© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
by Dan Peters
Edwards bumps his way to a win at
Milwaukee, Ends draught.
by Dan Peters
Change is not
always good for a race team, but don’t ask Carl Edwards to complain
about the recent changes at Roush Racing this past week.
Edwards responded by
winning Saturday's Camping World RV Rental 250 at The Milwaukee
Mile. "It just
feels good to win a race ... for our team, for everybody at the shop
and all the guys who have been working hard and sticking with this
program even though we haven't won a race in a long time," Edwards
said. "It means a lot to have all that support. This win is a huge
relief."
Edwards in the
lead..
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
by Dan Peters
Edwards had to start at the rear of the
field, due to his late arrival from Sonoma, where he qualified and
practiced his Sprint Cup Car. Filling in for Carl was Eric Darnell who
raced in Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Camping World 200.
 
Joey Logano #20 was
trying to become the fourth series driver to win two races in his first
four starts – joining the late Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip and Ron
Fellows, but he was beaten off pit road on Lap 206 by three other cars.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
by Dan Peters
 
The #59 Ford of
Marcus Ambrose and #32 of James Buescher make late pit stops
during the race.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
by Dan Peters
Carl Edwards
making his way to the front....
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
by Dan Peters
He
wasted little time charging to the front.
Edwards
bumped past series point’s leader Clint Boyer to take the lead with 38
laps to go and held off rookie phenom Joey Logano to win his 14th
career win in the series and end his Nationwide Series drought.
Logano was
trying to become the fourth series driver to win two races in his first
four starts – joining the late Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip and Ron
Fellows, but he was beaten off pit road on Lap 206 by three other cars.
Carl's
last victory was at the Nashville Super Speedway nearly
a year ago in June 2007, and though he won the then-Busch Series title
last year, Edwards didn't win the second half of the season.
The defending series
champion had gone 36 races without a victory, and team owner Jack Roush
decided that was enough. So Roush Fenway Racing swapped crew chiefs
earlier this week, with Drew Blickensderfer taking over for Pierre
Kuettel on Edwards' No. 60 team. Carl later said in a press conference
after the race that he probably talked to “Drew” more on a caution flag
run during this race, than he did total in the past. “ I called him
‘Drew’ because I was afraid I would mispronounce his name.”
Bowyer retained his
points lead with his third place finish, but was a man of few words
after the race. He held a stone cold face and answered neither of the
two questions asked of him during the post race press conference.
As he walked out, he said
“Sorry guys” and walked out.
Bowyer and Edwards
both arrived late at the Milwaukee Mile after qualifying their Cup Cars
in California. Rest assured, they did not ride the plane back to
California after the race together.
Milwaukee is a tough
and flat track with little banking, so beating & banging are
a common site here and it happened
all night long.
 
Joey-Lagano and Carl Edwards share
thoughts...
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
by Dan Peters
Just ask Brad
Keselowski….
Keselowski
won the pole and had the dominant car for more than half the race. But
after leading 145 of the first 171 laps, Keselowski was challenged in
Turn 3 by Logano.
Logano
slipped in the corner and bounced into Keselowski, sending the No. 88
Chevrolet up the track Logano took the
lead and soon pulled away.
Logano
finished second in Joe Gibbs Racing's Toyota, with Bowyer hanging on
for third in Richard Childress Racing's Chevrolet. David Ragan (Roush
Fenway) was fourth, with
David Reutimann (Michael Waltrip Racing) fifth.
Scott Wimmer,
Mike Bliss, Brad Keselowski, Jason Keller
and Jason Leffler rounded out the top 10.
 
Kenny Wallace
sets a milestone Saturday at Milwaukee.. His 400th career Nationwide
start and his 753rd NASCAR start. Kenny even lead a lap during the race
!!
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
by Dan Peters
Bowyer retained
his points lead with his third place finish, but was a
man of few words after the race. He held a stone cold face and
answered neither of the two questions asked of him during the
post race press conference. As he walked out, he said “Sorry
guys”
and walked out.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
by Dan Peters
Camping World Summer Speed Weekend
Milwaukee Mile Tidbits
Brewery Tour with NASCAR’s Record-setting Race Winner
Media is invited to join NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Erik
Darnell, winner of the closest finish in series history this past
Saturday in Michigan , will be brewing beer at Sprecher Brewery this
Tuesday, June 17, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. CST.
