Former NASCAR driver Kevin Grubb found dead

RALPH N. PAULK TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Published: May 6, 2009

Kevin Grubb, whose NASCAR career was cut short because of alleged substance abuse, was found dead today morning at a motel in Henrico County.

According to a Henrico police spokesman, personnel at Alpine Motel on the 7000 block of Brook Road discovered the Mechanicsville native in his room about 11 a.m. Investigators did not speculate on the cause of death.

"Right now, it's an ongoing death investigation," said Henrico police Lt. Richard Cosby. "There doesn't appear to be anything unusual or suspicious [at the crime scene]."

Cosby said further details concerning Grubb's death are expected Thursday.

Grubb, 31, was suspended indefinitely in September 2006 for failing to comply with NASCAR's substance-abuse policy while competing in the then-Busch Series (now Nationwide). He was suspended for refusing to submit to required testing following a race at Richmond International Raceway.

That had been Grubb's second violation of the sport's drug policy for reinstatement. He was first suspended in March 2004 for testing positive for banned substances. He was reinstated to drive in June 2006, with part of the conditions being an agreement that he submit to periodic drug testing at anytime.

"He would not submit to a drug test. We even gave him some time to think about it," NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter told reporters in 2006.

Grubb and brother Wayne were NASCAR drivers. Their father, W.O. Grubb, helped launch their careers with Grubb Motorsports. Kevin Grubb's career began with NASCAR's lower-tier series in 1997.

Grubb's only attempt in NASCAR Sprint Cup series came in 2002 in the Pontiac Excitement 400 at RIR. He failed to qualify with the No.54 Team Bristol Motorsports Chevrolet.

*NOTE*I am not confirming anything but I was told that he recently failed a drug test in some racing series, he said that he was being treated for a medical condition , and he was very depressed about the situation. Very sad story, he was a good talent and could have had a great career. God Bless him and his family.

Don Runkle

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Castroneves Acquitted Of US Tax Evasion Charges

Brazilian Indy car driver, Helio Castroneves, was acquitted today in a Miami courtroom where he was facing charges accusing him of cheating the IRS out of $2.3 million in income taxes. He was looking at the possibly of more then 6 years in prison if convicted. His sister and business manager Katiucia Castroneves and attorney Alan Miller were also acquitted. The federal jury acquitted 6 counts of tax evasion but hung on a final count of conspiracy. The jury was deliberating for 6 day after the 6 week trial.

Castroneves driver for Team Penake in the IRL Indy Car series, and is a 2 time Indy 500 champ.

Former Goody's Dash Champion busted for Moonshining

By Monte Mitchell

Winston-Salem JOURNAL REPORTER

NORTH WILKESBORO

When a production company recently needed film footage to tell the story of Junior Johnson running from revenuers back in the day, former champion driver Dean Combs got behind the wheel of a 1940 Ford and made a bootleg turn for the camera crew.

It was a make-believe reenactment of the legendary roots of moonshine and racing.

In real life yesterday, Combs was charged in connection with running a moonshine still that authorities blew up within the shadow of North Wilkesboro Speedway, one of the cradles of NASCAR.

Combs, 57, is a five-time champion of the series that started as the Baby Grand Nationals, a former Winston Cup driver and a former crew chief for a NASCAR team once owned by Johnson. When Johnson drove moonshine, he was considered a master of the bootleg turn in which he would slide his speeding car 180 degrees and then speed off in the opposite direction of his pursuer.

As rain fell yesterday morning, Combs used his cell phone's camera to snap photos of the remains of a moonshine still that lay broken and blown apart on a hill behind his home and just a couple of hundred yards from the speedway that Combs' father had once co-owned.

Combs said he used the still to make cold medicine or brandy.

"I'd drink it for a cold," he said. "It was mostly for cold medicine. There's not been any good apple brandy out here for years. It's better than what you buy at a store."

The Wilkes County Sheriff's Office destroyed the still in two explosions. Residents as far as four miles away reported hearing the loud booms Thursday night.

