Chip Ganassi Racing

After Jamie McMurray won the Daytona 500, a lot of people were questioning if the success would continue throughout the season. McMurray went to the Auto Club Speedway and set the record straight as he won the pole with a lap of 183.744 mph.

"I ran my first two laps of practice, and the car has really good speed in it," McMurray said. "The car feels really solid, so that was refreshing to go through everything this week and get here and have a fast car again.

"I think this weekend is what really sets the standard for the rest of these races. It should be a really good weekend."

Fellow Earnhardt-Ganassi teammate Juan Pablo Montoya took second with a lap of 183.477mph, proving he wasn’t letting up from his performance the year before. McMurray said, though, for his team that credit goes to Juan and crew chief Brian Pattie as they unloaded originally with their set-up.

"The good thing is that, everywhere we've been, I've really liked the 42 car setup, what Juan and Brian have developed," said McMurray. "So we just unloaded here very similar to what they had, and a couple of small things different, and we just adjusted our car from there.

"Honestly, when I went out, I hoped to get in the top seven. I felt like, if we ran a good lap, we would be in the top seven, so being on the pole was really unexpected."

Following the lap, they both called it “insane” in their words as it has been a solid start to the season for them so far, one that many fans weren’t expecting.

Overall in qualifying, the Earnhardt-Childress Racing motor package fared well as Clint Bowyer qualified third (183.127mph), and Kevin Harvick qualified fifth (182.899mph). Filling in the gap was Richard Petty Racing driver Kasey Kahne (182.913mph) in third and Prism Motorsports driver Dave Blaney (182.908mph) in forth.

Throughout Speedweeks 2010, this Joplin, Mo. native has been relatively under the radar as a dark horse contender for victories in the NASCAR Sprint Cup events.

Most prognosticators and fans went with the usual favorites like Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jeff Gordon, and Kyle Busch, feeling like the juggernaut operations would kick off their seasons in dominant style.

After the checkered flag flew over the Daytona 500 field, Jamie McMurray won more than just the Great American Race. Perhaps for the first time since 2005, this 33-year-old racer has that confidence to attack and go after it for a championship. He enjoyed his finest point-standing finishes with Chip Ganassi's team, which was then a Dodge program.

Aligned with Felix Sabates and essentially Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, the Chevrolet team emerged as a solid title contender when Juan Pablo Montoya compiled a career season in 2009 with an eighth-place finish in the Chase. While JPM failed to win a race last year, he urged his No. 42 Target car to seven top-fives and 18 top-10 results while truly contending for his first championship.

It was only a matter of time before Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates would get its well-deserved win with strong performances at nearly every track on the circuit last year. With McMurray back in the fold, EGR has a super-speedway specialist and an older, wiser driver than the one who took home Rookie of the Year honors in 2003 who can win races.

Throughout the practice sessions and races leading up to the Daytona 500, there was an aura of quiet confidence with McMurray. Following his tumultuous years with Roush-Fenway Racing, the eighth-year driver drove his No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Impala with optimism and poise for his new "old" team.

In his first "unofficial" return to EGR, McMurray placed second in the Budweiser Shootout, finishing just behind Kevin Harvick in what was a very solid performance in the 70-lap event. Leading his share of laps and keeping his fenders clean, the Missouri racer's name was one to watch in the Duels and "The Great American Race."

McMurray compiled another solid showing, placing sixth in the first Gatorade Duel race to earn a 13th-place starting spot for the big show. And what a show he delivered for the racing fans who endured a lengthy spectacle nearly marred by the pothole problems on the aging asphalt of the Daytona International Speedway.

For once, lady luck was truly on his side, exorcising the race demons that often "lure" him to crashes, equipment problems, or driver mistakes that often cost him victories in his career. Led by crew chief Kevin "Bono" Manion, McMurray drove his No. 1 Chevy to an amazing victory, beating one of the sport's best restrictor plate racers in Dale Earnhardt, Jr., to the stripe.

How many times do racing fans truly get to see pure emotion from a race winner?

