a pretty good race car,” said Bliss, who was unhurt in the crash. “Before we blew the tire I really believed we were in the process of a strong run and was hoping to get a nice finish for Tommy and the folks with Kim Kardashian Fragrance.”

The blown tire put a damper on an otherwise exciting weekend in Las Vegas for Tommy Baldwin Racing. The No. 36 Chevy sported a custom Kim Kardashian Fragrance paint scheme in conjunction with the launch of her first signature fragrance, Kim Kardashian, which can be found at Sephora.com. The team also hosted Kardashian Sunday, and got the chance to meet with her prior to the race.

“It was a big weekend for the team and I was excited to get the chance to meet Kim,” said Bliss. “Kim and her group were great and it was fun getting to share the NASCAR experience with them. It did not even bother me that I was wearing a pink fire suit”.

Team owner Tommy Baldwin added, “I thought the weekend went well and we were happy with all the excitement and attention brought to the team thanks to the involvement with Kim Kardashian Fragrance. I was pleased with the effort the team put forth; unfortunately we ran over something, got a flat tire and hit the wall. Although we do not have the finishes to show for it so far, I truly believe we have a top-25 caliber team, we just need to start stringing together some nice results and we will be fine.”

Bliss started the day in the 30th position and was running 32nd when the tire went down on lap 44. The team will look to rebound next Sunday March 7th at the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The No. 36 Chevrolet will feature the new 2010 Wave Energy Drink paint scheme for the race airing at 1pm EST on FOX.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 1, 2010) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Atlanta Motor Speedway going into the Kobalt Tools 500 on March 7.

Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
· Three top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 15.5
· Average Running Position of 12.1, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 95.0, seventh-best
· 213 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· 481 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.660 mph, ninth-fastest
· 2,361 Laps in the Top 15 (72.4%), fifth-most
· 278 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), ninth-most

Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
· Two wins, two top fives, six top 10s
· Average finish of 19.7
· Driver Rating of 93.4, eighth-best
· 195 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· 534 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.640 mph, 10th-fastest
· 1,882 Laps in the Top 15 (57.7%), 13th-most
· 281 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
· One win, two top fives, two top 10s
· Average finish of 17.7
· Average Running Position of 15.2, 13th-best
· Driver Rating of 90.3, 10th-best
· 136 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· 560 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.504 mph, 12th-fastest
· 265 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy Drink/National Guard Chevrolet)
· One win, eight top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.9
· Average Running Position of 10.6, third-best
· Driver Rating of 99.8, fourth-best
· 219 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· 631 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 172.044 mph, third-fastest
· 2,545 Laps in the Top 15 (78.1%), fourth-most
· Series-high 352 Quality Passes

Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)
· Three wins, six top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 13.1
· Average Running Position of 11.9, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 105.0, second-best
· Series-high 289 Fastest Laps Run
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 172.189 mph
· 2,593 Laps in the Top 15 (79.6%), third-most
· 306 Quality Passes, third-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
· Four wins, 14 top fives, 23 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 12.3
· Average Running Position of 10.0, second-best
· Driver Rating of 102.2, third-best
· 145 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.684 mph, seventh-fastest
· 2,709 Laps in the Top 15 (83.1%), second-most
· 344 Quality Passes, second-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)
· One top five, three top 10s
· Average finish of 15.3
· Average Running Position of 11.6, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 93.2, ninth-best
· 110 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.684 mph, eighth-fastest
· 1,901 Laps in the Top 15 (64.8%), 12th-most
· 261 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet)
· Three wins, nine top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 10.7
· Series-best Average Running Position of 7.7
· Series-best Driver Rating of 110.1
· 210 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 172.121 mph, second-fastest
· Series-high 2,929 Laps in the Top 15 (89.9%)
· 296 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Ford)
· Two wins, five top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 17.0
· Driver Rating of 88.8, 11th-best
· 133 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.443 mph, 13th-fastest
· 1,924 Laps in the Top 15 (59.0%), 11th-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Crown Royal Ford)
· Seven top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 13.7
· Average Running Position of 13.4, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 95.4, sixth-best
· 134 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· 593 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.777 mph, fifth-fastest
· 2,290 Laps in the Top 15 (70.3%), seventh-most
· 304 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Mark Martin (No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet)
· Two wins, 14 top fives, 23 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 16.9
· Average Running Position of 15.0, 12th-best
· Driver Rating of 88.2, 13th-best
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.630 mph, 11th-fastest
· 2,135 Laps in the Top 15 (65.5%), ninth-most
· 259 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet)
· Two wins, eight top fives, 13 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.0
· Average Running Position of 11.4, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 98.6, fifth-best
· 137 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.687 mph, sixth-fastest
· 2,345 Laps in the Top 15 (72.0%), sixth-most
· 280 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)
· Two top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 24.4
· Average Running Position of 13.0, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 88.5, 12th-best
· 109 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.792 mph, fourth-fastest
· 2,021 Laps in the Top 15 (68.9%), 10th-most
· 256 Quality Passes, 13th-most

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 at Atlanta Motor Speedway

* – Based on last 10 Atlanta Motor Speedway races.

