Saturday was a hardcore race fan's delight with a NASCAR doubleheader taking place at New Hampshire and Iowa.
Brad Keselowski wins uneventful Nationwide Series race; Timothy Peters bests Ron Hornaday in Iowa Trucks nightcap
Brad Keselowski led 131 of 200 laps and dominated from the pole in the Nationwide Series F.W. Webb 200. The win is Keselowski’s second of the season and first since Charlotte in May.
New Hampshire’s one-mile length is actually pretty misleading. While technically classified as a short track, it runs like an intermediate with clean air the deciding factor. Keselowski maximized the value of track position and it won him the race.
Kevin Harvick was the beneficiary of the clean air with about 30 laps to go and appeared poised to win his first Nationwide race since 2010. That is, until the clean air dirtied-up in the form of Amber Cope. With 21 laps to go, Harvick caught Cope, already 33 laps down, and moved low to pass her when Cope moved low and made contact with two-time Nationwide Series champion.
The contact broke Harvick’s momentum and Keselowski zoomed by on the outside and ultimately won the race.
Harvick was not pleased and delivered the following message about Cope:
“It’s somebody who shouldn’t be on the racetrack, who has no clue what they’re doing in the race car,” Harvick said, directing his anger at Amber Cope. “She wants to be Danica Patrick, but she can’t hold her helmet.”
Austin Dillon finished third, followed by Sam Hornish Jr., Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Enumclaw’s Kasey Kahne.
Camping World Truck Series
The nightcap featured Timothy Peters winning the Truck Series Iowa race, in a show that very much mirrored Friday night’s ARCA Series event. James Buescher led early and often but cut a tire on lap 135 while leading in the exact same spot that victimized Brennan Poole the night before.
Buescher had led 91 laps.
The accident left polesitter Timothy Peters in charge, with the championship leader disposing of Ron Hornaday Jr. on a restart with 10 laps to go, to win the American Ethanol 200 on Saturday night. Hornaday finished second, followed by Matt Crafton, Johnny Sauter and Justin Lofton.
The SPEED Truck Series broadcasts are always top-notch but their insistence that Iowa is one of the remaining short tracks in NASCAR is laughable and borderline grating.
Iowa shares more in common with Charlotte and Texas than it does Martinsville or Richmond. The latter two are true short tracks. In my opinion, short tracks require heavy breaking and sharp turns, and not the high-banks and high-speeds featured in Iowa.
The fact that NASCAR recognizes and promotes Iowa as a true short track is a part of what’s wrong with the sport in 2012. The Truck Series once differentiated itself with aero-stupid cars, tight racing and authentic short tracks. The absence of each of these categories is highly-noticed and sorely missed.
With tracks like Mobile and Lucas Oil Raceway lobbying for future race dates, NASCAR could go a long way towards reestablishing the Truck Series as novel must-see motorsports television.
Finishing results for both the Nationwide Series and Camping World Trucks can be found after the jump.