From the pictures and videos of the post-race celebration, you could tell how much the Daytona 500 win meant to McMurray. Breaking down in tears in Victory Lane, joking with the media about his father accidentally leaving the track prior to his win, and hearing about his love for family, it was a victory for everyone.

Perhaps this is the true arrival of Jamie McMurray, who's endured an inconsistent Cup career with some highs in his four career victories. However, it's no secret that when he entered the Cup series in 2003, high expectations were placed upon him.

After all, he scored an upset victory as a substitute driver for Sterling Marlin at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October of 2002. Making that victory significant was that it was his second career start in stock car's most elite series.

Between 2003-06, the young gun ran into some frustrating championship campaigns, as he failed to win races as well as battle for titles. Ganassi was a respectable unit anchored by veteran racer Sterling Marlin and ex-open wheeler Casey Mears. Unfortunately, the only memorable moments of McMurray's first tenure with Ganassi were his painful misses to make the Chase for the Cup field in 2004-'05.

Labels like overrated, over-hyped, and has been were applied almost liberally with McMurray, as if competing with guys like Gordon, Earnhardt Jr., Busch, Greg Biffle, and Matt Kenseth was the easiest chore in the world. Perhaps a change of scenery was needed for the racer to get his competitive spirits back. Thus began his four years at "Jack Roush University."

While he had won a pair of races during his Roush years, it was mired within disappointing results at most venues. Sometimes, sheer bad luck plagued his efforts, like equipment problems or getting caught up in accidents from somebody else's mess. No matter how you put it, McMurray's Cup career was almost like a heartbreaking country song on repeat or like watching Saved By the Bell: College Years.

Well, just like those songs or struggling young actors, their stories have happy endings and perhaps the veteran driver found just that with EGR. His old house got some renovations, if you will, the "parents" in Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates could not be any happier with their kid back, and the family "car" is much faster, stronger, and now, it's a winner.

Daytona may be a unique form of racing that is not inherent on the remaining 32 races of the season. Drafting at "The World Center of Racing" and Talladega requires a different kind of discipline to succeed, with a chess-game mentality needed to make all the right moves from start to finish. Make no mistake, however—McMurray is a legit racer ready to win races and championships.

To succeed in NASCAR Sprint Cup racing, you need to succeed at tracks like Auto Club Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Altanta Motor Speedway. Those facilities reflect more of what true Cup racing is all about.

Certainly, drafting is an element at these intermediate racetracks, but it's an entirely different ballgame than the plate facilities. Handling will be the key to success for all the teams, with races at these speed arenas often won by making the right adjustments to the car. While a fast car may be great at the start of a run, it's more important to have it adjustable. 

Variables like changing track conditions as well as track position are reasons to have a car that can be tweaked easily by matter of wedge or tire pressure. Races are often won by virtue of a team that has its driver, pit crew, and car working on all cylinders (no pun intended).

EGR, mainly through Montoya's efforts, were strong at these tracks last year, where the Colombian harnessed his aggression with finesse and agility. Known more for his road course and super speedway talents, the 2000 Indy 500 champ showed he could handle the NASCAR flavor of racing, garnering several top-fives and 10s.

With his experience and new-found confidence at a track like Auto Club or Las Vegas, it may be the one-two punch needed to succeed in 2010. Montoya's strengths in road courses and intermediates will compliment the super speedway and short track skills of McMurray, making them quite the potent combination for fantasy racing team owners.

Regardless of how 2010 goes for McMurray, it can be certain that his popular victory will remind racing fans of how much the competition, challenges, and the sweet thrill of success means to each racer. Now a Daytona 500 champion, the accolades are all his and EGR's for the taking, and their success and confidence can only get higher.

Usually Valentine's Day is all about the chocolate, the flowers, the jewelry, and the love a man has for his girlfriend, wife, or fiance.

But in between showing all that love, the guys got their joy watching the Daytona 500 either on their couches or in the grandstands. What they got in return was an emotional ride that some just don't want to end. This race had everything you can imagine for a season-opening race in emotion and action.

Somehow, I'm going to try and keep all my emotions in check, but here goes the first official "Parks Race Reactions" for 2010.

I'm first going to start off with the way NASCAR handled the entire day, before, during, and after the race.

