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Falk claims 2nd track title



Emory Healthcare 500
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Sunday, Sep 5, 2010
7:45pm ET - ESPN


Previous Winners
(All Winners)

6- Bobby Labonte 96/97/98/99/01/03
5- Bill Elliott 85/85/87/92/92
3- Jeff Gordon 95/98/03
3- Jimmie Johnson 04/07/07
3- Carl Edwards 05/05
3- Kurt Busch 02/09/10
2- Mark Martin 91/94
2- Tony Stewart 02/06
2- Kasey Kahne 06/09
1- Ken Schrader 91
1- Kevin Harvick 01
1- Dale Earnhardt Jr 04
1- Kyle Busch 08


Track - Race Specs


Race #: 25 of 36 Events
Event: Emory Healthcare 500
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Track Size: 1.54 Mile
Track Type: Tri-Oval
Total Laps: 325
Total Miles: 500.5
2010-1 Winner: Kurt Busch
Pit Speed: 45 mph

Pit Window: 48-52 laps









NASCAR Spring Cup Series
News & Notes...

Courtesy of NASCAR Media PR

  • Excitement Mounts for Drivers Looking to Clinch Chase Spots
  • Bubble Battle: Current Hot Spot is 12th Place
  • Loop Data: Two Big Names Oddly Quiet as Chase Nears

    Two Races to Go for Drivers Hoping to Clinch Chase Spots

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors pursuing a Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berth only have two events remaining in the "Race to the Chase" - the 10-race stretch that precedes the Chase. That means dwindling opportunity and mounting pressure.

    Sunday night's Emory HealthCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway is the first of those two opportunities, a stage where several top- 12-ranked drivers - and perhaps a few below that 12th-place cutoff - hope to clinch Chase spots, or claw their way to eligibility. What we know: Standings leader Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) and second-place Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont/Jeff Gordon Foundation Chevrolet) have clinched their berths.

    Who's next: Three drivers - third-place Kyle Busch (No. 18 Pedigree Toyota), fourth-place Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford) and fifth-place Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota) - have very good shots at clinching at Atlanta.

    Three others - sixth-place Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet), seventh-place Jeff Burton (No. 31 Cat Financial Chevrolet) and eighth-place Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Crown Royal Ford) - could clinch, depending on scenarios.

    The remaining four drivers in the current top 12 - ninth-place Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowes/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet), 10thplace Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge), 11th-place Greg Biffle (No. 16 Scotch Blue Ford) and 12th-place Clint Bowyer (No. 33 BB&T Chevrolet) - may have to wait a week, until the final event in the Race to the Chase, at Richmond International Raceway.

    Kyle Busch owns Sunday's most favorable scenario. He'll clinch with a finish of 40th or better with no laps led, 42nd or better with at least one lap led or 43rd or better with the most laps at Atlanta.

    Edwards' and Hamlin's scenarios are a little tougher, but similar. Edwards will clinch Sunday with a finish of 21st or better with no laps led, 23rd or better with at least one lap led or 25th or better with the most laps led. Hamlin will clinch with a finish of 20th or better with no laps led, 22nd or better with at least one lap led or 23rd or better with the most laps led.

    Stewart, Burton and Kenseth have a bit more work to do. Stewart must finish 19th or better with no laps led, 21st or better with at least one lap led or 23rd or better with the most laps led. Burton must finish 17th or better with no laps led, 19th or better with at least one lap led or 21st or better with the most laps led. Kenseth must finish 15th or better with no laps led, 17th or better with at least one lap led or 19th or better with the most laps led.

    Johnson, Kurt Busch and Biffle need really good Atlanta performances. Johnson, the reigning and fourtime series champion, must finish 10th or better with no laps led, 11th or better with at least one lap led or 13th or better with the most laps led. Once he clinches, Johnson becomes the only driver to participate in all seven Chases. Kurt Busch must finish ninth or better with no laps led, 10th or better with at least one lap led or 11th or better with most laps led, to clinch his Chase berth. Biffle must finish fourth or better with no laps led, fifth or better with at least one lap led or seventh or better with the most laps led.