Media availability to include brewery tour, one-on-one’s and
lunch. Sprecher Brewery is located at 701 West Glendale Avenue in
Glendale . This event is not open to the public. RSVP to
Mile Media staff.
Bowling With Drivers
Media welcome to bowl with, interview and hang out with NASCAR drivers.
The Fifth Annual Milwaukee Mile NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Bowling
Bonanza is this Thursday evening, June 19, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
at Bluemound Bowl.
Drivers attending include defending NCTS Mile race winner Johnny
Benson, 2005 NCTS champion from Franklin, Wis., Ted Musgrave, NASCAR
veteran Mike Wallace and his 20-year old daughter Chrissy – who’s
making her second career NCTS start this Friday night, 2006 NCTS
champion Todd Bodine and his rookie teammate Justin Marks, Roush Fenway
Racing rookie phenom Colin Braun, and a driver making his NASCAR debut
at The Mile in the NCTS race, from Des Moines, Iowa, Michael Annett.
Media availability to include bowling, one-on-one interviews, food and
refreshments. Bluemound Bowl is located at 12935 West Bluemound
Road in Brookfield . This event is not open to the public.
RSVP to Mile Media staff.
Bodine Throwing A Strike at Brewers Game
Prior to this Thursday’s (June 19) Milwaukee Brewers – Toronto Blue
Jays game, 2006 NCTS champion driver Todd Bodine will be throwing out
the ceremonial first pitch. Bodine will be available on-field for
interviews prior to the 1:05 p.m. game.
Kenny Wallace Making 400th NASCAR Nationwide Series Start
Kenny Wallace first appeared on the scene at age 14, when at times was
his older brother Rusty’s pit crew…the entire crew in 1978. Rusty
was tearing up Midwestern short tracks and making trips to The
Milwaukee Mile to race in both ASA and USAC Stock Car competition,
winning two USAC Stock Car races at The Mile by 1980 with Kenny on the
crew.
As a payback to Kenny, Rusty fielded an ASA car in 1986 for Kenny, in
which he promptly won the Pat Schauer Memorial Rookie of the Year in
the touring Midwestern short track series, which led to Kenny’s NASCAR
career.
“It’s only fitting that my 400th Career Nationwide Series start comes
at Milwaukee ,” Wallace said.
“I started my career at the Milwaukee Fairgrounds back in 1986. It
feels like just yesterday that I was driving ASA cars against some of
the greatest drivers like Joe Shear and Dick Trickle. My career
really has come full circle at Milwaukee .”
This Saturday night, Wallace is making his 400th NASCAR Nationwide
Series start, his 753rd overall NASCAR start.
There’s even more to the Kenny Wallace Milwaukee connection.
“My wife’s family lives about five miles from the track, and Milwaukee
is also close to St. Louis , so it all hits close to home for me,”
Kenny said.
Camping World Sponsors Wisconsin’s Biggest Racing Weekend
The Milwaukee Mile and Camping World/FreedomRoads, America 's largest
RV and outdoor retailer serving a brisk and growing demand for the RV
lifestyle, recently announced a multi-year NASCAR event entitlement
sponsorship.
The “Camping World Summer Speed Weekend” will encompass both NASCAR
event days at America ’s Legendary Oval, and for NASCAR events to be
held at The Mile in 2009 and 2010.
Friday night’s Camping World RV Sales 200 NCTS race serves as the first
half of Wisconsin ’s biggest motorsports weekend, with Saturday night’s
Camping World RV Rental 250 NNS event bookending the highly-anticipated
weekend.
“The sponsorship of “Camping World’s Summer Speed Weekend” at The
Milwaukee Mile complements our growing involvement in NASCAR Racing,”
said Marcus Lemonis, Chairman and CEO of Camping World. “We know
thousands of our customers from the Midwest fill the stands for this
weekend each year and we are pleased to support their passion for
racing.”