The move to start the race at its original time of 1 p.m. is the best move anyone could ask for. We knew that going in, but when you combine the sunny skies and a sold-out crowd, it just felt so right for the race.

And what a great pre-race show, with Tim McGraw giving the entertainment and even Sarah Palin making an appearance, which still baffles me, but that's another story for another day.

You had Junior Johnson give the command to start engines and Richard Petty leading the field to the green. It all just felt right.

But, how can you not talk about the debacle of the track coming apart. That had to wreak havoc on every driver going through turn two. You have to give NASCAR credit, they were already prepared to attempt to fill in the hole, but you can't anticipate the weather and temperatures. They did the best they could the first time around.

When it happened the second time, alright, let's be honest, it was a problem. Usually you have to fix these things the first time, but when the drivers can see and feel that type of issue, there's a bigger problem.

Once again, NASCAR came back and fixed the issue. CEO Brian France refused to call the race because of the track problem. He knew the fans paid good money to see 500 miles of racing, and he was going to give it to them.

In doing so, we found out a lot about the teams and drivers that could play a factor this year. Most notably, the guys driving a Ford.

Elliott Sadler, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, and Kasey Kahne ran strong all afternoon and evening. This tells me that the Ford crew really did their homework over the off-season and came out with a purpose.

I'd have to say they did their job well, as these guys ran up front the entire race. Sure, some fell back and Kahne wrecked late, but they had a lot of power at Daytona. I wouldn't be the least surprised if the Ford guys ran strong next week as they go to California.

One other guy I am personally happy for is Dale Earnhardt Jr. After going for a tumble yesterday in his own Nationwide car, he came back and ran well in the No. 88 car.

He fell back during a few parts of the race, but he came on strong late in the going. What a job coming from tenth to second in just one lap to nearly get the victory. Of course he'd be disappointed that he didn't win, but look at the bigger picture.

This race last year was a disaster for Earnhardt Jr. and it set forth a horrible season. He came out strong, ran well, and finished as the runner-up in the opening race of the season.

I do believe that is a good definition of a successful race.

But, without question, how can you not feel good for Jamie McMurray? What a way to return to his old car owner.

We didn't even know if McMurray would have a ride coming into this year, much less one that was owned by Chip Ganassi. But, he came over and stepped into a high-profile ride.

First race of the year, he goes out and gets in the right position to take the lead. He stays out front on the last two laps to get the biggest win of not only his career, but his entire life.

After taking the checkered flag, only three words summed up what McMurray was feeling at that moment.

"OH MY GOD!" he shouted on the radio.

In victory lane, there was no way he could hold back all the emotion. McMurray even said "I'm gonna cry", and I think a lot of people did as well for him.

Think about this as well, that No. 1 Chevrolet was the first car that Dale Earnhardt had when he built DEI. It wasn't Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 8, but it was the No. 1.

To see that car in victory lane, especially with Earnhardt Jr. right behind, it was an incredible sight. I'm sure Teresa had to be smiling back at home when she saw that car take the checkered flag. Just like McMurray, a lot of fans had to be crying when he got out of that car.

What an incredible way to start out the season, and this is just the first race. What can we expect next Sunday?

It's going to be hard to follow up that performance. We'll have to see when NASCAR heads to California for the Auto Club 500 next Sunday.

It's not too often when a memory about a race happens when the engines are silent. Usually it's an on-track wreck, a pit miscue, or an exciting finish that gets the headlines.

However, sometimes is when the engines are shut off that some of the biggest headlines can happen.

Look at what occurred between Kurt Busch and Jimmie Spencer following the Michigan race in 2003. Ryan Newman gets the win, but these two get the most chatter as Spencer apparently slugged Busch in the garage.

In 2002, it was the actions of a driver during a red flag that got everyone talking.

As the race was coming down to the final ten laps, Jeff Gordon held the lead in his DuPont Chevrolet. Right behind him, Sterling Marlin and the Coors Light Dodge. These two were nose-to-tail as a restart took place.

Marlin laid back just a bit to get a run on Gordon. The green flag comes out and here comes the No. 40 Dodge to the inside.