Chase Contenders
The Top 12 Following Race 3 of 36

___________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

Note: The first 26 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season determine which 12 drivers qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, contested over the final 10 races of the season.

At Atlanta Motor Speedway:
History

• Originally called Atlanta International Raceway, the track was then a 1.5-mile paved speedway.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta was on July 31, 1960, won by Fireball Roberts from the pole.
• The track was re-measured to 1.522 miles in the spring of 1970.
• It was renamed Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1990.
• The track layout was reversed and the track was re-configured to 1.54 miles between the two races in 1997.

Notebook

• There have been 101 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta Speedway, two races per year except 1961, which had three.
• Fireball Roberts won the pole and race for the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race in 1960.
• 44 drivers have won a pole, led by Buddy Baker and Ryan Newman, each with seven.
• Six of Newman’s seven poles came in consecutive races between March 2003 and October 2005.
• 42 drivers have won a race; 22 have won more than once, including Kurt Busch, who won the first race last season. In that event, Busch scored a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0.
• Dale Earnhardt scored nine victories, more than any other driver. Cale Yarborough is second with seven.
• Bobby Labonte heads the list of active drivers with victories, with six. Labonte is tied with Richard Petty for third on the all-time win list at Atlanta.
• The Wood Brothers are the most productive car owners with 12 victories. They last won there in 1993 with Morgan Shepherd.
• 14 races have been won from the pole. The last to do so was Kasey Kahne in 2006. Both races last season were won from the second starting position.
• 58 races at Atlanta have been won from the first five starting positions.
• Bobby Labonte won the 2001 fall race from the 39th starting position, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Atlanta.
• There have been seven season sweeps, most recently by Jimmie Johnson in 2007.

NASCAR in Georgia

• There have been 160 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Georgia.
• 169 NASCAR national series drivers all-time have their home state recorded as Georgia.
• There have been 14 race winners from Georgia in NASCAR’s three national series:

Atlanta Motor Speedway Data
Race # 4 of 36 (3-7-10)
Track Size: 1.54 miles
Race Length: 325 laps/500.5 miles
· Banking/Corners: 24 degrees
· Banking/Straights: 5 degrees
· Frontstretch: 2,332 feet
· Backstretch: 1,800 feet

Driver Rating at Atlanta

Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2009 races (10 total) at Atlanta.

Qualifying/Race Data
2009 pole winner: Mark Martin (187.045 mph, 29.640 secs.)
2009 race winner: Kurt Busch (127.573 mph, 3-8-09)
Track qualifying record: Geoffrey Bodine (197.478 mph, 28.074 secs.,
11-15-97)
Race record: Dale Earnhardt (163.633 mph, 11-16-97)

Estimated Pit Window: Every 48-52 laps, based on fuel mileage.

AMBROSE HOSTS LANCE FOR CUP RACE AT ATLANTA AND WANTS HIS OWN KIDS CROOKED HOUSE IN RETURN

HARRISBURG, N.C. (March 1, 2010) - - Lance, Inc. has a longstanding history in racing and this season they will have major presence in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Lance partnered with JTG Daugherty Racing and driver Marcos Ambrose for multiple primary races. Lance fully brands Ambrose’s Toyota Camry for the first time this year at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 7th for the Kobalt Tools 500.

“We are thrilled to jump back into racing and support Marcos Ambrose and JTG Daugherty Racing,” said Alvaro Trinidad, Senior Brand Manager. “It’s been nearly a decade since Lance has been on the hood of a car, and to join JTG Daugherty Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with America’s No. 1 Brand of Sandwich Crackers is exciting for Lance, our consumers and our retail partners.”

“We’re so happy Lance chose us to promote their brand,” Ambrose added. “Lance Sandwich Crackers are easy to grab when you are on the run or if you are just hungry for a snack. We’re proud to have the association.”