Camping World, headquartered in nearby Lincolnshire , Ill. , is the
primary sponsor on the 2008 NCTS championship team of Kevin Harvick,
Inc. and driver Ron Hornaday, Jr. Camping World will also be
sponsoring Hornaday’s teammate Jack Sprague in the Camping World RV
Sales 200 Friday night. Between the two of them, they’ve racked
up an impressive 22 top-10 finishes, 823 laps led and three victories
at The Mile.
Camping World will also sponsor KHI driver Cale Gale in the Camping
World RV Rental 250 on Saturday night.
“We are thrilled to announce Camping World’s long-term involvement at
The Milwaukee Mile on Wisconsin ’s biggest motorsports weekend,”
commented Claude Napier, President & CEO of The Milwaukee
Mile. “It’s been an invigorating process working with Camping
World and developing several initiatives we will be able to offer to
our fans and to Camping World’s valued customers.”
“The combination of two premier NASCAR series events, “The Mile” and a
couple of summer nights in Milwaukee makes for one of the most unique
weekends on the racing calendar,” Lemonis concluded.
Beechwood Distributing and Budweiser at The Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile recently announced an agreement with Beechwood
Distributing, one of Wisconsin ’s largest Anheuser-Busch distributors
that provides greater exposure at retail locations for the historic
speedway.
This agreement names Beechwood Distributing and Budweiser as official
partners of The Mile in the domestic beer category.
The Budweiser Pavilion has been a popular destination for Wisconsin
State Fair-goers each year, and through this agreement, the permanent
entertainment building will be open each race weekend at The Milwaukee
Mile, plus there’s in-store activation including race ticket promotions
with purchase offers.
“With 1,080 employees in Wisconsin and $237 million in capital
investment in the Badger State, we are an American beer that salutes a
Wisconsin tradition, and are thrilled to be involved with the rich
heritage of auto racing at The Milwaukee Mile, America’s Legendary
Oval,” said Dave Hock, Vice President of Sales and Marketing of
Beechwood Distributing.
Michael Annett – A NASCAR First
Two days shy of his 22nd birthday, Michael Annett will get the best
present of all courtesy of Bill Davis Racing. The Des Moines ,
Iowa native will be making his NASCAR Crafstman Truck Series debut in
the Camping World RV Sales 200 Friday night.
Annett made his Milwaukee Mile debut last August on Governor’s Cup
weekend, finishing 19th in the Jani-King 150 ASALMS Challenge Division
event.
The young talent learned quickly in adapting to 3,400lb. race cars last
year, as he scored an impressive victory at Talladega Superspeedway in
an ARCA race, his first driving for Bill Davis Racing. Annett
backed it up as he started 2008 Speedweeks in Daytona with his
second-straight ARCA victory.
Annett will be sharing the #22 Bill Davis Racing Toyota for the
remainder of the season with Toyota development driver and former
Formula One driver, Scott Speed.
Chrissy Wallace – on a Five-Wallace Weekend
Chrissy Wallace, the 20 year-old daughter of Mike Wallace, will be
making her second career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start Friday
night in a Germain Racing Toyota. She finished 18th and on the
lead lap at Martinsville in March. Her father has been a mentor
through this opportunity, as he drives a Germain Toyota in the NASCAR
Nationwide Series. Mike is also the 1994 NNS Mile race winner.
In addition to Chrissy and Mike Wallace, Mike’s brother Kenny will be
racing in his 400th career NNS start, with Rusty Wallace in the TV
booth calling the NNS race while watching his son Steve Wallace race in
the Camping World RV Rental 250 on Saturday night.
Claire B. Lang “Dialed In”
Wisconsin native and XM Satellite Radio host Claire B. Lang will
broadcast her national daily show “Dialed In” live from Paulie’s Pub
& Eatery, across from The Mile at 81st and Greenfield , on
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. CST.