NASCAR Nationwide Series Race Number 17
Unofficial Race Results for the 23Rd Annual F.W. Webb 200 - Saturday, July 14, 2012
New Hampshire Motor Speedway - Loudon, NH - 1.058 Mile Paved
Total Race Length - 200 Laps - 211.6 Miles - Purse: $931,527
Unofficial Race Results for the 23Rd Annual F.W. Webb 200 - Saturday, July 14, 2012
New Hampshire Motor Speedway - Loudon, NH - 1.058 Mile Paved
Total Race Length - 200 Laps - 211.6 Miles - Purse: $931,527
| Fin | Str | Car | Driver | Team | Laps | Pts | Bns | Driver Rating | Winnings | Status | Tms | Laps |
| 1 | 1 | 22 | Brad Keselowski(i) | Snap-on Dodge | 200 | 0 | 147.6 | $38,700 | Running | 4 | 131 | |
| 2 | 4 | 33 | Kevin Harvick(i) | Barber Foods Chevrolet | 200 | 0 | 126.4 | $31,375 | Running | 1 | 24 | |
| 3 | 12 | 3 | Austin Dillon # | AdvoCare Chevrolet | 200 | 42 | 1 | 115.5 | $31,643 | Running | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 6 | 12 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Alliance Truck Parts Dodge | 200 | 40 | 114.0 | $23,118 | Running | |||
| 5 | 3 | 6 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Cargill Beef Ford | 200 | 39 | 111.0 | $26,418 | Running | |||
| 6 | 2 | 38 | Kasey Kahne(i) | Great Clips Chevrolet | 200 | 0 | 119.7 | $17,425 | Running | 1 | 43 | |
| 7 | 7 | 2 | Elliott Sadler | OneMain Financial Chevrolet | 200 | 37 | 99.3 | $19,343 | Running | |||
| 8 | 13 | 31 | Justin Allgaier | Brandt Chevrolet | 200 | 36 | 102.7 | $18,943 | Running | |||
| 9 | 9 | 30 | Jamie McMurray(i) | LiftMaster Chevrolet | 200 | 0 | 99.9 | $12,350 | Running | |||
| 10 | 11 | 18 | Ryan Truex | Grime Boss Toyota | 200 | 34 | 94.2 | $19,668 | Running | |||
| 11 | 14 | 43 | Michael Annett | Pilot / Flying J Ford | 200 | 33 | 90.5 | $18,768 | Running | |||
| 12 | 8 | 11 | Brian Scott | Dollar General Toyota | 200 | 32 | 88.5 | $18,443 | Running | |||
| 13 | 15 | 44 | Mike Bliss | TriStar Motorsports Toyota | 200 | 31 | 84.8 | $18,293 | Running | |||
| 14 | 18 | 7 | Danica Patrick | GoDaddy.com Chevrolet | 200 | 30 | 85.9 | $18,068 | Running | |||
| 15 | 27 | 01 | Mike Wallace | Team Fox Chevrolet | 200 | 29 | 79.1 | $21,718 | Running | |||
| 16 | 16 | 81 | Jason Bowles # | American Majority Toyota | 199 | 29 | 1 | 76.7 | $17,818 | Running | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | 25 | 51 | Jeremy Clements | Phoenix Automotive Cores Chevrolet | 199 | 27 | 73.5 | $17,693 | Running | |||
| 18 | 10 | 88 | Cole Whitt # | TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet | 199 | 26 | 83.3 | $17,543 | Running | |||
| 19 | 19 | 87 | Joe Nemechek | Wildco Petroleum Equipment Sales Toyota | 197 | 25 | 65.3 | $17,493 | Running | |||
| 20 | 22 | 19 | Tayler Malsam | G-Oil / Ryobi Toyota | 196 | 24 | 69.6 | $18,118 | Running | |||
| 21 | 28 | 41 | Timmy Hill | Poynt.com Ford | 196 | 23 | 65.3 | $17,343 | Running | |||
| 22 | 37 | 14 | Eric McClure | Hefty / Reynolds Wrap Toyota | 196 | 22 | 52.9 | $17,293 | Running | |||
| 23 | 33 | 70 | Tony Raines(i) | ML Motorsports Chevrolet | 196 | 0 | 50.4 | $17,243 | Running | |||
| 24 | 32 | 39 | Josh Richards | NSWKids.com Ford | 194 | 20 | 50.6 | $17,178 | Running | |||
| 25 | 21 | 08 | Matt Frahm | Harvey Building Products / Maui Jim Ford | 194 | 19 | 52.5 | $17,618 | Running | |||
| 26 | 42 | 24 | Amber Cope | Maxelence / Luichiny Chevrolet | 167 | 18 | 37.3 | $17,108 | Running | |||