Gordon drops down to block and he goes spinning through the grass in turns one and two. Meanwhile, behind his spin, cars pile up and get involved in the aftermath.

NASCAR throws the caution, and with seven laps remaining decided to stop the field on the backstretch and put out the red flag.

Cameras then pan to a shot down the straightaway, with Marlin's car at the head of the pack behind the pace car. Then, suddenly they see his window net come down and Marlin climbing from the car.

What was he doing?

In an instant, headlines were made as Marlin made his way to his right-front tire, bent down and pulled the fender away from the tire.

Benny Parsons put the exclamation point on what Marlin did with his on-air response, "Oh no, you can't do that!" As the pace car driver and NASCAR official got out, they ordered Marlin back into his car.

Every individual within NASCAR know the rules about red flag conditions. As long as the red flag is out, no work can be done on the car, by anyone.

Then came another issue, how does NASCAR penalize the driver. Cameras go to the NASCAR tower and catch Mike Helton on the phone with officials in the garage. Bill Weber, Wally Dahlenbach, and Parsons were all waiting for the call.

Finally, NASCAR told Marlin that he was ordered to the end of the line for the restart. In a matter of seconds, Marlin went from a potential victory to salvaging a finish.

Marlin was able to work his way back up through the pack to finish eighth, while Gordon came back to finish ninth.

Out front, it was Bill Davis driver Ward Burton stealing the show and getting the biggest victory of his career.

Despite the debacle that Marlin had to endure in that race, 2002 would prove to be an extremely successful year for the team. Marlin led the points for a majority of the year, but a bad accident at Kansas set him behind in the standings.

A few days later, Marlin announced that he was done driving for the season because he suffered a broken vertebrate in his neck. Busch Series driver Jamie McMurray would take over the No. 40 car for the remainder of that season.

Ironically, two weeks after taking the seat, McMurray would put the Coors Light Dodge in Victory Lane at Charlotte. Marlin phoned in and gave his congratulations to the young driver, showing that despite his early exit, he was still part of the team.

Marlin won two consecutive Daytona 500's in 1994 and 1995, but it was his actions in 2002 that are talked about the most.

As a result, for the rest of that season, NASCAR made one rule change. The official that rode in the pace car along with the driver actually stood in front of the field, monitoring the activity. Since then, that rule has been dissolved.

It was one of those moments where people just go, "What is he doing?" It's something that you never expect a driver to do at any point in a race.

Benny Parsons said it best with "Oh no, you can't do that!"

But, Marlin did and created another memory from "The Great American Race."

Juan Pablo Montoya would give just about anything to get into the Chase for the Championship in NASCAR's elite Cup series.  But whether he makes it or not, Montoya said that his and his team will hold their heads high, knowing that, in Montoya's words, they have "a lot to be proud of."

Montoya, driver of the No. 42 Target Chevy for Earhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, currently sits eighth in the points standings.  He is in no way guaranteed a Chase spot, especially since he is just 88 points ahead of the 13th position.

"You are never secure until you get in," said Montoya.  "There are so many things that can happen."

"But I feel much better today than I did last week," said Montoya as he prepared for his final race before the Chase at Richmond International Raceway.

Montoya will have to either finish 18th or better, finish 20th and lead at least one lap, or finish 21st and lead the most laps in order to clinch his Chase berth.  In his five previous starts at Richmond, Montoya has had an average finish of 27.8.

But his best finish has been a 10th place finish in his most recent Richmond run.

"We had a good run earlier in the season here in Richmond," said Montoya.  "I think our cars are getting better and better."

When asked how he felt about having to race at Richmond in order to get into the championship elite, Montoya said, "I don't get caught up in what track we are at.  I feel good about racing here in Richmond."

Montoya and his crew chief Brian Pattie decided to bring Chassis No. 815 back to the Richmond track.  This is the chassis that earned Montoya the top 10 finish at Richmond in the spring race.

So far, Montoya has been pleased with his car.  He was fastest in Happy Hour, with a speed of 124.412 and a time of 21.702. 