Authorities seized about 200 gallons of corn liquor, said Shon Tally, an agent with N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement. Twenty-four gallons were in plastic gallon jugs, and the rest was in glass jars. They also seized 3,000 pounds of sugar.

Combs was charged with manufacturing nontax-paid liquor, possessing nontax-paid liquor, possessing ingredients to manufacture nontax-paid liquor and possessing equipment to manufacture nontax-paid liquor.

It has been about a year-and-a-half since authorities found a still in Wilkes County, Tally said. They often make purchases of nontax-paid liquor, he said, "but to actually find a still, they're few and far between."

Authorities acted on a tip.

"He had just finished running that morning," Tally said. "When he was draining the water out of it so we could move it, the steam was rolling off it."

Combs owns a defunct go-cart track near the speedway, and he said that the still was in one of the buildings there. When Tally and other agents came to his door Thursday afternoon, he took them to the still, he said.

"The ALE man he was very nice and very helpful," Combs said.

The still was made of stainless steel, and just the boiler weighed about 1,000 pounds. Agents were trying to figure out how to get it out to destroy it.

"He got his tractor, he pulled it up there for us," Tally said. "That's how accommodating he was. You couldn't ask for a nicer fellow."

Combs said that authorities were complimentary of the quality of his moonshine.

"They even bragged on it, said they'd never seen spring water that clear," he said. "I said, ‘You need to put a label on it and stick it in the store.'"

Combs said that his interest in moonshine reflects part of Wilkes County's heritage.

"It's something I was always interested in," he said. "I wanted to see if I could make something drinkable. I guess I gave someone a quart I shouldn't have."

NSCS Shelby 427 Recap: Kyle Busch Rallies For Hometown Las Vegas Win

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

LAS VEGAS (March 1, 2009) — So the last shall be first, and the first last.

For biblical scholars, that was Matthew 20:16. For NASCAR fans, it was Sunday’s Shelby 427 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Starting from the rear of the field because of an engine change during Friday’s practice session, pole winner and Las Vegas native Kyle Busch worked his way to the front throughout a race punctuated with a record 14 caution periods and streaked to a .411-second victory, his first of the season and his first at Las Vegas.

Matt Kenseth, first in the series standings entering the race, finished last, after his engine blew six laps into the race. That ended Kenseth’s bid to become the first driver to win the first three races in a Cup season.

“This is pretty cool,” Busch said after his celebratory burnout on the frontstretch. “I didn’t know exactly what it would mean, but when I was coming to the checkered flag, there were knots in my stomach.”

Clint Bowyer regained a lap he lost early and finished second, thanks to crew chief Shane Wilson’s decision to keep him on the track while the other front-runners pitted under caution on Lap 260 of the 285-lap race. Bowyer surrendered the lead to Busch off Turn 2 on Lap 269.

Jeff Burton, Bowyer’s teammate at Richard Childress Racing, took third, followed by David Reutimann and Bobby Labonte. Jeff Gordon (who assumed the series points lead by 18 over Bowyer), Greg Biffle, Brian Vickers, Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr. completed the top 10.

Three-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, who led a race-high 92 laps, spun in Turn 2 to cause the final caution on Lap 280 and finished 24th.

“I’m sorry, guys,” said Johnson, who also had a tough day on pit road.

“It wasn’t meant to be today,” crew chief Chad Knaus responded over the team’s radio.

The race restarted with three laps left, and Busch pulled away from Bowyer and Burton.

Even though Busch started at the rear of the field, he still is credited for starting from the pole, making him the first to win from that position at Las Vegas. But that also meant Busch had to contend with traffic until he took the lead for the first time (other than during an early cycle of green-flag pit stops) on Lap 228.

“We just had to battle hard,” said Busch, 23, who won his 13th series race. “We didn’t have the best car today, but we had a car that we could keep working on and keep making it better.”

Bowyer credited Wilson, his new crew chief this season, for the call that gained him the runner-up finish.