In addition to sponsoring Ambrose’s efforts to capture his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory, Lance has also partnered with Kids Crooked House to give one lucky race fan the opportunity to win a customized racing-theme Kids Crooked House by visiting www.lance.com or www.racesavers.com.

“Kids Crooked House has been able to partner with some great organizations for good causes and our partnership with Lance, Inc. is no different,” said Glen Halliday, Founder and CEO for Kids Crooked House. “We are all about creating fun and memorable experiences at Kids Crooked House and partnering with Lance to create and give away a racing-themed Crooked House to a lucky fan is definitely going to be fun for us.”

Ambrose agrees, but he’s wondering how he can obtain a Kids Crooked House of his own for his two daughters Adelaide and Tabitha.

“I’m wondering if I’m eligible to enter the consumer sweepstakes because I want a Crooked House,” Ambrose said. “I have two daughters that are two and four and I would be a huge hit if I could somehow finagle one and bring it home. To have one sitting at our home when the girls and my wife Sonja return from Australia would be priceless.”

Catch the No. 47 Lance Toyota Camry racing in the Kobalt Tools 500 on Sunday, March 7th live on FOX at 1 p.m. ET.

About Lance, Inc.
Lance, Inc. headquartered in Charlotte, NC, manufactures and markets snack foods throughout much of the United States and other parts of North America. The Company’s products include sandwich crackers and cookies, potato chips, cookies, crackers, other salty snacks, sugar wafers, nuts, restaurant style crackers and candy. Lance has manufacturing facilities in North Carolina, Iowa, Georgia, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada. Products are sold under the Lance, Cape Cod, Tom’s, Archway and Stella D’oro brand names along with a number of private brands and third party brands. The Company’s products are distributed through its direct-store-delivery system, a network of independent distributors and direct shipments to customer locations. Products are distributed widely through grocery and mass merchant stores, convenience stores, club stores, food service outlets and other channels.

About Kids Crooked House
Based in Portland, Maine, Kids Crooked House was founded by fun-loving dads Glen Halliday and Jeff Leighton, who couldn’t find a unique, affordable and imaginative playhouse for their young kids. They looked in all the big home centers and scoured dozens of web sites. The products either looked like a tool shed for lawnmowers or like a small city with a price to match. For the graphic designer and carpenter/electrician, the answer was simple: Build one of their own. The entire neighborhood was soon hanging out in Glen’s back yard. So FUNky was his kid’s new crooked house, the rest is (becoming) history. For more information about Kids Crooked House, visit www.kidscrookedhouse.com.

Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson battled through the last laps of the race for the lead, but Johnson prevailed and won the Shelby American at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
(Credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images for NASCAR)

LAS VEGAS, NV. — Jimmie Johnson has done it again. He played possum most of the day and then turned on the afterburner to pass teammate Jeff Gordon with just 16 laps to go and win the Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Gordon led more than 210 laps of the 267-lap event before losing the lead to Johnson, who seems hellbent to win his fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship before Gordon does.

Johnson won last week at Auto Club Speedway and told members of the media leading up to Sunday’s race he could care less about the people who think he’s tainting NASCAR racing with his dominance.

“You compete to win. I’m not gonna apologize for winnning,” he said. “I want to win every race.”

While Johnson drove away for Sunday’s victory, Kevin Harvick also passed Gordon for the runnerup spot. Gordon finished third ahead of fourth-place Mark Martin. And Matt Kenseth edged Joey Logano for fifth. Logano was sixth, a very impressive finish for the young driver. Tony Stewart was seventh, Clint Bowyer eighth, Kasey Kahne ninth and Greg Biffle 10th.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., continued his struggle to compete with the frontrunners by finishing 16th.

On a sunny, gorgeous afternoon, hometown favorite and pole winner Kurt Busch led the field into turn one but Gordon went to the front shortly thereafter. Two laps weren’t completed before the first caution flag waved. Rookie Kevin Conway lost control of his Ford and tapped the wall out of turn four.

Gordon led on the restart at lap five. When the field settled in at 20 laps, Gordon was leading with the Busch Boys in tow. Newman was fourth with Earnhardt Jr. fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Biffle, Stewart, Edwards, Montoya and Logano.

Mike Bliss brought out the second caution flag on lap 46 when he got into the wall in turn four. Gordon beat everyone out of the pits to maintain his lead. The buzz all week had centered on speed with the track record being broken by Kurt Busch and numerous other drivers but Sunday’s pace was slower than anticipated due to the sunshine.

