North East Mini Stock Tour Results

Race Results for 4/26/2015  Lee USA.
North East Mini Stock Tour – Feature
Finish	Car No	Driver	Hometown
1	2NH	Toby Wells	Dublin, NH
2	63	Nick Maniatis	Hooksett, NH
3	38	Cristofer King	Derry, NH
4	7	Pete Zakarite	Niantic, CT
5	55	Nicholas Anderson	Oxford, MA
6	18NH	Jacob Rheaume	Rochester, NH
7	24	Joe Baxter	Pascoag, RI
8	85	Michael Viens	Seekonk, MA
9	48	Justin King	Derry, NH
10	66	Devin Miranda	Taunton, Ma
11	51	Kale Billings	Gonic, NH
12	6	MIchael Metcalf	West Minster, VT
13	43	Dana Shepard	Putney, VT
14	95	Bruce Knowles	Dover, NH
15	11	Taylor Morse	Waterbury, VT
16	20ME	John Larsen	Peru, ME
17	25	Nic Skillings	Hillsboro, NH
18	10CT	Mitchell Bombard	Willimantic, CT
19	90	Desmond Skillings	Antrim, NH
20	22E	Austin Erickson	Ashland, MA
21	69	Louis Maher	North Brookfield, MA
22	33	Matt Sonnhalter	E. Thetford, VT Pascoag's Joe Baxter Keith Ballou

No. 88 Whelen Modified Tour Team Penalized

No. 88 Whelen Modified Tour Team Penalized

Rules Violations At Stafford Motor Speedway

Official Release
April 30, 2015 - 5:45pm

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The No. 88 team that competes in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour has been penalized for a rules infraction discovered during post-race inspection April 26 at Stafford Motor Speedway.
This infraction is a P2 level penalty and violates the following Sections in the 2015 NASCAR rule book:
12.1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing;
20D-4.1: General Engine Eligibility:
B. As an option, Teams may compete in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour/Whelen Southern Modified Tour with a NASCAR-approved “Spec Engine”. If used, the “Spec Engine” must be completely assembled using only NASCAR-approved “Spec Engine” components without any modifications.
INFRACTION: Non-approved fasteners were used.
The options for a P2 penalty are outlined in the following sections of the NASCAR rule book:
12-4.2: P2 Penalty Options:
A. Minor fasteners, nuts, bolts, etc. of the wrong material, but not of a nature rising to higher numbered Penalties.

As a result of this violation, crew chief Ron Ste-Marie has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31.

Modifieds - 3/29/2015 - Big Diamond Speedway / Big Wreck

Lebanon Valley Opener 2015

Happy Birthdays Today in NASCAR

Elliot Sadler

Mikey Waltrip

DAVID RAGAN to run remainder of 2015 at Kansas for MWR #55

By Wayne G. Barber
   Ragan in the #55 rest of the year, starting at Kansas: Michael Waltrip Racing announced that David Ragan will drive the #55 Aaron's Dream Machine for the remainder of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, beginning May 9 at Kansas Speedway. Brian Vickers had planned to race the Toyota fulltime in 2015, but heart surgery in December forced the Thomasville, N.C., native to miss the first two races of the season. Vickers returned at Las Vegas on March 7, but was sidelined two weeks later by recurring blood clots in his lungs. No timetable has been set for his return.
"Life has thrown a lot at MWR the first part of this racing season, but our team has stood tall and worked through it," said Michael Waltrip. "Our original plans for the #55 team have been challenged since December and we felt it was important for our employees and our sponsors to solidify the remainder of the 2015 season. The opportunity to bring David Ragan into the team is incredible for a number of reasons. He will bring experience, consistency and a lot of confidence based on how he has been running with our Toyota teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing. He also puts the #55 team and Aaron's right back into the Chase for the Sprint Cup contention, which is a very positive turn of events for that team. There is absolutely no question about Brian Vickers' ability, but there remains a question of his availability. We are going to remain very close with Brian while he works on his plan to return. We have told him that MWR is here when he has a clear picture about what the future holds, but we don't need to add any timeline pressures. He is working with a lot of medical advisors and once he has established his plan, we will sit down and discuss next steps. I'm really proud of the incredible job Brett Moffitt has done for us in the 55. He has been a big part of this organization for the last couple of years and he will continue in that role. With the limited number of starts Brett has in this industry, he has proven that he has the talent to be a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup driver and we are still committed to helping him get that opportunity."(MWR)
Front Row Statement: "We are grateful to David Ragan for his contributions to the growth of Front Row Motorsports and his commitment to our partners over the past three years. He led us on our first trip to Victory Lane, and that's a moment we'll never forget. We wish him the best with his new team. As previously announced, Chris Buescher will be the driver of the #34 at Talladega this weekend. We are working on finalizing the driver line-up for races to follow and will announce those plans soon."(Front Row Motorsports), Michael Waltrip will drive the #55 at Talladega. For earlier news on Brian Vickers and the #55 team