“That’s where he shines,” Bowyer said. “He studies pit strategy real hard and really works on it. And that’s an area where I felt I could improve. I’m proud of him, proud of his call and glad it worked out.”

Notes: Busch has won nine of 39 NASCAR Sprint Cup races since moving to Joe Gibbs Racing to start the 2008 season. He won his first race for the new team last March at Atlanta, site of next week’s race. … Kenseth fell to third in points, tied with teammate Greg Biffle at 40 behind Gordon. … Johnson remained 19th in points, 145 behind the leader. … The only three drivers to score top-10 finishes in the first two races of the season — Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart — all had those short streaks broken. Kenseth was 43rd, Stewart 26th and Busch 23rd. … Rookie Joey Logano stayed on the lead lap and posted his best Cup finish to date: 13th. … For the second straight race, Mark Martin’s engine failed. He finished 40th and dropped to 34th in the Cup standings.

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NASCAR NEWS

Johnson, Montoya could be called as witnesses in Castroneves trial:

Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya and Roger Penske are among the potential witnesses that could be called in the tax evasion trial of open-wheel racing driver Helio Castroneves, his sister, Katiucia, and his attorney Alan Miller. The trial is scheduled to begin Monday in U.S. District Court in Miami. If convicted on all counts, all three defendants could face 78 months in prison, according to pretrial briefs. Miller, a noted sports attorney, has Johnson among his clients and has put Johnson and team owner Penske on his witness list. Montoya and other open-wheel drivers will also appear on the witness list for Castroneves, who has driven for Penske in the Indy Racing League. The scope of their potential testimony is not listed, and their inclusion on the witness list is no guarantee they will actually be called to testify.

Restart Line changes again:

NASCAR is still experimenting with new distances for the restart zone. This weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, it’s 90 feet. The zone two weeks ago was 50 feet at Daytona. Last week, it was 110 feet at Auto Club Speedway in California. NASCAR has created the restart zone to limit the area where the leader may restart the event. Nationwide Series drivers were told of the change during their prerace drivers meeting Saturday.

F1 possible in the future for Kyle Busch:

#18-Kyle Busch said the timing isn't right for him to race in Formula One for the new F1 team based in Charlotte. Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor are partnering to form the team, which hopes to begin racing to start the 2010 season. Busch's name has been mentioned as a candidate to drive one of the cars for the new operation. "I have not been talked to yet, but I do toss the idea around," Busch said. "It's something I'd love to give a shot one day. It's not something I would shoot down, but I don't think it's the right time in my career to do something like that." Busch, who turns 24 on May 2, wants to win a Sprint Cup title before taking a shot at F1. He won eight Cup races last season and started the Chase in first-place before finishing 10th overall. "I want to get it done here first," Busch said. "If I could win a championship in the next two or three years, I wouldn't mind going over there and running Formula One a couple of years, then come back. I'd only be 28 or so. It was never on my radar screen as a kid, but racers want to race different things. I also wouldn't mind trying Indy car and running in the Indy 500."

Dale JR in New Role as the Bad Guy?

NSCS Recap: Kenseth Outlasts Gordon To Win Second In A Row

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

FONTANA, Calif.—Matt Kenseth is making up for lost time—with a lot of help from his friends on pit road.

Winless in 2008, Kenseth backed up his victory in the season-opening Daytona 500 by holding off Jeff Gordon in Sunday’s Auto Club 500 Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway.

With a lightning-fast pit stop, Kenseth’s crew made sure his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford was first off pit road for a restart on Lap 216, after Kevin Harvick slammed the Turn 1 wall to cause the fifth and final caution of the 250-lap race.

Kenseth, who won for the 18th time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, stayed in front the rest of the way and beat Gordon to the finish line by 1.463 seconds to become the fifth driver in Cup history to win the first two races of a season. The last to do so? Gordon in 1997, at Daytona and Rockingham.

Kyle Busch finished third and fell short in his bid to sweep all three races in NASCAR’s top series at the same track in the same weekend. On Saturday, Busch won both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series races at the 2.0-mile racetrack.