A caution light malfunction brought out another yellow flag right after the restart. The caution lights failed to shut off so NASCAR had to slow the field and fix the problem.

In the process, Biffle took the lead with Gordon second. On the ensuing restart at lap 57, it was Biffle, Gordon, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Kenseth, Edwards, Johnson, Earnhardt Jr., Stewart, Newman and Burton.

Gordon quickly went to the front again. Kyle Busch took the top spot on lap 65, and Kenseth moved into second but Gordon was having none of that and went back out front on lap 67.

By lap 70, last week’s winner in California, Johnson, had moved from 20th starting position to third place behind teammate Gordon and Kenseth.

At 80 laps, Gordon still led with Kenseth and Johnson right behind. Biffle was fourth, Edwards fifth, Kyle Busch sixth, Stewart seventh, Burton eighth, Kurt Busch ninth and Earnhardt Jr. 10th.

At lap 88, Hornish Jr. spun off turn four and complained to his crew his car was so loose he couldn’t hang on to it. Johnson had a bad pit stop this round when his tire changer had a lug nut problem. He came in third and went back out sixth. Kenseth took the lead out of the pits with Edwards ahead of Gordon.

At lap 93, after the restart, teammates Juan Pablo Montoya and Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray tangled, and Kurt Busch got caught up in it to bring out the fifth caution.

On the restart at lap 97, Gordon recaptured the lead from Kenseth. Edwards was third. Gordon, at this point in the race, seemed to clearly have the fastest car. Another caution light malfunction prompted the sixth caution period of the day at 108 laps.

The restart on lap 114 had Scott Speed in front briefly but Gordon sped past before they made a lap. Kenseth was next with Johnson third and Kyle Busch fourth. Burton was fifth.

At the halfway point (133 laps), it was an all Hendrick Chevrolet race with Gordon leading and Johnson second, a battle of four-time champions. Kenseth was third in a Roush Ford. Two Childress Chevrolets were running fourth and fifth, Burton and Harvick. Kyle Busch, the defending race champion, was sixth. Rounding out the top 10 were Stewart, Martin, Kahne and Logano. Earnhardt Jr. was 11th.

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 28, 2010) — Regan Smith and the Furniture Row Racing team persevered in Las Vegas, finishing 21st in Sunday’s Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

Smith, who started 28th, never fell back in track position, but handling issues prevented him from making more of a charge during the 267-lap, 400-mile race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Though crew chief Ryan Coniam was not satisfied with the result, he was pleased about how the team overcame adversity to post another solid finish in NASCAR’s elite series.

“When the car is not totally right, you need to race smart as a team,” said Coniam. “The driver needs to be savvy on the track, the pit crew needs to be on, and we all have to fight for everything we can get. That is exactly what this Furniture Row team did today. Regan drove a great race and the over-the-wall crew was spot on. I am very proud of this team for how hard they battled today.”

Smith could not find the right handling with his No. 78 Chevrolet due to a tight race car and running the majority of the race in dirty air.

“It was a struggle, but give our guys credit, they kept on working on the car and did make it better,” explained Smith, who was the last driver to finish on the lead lap. “The pit crew did an awesome job. We’re moving forward and that’s the key. This is a greatly improved race team compared to what it was at this time last year.”

Smith, who had a 19th-place finish in California last week, jumped from 30th to 25th in the current driver point standings, despite a poor finish (39th) in the Daytona 500 opener due to being collected in an early accident.

“It’s all about improvement right now, and that’s what we’re doing,” stated Smith. “There’s plenty of races to go, and our goal is to be running with the leaders. We’ll get there.”

The race winner was Jimmie Johnson. Rounding out the top-five in order were: Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth.

The next Cup race is Sunday (March 7) at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Note: The only thing that Smith and Coniam didn’t agree on Sunday was which team would win the Olympic gold medal game between the United States and Canada. Smith, an avid hockey fan, radioed Coniam after the race and asked who won the game. Coniam, a native of Canada, and also an avid hockey fan, had a little pleasure in his voice when he told Smith that Canada won 3-2 in sudden death overtime. Smith did not respond.

