XFINITY teams to use high-drag aero package for this weekend's racing action at Indianapolis.

UNB! Network Staff Report

News has come out that the NASCAR XFINITY Series teams will run a high-drag aero package at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for this weekend's practice sessions, qualifying, and race for the Lilly Diabetes 250.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will also be running a high-drag aero package for this weekend's racing festivities at the same track. The Cup Series ran a similar aero package at Kentucky two weeks ago, and also will be using one at Michigan later this year, Darlington, and possibly Richmond.

"From our perspective, the high-drag package that's going to be implemented in both the XFINITY and Cup Series, hopefully the ability of the cars to draft a little bit for that second or chased pack to be able to catch the leader," Steve O'Donnell, Executive Vice President and Cheif Racing Development Officer of NASCAR, said. "Again, it's new. It's a new package for Indianapolis so we'll evaluate it as we did for Kentucky to see what we learned, what was good, what we can tweak going forward. And I'm most proud about the work the industry has done, really coming together on somewhat short notice, putting a package together and being able to go out there and put on the best race possible, especially for the fans at Indy who come out each and every year."

Garage Talk: Week 7/20 - 7/24

UNB! NETWORK STAFF REPORT

Johnson and Jr. Clinch Chase Spots

Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. both clinched spots in the 16-driver list for the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup this past weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Kevin Harvick clinched a spot the week before at Kentucky. Joey Logano has one win this season, and he has clinched a spot in the Top-30 in points. One requirement of being in the chase is that you are in the Top-30 in Sprint Cup points. However, Logano still has not clinched a Chase spot. Assuming there will be more than 16 different winners before the Chase, Logano may not make the list of 16 drivers. But, the odds of that happening are not too likely.

Almirola Passes Bowyer For Chase Spot

Aric Almirola's 15th place finish in the Sprint Cup at New Hampshire this weekend put him in the 16th spot for the Chase. He leads Clint Bowyer by two points for that spot.

Busch Still Hasn't Clinched A Spot

Even with his third win in the last four races, Kyle Busch is still not in the Top-30. He missed the first 11 races of this Sprint Cup season due to a leg injury he sustained in the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series opener at DAYTONA International Speedway on February 21st, 2015.

Right now, Busch is 33rd in points, 58 points outside the Top-30.

Going Off-Road

This coming Wednesday night at Eldora Speedway, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series stars will battle it out for 150 laps at the world-famous 0.5 mile dirt track Eldora in Rossburgh, Ohio.

31 drivers entered the race, and they all will be racing to win the race that Austin Dillon won in 2013, and Darrell Wallace in 2014, the 1-800 CarCash Mud Summer Classic.

Good luck to all Truck Series drivers competing in that race.

Hamlin's Effort Pulls Off

In this past Saturday's XFINITY Series race at New Hampshire, the Lakes Region 200, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin were involved in a crash early in the race. Neither driver had sustained damage to their cars, so they continued the race, but lost position due to the wreck and restarted in the back ofthe field. Both drivers quickly worked their way back up the field, and Hamlin wound up winning the race.

We hope you enjoyed the Garage Talk for this week!

Kyle Busch wins the Lobster, gets New Hampshire win, 3rd win of 2015.

Alex Bowman sure had a rough day.

Going on fire in the middle of the race, and then wrecking on the last lap to bring out the caution, not a good day.

But for Kyle Busch, win number 3 has come.

He had to hold off a charging Brad Keselowski, who was all over Busch's bumper on the closing laps.

Kyle Busch has just won his third race of 2015, his second in a row, and his third in the last 4 races this season.

.@KyleBusch wins @NHMS! #NASCARonNBCSN pic.twitter.com/GtenpFmSYh

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 19, 2015

First was Sonoma, then Kentucky, and now New Hampshire? Unbelievable for Busch. Going into this race, his average finish was 3.50, and he and no wins here. Now, he walks away with a big win that puts him one step closer to being in the Top-30 in points, which would put him in the Chase.

Here were some pre-race stats from before today's race.

5 Hour Energy 301 RACE 📊📉(Stats):

Distance: 301 laps / 318 miles Fuel Window: 76 laps Pit Road Speed: 45 MPH

Busch is now 33rd in points, 58 points out of the Top-30.

In driver points, Kevin Harvick is now 69 points ahead of Joey Logano for the points lead. Jimmie Johnson, who finished 22nd today, continues to lead the Chase standings with 4 wins. Busch would be second to Johnson, but Busch is outside the Top-30.

David Ragan, who was driving Brian Vickers' No. 55 Aaron's Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing, started third today. He finished 18th. Vickers won the 2013 Sprint Cup Series July New Hampshire Motor Speedway race.

But, some pre-race comments showed be that winning the Lobster (Some call it "Lobstah") trophy at New Hampshire isn't as easy as it seems.

Before today's race, drivers had some comments that they gave to PRN Radio (@PRNLive).

Ryan Newman: Need to be patient and aggressive at the same time.

“It’s one of those race tracks where you have to be patient and aggressive all at the same time.” - Ryan Newman on @PRNLive.