“Dialed In” airs on XM Channel 144 XM Sports Nation. “Dialed In”
consists of interviews, in-depth features and breaking news in
NASCAR. Paulie’s Pub & Eatery is located at 8031 W Greenfield
Avenue , West Allis . Race fans are welcome to attend and
participate in the live programs.
Wisconsin Drivers Entered to Compete in NASCAR Races this Weekend:
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Ted Musgrave, Franklin – drives No. 59 Team ASE Toyota for Harris
Trucking Racing, 2005 NCTS Champion, two-time winner of the Camping
World RV Sales 200 at The Mile
NASCAR Nationwide Series
Kelly Bires, Mauston – drives No. 47 Clorox Ford for JTG Racing, won
2006 ASALMS Challenge Division race at The Mile that solidified his
NASCAR future. Two-time high school state wrestling champion
Scott Wimmer, Wausau – drives No. 29 Holiday Inn Express Chevy for
Richard Childress Racing, finished 2nd in 2007 Camping World RV Rental
250, helping RCR win the 2007 NASCAR Nationwide Series Owners
Champoinship. Won fifth career Nationwide Series race earlier
this season in Nashville
Guilt by Wisconsin association
Erik Darnell, Beach Park , Ill. – drives No. 99 Northern Tool &
Equipment Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. This past Saturday won
the closest race in NCTS history, winning by 0.005 seconds. Made
NCTS debut at Milwaukee in 2004, third generation of family to race on
The Mile, grew up here watching his father Danny and grandfather
Bay race at The Mile
Josh Wise, Janesville-born – drives No. 22 SuperCuts Dodge for Fitz
Motorsports, currently a Michael Waltrip Racing development
driver. USAC national champion while driving for Tony Stewart
Racing
David Stremme, South Bend , Ind. – drives No. 64 Altreus Homes &
Communities Chevy for Rusty Wallace, Inc. Lived in Pewaukee for 1
½ years while racing in ASA National Tour in formative national
stock car years. Currently 9th in NNS points, set former NNS
track qualifying record in 2005
CUP DRIVERS Plus One
Current Cup star and Nationwide Series point leader Clint Bowyer will
be competing for Richard Childress Racing as a teammate to Wausau, Wis.
native Scott Wimmer. Bowyer led 56 laps in 2006 at The Mile in his last
appearance before finishing 18th. Wimmer ran strong and finished second
last year at The Mile.
Roush Fenway Racing's Carl Edwards makes his return in the Camping
World RV Rental 250, still seeking his first Milwaukee Mile victory. He
led a race-high 123 laps in last June's Camping World RV Rental 250 and
very much wants to grab the winner's tropy on Saturday night. This will
be Edwards' fourth straight Mile appearance where he's had to fly-in
from California to compete under the lights at The Mile.
David Ragan finished 8th on Sunday in the 'Cup race at Michigan to
climb to within 10 points of the Chase For The Sprint Cup Championship.
The 22 year-old Roush Fenway Racing driver returns for a second
straight year to The Mile to complete the Sonoma-Milwaukee double. He
finished 12th in last year's Camping World RV Rental 250. Ragan
set the track qualifying record in his first-ever event at The Mile, in
a 2005 ARCA RE/MAX Series event.
Michael Waltrip Racing's David Reutimann returns to The Mile in time to
race in the Camping World RV Rental 250 after practicing his UPS Toyota
Cup car in Sonoma . Reutimann was in the hunt all race long last June
at THe Mile before settling for 7th. Reutimann won a Nationwide
Series stand-alone event at Memphis last year, and is a contender every
time his races in NNS cars prepared by crew chief Jerry Baxter.
Marcus Ambrose, a full-time NASCAR Nationwide Series competitor for JTG
Racing, will be attempting to make the Sonoma ‘Cup Series race in the
Wood Brothers #21 ‘Cup car, then travel to Milwaukee to race Saturday
night.