Greg Biffle recovered from a pit-road mistake to come home fourth, followed by Kurt Busch. Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Brian Vickers completed the top 10.

Because Gordon had caught and passed him on the previous green-flag run, Kenseth wasn’t confident he could hold him off.

“I thought he was going to pass us,” Kenseth said. “Some people call me a pessimist—I think I’m more of a realist—but when we took off the run before, we got the lead and ran some real fast laps and we left Jeff 15 or 20 car-lengths (behind), something like that.

“In the middle of that run, he ran me right down, drove by me and took off. Greg drove by me, took off. ... I don’t even know what they (the pit crew) adjusted, but they got us in front again, which is obviously a big key to it. We took off, and right away I could feel that it was better. But I didn’t think it was that much better.

“As many laps as were left, I honestly thought we were going to be too loose at the end, and he was going to catch us.”

Gordon was ambivalent about the result, which showed marked improvement over last year but left him winless since October 2007.

“I think we’re head-and-shoulders above where we were,” Gordon said. “I know we’re just a couple races in, and this is one race, but I just loved the way the car was driving. To be able to battle and go to the front like that and have solid pit stops, I’m just really excited—and also really bummed out we didn’t win the race tonight.

“I felt like we had the car. Matt was awful good in the pits as well as on the track. That last run we made one little adjustment. I didn’t mind that he got out there on us. When I started running him down, I was like, ‘We’ve got him, we’ve got him,’ and then my car started getting tighter and tighter and tighter.

“I went to every groove that I could possibly find, and the car just wouldn’t turn, and I knew that, with about 20 (laps) to go, that if he didn’t make a mistake, we weren’t going to get him.”

Notes: The engine and right front tire blew on Harvick’s Chevrolet on Lap 208, and he retired from the race, ending a modern-era record streak of 81 races without a DNF. ... Hendrick Motorsports teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin suffered rare engine failures; they finished 39th and 40th, respectively. ... Drew Blickensderfer, who graduated from the Nationwide to the Cup series this year, is 2-for-2 as Kenseth’s crew chief. ... Kenseth opened an 81-point lead over second-place Gordon in the Cup standings. Kurt Busch and Stewart are tied for third, 91 points behind Kenseth. ... NASCAR called four of the five cautions because of light rain.

NASCAR Nationwide Series Stater Bros. 300 Post-Race Video

Kyle Busch talks about nearly having a perfect day and going for the first national series weekend sweep in history.




Joey Logano talks about overcoming a hole in his nose to finish third at Auto Club Speedway.

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Kyle Busch talks about winning the San Bernardino 200:




Ricky Carmichael talks about adjusting to the speed of NASCAR:

NCWTS Recap: Busch Smokes Field In Fontana

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

FONTANA, Calif. (February 21, 2009) -- It wasn't even close.

With a No. 51 Toyota truck that absolutely dominated the competition Saturday at Auto Club Speedway, polesitter Kyle Busch streaked to a 9.023-second victory over Todd Bodine, last week's winner at Daytona, in the San Bernardino County 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.

In claiming his 10th win in the series and his second in two starts at the 2-mile California track, Busch led three times for 95 of the 100 laps and led all but two of the 92 green-flag circuits.

After a gas-and-go under green on Lap 91 -- thanks to new pit rules that prohibit truck series teams from taking both fuel and tires on the same stop -- Busch quickly overtook Colin Braun, who tried to stretch his fuel mileage but ran out of gas and rolled onto pit road with three laps remaining. Braun finished 20th.

Chad McCumbee came home third, followed by David Starr and T.J. Bell. Ron Hornaday Jr., Matt Crafton, Ricky Carmichael, Timothy Peters and Max Papis completed the top 10 in the series' second event of the season.

"This thing was just flawless," Busch said of his No. 51 Toyota, which was serviced through a cooperative effort with James Finch's Nationwide Series crew. "The guys did flawless. They worked so well and made this truck drive so well. . .

"It's really a lot fun to come out here and win two years in a row, and hopefully we can do some more."