Speeding Penalty Thwarts Strong Run for Busch at Las Vegas

Despite Disappointing 15th-Place Finish, M&M’s Team Moves Up to 12th in Points

Defending race-winner Kyle Busch had a solid top-five finish in his sights, but a pit road speeding penalty with just 51 laps remaining hampered his chances for a repeat win at his hometown Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

As a result, the driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) finished a disappointing 15th in Sunday’s Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

“Our M&M’s Camry wasn’t bad all day,” said Busch, who won the 2009 Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas, his first at his hometown track. “We were a little tight early in the race and our balance was good, but we just didn’t have the speed we needed out of it. We ran a really patient race but, on our last stop there, I used too much rear brake and slid across the line coming in. Totally my fault. I feel bad for the guys since we had a good car and we didn’t end up finishing where we ran all day long.”

After starting a solid fifth in the 43-car field, Busch sat comfortably within the top-five for the first 80 laps of the race. While he briefly dropped to ninth on Lap 119, the talented 24-year-old moved back into the top-five just two laps later. Although Busch was happy with the balance of his M&M’s Camry, he asked crew chief Dave Rogers to help him find some more speed, which Rogers did through several changes in air pressure and track bar adjustments as the race wore on.

The Las Vegas native held strong within the top-five for much of the next 100 laps as the race went caution-free from laps 113-230. Late in the lengthy, green-flag run, on lap 216, Rogers brought Busch to pit road for what would be his final stop of the day. The M&M’s team performed another solid pit stop of 13.4 seconds and sent Busch back out in great shape for the final sprint to the finish. Unfortunately, as Busch entered pit road, NASCAR officials detected he exceeded the pit road speed limit and assessed a drive-through penalty, which Busch served on Lap 220. The penalty sent Busch a lap down to the leaders and dropped him from sixth to 17th place in just a matter of a few laps.

With less than 50 laps remaining, it appeared as though Busch would struggle to get his lap back and have a chance at a top-10 finish. But he caught a bit of a break when the caution flag flew for the last time on lap 230. Busch and the M&M’s team elected not to pit and opted instead to receive the wave-around, during which all cars on lap down that elect not to pit get their lap back after being sent by the pace car prior to the restart.

Busch restarted 17th on lap 233, but with the race going caution-free for the final 34 laps, he was only able to gain two more spots before the checkered flag.

Busch’s JGR teammates – Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin – finished sixth and 19th, respectively.

With three of 36 races in the books, Logano leads the JGR trio in the championship point standings in eighth place with 413 points, 93 markers back of leader Kevin Harvick. Busch moved up one spot to 12th with 375 points, 131 markers arrears Harvick, while Hamlin is tied for 21st with 304 points, 202 markers back.

Jimmie Johnson won the Shelby American to score his 49th career Sprint Cup victory, his second of the season and his fourth at Las Vegas.

Harvick finished 1.874 seconds behind Johnson, while Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top-five. Logano, Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were seven caution periods for 29 laps, with five drivers failing to finish the 267-lap race.

The next event on the Sprint Cup Series schedule is the March 7 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga. The race starts at 1 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at noon.

Starting Line Up by Row

Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Shelby American

Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Fri, February 26, 2010 @ 08:20 PM Eastern

Did Not Qualify:
# 90 Casey Mears; # 46 Terry Cook

Jake Elder

It seems ironic that as NASCAR is preparing to race at perhaps its most modern, contemporary track of all — Las Vegas Motor Speedway — one of the most significant events that occurred in the sport during the week leading up to the race focused not on the NASCAR’s present, but on its past.

On Wednesday, February 24, 73-year-old J.C. Elder — “Suitcase Jake” — passed away.

Newer NASCAR fans may not know much, if anything, about Suitcase Jake Elder. In the days before celebrity crew chiefs like Chad Knaus and Greg Zipadelli were representing their team sponsors in national television commercials, Elder was hunkered down in America’s garages, interacting with a chassis rather than a camera lens.

His third-grade education might not have allowed for much of a detailed explanation about NASCAR telemetry; Rusty Wallace once described his tool box as being filled with “so much prehistoric stuff that it was unreal.” Elder ground out speed the old-fashioned way, by getting his hands dirty.

And he was very, very good at it. The long list of drivers he helped get to Victory Lane includes Darrell Waltrip, Fred Lorenzen, Benny Parsons.

He was Mario Andretti’s crew chief when Andretti won the 1967 Daytona 500, and David Pearson’s crew chief when the “Silver Fox” — NASCAR does love its nicknames — won back to back Sprint Cup Series championships in 1968 and ‘69.

The man who acquired his nickname thanks to a reputation for being somewhat of a NASCAR job hopper also worked with Dale Earnhardt for a while, helping “The Intimidator” win NASCAR Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year honors in 1979. In fact, his character was even featured briefly in the 2004 ESPN original movie “3: The Dale Earnhardt Story.”