DAVID RAGAN Winning "Pedigree" at Talladega

By Wayne G. Barber

 

photo by Todd Warshaw

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (April 29, 2015) – For many reasons, David Ragan couldn’t be more excited for Sunday’s Geico 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

 

First off, look no further than his record at the 2.66-mile superspeedway to see why the driver of the No. 18 PEDIGREE® Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is very much looking forward to Sunday’s 500-mile race. Much is made about racing luck at Talladega, but Ragan’s record there indicates there’s a little more to his solid finishes there than luck. In all, Ragan has four top-fives, and seven top-10s in 16 career starts there. But, the most memorable came in April of 2013, when he made it to victory lane with underdog team Front Row Motorsports.

 

On top of his solid track record and Talladega race win, Ragan will be celebrating a career milestone Sunday regardless of the outcome. He’ll be making his 300^th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start. Of particular note: Busch, the regular driver of the No. 18 Toyota, went to victory lane the day of his 300^th start in April 2013 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

 

Sunday’s race at Talladega will also be the first of two this season with Pedigree as primary sponsor of the No. 18 Toyota, the other coming in September at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. Ragan, an avid animal lover and dog owner, would like nothing more than to bring the dogs riding along on the Pedigree Toyota back to victory lane at Talladega, a place he’s quite familiar with. The Talladega race will coincide with the launch of a new tastier and meatier PEDIGREE® Dry Dog Food recipe that delivers the variety that pet parents are looking for. The new recipe is loaded with whole grains and protein accented with vegetables, providing a nutritious and delicious difference that pet parents will see and their dogs will taste.

Despite his success at Talladega over the years, Ragan admits the winner of Sunday’s 500-mile race will not only need to have a strong car, but also have that racing luck on his side in order to survive the seemingly inevitable multicar accident on NASCAR’s longest track. That, in addition to his winning “Pedigree,” he might have just what the No. 18 PEDIGREE® Toyota needs to celebrate in victory lane late Sunday afternoon.

 

DAVID RAGAN, Driver of the No. 18 Pedigree Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

 

Do you look forward to Talladega knowing that you have such a good record there?

 

“I love going to Talladega. I wouldn’t enjoy the racing there if it was 36 times a year but, a couple times a year, it’s just a different strategy and mindset the entire weekend. You have to do different things with strategy for the whole weekend. You have to do different things with your racecar to make it fast. And you have to work well with others. It’s a fun weekend. Always a great crowd and close to home and I went there a few times as a kid. Any time you’ve won at a track, it’s always fun to go back because you know you can do some of the right things to win there. Obviously, going to Talladega this year and driving for JGR in the Pedigree Toyota, it’s going to be another new experience with a different group of guys and seeing what their strategy is. Also, you get to see the strengths and weaknesses of their cars on the superspeedway. I know the Toyotas ran really well at Daytona, and it’s going to be fun to strap into one at Talladega and see what we can do.”

 

What is it about the restrictor-plate tracks that have helped you run so well on them over the years?

“I think the biggest thing is having a good mindset going into the weekend. We all know you can get caught up in a wreck that’s not of your doing. You can be part of accidents that you can’t avoid. I think sometimes guys just have a bad attitude going into the weekend. I remember the first time I went there as a rookie – Jimmy Fennig was my crew chief and he talked about having the right attitude, taking it serious all weekend long, and it’s really worked out well for me. I’ve been fortunate to have some good racecars, good engines, good crew chiefs and spotters, and it does take that whole package to run well. It’s definitely something I enjoy and, when you find some success at the plate tracks early in your career, it’s something you can really build on. Going to Talladega, I know anything could happen and there could be the big one early in the race and we can get caught up in it. I also know I can avoid it and we can play the right strategy and win the race. It just gives me a lot of confidence going into the weekend.”