Busch is the only driver doing triple duty at Auto Club Speedway. He also was scheduled to compete in Saturday evening's NASCAR Nationwide Series race, as well as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday.

Though still unsponsored, Bodine had an excellent truck, too, but his No. 30 Toyota was no match for Busch's ride.

"It's a little disappointing to have a Tundra that's that good and finish second," Bodine said. "That tells you how good Kyle was. Once the tires got heated up -- got a little slick -- we were just a little tight through the center of the corner. I couldn't quite hold it wide open."

Notes: Busch's win was also Doug George's first as a crew chief… Gabi Dicarlo finished 19th in her truck series debut... Busch leads Bodine by five points in the series standings after two races. Crafton is third, 77 points behind Busch.

Penalties and Suspensions

Crew Member Paul Chodora In Violation Of NASCAR Substance Abuse Policy
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 19, 2009) – Paul Chodora, a licensed crew member in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body’s substance abuse policy.

On Feb. 11, Chodora was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 7-5 (violation of the NASCAR substance abuse policy) of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rule book.

Three NASCAR Nationwide Series Teams Fined, Penalized For Rule Violations At Daytona International Speedway
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 19, 2009) – NASCAR announced today that three NASCAR Nationwide Series teams have been fined and penalized due to rule violations discovered during last week’s event at Daytona International Speedway.

Blake Bainbridge, crew chief of the No. 09 Ford driven by John Wes Townley, has been fined $15,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until June 30, 2009 for violating Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-I (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules) and 20A-18A (Once constructed and installed, the roll cage must be acceptable to NASCAR officials. Main roll bar (#1) was not round; was altered for clearance) of the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series rule book.

Jay Robinson was penalized with the loss of 100 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship owner points while Townley was docked 100 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship driver points.

Those infractions were discovered on Feb. 10 during opening-day inspection.

George Bartlett, crew chief of the No. 84 Chevrolet driven by Mike Harmon, has been fined $10,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until June 30, 2009 due to rule violations discovered during opening-day inspection and post-race inspection on Feb. 14, respectively.

Bartlett was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1, 12-4-I and 20A-2.3A (Weight containers welded to the outside of the main frame rails must not contain added weight in any form; added weight to the outside frame rail) and 20A-13E (Invalid SFI label).

Team owner/driver Harmon was penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship owner points and 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship driver points for each infraction, totaling 50 points in each category.

Additionally Michael Hobson, crew chief for the No. 0 Chevrolet driven by Danny O’Quinn Jr., was fined $5,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until June 30, 2009 for violation of 12-1, 12-4-I and 20A-12.1A(8) (Combined spring rate was less than specified. The left front spring rate was less than specified).

Johnny Davis was penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship owner points and O’Quinn forfeited 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship driver points due to the violations, which also were found during post-race inspection.

No. 33 Team Penalized For Rule Infractions At Daytona International Speedway
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 19, 2009) – NASCAR announced today penalties and fines to the No. 33 team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, as a result of rule infractions found last Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

The No. 33 truck was found to be in violation of Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); Section 12-4-1 (any determination by NASCAR Officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and Section 20B-12.3B (all approved shock absorbers must be of nitrogen-gas pressurized mono-tube, deflective disc valve type with an integral gas reservoir with all components as displayed on each manufacturer’s display board: unapproved shock absorber piston) of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rule book. The violations were found during post-race inspection on Feb. 13.

Driver Ron Hornaday Jr. has been penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship driver points and truck owner DeLana Harvick has been penalized 25 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship owner points due to the violations. Crew chief Rick Ren has been fined $5,000 and placed on probation until June 30, 2009 as a result of the infraction.

Reggie Jackson to Pace Field at Auto Club 500

Auto Club Speedway PR

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. (February 17, 2009) – Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, who earned the nickname Mr. October for his World Series heroics with both the A's and Yankees, will be behind the wheel of the Auto Club Speedway’s 2009 Chevy Impala pace car as he leads the field before the start of NASCAR’s 2009 West Coast Premiere – the Auto Club 500 – on Feb. 22.