Montoya also had a solid qualifying run, with a 14th starting place for the Chevy Rock and Roll 400.  He had a qualifying speed of 125.570 and a time of 21.502, picking up in both areas from practice.

With a decent starting spot, Montoya plans to race exactly as he has all season.  He stressed his need to run a "clean, consistent race" at Richmond.

"We won't change anything at all," said Montoya.  "We're just out there to do the best we can and hope that is good enough to make it."

Montoya's goal since the drop of the green flag in Daytona has been to make the Chase.  He demonstrated his singular focus when, after the conclusion of the Atlanta race, he jumped out of his car to run to the nearest television monitor to see where he was in the points standings.

Just what would it mean to Montoya to take his place among the 12 Chasers?  "It would mean the world to me," confided Montoya.  "But I also think it would mean a lot to Chip (Ganassi) and the entire organization."

Montoya said that if he makes it into the Chase, he might just take a quick moment to acknowledge the accomplishment.  "I might celebrate a little if it happens," said Montoya.

But he quickly admits that after his celebration, he would get right back to it, focusing next on winning that coveted championship trophy.  If Montoya were to do so, he would make history as the first foreign-born Latino to ever achieve that distinction in NASCAR.

As hopeful as Montoya is about his Chase chances, he simply cannot let himself even think about competing for the championship or who his competition will be.  When asked about his feelings about that, he simply said, "Ask me next week if I get into the Chase!"

Montoya and his family relaxed Friday night after qualifying in their motor home, watching a movie together.  But on race night under the short track Richmond lights, Montoya will no doubt move from relaxation mode to total focus on racing his way into the Chase and perhaps even into victory lane.

Whether he is in or he is out of the Chase, there is no doubt that Montoya and his team will end the race weekend, as Montoya said, with their "heads held high," taking great pride in all that they have accomplished so far in their 2009 season.

Whether it's a driver in the top 12 trying to win a championship, a rookie trying to prove himself or a go or go home car just fighting to get back in the top 35, every weekend NASCAR provides 43 unique story lines for the fans to follow. He did, however, win the 2000 CART race there.

From Michigan to Miami, Patti Rodisch and I will be bringing you “The Lugnut Report”, a special look into the weekends of two different drivers—whether it's the conservative Chase driver racing for points or a non-Chaser putting it all on the line to win, you'll follow their weekend from qualifying to race day.

This weekend's driver lineup: Juan Pablo Montoya and Casey Mears.

“Our real goal this year was making The Chase. When we sat down with Brian (Patti, crew chief) a year ago, we said next year we need to make sure to make The Chase and if we don't, we have to be a contender for it. We can't run 20^th every week. We did that. We've been working, we are getting better every week and we just have to keep doing the same thing. By the time The Chase stars, we will see. I think you can start taking some more risks and see what happens.”

Michigan International Speedway hasn't been kind to Juan Pablo Montoya. On the verge of a Chase berth, Montoya has an average finish at MIS of 27.6, thanks to four straight finishes outside the top 20.

The bright spot? Montoya finished 6^th in his last visit to the track, and has experienced Victory Lane—in CART. 

Montoya was also riding the wave of momentum—his sixth place finish last Monday at Watkins Glen continued his streak of nine finishes in the top 12, and no DNFs. Oh, and the car he'd brought to MIS? His dominant Brickyard car, which led 116 laps in June.

The Colombia native, though, wasn't getting his hopes up.

“Normally, we really suck here,’’ Montoya told the media on Friday. “We really do!’’

And despite sucking, Friday's on track activities shined a bright light on was hopefully a good weekend to come for the No. 42 Target Chevrolet team. Montoya qualified third for Sunday's Carfax 400 after ending the weekend's first practice in the same position.

Saturday's morning pratice continued the momentum, as again Montoya put his car third on the charts. Happy Hour, however, wasn't so happy for the former Indianapolis 500 winner, as his car ended practice 20th.

Up and down pratice sessions would be a precurser of what was to come.

Taking the green flag shortly after 2:20 p.m. Eastern time, Montoya began falling back early after giving polesitter and eventual winner Brian Vickers a push. After being passed by the likes of Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano, the No. 42 EGR Chevrolet settled into sixth when the first caution for rain came out.

