NASCAR's Kyle Busch finally wins again at Watkins Glen
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. - There was no slipup on the final lap this time, so Kyle Busch's victory celebration at Watkins Glen International was as sweet as it gets. Bumped aside a year ago by Brad Keselowski on the final lap as they sped around an oil-covered track, Busch held the reigning Sprint Cup champion at bay on a two-lap dash to the checkered flag Sunday. Busch kept his foot on the accelerator a tad longer than usual during his postrace burnout, even sticking half his body out the window while smoke swirled all around and the tires kept churning. "A big sigh of relief, just a deep breath.
NASCAR driver Ambrose happy in role as favorite at Watkins Glen
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Marcos Ambrose was blunt and to the point as he contemplated the twists and turns of Watkins Glen International. “I don’t know much about what’s going to happen, but I do know that I’ve got Tony Stewart covered,” said Ambrose, who has won the past two Cup races at the storied track in upstate New York.
NASCAR notes: Keselowski wins Nationwide race
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. - Brad Keselowski has always had a fondness for Watkins Glen International, and that fondness just grew a bit more. The reigning Sprint Cup champion, who had finished second three times in the past two years at The Glen, led 49 laps in the Nationwide Zippo 200 and notched his first career road course victory Saturday. "I don't know, it's hard to explain. I can remember coming
Stewart's injury casts pall on NASCAR race at Watkins Glen
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Jimmie Johnson can secure a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship this week at Watkins Glen International, and he’s not even thinking about it. On a rainy Friday at the storied road course in upstate New York that delayed Cup practice until late afternoon, injured star Tony Stewart was foremost on everybody’s mind. Stewart broke both the tibia and fibula in his right
NASCAR drivers Montoya, Ambrose set to pounce at Watkins Glen
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Smoke’s out. Juan Pablo Montoya and Marcos Ambrose are desperate to get in. With only five races remaining before NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup championship begins, Tony Stewart’s chances of winning a fourth series title more than likely vanished Monday night on an Iowa race track. Stewart was injured driving his open-wheel sprint car when it flipped, and he remains in a hospital recovering from
Virginia International Raceway to host NASCAR K&N race
ALTON — In just two weeks, Virginia International Raceway will host its first NASCAR-sanctioned race when the K&N Pro Series East stops at the track for the Biscuitville 125 on Aug. 23 and 24. In preparation for the groundbreaking race, VIR hosted six drivers for the Biscuitville 125 Media Day Thursday morning: Austin Dyne, Bryan Ortiz, Brandon Gdovic, Dylan Kwasniewski, Kenzie Ruston and Mackena Bell fielded questions from the media.
Stewart has surgery following Iowa crash
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — Tony Stewart told anyone who would listen why he continued racing anywhere, anytime, regardless of purse or crowd or car. Even after he flipped five times last week, Stewart was quick to offer a stout defense for his short-track weeknight racing while some questioned if his extracurricular racing was putting his championship chances in NASCAR at risk. Well, his championship chances are officially over for this season.
Kahne holds off Gordon to win NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono
LONG POND, Pa. — Kasey Kahne got the jump on Jeff Gordon off the final restart with two laps left and pulled away to win at Pocono Raceway. Kahne had the car to beat for the final half of Sunday’s 400-mile race until a late caution bunched up the field. Gordon, his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, took the lead and seemed poised to win his first race of the season. After
NASCAR Sprint Cup win hasn't settled Newman's future
LONG POND, Pa. — Ryan Newman kissed the Indy bricks, then had to deal with the Brickyard 350. That’s the estimated number of text messages he received from well-wishers for his win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last weekend. Friends, family. Just about anyone who helped Newman on his path from the short tracks that dot Indiana to taking the checkered flag in one of the sport’s most prestigious races. “The
NASCAR notes: Kurt Busch making final push for Chase
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — With only six races left before NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup begins, Kurt Busch isn’t about to take a break. Not with one of the coveted 12 spots still within his grasp. Less than 24 hours after a disappointing 14th-place finish at the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis, Busch was back behind the wheel of his black No. 78 Chevrolet on Monday, blistering through the tricky
NASCAR turns Indy into a snooze-fest
INDIANAPOLIS — Maybe NASCAR should steal a page from IndyCar and install a push-to-pass button. This past weekend saw the boring Brickyard at its worst. Juan Pablo Montoya griped over his radio that trying to pass another car cost him position on the track. Jimmie Johnson suggested the track needed a second lane with more banking to help the cause. Denny Hamlin called passing “impossible.” “If impossible is hard, then
Newman wins NASCAR Sprint Cup Brickyard 400 at Indy
