Towns County Herald’s Sporting News NASCAR 2009 By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter Local Racing JOHNSON GETS THIRD Park and went on to win the Top-10 leaders after 13 of title in 2003. “We've got our BRICKYARD WIN NASCAR Nationwide Series 25; 1. Hornaday-2098, 2. Skin- own problems to worry about.” Action INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.— Kroger 200. After his win, he ner-1924, 3. Crafton-1922, 4. What Kenseth was referring Jimmie Johnson won Sunday’s did his traditional backflip in Bodine-1803, 5. Starr-1758, 6. to is, long time sponsor DeWalt by Carl Vanzura Sprint Cup Brickyard 400 at the front of the stands. Scott-1750, 7. Malsam-1693, 8. Tools will end their sponsorship Indianapolis Motor Speedway Edwards led twice for 72 Setzer-1673, 9. Cook-1657, 10. of his No. 17 Ford at the end of And the Mid-Season Championship goes to Randy Nichols to become the first three-time of the race’s 200 laps but lost Braun-1639 the current season. “I have run here a lot and this is my first win since the winner. Johnson hadn’t led un- the lead with 30 laps to go un- FAMILIAR FACES WON’T Weekend Racing: Three track was reconfigured about eight years ago, aid Randy til lap 137. On the race’s final der caution. Edwards’ No. 60 MAKE CHASE series; three different venues. Nichols.” Nichols who lives in Young Harris and races out restart, he passed his teammate Ford was pinned behind Scott With six races remaining to The Camping World Trucks of Clayton had to hold off a charging Danny Ledford, who and pole sitter Mark Martin for Wimmer’s Chevrolet in the determine the 12 Cup drivers will be at Nashville, while the several times in the last 20 laps stuck the nose of his car to the lead, and led the remain- pits, and Edwards mistakenly who will compete over the fi- Nationwide cars will travel to the inside of Nichols. After the race Nichols stated that he ing 33 laps of the 160-lap race. put his car in the wrong gear. nal 10 weeks for the champion- Iowa Speedway for the first burned his right rear tire almost to the cord and really had to “That was unbelievable,” Kyle Busch led coming ship, five spots currently belong time. The Cup teams will be fight Ledford off. “It is really fun to race with Danny be- said Johnson. “I can’t say to the green flag on Lap 174, to drivers who weren't in the at Pocono Raceway in Long cause he will race you clean,” said Nichols in Victory Lane. enough for Mark Martin. For but Edwards battled him hard Chase for the Cup a year ago. Pond, PA. Rounding out the field were Rodney Weeks, Chris Williams, an old guy, he had me pretty and finally made the pass for That means five drivers Sat., Aug. 1, Nationwide Johnny Chastain, Jody Ledford, Russell Thomas, Glenn Barnett worried there. the lead on Lap 179. who qualified in 2008 are on Cellular 250, race 21 of 35; and George Mashburn. “We had to drive it so hard Busch finished second, the outside looking in. The big- Starting time: 4 p.m. (EDT); Morganton’s Bobby Panter and Copperhill driver Jason those last 15 to 20 laps to stay with Matt Kenseth third as gest name among them is Dale TV: ESPN2. Payne battled door-to- door all night in the Sportsman feature ahead of Mark. There were double-duty drivers swept the Earnhardt Jr. The biggest sur- Sat., Aug 1, Camping that saw Panter take the win for the second race in a row. some places he was better than top-three positions. Brad prise among them is that three World Trucks Toyota Tundra Rounding out the top five were Payne, Galen Robinson, Preston me, and it was kind of a give Keselowski finished fourth, -- Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and 200; race 14 of 25, Starting Crisp and Devin Dillbeck. and take thing, so neither of us with Steve Wallace fifth. Ron Kevin Harvick -- are from Ri- time: 7:30 p.m. (EDT); TV: After a week when he ran another class, Murphy hot would wreck.” Hornaday Jr., who won Friday chard Childress Racing. Speed. shoe Jacob Anderson pulled away from the field in the Nesmith Martin finished second and night’s Truck race, finished “It (our team) is in a little Sun., Aug. 2, Sprint Cup Crate Late Model feature to lead Kevin Sutton, Brian moved up two positions in the sixth. Polesitter Trevor Bayne, bit of chaos at the moment, Pennsylvania 500, race 21 of Kinnersley, Jason Deal and Kevin Bradshaw across the fin- Chase. Jason Leffler, Wimmer and