 

You have Pedigree on board with you this weekend, and you are an animal lover. How special are your pets and dogs to you?

 

“My wife and I have some traditional pets and non-traditional pets. We have a couple of cats and dogs at our house. My wife Jackelyn worked at the local animal shelter over the years so, if we didn’t travel 36 weeks a year, we would probably have even more animals in the house. We are definitely an animal family and have a lot of different kinds. Our dog Oliver is annually in the Greg Biffle pet calendar. He’s a good dog and he’ll be in Talladega with us since we usually bring him there. Talladega has some nice grass and a lot of infield to run around in at the track.”

DAVID RAGAN’S TALLADEGA SPRINT CUP SERIES PERFORMANCE PROFILE

Year	Date	Event	Start	Finish	Status/Laps	Laps Led	Earnings
2014	5/4	×Aaron’s 499	39	35	Accident, 174/188	1	$98,910
	10/19	×GEICO 500	25	30	Running, 194/194	2	$94,086
2013	5/5	×Aaron’s 499	19	1	Running, 192/192	4	$373,108
	10/20	Camping World RV Sales 500	7	6	Running, 188/188	1	$133,618
2012	5/6	×Aaron’s 499	32	7	Running, 194/194	0	$137,723
	10/7	×Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500	25	4	Running, 189/189	1	$142,743
2011	4/17	Aaron’s 499	7	39	Accident, 89/188	2	$87,550
	10/23	Good Sam Club 500	8	28	Running, 188/188	1	$81,250
2010	4/25	×Aaron’s 499	26	6	Running, 200/200	8	$130,650
	10/31	AMP Energy Juice 500	28	21	Running, 188/188	0	$85,375
2009	4/26	Aaron’s 499	10	12	Running, 188/188	2	$107,500
	11/1	†×AMP Energy 500	28	17	Running, 191/191	0	$89,600
2008	4/27	Aaron’s 499	6	4	Running, 188/188	0	$152,775
	10/5	×AMP Energy 500	16	3	Running, 190/190	11	$149,200
2007	4/29	×Aaron’s 499	10	17	Running, 192/192	2	$127,100

 

 

KEVIN HARVICK A Bloomin' Million

By Wayne G. Barber

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (April 29, 2015) – Each year in early May, signs of spring begin to appear. The grass begins to grow, the weather becomes warmer and flowers bloom. Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), is hoping to do his part and “make it bloom” in conjunction with Outback Steakhouse this May.

Outback Steakhouse has celebrated Harvick’s eight top-10 finishes thus far in 2015 by giving its customers a free Bloomin’ Onion® on Bloomin’ Mondays – the Monday immediately following each top-10 finish. Harvick would like to continue those Bloomin’ celebrations this weekend by scoring another top-10 by way of his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race win of 2015 and the second of his career at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. 

In fact, if Harvick is able to score his ninth top-10 of the season this weekend, Outback Steakhouse will give away its 1 millionth Bloomin’ Onion as part of its Bloomin’ Monday promotion.

Harvick has been generous with Outback Steakhouse Bloomin’ Onions since joining SHR at the beginning of the 2014 Sprint Cup season. He has scored 28 top-10 finishes in 45 Sprint Cup points-paying races since joining the team, including both his 2014 Sprint Cup starts at Talladega. Only Joey Logano with 30 top-10 finishes and Jeff Gordon with 29 have scored more top-10s since the start of last season.

Harvick’s spot in the 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship is secured with two wins in the first nine races as the No. 4 has been dominant just about every weekend.

Nine races into 2015, Harvick sits atop the driver standings with 357 points. His five straight Sprint Cup finishes of second or better to start the season is a series record. He has led a series-high 952 laps with an average finish of 6.4 thus far. His 952 laps led are nearly twice as many as the next-closest competitor – SHR teammate Kurt Busch’s 520.

Harvick leads several other statistical categories – 129.4 driver rating, 536 fastest laps run, 21.7 percent of fastest laps run, 31.1 percentage of laps led, 1,008.22 miles led, 2,832 laps in the top-15, 92.5 percentage of laps in the top-15, average running position at 5.2, average finish of 6.4 and 84.5 percent quality passes.