"In my lifetime I've played in six World Series, hob-knobbed with movie stars and been a part of the excitement of New York and the Yankees," said Jackson. "With all that, it’s hard to get excited over many things. But being behind the wheel of the pace car for the Auto Club 500, is right up there with some of the most exciting things I've ever done."

A five-year star with the California Angles (now the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), Jackson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. In 27 Fall Classic games, he amassed 10 home runs - including four in consecutive at-bats - 24 RBI and a .357 batting average. As one of the game's premier power hitters, he blasted 563 career round-trippers. A terrific player in the clutch and an intimidating cleanup hitter, Jackson compiled a lifetime slugging percentage of .490 and earned American League MVP honors in 1973. He won three consecutive World Series titles as a member of the Oakland A's in the early 1970s and also won 2 consecutive titles with the New York Yankees. He also played one year with the Baltimore Orioles.

Jackson is the only position player to win the World Series MVP Award 2 times ('73 with the A's and '77 with the NY Yankees).

Jackson is just one of several celebrities taking part in Auto Club Speedway’s Auto Club 500 Weekend. In addition to Jackson, Grammy-nominated Little Big Town will perform the National Anthem before the Auto Club 500. Gavin Rossdale, who is currently enjoying the success of his Top 40 hit single “Love Remains the Same,” will perform a pre-race concert prior to the Auto Club 500 in the Opportunity, California FanZone, while Rev Theory, currently on tour with Theory of a Deadman and Ten Second Epic, will perform Saturday Feb. 21 and Sunday, Feb. 22 also at Auto Club Speedway’s Opportunity, California FanZone.

Band from TV, noted celebrities from television’s Heroes, Desperate Housewives and House just to name a few is scheduled to rock the Opportunity, California FanZone Stage on Sunday and multi-platinum singer/songwriter and country superstar Billy Ray Cyrus will serve as Grand Marshal for the Stater Bros. 300 as well as perform the National Anthem prior to the start of the San Bernardino County 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event, both scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21.

Daytona 500 Winner Matt Kenseth

Matt Kenseth Captures First Daytona 500 Win

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. -- It couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

NASCAR PR:

Matt Kenseth, winless a year ago, added the biggest jewel in NASCAR to his trophy collection Sunday, winning a dramatic, rain-shortened Daytona 500 before a capacity crowd of some 200,000 at Daytona International Speedway, plus a Fox national television audience.

Kenseth somehow dodged a huge pileup shortly after lap 125 that easily could have sent him to the scrap-pile like it did young sensation Kyle Busch.

Busch, who had led 88 laps to clearly establish himself as the race favorite, was a victim in a 10-car wreck that had cars sliding through the backstretch infield apron and down the end of the backstretch straightaway in a huge cloud of smoke and debris.

The accident was triggered when Brian Vickers moved over to block Dale Earnhardt, Jr. near the end of the backstretch. Earnhardt was forced off the track onto the apron and into the grass. When Earnhardt tried to steer his sliding car back on the track, he clipped the rear end of Vickers' Toyota, sending Vickers shooting across the track directly in front of the oncoming field of 200-mph stock cars. At that point, it was pure havoc. No one was injured, but the accident sent a number of cars to the junk heap.

Besides Busch, who finished 41st, others involved included Carl Edwards (18th), Kurt Busch (10th), Vickers (39th), Earnhardt (27th), Jamie McMurray (37th), Jimmie Johnson (31st), Robby Gordon (34th), and Denny Hamlin (26th).

Kenseth started the race from 39th position after his crew had to change an engine in his Jack Roush Ford sponsored by DeWalt.

Ironically, the runner-up in the abbreviated race -- 152 out of a scheduled 200 laps were completed -- and winner of the Daytona 500 two years ago, Kevin Harvick, also started in the rear of the field due to engine problems.

Third-place finisher AJ Allmindinger had a storybook finish since he just hooked up with the Valvoline Dodge team several weeks ago. His performance Sunday should help him find additional sponsorship.