    Bowyer needs a superior showing. Possible? Yes, but much more likely that Bowyer clinches his Chase berth at Richmond. He heads to Atlanta 100 points ahead of 13th-place Jamie McMurray (No. 1 McDonald's Chevrolet). That means he must gain 96 points on 13th.

    Don't forget: Twenty bonus points still are available. Following Richmond, Chase drivers are seeded according to the number of wins they accrued in the season's first 26 races. Each win is worth 10 points.

    Bubble Battle: Bowyer Leads McMurray, Martin

    That smoke you see wafting from the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings? The current hot spot - 12th place. It's the final, eligible position in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, and the site of the fiercest points battle heading toward Sunday night's Emory Healthcare 500 at Atlanta. Clint Bowyer is the current occupant, a spot he's held for the last six weeks.

    There's no guarantee he'll keep it with two events remaining before the Chase begins Sept. 19 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but after all relevant addition and subtraction, it's his spot to lose.

    Bowyer leads 13th-place Jamie McMurray by 100 points and 14th-place Mark Martin (No. 5 CARQUEST/GoDaddy.com Chevrolet) by 101.

    Further afield is 15th-place Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet), who trails Bowyer by 118 points.

    "It certainly is a better position to be in right now for us because there only is one person we have to pass," McMurray said. "When you have three or four in between you, you have to hope all of them have something bad happen to all them.

    "But the 33 is running really well right now. I kind of put him in the same category as us. They are running really well but they've had a lot of DNFs. I think that team will perform fine, and we will just have to wait and see how it works out."

    There is comeback precedent. In 2006, Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge) was 90 points out of Chase eligibility with two races remaining in the "Race to the Chase." A victory at Auto Club Speedway followed by a third-place finish in the cutoff race at Richmond vaulted him into 10th (at the time, the final Chase spot).

    Other comebacks with two races remaining include 2004, the Chase's first season, when Martin and Jeremy Mayfield both made up 35- point deficits; 2005, when Matt Kenseth made up an 11-point deficit and last year, when Brian Vickers overcame a 39-point deficit. Kahne, the defending Atlanta winner, is 16th, 136 points out of Chase eligibility. But he's not opposed to playing spoiler, especially since

    Sunday marks a year since his last series victory. "I've been in this position, I think, every year pretty much since I've been in Cup," Kahne said. "I'm never in the Chase when we get to this point of the year. We're right on the edge. We either miss it or don't. We have to wait and see. Have a little bit of a shot if anything happens to the 33."

    Slump Day: Marquee Names Oddly Quiet As Chase Nears

    Two of the biggest names in the sport, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr., have suddenly become afterthoughts.

    How is that possible? The answer: Performance. Take Johnson, the four-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. It has been an up-and-down campaign for Johnson. His five wins are tied for a series-high with Denny Hamlin, yet his nine finishes outside the top 20 (nine) are the most in his nine-year career. The brunt of Johnson's struggles has come recently. Over the last seven races, Johnson has had five finishes outside the top 20 and two outside the top 30. His average finish was 23.3 during the "slump."

    But there are two reasons for optimism. One, poor finishes aren't always what they seem. In each of his last seven races, Johnson has had a better Average Running Position than his finish. For instance, two weeks ago at Bristol, Johnson finished 35th, but had an Average Running Position of 17.4 and a Driver Rating of 92.0.

    Second, Johnson heads to Atlanta, one of his best tracks. His average Driver Rating at Atlanta of 109.5 makes it his 10th-best track in terms of the Loop Data statistic.

    Since the inception of Loop Data in 2005, Johnson has scored a Driver Rating over 100.0 in eight of 11 Atlanta races. His average finish over that period is 9.1 and his Average Running Position is 7.8. Though he has finished outside the top 10 in the last two Atlanta events, he has finished first or second five times in the last 11. Then there's the curious case of Earnhardt, seven times voted NASCAR's most popular driver.

    Since consecutive top 10s at New Hampshire and Daytona, Earnhardt has struggled. In the last six races, he has finished outside the top 20 four times and has an average finish of 22.5. His Driver Rating over those six events was 66.3 and his Average Running Position was 20.7.

