Allen Bestwick will host NASCAR Countdown at Nashville, joined in the ESPN Pit Studio by analyst Brad Daugherty. Tim Brewer will be at the ESPN Chevy Cutaway Car.
ESPN’s lead auto racing analyst Rusty Wallace returns to the booth for the Nashville telecast. Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR Cup Series champion, took a brief hiatus from ESPN’s NASCAR coverage to work the telecast of the Indianapolis 500 by ESPN on ABC. Dale Jarrett filled in for Wallace. Joining Wallace in the booth this weekend at Nashville will be lead announcer Dr. Jerry Punch and two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree.
Pit reporters will be Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake.
Weekend Schedule
Friday, June 8, 2007 * Closed To Public
10:00 AM NBS Haulers Enter
11:00 AM NBS Garage Opens
4:00 PM NBS Rookie and Spotter Meeting
4:00 PM NBS Drawing for Qualifying Order
5:00-6:00 PM NBS Practice
6:15-6:45 PM NBS Rookie Practice
7:00-8:00 PM NBS Final Practice
7:00 PM NBS Registration Closes
9:30 PM NBS Garage Closes
Saturday, June 9, 2007
10:00 AM NBS Garage Opens
2:05 NBS Qualifying (Two Laps, All Positions)
4:00 PM NBS Driver/Crew Chief Meeting
4:00-5:00 PM Pre Race concert-Phil Vassar
5:30 PM NBS Driver Introduction-Security-Clear Pit Road
6:00 NBS Race (225 Laps, 300 Miles)
7:00 PM NBS Garage Closes
NBS= NASCAR Busch Series
All Times Local (Central) * Schedule is tentative and subject to change.
Goodyear Tire Notes
This is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that Goodyear brought to Nashville for the NASCAR Busch Series race earlier this season -- Nashville is the only track at which Busch Series teams are scheduled to run these codes in 2007 -- as on all NASCAR ovals one mile or greater in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Nashville -- air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.
Carl Edwards Wins At Nashville
Edwards Leads Train * CIA Stock Photo
Carl Edwards may run full time in the Nextel Cup Series now, but there's no way that he's ever miss a Busch Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. Not when you can win as easily as taking candy from a baby. Nine Cup drivers made the trip from Pocono Raceway Saturday afternoon in hopes of scooping up the lion's share of the million dollar purse and Edwards made the most of his opportunities by winning the Federated Auto Parts 300 and took home his third straight Gibson Guitar trophy. It was the fourth Busch Series victory in 2007, all on concrete tracks, two at Nashville, one at Dover and one at Bristol. Now they call him the "Concrete King". It was the 13th win for Edwards in 86 career races.
Clint Bowyer was in control for much of the race, leading 116 of 225 laps. But Bowyer's car was set up by Chase Miller, since Bowyer was in Pocono for the Nextel Cup practices. So Bowyer stepped into a car that had a foreign setup and still nearly pulled the victory off. "Without practice, you got what you got," said Bowyer of the setup on his car. "The car just didn't suit my driving style." Bowyer held onto the second spot and Jason Leffler drove for all he was worth to finish third. Scott Wimmer, Bowyer's RCR teammate, had a fast car all day until the end of the race. Wimmer lead 41 laps but with 40 laps to go he started complaining of a loose condition and limped home in fourth.
Regan Smith finished fifth followed by Jason Keller, David Ragan, Todd Kluever, David Reutimann and Aric Almirola rounded out the top ten. Pole sitter Steven Wallace finished 12th o the lead lap. The race was slowed by five cautions for a total of 25 laps. There were twelve lead changes among seven different drivers. The average speed of the race was 151.899 mph. The Busch Series moves to Kentucky Speedway next Saturday night, June 16th, for the Meijer 300 Presented by Oreo. ESPN and ESPN Deportes will cover the race starting at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time. ...Daily Headlines
Steven Wallace On Nashville Pole
19 year-oldSteven Wallace went out to qualify about mid-day on the 1.333-mile concrete Nashville Superspeedway and the track hadn't changed much from the beginning of the session until the end of it. So the qualifying order wasn't as important as it is on asphalt tracks. Wallace knocked Aric Almirola out of the top spot and will start on the pole for Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 300. It's the second pole this year and the second career pole for Wallace, his other one also on a concrete track, Bristol Motor Speedway.
“My guys really worked hard this weekend. We weren’t very good in the first practice, so we went back to the drawing board and put our setup from the first race back in the car; it was a ton better after that," said Wallace. "That run surprised everyone I think, including me. I knew our car was good, but we weren’t able to get a clean qualifying run in practice; my uncle Mike (Wallace, No. 7 Chevrolet) pulled up in front of me during our mock qualifying run and killed our lap. Nonetheless, our HomeLife Communities Dodge Charger was great when it counted. I’m looking forward to running a smooth race, being there at the end and getting our first top-ten of the year tonight.”