there’s no question about it,” 36; starting time: 1 p.m. ish line. “He was better than I was Kenny Wallace completed the Burton said. “I think everybody (EDT); TV: ESPN. The Modified Street main event started 13 cars and off four and I was better than top 10. would admit to that. We haven’t Racing Trivia Question: when the checkered flag waved, Morganton racer Brad Tho- him off two,” said Martin. “I Top-10 leaders after 20 of had the results that we need to Which RCR driver took over mas nipped points leader Greg Sudderth across the finish line knew I had to make it happen 35: 1. Kyle Busch-3296, 2. have. Whenever you’re not hav- Dale Earnhardt Sr’s Cup ride stripe. Mike Bryson, Charles Devine and Heather Taylor off two. Both of us were driv- Edwards-3104, 3. Keselowski- ing results, the pressure gets after his death? filled the top five spots. ing for all we were worth, and 2904, 4. Leffler-2790, 5. turned up.” Last Week’s Question: Murphy’s Jeremy Woody who is scheduled to be shipped I couldn’t get him.” Logano-2395, 6. Allgaier-2370, There have been rumors that Who was the first woman out by the military at any time carried the flag for the track Tony Stewart was third. 7. Bliss-2353, 8. S. Wallace- Harvick would leave RCR rac- driver to qualify for the India- and then went out and raced a exciting race with nine time “It was a good run for us,” 2311, 9. Gaughan-2277, 10. ing at the end of the 2009 season napolis 500? Answer. Janet feature winner Steven Sofield and took the win on the last said Stewart. “We had one Keller-2244 and drive for Stewart-Hass. Guthrie in 1977. lap. Charles Toomey, Kody Owenby and Josh Roberts com- minor hiccup in the pits when HORNADAY IS ON A Harvick was asked Satur- You may contact the Rac- pleted the field. we lost four spots in the pits, WINNING ROLL day at Indianapolis Motor ing Reporter at: Sylvia driver Justin Woodard liked last week’s win so but I made that up. We were INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.-- Speedway if he had asked out [email protected] much he did it again in the Mini Stock event. Behind him in just a little too tight and Ron Hornaday Jr. set a of his contract. His response: the top five were Adam Creekmore, Travis Robinson, Selina couldn’t run with Mark or NASCAR Camping World “We’re focused on this week- Gibson and Lucus Beaver. Jimmie.” Truck Series record by winning end. Right now, we’re here to Racing returns to Tri-County with a big money go kart Greg Biffle, Brian Vickers, his fourth consecutive race, race and do what we need to race Friday night and the Mid-Season Mini Stock Champion- Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, holding off longtime nemesis do from a driver’s standpoint ship Saturday night. David Reutimann, Jeff Gordon, Mike Skinner in Friday night’s and everybody is working well In other local racing action, Ray Cook’s 10 race South- and Matt Kenseth were the re- AAA Insurance 200 at O’Reilly together.” ern Nationals completed Saturday night at Tazewell Speed- maining top-10 finishers. Raceway Park. Roush Fenway Racing is in way with Jimmy Owens taking the win. Friday night Tommy Juan Montoya led the most Skinner pitted later than danger of putting only Carl Kerr won at Volunteer Speedway . Kerr managed to win the laps (116) of any driver but af- Hornaday for tires and charged Edwards in the Chase after series championship with Blairsville’s Jonathan Davenport ter a pit road speeding penalty, through the top-10 to challenge having three cars a year ago. taking second place in his new Barry Weight team house car. he finished 11th. for the lead. Skinner passed Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle Jonathan hade a great 10 race run and picked up a bunch of “I really didn’t think it was Colin Braun for second with clearly need to pick up the new fans, Word has come out that two individuals have come so. You know, we have lights nine laps to go and chased down pace. Kenseth, in particular, is up with a big money sponsor and are planning on a $6000 to if we’re over the speed, and I Hornaday four laps later. a mystery as he has struggled win race at the now closed Sugar Creek Speedway in Blue was under the lights all the Hornaday used the pre- since winning the first two Ridge in the near future. time. They said I was speed- ferred outside lane and held off races of the season. ing. So, that’s what it is.