    But, like Johnson, Earnhardt should rebound this weekend. Atlanta is Earnhardt's second- best track in terms of Driver Rating (98.7). He scored a rating over 100.0 four times over the last 11 races, and over 90.0 seven times. He won there in 2004, prior to the inception of Loop Data.

    50 Years Of Racing At Atlanta Has Covered Plenty Of Historic NASCAR Moments


    Kasey Kahne takes the checkered flag last September at Atlanta Motor Speedway
    The 2010 season marks the 50th anniversary of racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway, one of the sport's longtime venues.

    The 1.5-mile track has evolved through the years, weathering construction, re-configuration, renovation, and yes, even weather.

    A tornado that damaged the facility on July 6, 2005 forced many months of repair, but also opportunity. The rebuilding permitted track officials to enact upgrades and changes that have enhanced both fans' and participants' experiences ever since, and this latest NASCAR weekend promises to be a golden-anniversary celebration. In fact, the tornado and its aftermath are ranked No. 7 on a track-produced, top-10 list of most memorable Atlanta Motor Speedway moments (see www.atlantamotorspeedway.com for more info).

    It's the racing, however, that's the focus at Atlanta - one of the fastest, favorite venues frequented by NASCAR's three national series.

    The 1992 NASCAR Sprint Cup season finale - No. 1 on the track's top-10 list - remains integral lore. Richard Petty's last career race, Jeff Gordon's first series start and a down-to-the -checkered-flag title battle between eventual champion Alan Kulwicki and hometown hero Bill Elliott all took place simultaneously; Elliott won the race, Kulwicki the title, by a mere 10 points, still the second-closest championship margin in NASCAR history. (The closest is eight points, between 2004 champion Kurt Busch and runner-up Jimmie Johnson, in the first Chase.)

    And Atlanta continues to evolve, thanks to this weekend's events. Sunday's Emory Healthcare 500 and Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series race mark the track's second consecutive year of night racing on Labor Day weekend, a burgeoning tradition. The 2011 season begins yet another new era for Atlanta, with the track hosting one exclusive race weekend featuring all three NASCAR national series, under the lights.

    "This weekend as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we will reflect back on some of the historic moments which have occurred at Atlanta Motor Speedway during our first 50 years," said Ed Clark, Atlanta Motor Speedway president and general manager. "From video presentations, to the official souvenir magazine, to special guests who attended the inaugural event here in 1960, we will commemorate and reflect on the great times fans have experienced at Atlanta Motor Speedway."

    NSCS Etc.

    Milestones: Mark Martin will make his 50th series start at Atlanta on Sunday. He's also still pursuing his 50th career series pole.

    Free Pancakes: And much more if you're a ticketholder to Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup event. Fans attending the race can eat a free breakfast the morning after from 7-9 a.m., on Monday, Sept. 6 in Atlanta Motor Speedway's NASCAR Nationwide Series garage. "Breakfast on Bruton" is the creation of track owner Bruton Smith as a thank-you to fans. The caveat: Breakfast- goers must present their ticket from the Sunday- night race for admission. Starting at 8 a.m., fans also can drive their vehicles around the track for a $30 donation, or, "Hot Laps on the High Banks", which benefits Speedway Children's Charities.

    But Wait: More activities are scheduled for the Labor Day race weekend at Atlanta. On Friday, a Fan Fest presented by Your Georgia Best Chevy Dealers kicks off with a 6 p.m., questionand- answer session featuring SPEED's Rutledge Wood and NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Jeff Burton, Clint Bower and David Ragan (No. 6 UPS Ford). A concert by Georgia-based rockers Drivin' N Cryin' follows the track's evening short-track event on its quarter-mile layout.

    On Saturday, veteran rockers Foreigner play at 5:20 p.m., from a frontstretch stage, after NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying and before the evening's NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

    "Mr. 500": A special touch for Sunday's Grand Marshall. Lawrenceville, Ga., native Terry Wood will have the honors, in celebration of receiving Emory University Hospital's 500th heart transplant in March 2008. Wood, a Kevin Harvick fan, will be attending his first race.