— Sprint (NSCS) - UNB! (@NSCS_UNB) July 19, 2015

Kasey Kahne: Track position is going to be a big deal.

"Track position will be a big deal. A lot of two tires and fuel only, I suppose.” - Kasey Kahne on @PRNLive.

— Sprint (NSCS) - UNB! (@NSCS_UNB) July 19, 2015

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Track will be a lot tighter and a lot slicker.

“The track is going to be different today. A lot tighter, a lot slicker.” - Dale Earnhardt Jr. on @PRNLive.

— Sprint (NSCS) - UNB! (@NSCS_UNB) July 19, 2015

Jimmie Johnson: This is going to be a scrappy race.

“History of this track shows when it gets hot it’s going to be a scrappy race.” - Jimmie Johnson on @PRNLive.

— Sprint (NSCS) - UNB! (@NSCS_UNB) July 19, 2015

Obviously, based on what these drivers said, New Hampshire Motor Speedway seems to be a complex track. But, today, there were 7 cautions, quite a few lead changes, yet only one winner. Today's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway seemed exciting to me for sure.

Kyle(s) seem promising at New Hampshire

By @GucciardoJoey

Kyle Busch (No. 18 white, red, green, and black car)
and Kyle Larson (No. 42 red and white car).
(Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images North America)

Today, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will battle it out at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. However, the two Kyle's in this series have had plenty of success at New Hampshire.

Although Kyle Larson doesn't have a win there, they have pretty good average finishes there. Kyle Larson's average finish at New Hampshire is 2.50, and Kyle Busch's is 3.50 at the same track.

Kyle Larson has 2 Top-5's at this track, while Kyle Busch has 3. Top-10 wise at this track, Larson has 2, and Busch has 4.

Both drivers have a highest finish of 2nd at this track.

Neither one of them has a DNF at this track.

Who is better at this track? We'll let the fans decide.

Denny Hamlin wins in spectacular fashion.

UNB XFINITY Series Homepage: Denny Hamlin wins in spectacular fashion.: By  @GucciardoJoey It took a lot out of Denny Hamlin early on when he was involved in a non-damage wreck with Kyle Busch early in the r...

Denny Hamlin wins in spectacular fashion.

By @GucciardoJoey

Denny Hamlin doing a burnout after winning the
7/182015 July XFINITY Series New Hampshire race.
(AP Photo: Jim Cole)

It took a lot out of Denny Hamlin early on when he was involved in a non-damage wreck with Kyle Busch early in the race.

He and Busch managed their way back to Top-5 finishes.

But Hamlin had to hold off a charging Austin Dillon for the victory.

Chris Buescher, who had a 14th place finish, still managed to hold on to his points lead against Chase Elliott.

Hamlin ran into Dillon on Lap 179 of 200. "Well, he jumped the (final) restart for one. I'm the control car," Hamlin said. "Eventuallly I was going to get back around him. I was a fender ahead and got in there and just washed up into him. That's just two guys doing some short-track racing."

Dillon felt differently, however.

"That wasn't good racing," Dillon said. "He didn't want anybody racing him side-by-side for more than a lap. He wrecked his teammate (Busch) at the beginning of the race."

Congrats to Denny Hamlin on your victory today.

Jake Griffin and Bobby Pierce focus on Eldora

By Joey Gucciardo, UNB! Network Staff Writer | July 16th, 2015 //////NASCAR
@GucciardoJoey

Jake Griffin driving in the 2015 Kroger 250 at
Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Camping
World Truck Series.
(Photo CREDIT: Jake Griffin)

They may only be 16 and 18, but they're doing everything they can to get on the NASCAR spotlight.

Griffin, 16, who will be starting in his 3rd Truck Series start at Eldora in Rossburg, Ohio, will be racing his way into next week's 1-800 CarCash Mud Summer Classic at the Ohio track.

Pierce, 18, who has had plenty of local dirt-track success (Griffin has had local dirt-track success as well), will be trying to race his way into his first truck series event in the same race.

Griffin had truck series starts at Martinsville and Iowa this season.

On Griffin's website, there are a few comments from Jake.

"I feel like I've learned so much from racing with the team at Martinsville and Iowa," Griffin said, according to his website. "Now I'm ready to see what I can do in NASCAR competition on dirt."

Pierce, the 2014 DIRTCar National Late Model Champion, had these comments along with Jake's on the same website.

"I'm really excited for the chance to make my first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Eldora because I've spent most of my career racing on dirt," Pierce said. "However, I also know that these are some of the best drivers in the world, and they can drive on just about anything. I'm expecting the track will be hard and slick, making it more like asphalt than dirt, so I realize that it's going to be quite the challenge."

Michael Kamp, who is involved with BPRT, spoke to us personally through Email and through a Q&A phone conversation with his partner James Bushey about Bobby Pierce.

"Although the knowledge I've been taught in the past year makes me seem fluent in racing, I've only been involved with racing for two years," Kamp said via Email. "BPRT has been a huge catalyst for my thirst of racing, and Bobby as an individual is perfect for NASCAR (as a) business and (the) NASCAR fan(s) wants and need(s)."