His father, Rusty Wallace was in the TV booth when Wallace made his pole run. The elder Wallace couldn't get the smile off of his face. Clint Bowyer also knocked Almirola out of the second spot but held on for third. Timothy Peters, driving for Richard Childress Racing qualified in fourth, he will be followed to the flag by Marcos Ambrose, Todd Kluever, Busch Series points leader, Carl Edwards, local driver Bobby Hamilton Jr., Scott Wimmer and Stephen Leicht to round out the top ten. The race is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time and will be carried on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. Carl Edwards is going for his third straight victory at Nashville.
Double-Duty Drivers
The second Nashville race kicks off the portion of the stand-alone season where double-duty drivers will have subs for practice and qualifying. Nine drivers are scheduled for double duty in Nashville and at Pocono Raceway this weekend. Matt McCall will sub for points leader Carl Edwards while Auggie Vidovich does the same for Edwards’ teammate David Ragan. Brandon Miller stands in for Clint Bowyer; Chad Blount for Dave Blaney (No. 10 Camping World Toyota); Scott Lagasse Jr. for David Stremme; Jay Sauter for J.J. Yeley (No. 1 Miccosukee Resort Chevrolet) and Mark Green for David Reutimann. Subs for Greg Biffle and Mike Bliss (No. 22 Family Dollar Dodge) are to be announced.
Carl's Hot Streak
Whatever the term, Carl Edwards (No. 60 Dish Network Ford) aims to continue his hot streak – in the season and at Nashville Superspeedway, site of Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 300.
Let’s review the definitions:
“Two-fer” – Edwards looks to win his second race in a row. He won at Dover International Speedway last Saturday. He won back-to-back races earlier this year at Bristol Motor Speedway and the first race at Nashville.
“Sweep” – Edwards won at Nashville in April and seeks to become the first driver to capture both races in the same season at the track.
“Three-peat” – In addition to his victory last April, Edwards also carries the distinction of defending race winner, having won this event one year ago. In the process, he became just the second driver to win more than one race at the 1.33-mile concrete oval. Scott Riggs won in 2002 and again in ’03.
“Four on the floor” – The series points leader is also the season leader in victories with three. A fourth win would not only pad that lead but put him in pretty exclusive company.
Since the series’ inception in 1982, only seven drivers have won four or more races through the first 15 events of the season.
Two-time series champion Sam Ard had six wins in the first 15 races in 1984 to lead the group. Another two-time champion, Martin Truex Jr., is the last driver to register four wins after 15 races when he did so in 2004. Truex went on to win six races that year. The series record for wins in a season is held by Ard with 10 in 1983.
Back To Basics: Saturday Night At Nashville Returns Series To Roots
The entry list for Nashville is a combination of series veterans and new faces – a mix that give this race the true feel of a NASCAR Busch Series event. Bobby Hamilton Jr., Jason Keller (No. 11 CJM Racing Chevrolet) and David Green (No. 91 YRT2 Toyota) – the 1994 series champion who won at Nashville in 2003 – are veterans who call the series home. The trio will be on a series track together for the first time since the Michigan race in 2004.
The race will also help introduce fans to new faces, including Green’s teammate Bobby Santos (No. 92 Riley-D’Hondt Motorsports Toyota); Kevin Harvick Inc. teammates Cale Gale (No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet) and Kertus Davis (No. 77 Dollar General Chevrolet), Timothy Peters (No. 21 AutoZone Chevrolet) and 20-year-old Chase Miller (No. 9 Lipton Dodge) who will make his series debut for Evernham Motorsports.
The infusion of fresh names adds to some talented up-and-coming young series regulars who are poised to take advantage of their opportunity at Nashville – like Steve Wallace (No. 66 HomeLife Communities Dodge), Stephen Leicht (No. 90 CitiFinancial Ford), Aric Almirola (No. 20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet), Danny O’Quinn Jr. (No. 56 Power Equipment Co. Chevrolet), last year’s Raybestos Rookie of the Year.
NASCAR Countdown: ESPN2 Nashville Superspeedway Highlights
ESPN2’s NASCAR Countdown will have a live prime-time preview of the NASCAR Busch Series race at 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday from Nashville Superspeedway. Allen Bestwick will host NASCAR Countdown at Nashville, joined in the ESPN Pit Studio by ESPN’s lead auto racing analyst Rusty Wallace, who returns to the booth for the Nashville telecast. Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR Cup Series champion, took a brief hiatus from ESPN’s NASCAR coverage to work the telecast of the Indianapolis 500 by ESPN on ABC. Also in the Pit Studio will be two-time NASCAR champion crew chief and booth analyst Andy Petree and analyst Brad Daugherty. Tim Brewer will be at the ESPN Chevy Cutaway Car.