    "Papa's Car": Four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon will drive a particularly snazzy - and personal - vehicle Sunday night at Atlanta. His No. 24 Chevrolet features a special paint scheme designed by his young daughter, Ella, with assistance from respected motorsports artist Sam Bass. The scheme, titled "My Papa's Car," spotlights the new logo of the renamed Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation and has been blessed by Gordon's longtime primary sponsor, DuPont.

    "I can't wait to run Ella and Sam's design, and I can't think of a better way to showcase the new Foundation logo and name than on that car," Gordon said. "DuPont has graciously allowed us to run this scheme during one of their races, and I really appreciate their continued support of the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation in its efforts to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research."

    Conway Partners with Robby Gordon: NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Kevin Conway and Robby Gordon Motorsports announced Tuesday that they will partner for the remainder of the 2010 season. The joint venture begins this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway and includes Conway's sponsor, ExtenZe Racing.

    Conway will drive the No. 7 ExtenZe Racing Toyota at Atlanta, where he finished 31st in the March event. He leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings over fellow driver Terry Cook, and has one earlier start with Robby Gordon Motorsports, two weeks ago at Bristol Motor Speedway. Conway also started 21 races for Front Row Motorsports this season.

    Up Next: Richmond

    The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' next stop is an important one - the Air Guard 400 on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN).

    It's the final event in the "Race to the Chase," which sets the field for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Following Richmond, the top 12 drivers in the standings battle for the series title during the season's final 10 races.

    Long renowned for its short-track characteristics, but with room to maneuver, Richmond's 0.75-mile layout fosters intense competition. "The King" - Richard Petty - leads all drivers there with 13 wins, 34 top fives and 41 top 10s. He and another NASCAR great, Bobby Allison, lead all drivers there with eight poles, each.

    "The King" also leads all team owners with 15 Richmond wins. Virginia native Denny Hamlin is the defending race winner. Mark Martin is the defending polesitter.












  • Statistical Advance: Emory Healthcare 500 At Atlanta Motor Speedway

    Courtesy of NASCAR Media PR

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 30, 2010) - Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Atlanta Motor Speedway going into the Emory Healthcare 500 on Sept. 5.

    ATLANTA-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

    Greg Biffle (No. 16 SCOTCH BLUE Ford)

  • Enters Atlanta 11th in points
  • Three top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
  • Average finish of 15.0
  • Average Running Position of 12.2, sixth-best
  • Driver Rating of 95.0, eighth-best
  • 214 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
  • 594 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 171.711 mph, 11th-fastest
  • 2,647 Laps in the Top 15 (73.5%), fourth-most
  • 353 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fifth-most

    Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

  • 10th in points
  • Three wins, three top fives, seven top 10s
  • Average finish of 18.7
  • Average Running Position of 14.4, 11th-best
  • Driver Rating of 97.0, sixth-best
  • 233 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 171.796 mph, seventh-fastest
  • 2,223 Laps in the Top 15 (61.8%), 11th-most
  • 342 Quality Passes, eighth-most

    Kyle Busch (No. 18 Pedigree Toyota)

  • Third in points
  • One win, two top fives, two top 10s
  • Average finish of 18.3
  • Average Running Position of 15.2, 13th-best
  • Driver Rating of 88.7, 11th-best
  • 142 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
  • 655 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
  • 305 Quality Passes, 12th-most

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet)

  • 18th in points
  • One win, eight top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles
  • Average finish of 12.0
  • Average Running Position of 11.6, fifth-best
  • Driver Rating of 98.7, fourth-best
  • 222 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
  • 666 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 171.989 mph, third-fastest
  • 2,657 Laps in the Top 15 (73.8%), third-most
  • 363 Quality Passes, fourth-most

    Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)

  • Fourth in points
  • Three wins, six top fives, eight top 10s
  • Average finish of 15.3
  • Average Running Position of 14.2, 10th-best
  • Driver Rating of 99.4, third-best
  • Series-high 291 Fastest Laps Run
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.022 mph, second-fastest
  • 2,629 Laps in the Top 15 (73.0%), fifth-most
  • 316 Quality Passes, 10th-most

    Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont/Jeff Gordon Foundation Chevrolet)

  • Second in points
  • Four wins, 14 top fives, 23 top 10s; two poles
  • Average finish of 12.4
  • Average Running Position of 10.7, second-best
  • Driver Rating of 101.8, second-best
  • 155 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 171.717 mph, 10th-fastest
  • 2,857 Laps in the Top 15 (79.4%), second-most
  • 365 Quality Passes, second-most

    Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota)

  • Fifth in points
  • One top five, three top 10s
  • Average finish of 15.9
  • Average Running Position of 11.2, third-best
  • Driver Rating of 94.5, ninth-best
  • 133 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 171.854 mph, fifth-fastest
  • 2,181 Laps in the Top 15 (66.6%), 13th-most
  • 316 Quality Passes, 10th-most

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

  • Ninth in points
  • Three wins, nine top fives, 11 top 10s
  • Average finish of 10.8
  • Series-best Average Running Position of 7.8
  • Series-best Driver Rating of 109.5
  • 223 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
  • Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 172.196 mph
  • Series-high 3,220 Laps in the Top 15 (89.4%)
  • Series-high 374 Quality Passes

    Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser/Valvoline Ford)

  • 16th in points
  • Two wins, six top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
  • Average finish of 16.0
  • Driver Rating of 93.3, 10th-best
  • 210 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 171.675 mph, 12th-fastest
  • 2,261 Laps in the Top 15 (62.8%), 10th-most

    Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Crown Royal Ford)

  • Eighth in points
  • Eight top fives, 12 top 10s
  • Average finish of 13.1
  • Average Running Position of 12.9, seventh-best
  • Driver Rating of 96.5, seventh-best
  • 138 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
  • 666 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 171.869 mph, fourth-fastest
  • 2,588 Laps in the Top 15 (71.9%), seventh-most
  • 365 Quality Passes, second-most

    Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)

  • 19th in points
  • Three top fives, three top 10s
  • Average finish of 18.3
  • Driver Rating of 86.8, 13th-best
  • 288 Quality Passes, 13th-most

    Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet)

  • Sixth in points
  • Two wins, eight top fives, 13 top 10s
  • Average finish of 12.0
  • Average Running Position of 11.5, fourth-best
  • Driver Rating of 98.7, fifth-best
  • 162 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
  • 2,597 Laps in the Top 15 (72.1%), sixth-most
  • 344 Quality Passes, seventh-most

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

  • 20th in points
  • Two top 10s; one pole
  • Average finish of 24.6
  • Average Running Position of 13.0, eighth-best
  • Driver Rating of 87.6, 12th-best
  • 109 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 171.810 mph, sixth-fastest
  • 2,306 Laps in the Top 15 (70.4%), ninth-most
  • 333 Quality Passes, ninth-most

    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 102 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 two of the last three races.
  • 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 six victories. Labonte is tied with Richard Petty for third on the all-time win list at Atlanta.
  • The Wood Brothers have 12 victories, more than any organization. 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.
  • Two of the last three races had a margin of victory under a half second.

    NASCAR in Georgia

  • There have been 161 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 #: 25 of 36 (9-5-10)
    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

    Jimmie Johnson 109.5
    Jeff Gordon 101.8
    Carl Edwards 99.4
    Dale Earnhardt Jr. 98.7
    Tony Stewart 98.7
    Kurt Busch 97.0
    Matt Kenseth 96.5
    Greg Biffle 95.0
    Denny Hamlin 94.5
    Kasey Kahne 93.3
    Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2010 races (11 total) at Atlanta.

    Qualifying/Race Data
    2010 pole winner: Martin Truex Jr.
    2010 race winner: Kasey Kahne
    Track qualifying record: Geoffrey Bodine
    11-15-97) Race record: Dale Earnhardt (163.633 mph, 11-16-97)

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



  • Triple Crown Sweep at Bristol Earns
    Three Contingency Awards for Kyle Busch

    Dominating performance, powerful engine lead to historic three-race sweep

    Courtesy of NASCAR Media PR

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Aug. 26, 2010) - With a convincing performance in Saturday night's Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch and the No. 18 Doublemint Toyotateam visited Victory Lane in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the third time this season, picking up the race win and three post-race contingency awards.