INDIANAPOLIS - A born and bred Hoosier, Ryan Newman spent his childhood racing everywhere from Anderson to Winchester and every short track he could find in a state mad about racing. He graduated from Purdue and landed a summer job working in Jeff Gordon's old race shop in Pittsboro. One of the perks? He got to live in the shop and sleep alongside the cars. And like many Indiana kids,
Some NASCAR drivers have lost their directions to Victory Lane
INDIANAPOLIS — Paul Menard probably will feel bittersweet emotions when the NASCAR driver returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend. Menard won the Brickyard 400 at Indy in 2011 for his first Sprint Cup Series victory, ending four years of winless frustration. But Menard hasn’t won since. As NASCAR prepares for this year’s Brickyard 400 today, the 32-year-old Menard has gone 71 races without revisiting Victory Lane. While five-time Cup
Indy's love of NASCAR cycles from rocky to hot to waning
INDIANAPOLIS — Traditionalists balked and some were downright outraged at the mere suggestion stock cars dare set their fenders on the sacred ground of Indianapolis. Stage a NASCAR race at the home of the Indianapolis 500? May as well make Indy 500 winners swig orange juice in Victory Lane or have the track install lights for a night race. Heck, make it the Indianapolis 350. None of it could have
NASCAR notes: Kyle Busch kisses the bricks at Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS - Kyle Busch had a commanding lead wiped out with one ill-timed caution. He snagged it back just in time to extend his dominant run in the Nationwide Series - and seal his latest win with a kiss. Busch was the newest driver to kiss the bricks, leading 92 of 100 laps Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He turned his baseball cap around, dropped to his hands and knees,
NASCAR's Montoya puts the pedal to the metal
INDIANAPOLIS — Juan Pablo Montoya keeps a detailed log of all his rides. Not in the stock car, but on his mountain bike. All of them, every daily two-hour trek in sunny Miami where the stocky Colombian tries to pedal himself into shape. He’s never too far from his favorite two-wheeled ride — at the track, like Talladega and Charlotte, or any locale when he can find some open space
NASCAR notes: Earnhardt Jr. still in market for sponsor
INDIANAPOLIS - Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not only looking for his first win of the season, he's still hunting for a big-bucks sponsor for 12 Sprint Cup races this season. "It is important to try to fill out what we have this season and we will," Earnhardt said Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "I don't have any doubt at all that we will get that done. I think we almost
NASCAR pairing takes nothing for granted
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Chad Knaus, with five championships and 62 victories as Jimmie Johnson’s crew chief, always appears unflappable at the race track. He walks with confidence, a purpose, and seems to effortlessly lead his team through times of crisis. Is it really just a facade? That’s the impression Knaus gave this week in the lead-up to the Brickyard 400, where he and Johnson seek a record-tying fifth victory at
NBC takes over part of NASCAR TV package in 2015
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR will return to NBC in 2015, ending its eight-year partnership with both ESPN and Turner Sports. The 10-year deal with NBC Sports Group announced Tuesday begins in 2015 and gives the network the final 20 Sprint Cup Series races of the season and final 19 Nationwide races. NBC last broadcast races in 2006 before ESPN took over its portion of the schedule. “We are back. We
Logano holds off Hornish for NASCAR Nationwide win
JOLIET, Ill. - Joey Logano held off Sam Hornish Jr. to win the NASCAR Nationwide race at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday. Logano, the lone Sprint Cup regular in the race, earned his second Nationwide win of the year and No. 20 for his career. He also won at Dover in June. Hornish held on for second, giving car owner Roger Penske the top two spots. Austin Dillon finished third, earning
NASCAR chases new fan base
DETROIT — NASCAR is betting on its driver star power and new Gen 6 race car to keep it up front in the ever-increasing fight for TV ratings and a younger, more diverse audience against the traditionally popular stick-and-ball sports. It’s a race for acceptance NASCAR thinks it can win, and one that will see it compete and beat sports such as football, baseball, basketball and hockey on the Nielsen
Sprint Cup squabble continues as Newman and Kyle Busch lash out
Ahh, nothing like a little NASCAR name calling to spice up the week. Kyle Busch called Ryan Newman an “ogre.” Newman threatened to rearrange Busch’s face and “fix it.” All that’s missing is the principal to come break things up. Busch and Newman are the latest drivers to feud following a dust-up at New Hampshire. Newman was involved in a pair of incidents with the Busch brothers that triggered the
1. 41-vehicle wreck ties up traffic Sunday on I-81 in Rockbridge County
2. Virginia Tech football roster has holes on picture day
3. Medicare penalties hit hospitals in Roanoke, New River Valleys
4. Microfestivus beer event gets downtown Roanoke hopping
5. McFarling: 2 little numbers are a big hurdle for Virginia Tech football
6. DAN CASEY: Copter cost still stirring up dust
7. Roanoke farmers markets making local foods more accessible
8. Arrest made in case of missing Nelson County teen
9. Virginia attorney general's office grows under Ken Cuccinelli
10. Man's drowning is 5th in Lynchburg area
THE ROANOKE TIMES