Clint Bowyer finished fourth, Elliott Sadler fifth, David Ragan sixth, former Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip seventh, Tony Stewart eighth, and Reed Sorensen ninth. Truex was 11th.

It was a cool, overcast afternoon when the 51st running of this classic got underway. Drivers mashed the gas to the floor right from the git-go and three different drivers led the first three laps, Truex, Martin and "wild thing" Busch, who took over on the third lap and was leading when Almirola spun by himself on the eighth circuit.

When racing resumed, Busch remained out front with Martin, Labonte, Earnhardt and Edwards right behind.

A mandatory caution at lap 26 allowed the teams to check their tire wear after rain washed the rubber off the track Saturday night and Sunday morning. NASCAR officials informed the teams at the start of the race of the mandatory caution.

Once all the teams had pitted, Busch resumed his lead with Earnhardt on his bumper. Gordon was third, Hamlin fourth and Martin fifth.

Jeremy Mayfield, who started his own team about a month ago and was one of the feelgood stories in making the race, had his luck change at lap 33 when a problem cropped up with his motor.

At 40 laps, Busch had Kenseth on his bumper, who had started from the rear after changing motors. Ragan had moved to third, Earnhardt was fourth, Hamlin fifth and Ragan sixth.

Robbie Gordon dropped from the middle of the pack to 42nd when a punctured tire prompted an unscheduled pit stop.

At 50 laps, Busch still led and looked as though he clearly had the fastest car in the field but Earnhardt and Stewart were just a car length behind. Earnhardt and Stewart, however, blew past Busch on lap 53. One lap later, Busch pushed Stewart past Earnhardt. On the next lap, Travis Kvapil smacked the wall, bringing out the afternoon's second caution.

When the green flag fell again, it was Stewart out front with Gordon second. Busch was third. Also running in the front pack was McMurray, Hamlin, Edwards, Martin, Kenseth, Vickers, Ragan and Kurt Busch, who finished second in this race last year.

Earnhardt, who completely missed his pit stall and had to go around the track again, was way back in 35th on the restart.

By lap 70, Gordon led, followed by Busch, Hamlin, McMurray, Kenseth, Edwards, Vickers, Stewart, who was shuffled backwards by one of the famous Daytona drafts, Martin and Allmindinger.

Stewart's teammate and defending champion of the Daytona 500, spent considerable time in the pits and lost several laps, which pretty much ended his chance for winning "The Great American Race" again.

On lap 81, rookie Joey Logano, running back in the field to gain some experience, was in the wrong place at the right time. Another rookie, former Formula One driver Scott Speed, got loose coming out of four and had to ease off the throttle. Logano, right behind him, had to make a jerky turn left to stay off Speed and spun across the track. He smashed into the inside retaining wall almost head-on, tearing his Home Depot machine to smithereens. Logano was not injured.

On the restart at lap 85, it was Busch again and Hamlin moved into second. Allmindinger was third with Truex fourth. Gordon held on in fifth, followed by Edwards, Kenseth, Stewart, Ragan, McMurray and Burton.

The best race drivers in the world were mixing it up as though it was the last lap, rather than halfway. Gordon went from fifth to second with a nifty slingshot move down the backstretch, which resulted in Truex getting shoved back to 20th spot. Once Gordon made his move, others tucked in on his bumper and formed a freight train back to where Truex wound up.

The competition in the first half of this event was similar to what fans had seen in the Twin Gatorade 150 Qualifying Races last Thursday.

Back in Business

Nascar is back this week with the Twin Duel races being on Speed TV Thur. Feb. 11th.

The first row of the 51st Daytona 500 has been set with Mark Martin starting 2nd and DEI top driver Martin Truex Jr starting on the pole. Both Truex and Martin will not have to race for their starting spots.

Those without SPEED TV can see the live stream of practice and the Duels here at Stock Car News.

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New Season, New News

Stock Car News blog will be back with updates, news and video clips in the coming weeks.

I would like to thank everyone that has stayed with us and we look forward to the coming racing season