    While the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series celebrated its 100th race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Busch capped off the night with a historical milestone of his own, becoming the first driver in the history of the sport to win all three major national series races in a single weekend.

    Adding to the victory, Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing's chief engine builder Mark Cronquist picked up the MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Race, Sunoco Diamond Performance and WIX Filters Lap Leader of the Race awards.

    The awards are part of the NASCAR Prize Money and Decal Program, also referred to as the Contingency Program, which provides teams prize money and weekly awards based on performance in several categories.

    Busch, who led the most laps - a resounding 282 - during the 500-lap event, captured his fifth WIX Filters Lap Leader of the Race Award of 2010. As the race winner, Busch also racked up his third Sunoco Diamond Performance Award of the year as the highest-finishing eligible driver.

    With top-notch, reliable horsepower under the hood of the No. 18 Camry, JGR's engine builder, Mark Cronquist, was awarded the MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Race Award, which is given weekly based on qualifying and finishing position.

    "Our performance on the track is really attributed to everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing," said Cronquist. "I've got a great team of guys in my engine department and everyone at JGR is dedicated to keeping our cars running up front. We appreciate MAHLE Clevite for recognizing our team."

    Fending off strong challenges from David Reutimann and Jamie McMurray in the final laps, Busch pulled away Saturday night for his third win of the weekend, capping off a historic run that also saw him win the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Wednesday night and the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Friday night.

    In the 15 years that NASCAR has been running three national series, Busch is the first driver to win in all three of NASCAR's national series in the same weekend. The weekend gives him 16 overall wins on the season, helping Busch close in on his own two-year old NASCAR record of 21 wins among the three national series in a single season.

    "It's so cool to be here [Victory Lane] three nights on this weekend," said Busch post-race. "To put this Doublemint Camry in Victory Lane, the second time they've been on the car, just real proud of the effort by these guys. I can't thank Dave and all the guys at Joe Gibbs Racing enough."

    Busch's victory Saturdayvaulted him up five positions from eighth to third place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings with two races remaining until the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field is set. The Race to the Chase continues on Sept. 5, 2010 at Atlanta Motor Speedway with the Emory Healthcare 500 (ESPN, 7:30 p.m. ET).

    Official winners of this week's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Prize Money & Decal Program special awards include:

  • COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD:Jimmie Johnson, 123.475 mph
  • DIRECTV CREW CHIEF OF THE RACE AWARD:Rodney Childers(crew chief for David Reutimann)
  • GOODYEAR GATORBACK BELTS FASTEST LAP AWARD:Jimmie Johnson (120.407 mph, Lap 4)
  • MAHLE CLEVITE ENGINE BUILDER OF THE RACE AWARD:Mark Cronquist (engine builder for Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing )
  • MOBIL 1 "COMMAND PERFORMANCE DRIVER OF THE RACE" AWARD:David Reutimann
  • MOOG CHASSIS PARTS PROBLEM SOLVER OF THE RACE AWARD: Shane Wilson (crew chief for Clint Bowyer)
  • O'REILLY AUTO PARTS POSITION IMPROVEMENT AWARD:Clint Bowyer (20 places)
  • RAYBESTOS ROOKIE OF THE RACE AWARD: Kevin Conway
  • SUNOCO DIAMOND PERFORMANCE AWARD: Kyle Busch
  • TISSOT "PIT ROAD PRECISION" AWARD:David Reutimann (199.713 secs)
  • WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD: Kyle Busch (282 laps)

    About the NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program
    The NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program, commonly referred to as the contingency program, is administered by the NASCAR Automotive Group. The program strives to build strong relationships with high-quality, performance-driven brands that are leaders in their respective categories and award money to NASCAR teams via per-race and year-end postings. Competitors become eligible for awards money by displaying partner decals on the front fender of their race vehicles and, in some instances, use of a sponsor's product. National series contingency sponsors will contribute over $8.8 million to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams in 2010.


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