| 27 | 40 | 52 | Joey Gase # | BBB.org / Chamber of Commerce Chevrolet | 130 | 17 | 44.4 | $17,073 | Vibration | |||
| 28 | 5 | 54 | Kyle Busch(i) | Monster Energy Toyota | 121 | 0 | 75.5 | $10,570 | Fuel Pressure | |||
| 29 | 36 | 4 | Danny Efland | TradeBank Chevrolet | 116 | 15 | 52.9 | $17,003 | Accident | |||
| 30 | 17 | 23 | Jamie Dick | VIVA Auto Group Chevrolet | 79 | 14 | 54.5 | $10,800 | Sway Bar | |||
| 31 | 20 | 99 | Travis Pastrana | Boost Mobile Toyota | 77 | 13 | 63.4 | $10,465 | Accident | |||
| 32 | 34 | 89 | Morgan Shepherd | PPG / Racing with Jesus Chevrolet | 47 | 12 | 47.6 | $10,430 | Handling | |||
| 33 | 30 | 86 | Kevin Lepage | Deware Racing Group Ford | 19 | 11 | 43.9 | $10,410 | Wheel Bearing | |||
| 34 | 29 | 71 | Scott Riggs(i) | Poynt.com Ford | 9 | 0 | 47.0 | $10,390 | Ignition | |||
| 35 | 38 | 50 | TJ Bell | CrashClaimsR.Us Toyota | 6 | 9 | 43.2 | $10,365 | Brakes | |||
| 36 | 43 | 74 | Mike Harmon | Koma Unwind Relaxation Drink Chevrolet | 6 | 8 | 39.6 | $10,345 | Overheating | |||
| 37 | 39 | 75 | Matt Carter | RWR Chevrolet | 5 | 7 | 39.7 | $10,325 | Vibration | |||
| 38 | 35 | 46 | Chase Miller | TheMotorsportsGroup.com Chevrolet | 5 | 6 | 39.1 | $10,311 | Brakes | |||
| 39 | 41 | 15 | Charles Lewandoski | RWR Chevrolet | 4 | 5 | 34.9 | $10,190 | Brakes | |||
| 40 | 26 | 40 | Erik Darnell | Curtis Key Plumbing Chevrolet | 3 | 4 | 34.4 | $16,573 | Engine | |||
| 41 | 24 | 42 | Josh Wise(i) | Curtis Key Plumbing Chevrolet | 3 | 0 | 35.5 | $10,075 | Rear Gear | |||
| 42 | 31 | 47 | Stephen Leicht(i) | Curtis Key Plumbing Chevrolet | 3 | 0 | 34.8 | $10,060 | Transmission | |||
| 43 | 23 | 10 | Jeff Green | TriStar Motorsports Toyota | 2 | 1 | 33.5 | $10,018 | Vibration |
Race Comments: Before an estimated attendance of 42,000, Brad Keselowski won the F.W. Webb 200, his 19th NASCAR Nationwide Series victory. Prior to the green flag, the following car dropped to the rear of the field for the reasons indicated: #24 (missed drivers meeting; unapproved adjustments after impound)
Failed to Qualify: N/A
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 58 Mins, 46 Secs. Average Speed: 106.899 MPH Margin of Victory: 0.717 Seconds
Caution Flags: 4 for 23 laps: Laps: 38-42 (Debris [01]); 82-88 (#99 accident turn 4 [51]); 122-128 (#4, 88 accident turn 2 [51]); 151-154 (#7, 81 accident turn 4 [81]).
Lead Changes: 7 among 5 drivers: B. Keselowski(i) 1-38; K. Kahne(i) 39-81; A. Dillon # 82; B. Keselowski(i) 83-123; J. Bowles # 124; B. Keselowski(i) 125-154; K. Harvick(i) 155-178; B. Keselowski(i) 179-200.
Top 10 Driver Points: (1) E. Sadler 628;(2) A. Dillon # 625;(3) R. Stenhouse Jr. 612;(4) S. Hornish Jr. 596;(5) J. Allgaier 555;(6) M. Annett 529;(7) C. Whitt # 514;(8) M. Bliss 458;(9) D. Patrick 413;(10) B. Scott 397.
3M Lap Leader : Kasey Kahne, #38 43 Laps Coors Light Pole Award : Brad Keselowski, #22 131.035 mph
Featherlite Most Improved Driver : Mike Wallace, #01 21 Places Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race : Penske Engines, #22
Mobil 1 Oil Driver of the Race : Austin Dillon, #3 Sunoco Rookie of the Race : Austin Dillon, #3
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
Next Race: Jul. 21, 2012 - Nashville Superspeedway
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Final Laps: Keselowski, Harvick swap the lead late (via TheOfficialNASCAR)
Victory Lane: Brad Keselowski celebrates first Loudon win (via TheOfficialNASCAR)
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