Double Duty Drivers at The Milwaukee Mile…so far
Landon Cassill
NCTS: No. 46 – GoDaddy.com Morgan Dollar Motorsports Chevy
NNS: No. 5 – National Guard Hendrick Motorsports Chevy
Colin Braun
NCTS: No. 6 – Conway Freight Roush Fenway Racing Ford
NNS: No. 16 – CitiFinancial Roush Fenway Racing Ford
First Starts:
Attempting Career-First Start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Michael Annett – No. 22 Bill Davis Racing Toyota
First NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Start at Milwaukee
Chrissy Wallace – No. 03 Germain Racing Toyota
Sean Murphy – No. 07 SS Green Light Racing Chevy
John Wes Townley – No. 09 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
Colin Braun – No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
Andy Lally – No. 7 The Racer’s Group Chevy
Justin Marks – No. 9 Germain Racing Toyota
Scotty Crockett – No. 12 DGM Racing Chevy
Marc Mitchell – No. 15 Billy Ballew Toyota
Brian Scott – No. 16 Xpress Motorsports Chevy
Keven Wood – No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford
Gary St. Amant – No. 37 Hurst Racing Chevy
Landon Cassill – No. 46 Morgan-Dollar Chevy
Benny Gordon – No. 66 North South Motorsports Ford
Donny Lia – No. 71 TRG Motorsports Chevy
First NASCAR Nationwide Series Start at Milwaukee
Dwyane Leik – No. 0 Davis Motorsports Chevy
Colin Braun – No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
Joey Logano – No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Josh Wise – No. 22 Fitz Motorsports Toyota
James Buescher – No. 32 Braun Racing Toyota
Cale Gale – No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevy
Travis Kittleson – No. 56 Mac Hill Motorsports Chevy
DJ Kennington – No. 81 Pat McDonald Dodge
Brad Keselowski – No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevy
More Milwaukee Mile Factoids:
· The Milwaukee Mile is one of only four
tracks that have scheduled races in all 14 seasons of the NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series (Martinsville Speedway, O’Reilly Raceway Park at
Indianapolis and Phoenix Int’l Raceway). Past NCTS champions Mike
Skinner and Jack Sprague are the only drivers to win at all four tracks.
· Only Johnny Benson (2006, 2007) and Ted
Musgrave (2001, 2004) has won more than one NCTS race at The Milwaukee
Mile
· Only Greg Biffle (2001, 2002) has won more
than one NASCAR Nationwide Series race at The Mile
· Ron Hornaday and Greg Biffle are the only
drivers to have won both a Nationwide and Truck Series event at The
Milwaukee Mile
· The first NASCAR Nationwide Series event
held at The Milwaukee Mile in 1984 was won by Sam Ard. The 1985 event
winner was Jack Ingram. Then-aspiring Wisconsin late model racer
Alan Kulwicki qualified second and finished second in his very-first
NASCAR start, then qualified on the pole and finished 14th after a
blown motor in the 1985 event at The Mile. The West Allis native
began his ‘Cup career in 1985, as well
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Nutshell
· There have been eight different winners in the
2008 season’s first 10 races. Ron Hornaday and Kyle Busch have
each won two races. Donny Lia, Matt Crafton and Scott Speed have
all won their first-career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races this
season
· Erik Darnell won the most recent event in Michigan
last Saturday by a series record margin of 0.005 seconds, over current
points leader Johnny Benson
· Five former NCTS champions are entered in Friday
night’s Camping World RV Sales 200 (Skinner, Sprague, Hornaday,
Musgrave, Bodine)
· Current 2008 Point Standings
1. Johnny
Benson 1422
2. Todd
Bodine -15
3. Ron Hornaday
Jr. -21
4. Matt
Crafton
-47
5. Rick
Crawford -61
NASCAR Nationwide Series Nutshell
· There have been nine different winners in
the season’s first 16 races. Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart won four
races, and Denny Hamlin has won two races. Saturday night’s
winner Joey Logano became the youngest-ever NNS Race winner, joining
Brad Keselowski as first-time NNS winners this year.
· 2007 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Carl
Edwards is the only past champion entered in Saturday night’s Camping
World RV Rental 250
· Current 2008 Point Stadings
1. Clint
Bowyer
2198
2. David
Reutimann
-166
3. Kyle
Busch
-188
4. Carl
Edwards
-190
5. Brad
Keselowski
-192
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