With his ticket into the Sprint Cup postseason punched thanks to his two Sprint Cup victories, Harvick and his Rodney Childers-led crew can head to Talladega feeling less pressure and welcome the opportunity to race aggressively for a third win. The 30-time Sprint Cup race winner will look to score his eighth win and 29^th top-10 since joining SHR, as well as providing Outback Steakhouse a chance to give away its 1 millionth Bloomin’ Onion on another Bloomin’ Monday.

KEVIN HARVICK, Driver of the No. 4 Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing:

You’ve won at both superspeedways on the circuit, Daytona and Talladega. Your record on the restrictor-plate tracks speaks for itself. Do you approach these races with a strategy in mind, as far as working to get out front and stay there, or ride at the back? Or, do you just take each race as it comes? 

“I think a lot of the approach depends on where you qualify. At a lot of these tracks, if you can qualify decent and race up front with the current rules package, I think it’s better to stay up front and try to keep yourself there throughout the day. Obviously, if you don’t qualify well, you go with the opposite strategy. For us, having a couple of wins in the bank, I think you race as hard as you can all day to try and keep yourself up front and have a complete day of hopefully keeping the car rolling when it’s time to be around at the end.”

Do you feel tracks like Talladega and Daytona are anomalies in the sense that, unlike most tracks, track position is not as important until the last few laps?

“I still think track position is pretty important, just for the fact that it seems like it takes longer to make a move and to make things happen. So I think, as you look back at this current car and this current rules package, you want to be somewhere toward the front.”

Talk about your sponsor this weekend – Outback Steakhouse – and the unique activation they do around the program, including the Bloomin’ Monday promotion.

“Outback is very involved in what they do. The Bloomin’ Monday promotion is really fun, and it’s something that the fans are really into. It’s something that draws a lot of attention to Monday mornings, afternoons or evenings, whatever time zone you’re in, for everyone to head to Outback Steakhouse. People love free stuff. It’s crazy that they are almost to 1 million for the entire program. That’s a huge number. But, I’m hoping we can add to it and deliver again for the race fans this Monday.”

Kevin Harvick Talladega Superspeedway Performance Profile:

Year	Event	Start	Finish	Status/Laps	Laps Led	Earnings
2014	Aaron’s 499	8	7	Running, 188/188	15	$158,778
	×Geico 500	39	9	Running, 194/194	2	$134,261
2013	†×Aaron’s 499	24	40	Accident, 47/192	0	$122,021
	†Camping World RV Sales 500	33	12	Running, 188/188	0	$134,071
2012	×Aaron’s 499	20	25	Accident, 184/194	1	$136,016
	×Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500	21	11	Running, 189/189	12	$132,621
2011	Aaron’s 499	38	5	Running, 188/188	9	$175,711
	Good Sam Club 500	13	32	Running,179/188	13	$121,786
2010	×Aaron’s 499	4	1	Running, 200/200	2	$344,501
	AMP Energy Juice 500	14	2	Running, 188/188	12	$201,999
2009	Aaron’s 499	19	38	Running, 127/188	0	$118,353
	†×AMP Energy 500	21	21	Running, 191/191	28	$122,678
2008	Aaron’s 499	39	24	Running, 188/188	1	$129,736
	×AMP Energy 500	39	20	Running, 179/190	22	$129,486
2007	×Aaron’s 499	41	6	Running, 192/192	0	$164,536
	UAW-Ford 500	37	20	Running, 188/188	1	$125,236
2006	Aaron’s 499	42	23	Running, 187/188	0	UAW-Ford 500 14 6 Running, 188/188 0 $137,161 2005 ×Aaron’s 499 1 12 Running, 194/194 12 $139,706   ×UAW-Ford 500 42 10 Running, 190/190 6 $137,161 2004 Aaron’s 499 14 3 Running, 188/188 14 $185,808   EA SPORTS 500 15 2 Running, 188/188 3 $165,208 2003 Aaron’s 499 2 2 Running, 188/188 12 $179,233   EA SPORTS 500 30 7 Running, 188/188 4 $101,953 2002 Aaron’s 499 14 28 Running, 181/188 0 $98,498   †EA SPORTS 500 19 27 Running, 186/188 3 $91,288 2001 Talladega 500 9 12 Running, 188/188 0 $96,197   EA SPORTS 500 19 32 Running, 187/188 0 $85,712 * Race cut short due to weather. × Race length extended due to green-white-checkered finish. † Qualifying canceled due to weather, starting position set via car owner points.      – TSC –     $121,811