In addition to Wallace and Petree, the race telecast team will include lead announcer Dr. Jerry Punch. NASCAR Countdown will include segments from pit reporters Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake as drivers and teams get ready for a shot at the race trophy: the famed Nashville Superspeedway guitar. NASCAR Countdown will originate from Nashville Superspeedway and will be telecast from ESPN’s state-of-the-art mobile Pit Studio as it sets the stage for ESPN2’s coverage of the NASCAR Busch Series race Saturday, June 9. Highlights include:
A NASCAR Legend: Remembering Bill France Jr.
The man responsible for bringing NASCAR to national prominence, Bill France Jr. will be featured in a tribute on his life and impact in motorsports. ESPN NASCAR play-by-play analyst Dr. Jerry Punch, who had a long, personal relationship with France and his family, will lead the feature, which includes reaction from NASCAR Nation, drivers and owners – current and past, sponsors and executives.
Nashville Superspeedway: Who and what to watch for
Double Duty: Eight drivers will pull double duty this weekend, taking flights between Nashville Superspeedway and Pocono Raceway to compete in the NASCAR Busch Series and NEXTEL Cup races. The drivers are Carl Edwards, J.J. Yeley, Clint Bowyer, David Ragan, Dave Blaney, Greg Biffle, David Stremme and David Reutimann. ESPN pit reporter Mike Massaro will speak with NASCAR Busch Series points leader Carl Edwards about the demands of racing both series.
NASCAR Busch Series drivers will shine: With the NASCAR Busch Series Nashville Superspeedway race being a stand-alone event, NASCAR fans get to watch their favorite Busch Series drivers take the lead. New faces will include Bobby East, Cale Gale, Bobby Santos and Richard Johns to name a few.
Edwards’ second career?
If Carl Edwards wasn’t a NASCAR driver, would he be a musician? NASCAR Countdown will feature Edwards’ continued desire to become a better guitar player. Note: Edwards won the Nashville guitar, the race’s coveted trophy, in the April 2007 race. We’ll see if he can do it again.
NASCAR Now Weekend Edition to Air Sunday
The weekend edition of NASCAR Now, ESPN’s daily news and information show dedicated to NASCAR, will air at 10 a.m. Sunday on ESPN2, with highlights from Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Busch Series race at Nashville and a look ahead to Sunday evening’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race. Sunday night’s edition of the program will air at midnight.
NASCAR Now will have its expanded Monday edition on the air from 6-7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The program will have extensive highlights and recaps of the weekend’s NASCAR races, as well as looks ahead to the next weekend. The show returns to its regular 6:30 p.m. time slot Tuesday.
NASCAR Now is hosted by Erik Kuselias, Ryan Burr and Allen Bestwick and originates from ESPN’s High Definition studios in Bristol, Conn., with reporters Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake. Contributors include analysts Tim Brewer, Brad Daugherty, Stacy Compton and Boris Said, along with NASCAR insiders Terry Blount, Angelique Chengelis, Tim Cowlishaw, David Newton and Marty Smith, as well as D.J. Copp, a member of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s NASCAR team.
Busch Series Rookie News
Marcos Ambrose was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the June 2 Dover 200 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. Ambrose finished sixth, his best finish in 14 Busch Series races and racked up his third top-10 finish of the season. His best finish prior to the race at Dover was an eighth-place effort at Mexico City (race No. 3). Ambrose took Raybestos® Rookie of the Race honors for the fourth time this season and for the second consecutive race.
Ambrose and David Ragan are tied for the lead in the Raybestos® Rookie standings (139-139) entering the June 9 Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.
Ambrose is eighth in the Busch Series championship standings, best of any Raybestos® Rookie. He is nine points behind seventh-place Casey Mears and leads ninth-place Bobby Hamilton Jr. by three.
Three Raybestos® Rookies have captured WIX Filters Lap Leader of the Race honors in the Busch Series this season: Brad Coleman (Talladega, race No. 10), Marcos Ambrose (Las Vegas, race No. 4) and Montoya (Mexico City, race No. 3).
DID YOU KNOW? Montoya has led more laps than any other Raybestos® Rookie this season, holding the top spot five times in two races for a total of 51 laps.
DID YOU KNOW? TWO Raybestos® Rookies have won pole positions this season: David Ragan (O’Reilly 300 at Texas Motor Speedway, race No. 8) and Brad Coleman (Aaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway, race No. 10).
DID YOU KNOW? A Raybestos® Rookie has won at least one race in each of the past FOUR consecutive seasons (2004-2007).
Brad Coleman was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2007 Pepsi 300 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, scoring a 15th-place finish.
Danny O’Quinn Jr. was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race in the 2006 Federated Auto Parts 300, scoring a 10th-place finish.
RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE CONTENDER POINT STANDINGS BEFORE FEDERATED AUTO PARTS 300
DRIVER POINTS
Marcos Ambrose 139
David Ragan 139
Juan Pablo Montoya 137
Kyle Krisiloff 119
Brad Keselowski 80
Brad Coleman 50
Justin Diercks 39
Sam Hornish Jr. 35
Robert Richardson Jr. 29
Alex Garcia 7
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