ESPN's Jamie Little interview his crew chief, Brian Pattie, during the caution. Pattie told Little he didn't plan to pit the car when the cars restarted 18 minutes later. A smile on his face, he told Little he plays poker "every Sunday."

After the restart, Montoya began to charge back to the front, passing Vickers back for position. Five laps after the restart on lap 19, Montoya had worked his way back into the top five, but constantly battled the No. 83, and would fall back to 8th by lap 35.

Green flag stops were a blessing for the loose Montoya, and once the cycle was done Montoya continued to run in the top ten.

Battling his racecar, JPM struggled to keep his car inside the top ten. After the restart for Robby Gordon's flat tire, Montoya seemed to be stuck around the 10th and 11th position after restarting 16th.

On lap 76 Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards made it three wide with Montoya for position, Montoya retaining a top ten spot. Ten laps later he was caught in another battled with David Reutimann in the No. 00, losing the ninth position.

"We're just making it worse. Look at where the (expletive) (No.) two is!" Montoya shouted into his radio. Frustration was mounting at lap 113 as wedge and air pressure changes failed to fix his loose car.

Just after pit stops on lap 117, where Montoya retained his 12th place position, the No. 42 narrowly escaped trouble between David Ragan and frontrunner Kurt Busch.

Despite working his way up to ninth, on lap 134 Montoya was less than happy with the continued adjustments his Target crew continued to make.

"Everything you've done to this car today has made it worse," JPM told them.

And things were about to get a whole lot worse for the seventh place man in the championship.

On lap 142, the little luck Montoya had ran out when he and the No. 9 of Kahne had contact, causing the left rear tire to go flat. The brake line also broke on the car, causing Montoya to lose a lap and fall back to 34th after the incident didn't bring out a caution.

"That (expletive) (No.) nine has run over us twice in the last three weeks!" Montoya's spotter angerly said.

It would take 18 laps, but with just 40 laps to go Montoya rebounded, getting the lucky dog award after Daivd Stremme spun for the second week in a row.

The No. 42 Chevrolet would take the restart on lap 161 in 34th. Two laps later, Montoya had already worked his way to 27th, and ran 23rd with just 12 laps to go in the event.

Montoya would finish the day in 19th, retaining his seventh place spot in the Chase. He is now 613 points out of first.

However, the hot tempered Colombian voiced his displeasure via his Twitter page:

"Had a rough day we had an ok car just couldn't get a good balance and the freaking 9 car ruin a 2nd race for us..... We move on to bristol!!"

Click here for Casey Mears' Lugnut Report.

Thanks to Detnews.com, NASCAR.com, JPMontoya.com, Racing Reference and  EarnhardtGanassi.com for the information used in this piece. Thanks to Nate Ryan and Jeff Gluck for the quotes used in this piece.

It would be a great move for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing to get a young, promising, and very likable Brad Keselowski.

Bass Pro Shops would be happy with this all-American kid; squeaky clean, well spoken, sort of reminds you of the neighbor kid—you know the good one.

He is only 24 years old, hungry for a ride, and a Cup winner. What else could Chip Ganassi ask for?

You may be asking, what about Aric Almirola? Well, let me tell you, it has been reported EGR still wants him in the No. 8 car with a sponsor.

Apparently they've got that in the works.

Juan Pablo Montoya, Brad Keselowski, and Aric Almirola would make a very good team.

The improvements that have been made week after week by EGR on this new chassis and Childress engines are just amazing.

Montoya will even make the chase.

Let's be honest here: EGR has really become a one-car team. I don't expect much help from a lame duck driver.

If you had a choice to help an old team or the new one who gave you a multi-year contract, what would you do? I'll be honest: I'm going with the one who butters my bread. Agree?

EGR needs to work something out with Martin Truex Jr. and Bass Pro to facilitate his exit as soon as possible.

EGR has a car in the Chase and they need to get him some help.

Brad Keselowski? well that is just wishful thinking on my part. I'm sure he has too many commitments in 2009 to come to EGR.

Great record in cup, six starts with one win, and three top tens. It don't get much better than that, does it?