Here was our Q&A with Kamp:
Q: "How do you feel about the future of Bobby's racing career?"

A (Kamp): "Of the little time that I've been involved in it, the young man is amazing. He seems to be one of the hardest driving out there, and his victories show it. I've probably been involved with Bobby in dirt racing itself for only about two months. Racing is in his blood, and he proves it out on the track."

A (Bushey): "The thing that makes a good NASCAR driver is very good car control. Dirt drivers just make good NASCAR drivers because they (the crews) can set the car up loose. Loose is fast and they (the drivers) know how to handle them."

Extra Notes: "I can compare him to being a Kyle Busch in the sport." -Michael Kamp

Q: "This being Bobby's first start, is it easier that it is on dirt which is where he has almost all of his racing experience?"

A (Kamp): "I would say yes from a perspective. Bobby as an individual, he's so modest with what he does on an everyday basis. He looks and sees where he could have done better. With the dirt being under the tires, I feel like he has a comfortable feeling going into something he knows. He's had victories at Eldora already, so he absolutely has a comfort on that."

Extra Notes: "His car control is unreal. He's called the 'Smooth Operator' for a reason." -Michael Kamp and James Bushey

Q: "How does Bobby feel about racing on such a high level of racing"

A (Kamp): "The man acts like he's born for it. The smiles, anytime you take a picture of him, you get a perfect smile."

"I could see him winning a heat race, maybe a Top-10," Bushey said. "I'm shooting for a win, but it's his first truck race. Anything can happen."

The two basically said that Pierce's car handling is unreal, and that they are expecting him to do very well at Eldora. He could possible get a heat race win, or a top-10 in the final feature. It would be fantastic in my mind to see these two drivers do well. They seem like fantastic drivers who are dedicated and passionate about what they do, and I definitely can see both of them having success at Eldora.

Good luck to these two great drivers who have their eyes set on the Mud Summer Classic.

Garage Talk: Week of 7/13 - 7/17

UNB! NETWORK STAFF REPORT

Penalizations In Cup

Four teams were given written warnings Thursday for inspection issues this past weekend at Kentucky Speedway.

The four Cup teams were:

1. Greg Biffle (No. 16)

2. Casey Mears (No. 13)

3. Brett Moffitt (No. 34)

4. Alex Kennedy (No. 33)

Each team was given a P1 penalty. A P1 penalty can result in picking last in the put stalk selection, reduced track practice and/or qualifying time, or even a demotion in the inspection order and other possible sanctions.

Welcome to the Jungle

Two pit crew members were struck by moving cars in this past Saturday night's Quaker State 400. Jeremy Ogles, front tire carrier for the No. 2 Sprint Cup team of Brad Keselowski, tripped and dropped a tire that bounced out of the No. 2's out box.

John Gianotto, jackman for the No. 24 Sprint Cup team of Jeff Gordon was struck by Jamie McMurray on pit road.

Neither crewman faced injuries.

However, Ogles losing control of the tire that bounced out of Keselowski's pit stall had raised suspicion. The normal penalizations for an uncontrolled tire are restarting at the tail end of the field when under yellow, or a pass-thru pit road under a green flag.

However, the No. 2 team did not face any penalizations.

"That's something we're looking at in terms of tires staying inside the car area near the wall where we haven't called that in the past," Steve O'Donnell, Executive Vice President and Cheif Racing Development Officer for NASCAR, told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio this past Monday. "Where you've seen us make calls it's a tire has come across pit road and gets in the way of another. We'll look at that and if it's something we can tweak for '16 that's certainly something we could do."

Keselowski Attempts First Eldora Start

Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 2 Ford for Penske Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will be trying to race his way into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway on Wednesday, July 22nd, 2015 in Rossbug, Ohio.

Keselowski only has one truck series victory in his many truck series starts. He will be trying to get to the race along with 30 other entries for this race.

The race is under the name of the "1-800 CarCash Mud Summer Classic."

Other Truck Notables

Chad Boat: Boat will be filling in for Mason Mingus for this race in the #15 Billy Boat Motorsports truck.

Madeline Crane: Crane will be driving in her first truck series race at Eldora if she makes the race. She is a recent graduate of NASCAR's "Drive for Diversity" program.

Teleconference tidbits

Tuesday Tony Stewart had a live teleconference with reporters in which he was asked a variety of questions. Some of his answers stuck out in my mind. He was asked about retirement in which he only stated, "I'm just trying to get my car better at this point." He blames himself & not his Crew Chief Chad Johnston on the current team struggles. On the rules package he simply stated that he's used to driving higher HP cars & that the current package, "doesn't suit my style at all." As a Smoke fan myself it broke my heart to read his answers & some reporters mentioned he seemed down & frustrated. I'll be frank here. I think he's still struggling mentally from the fatal sprint car accident from last August. The one-year anniversary of that accident is coming up right smack dab on the day of the Watkins Glen race. Will Smoke ever get over the accident? Only time will tell. What about you?