The famous names the sport is built on were propped up, gassed up and sped up by Suitcase Jake Elder. He has left an indelible impression, and will not be forgotten.

NASCAR honors its history.

It also celebrates its future. Even as tears fell for one of the most successful and respected crew chiefs in stock car racing history, eyes lit up in another part of the country, on the very same day, as Carl Edwards and his wife Kate welcomed 8 lb., 4 oz. Anne Katherine Edwards into the world.

In a single day, NASCAR lost a piece of its past, and gained a part of its future. What a poignant, albeit bittersweet, example of the way the world renews itself.

The Edwards’ baby’s story is yet to be written. I’m sure we’ll be seeing her at pre-race ceremonies, and maybe even in Victory Lane, before the end of the season.

Maybe she’ll be the CEO of “Backflip Motorsports” someday, in the tradition of Kelley Earnhardt.

She could become a doctor like her mom, or – I say this with my fingers crossed — a race car driver like her dad. We just don’t know.

But we do know this. She is part of the NASCAR community now, and fittingly, she has gotten off to a great start, with a nickname of her own — “Annie.”

A flight of fancy it may be, but still it is nice to imagine that the spirits of Annie Edwards and Suitcase Jake Elder may have nodded to one another as they passed on February 24.

As one bade its final farewell to the NASCAR family and the other said hello for the very first time, perhaps they both smiled to think that on this momentous day, the circle of life was an oval.

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway.
(Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

FONTANA, Calif.— A career came full circle for Jimmie Johnson, who won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway in 2002 and on Sunday claimed his fifth victory at the 2-mile track and the 48th of his career — matching the No. 48 on his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

After gaining the lead in the Auto Club 500 during a fortunate exchange on pit road, the four-time defending series champion held off Kevin Harvick during a 20 lap green-flag run to the finish. Harvick had narrowed a one-second lead to .311 seconds on Lap 246 of 250 before a brush with the wall slowed his progress.

Jeff Burton ran third, followed by Mark Martin and Joey Logano. Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle completed the top 10.

With the win, Johnson tied Herb Thomas for 12th on the career victory list and showed the rest of the field that he’s back on course after a 35th-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500.

The key sequence came on Lap 223, when Brad Keselowski spun his Dodge off Turn 4 after contact with David Reutimann’s Toyota and brought out the sixth and final caution of the race. Johnson was on pit road when NASCAR called the caution but beat the pace car to the scoring line at the exit.

When the rest of the lead-lap cars pitted under the yellow, Johnson inherited the lead and held it for a restart on Lap 231.

“They’re really good, but they’re also really, really lucky,” Harvick said. “They have a golden horseshoe stuck up their ass—there’s no getting around that.”

Johnson acknowledged his good fortune after climbing from his car in victory lane.

“Today, fortune came our way,” Johnson said. “We hit pit road, and the caution came out and gave us track position. We lost the handle in the second half of the race. We were making gains coming back, but a lot of other guys were ahead of us, and I knew it would be tough to pass them.

“I’m not going to lie — the fact that we were on pit road gave us track position, and I drove my butt off. We finally got the car turning — it was just a little too loose. The 29 (Harvick) was coming, but then he hit the wall and let us get it.

“Yes, we were lucky today, but you don’t get lucky and win four championships and 48 races.”

Just as intense as Harvick’s pursuit of Johnson was Burton’s battle with Harvick, his Richard Childress Racing teammate and the new Cup points leader through two races.

“I kept running the bottom, because if (Harvick) slipped, I could get the spot,” Burton said. “But me running the bottom, him running the top — we weren’t slowing each other up. Just the way he was running his fastest line, I was running my fastest line.

“I think when we were doing that, we were running (Johnson) down. And then we got a little bit looser. Kevin looked like he got better. When he did, I thought he was going to win the race.”

The brush with the wall, however, ended his prospects for victory. Harvick’s Chevy slid into the barrier after Johnson moved up the track to block the line he was running.

“I caught the wall there just enough to knock the right front fender in,” Harvick said. “You know, if he doesn’t move up, he’s going to get passed pretty easily. He moved up and did what he was supposed to do to take that line away. He was able to drive off. So he did exactly what he had to do.”

Notes: Engine troubles sidelined Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Newman and Marcos Ambrose. … Despite the good fortune, Johnson’s win was hardly fluke. He led a race-high 101 laps. … Polesitter and Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray finished 17th.