I'm sure most fans wish Truex great successes. Good luck to him, he seemed like a great guy. Goodbye and good luck.

Now, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing can move on to the business of getting Juan Pablo Montoya in the Chase.

Max Angelelli held off a last-lap charge from Alex Gurney to win the Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona International Speedway, round seven of the 2009 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series.  Angelelli, who also won this event in 2004, won by .270 seconds - the fifth-closest finish in the history of the series.
Together with co-driver, Brian Frisselle, in the No. 10 SunTrust Ford Dallara. Angelelli led the final 33 of the 70 laps to give his team its first victory of the year, and allowed the two drivers to close to within one point of point leaders Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas (199-198). Gurney and his Gainsco/Bob Stallings Racing co-driver, Jon Fogarty are another two points back with 196.

"It was a very fair game," Angelelli said after scoring his 13th career Daytona Prototype victory, second all-time. "It was a good, tough battle. It was really difficult today. Thanks to SunTrust Racing for the good car they gave me. I went out for my stint in the lead, which was really important."

The event, traditionally held in the evening, was moved to 2 p.m. to set up a holiday doubleheader that also included the Coke Zero 400 for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

The No. 45 Orbit Racing BMW Riley took third with Ryan Dalziel and Bill Lester, who scored his first podium finish in Rolex Series competition.
"Our car was good from the moment we unloaded it," Lester said. "We feel like we can be much more formidable, a force to be reckoned with. We're really excited about what the future holds."

Coming from 17th to finish fourth The No. 6 Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley almost missed the race after John Pew crashed late in morning practice, causing major damage to the front end of the car co-driven by Michael Valiante. The team repaired the car with moments to spare before the start...

The No. 61 AIM Autosport Ford Riley of Burt Frisselle and Mark Wilkins, which started last on the 19-car grid after a post-qualifying infraction worked it’s way up the field to round up the top five

The two cautions helped to an average speed of 114.918 mph, the third-fastest race in Rolex Series history.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Kyle Busch and Scott Speed finished 10th in their Rolex Series debut in the No. 02 Waste Management Lexus Riley fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

Keen, Werner Win Third Straight, Increase GT Point Lead

The No. 87 Farnbacher Loles Racing Porsche GT3, with drivers Dirk Werner and Leh Keen, led the final 29 laps to claim its  third consecutive victory and fourth in five races, opening a 29-point lead (221-192) in the battle for the Acxiom GT championship.

"For our success, the key is that Leh Keen keeps our car in the front in the beginning of the race," said Werner, the 2007 GT champion. "In the beginning of my run, Sylvan was not putting pressure on me. He was trying to stay close. I knew he would try to attack me at the end of the race - which he did."

Sylvain Tremblay in the No. 70 Castrol Syntec Mazda RX-8 started by Nick Ham finished 1.531 seconds behind, denying the its third consecutive victory in the event.
Andy Lally and Justin Marks finished third in the No. 67 Construct Corp./No Fear Energy Drinks Porsche GT3. Emil Assentato and Jeff Segal took fourth in the No. 69 FXDD Mazda RX-8.  Eric Lux and Wolf Henzler, the winner’s teammates finished fifthe in the No. 86 Farnbacher Loles Racing Porsche GT3.

Round 8 for the Grand-Am Rolex Series will be the Porsche 250 presented by Legacy Credit Union July 19 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala. The weekend will also include a pair of KONI Sports Car Challenge races.

Photos & Quotes: Grand-Am

The headlines scream with the demise of the No. 8 NASCAR Sprint Cup team fielded by Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Without sponsorship, the great No. 8 driven by Aric Almirola has officially been sidelined, temporarily if not for good.

Driver, team, and merged owners at EGR remain committed to trying to get back on the race track. But with the difficult economy and only slight nibbles of sponsorship interest, this team may indeed be headed into the casualty column for the race season.

Unfortunately, and all too often, race teams do indeed die. Sometimes teams and drivers split up or there is a rift so serious in the team that they cannot continue together.

But most often the cause of death for a race team is a glaringly simple one...money.  It all comes down to a lack of money, to the point a team just cannot continue to exist financially.

When a race team dies, it is devastating for all involved. Everyone, including the driver, crew, team and owners experience it as a traumatic loss, similar to the death of a loved one or good friend.

Just as Aric Almirola grieves the loss of his ride and team, many racers have over the years gone through the same stages of grief. There is the initial shock and disbelief that the disbanding of the team could even be happening.

There is also most often anger and lashing out, perhaps even leading to depression.  After working through all of these stages, the hope is that there will finally be acceptance.

But with race teams, that acceptance is the most difficult to achieve. Racers always believe that they can win; accepting defeat is antithetical to everything in their persona.

Like Almirola and the No. 8 EGR team, I too have had the unfortunate up-close and personal experience of watching a race team die.  As I look back, I should have known that it was all destined to turn out that way in the end.

The team, one racing in the developmental series for NASCAR, was severely underfunded and in fact had lost a primary sponsor just as we became involved. The driver, although charismatic and talented, was also finicky and sometimes downright abrasive.

Our family supported the driver financially and with our volunteer support, attending every race and even performing some of the team's functions, such as counting lap times and working tire pressures.

But as the driver even admitted, the team and crew were more like the "Keystone Cops," running in circles and inevitably making everything worse. There were terse exchanges almost every race between the team owner, acting as crew chief, and the very demanding driver.

In spite of the lack of funding and the dysfunctional crew, the performance out on the track was not terribly bad. In fact, the team's record even attracted a major sponsor for one race who agreed to put their company's name on the hood of the car.

That sponsor definitely did not get their money's worth in the deal. The car was in a terrible wreck, crashed hard into the wall and burst into flames.

In spite of that blow-up, the team actually did manage to make it into the top 15 in championship points. This assured a berth to the Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway in California.

We all trooped out to the West Coast, taking in the sights of Hollywood and the Pacific Ocean before hitting the track. The driver and team performed well and actually came in with a top five finish, thanks to the wreck-fest that often occurs at that particular race.

But just as the season ended, so did the race team. The driver and team parted company from us and also from each other.

I could not believe that it was over. And our family was incredibly angry at how it had all ended for us and this race team.

It was a traumatic loss and indeed felt like we had lost a good friend in our lives. The anger continued, interspersed with layers of sadness and grief.

Eventually, we moved on and came to accept that we had been given a gift, a very special one that many fans of the sport never get to experience. We mourned, but we finally made peace with the loss and death of the race team.

As I look back on my own personal experience in seeing a race team fade away into oblivion, I can only hope that Aric Almirola's team will not have the same experience or face the same outcome.

But I cannot help but fear that the No. 8 team, and perhaps a few others to come, will be casualties in this year's difficult economic season. 

My hope is that they too will work through their grief and anger, finally arriving at that most difficult stage of acceptance and moving on. 

Or better yet, they hold onto their ardent belief that they can indeed conquer the death of their team, finding that new sponsor or ride just around the next turn.

This might be some of the conversation between Juan Pablo Montoya's international fans, que es Bristol? What is Bristol? What is a short track?

There was no choice for the No. 42 team, they had to step it up with no excuses and get er done and they did.

A long awaited top 10 came at a most unexpected place, Bristol, the holy grail of short track fans.

I'm am told that if you go there, it is such a big religious experience, it will keep you coming back year after year, a must pilgrimage if you will.

Was Bristol an exciting race? I don't think so, but it had a few "oh God" moments, most of the race was clean, no big wrecks.

Good guy Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya got into a "you bang me and I bang you thing," it ended as this things always do, someone got punted.

That incident was a shame, there was no need for that, specially so early in the race, but I guess boys will be boys and racing is rubbing, well you know all the sayings.

NASCAR warned Montoya but didn't penalized him, at least NASCAR is being consistent on the punting thing, they aren't punishing anyone. At least Montoya got a break for once!

Okay, so No. 42 had a great short track race, next week there will be another, if they can get another top 10 at Martinsville, I'll have to say, Hey! Juan is a short track driver.

Well, knock me over with a feather.

Congrats No. 42 team, great job today, they are only 35 points from the chase.