Source: http://www.16thandgeorgetown.com/2014/06/grand-prix-of-indianapolis-signs-title.html
Friday
Two-stop strategy works out for a win for Carl Edwards at Sonoma
Tire wear was a big factor at Sonoma on Sunday. But ultimately, track position proved to be more vital.
Carl Edwards worked his way to the front of the field in the second half of the race thanks to a two-stop pit strategy and held off Jeff Gordon for his second win of the season and Edwards' first-ever road course win.
Track position is always important at NASCAR's road courses, and crew chiefs typically work the race "backwards" to stop for tires and fuel as few times as possible. However, the tires were wearing so quickly over the weekend at the wine country track that it was possible the additional speed gained from fresh tires an additional stop could override a driver on older tires who had stopped twice.
Because of the timing of caution flags it didn't happen, as Edwards' final pit stop came before a caution flag on lap 72. As Edwards was still on the lead lap after pitting and drivers ahead of him hit pit lane under caution, he found himself near the front of the field. He took the lead off a restart on lap 86 and never lost it.
Throughout the entire race, Edwards didn't have one of the fastest cars. But it was consistent, and that consistency paid off as Gordon wasn't able to completely close the gap that Edwards had opened up off the final restart.
"Real tough. That last lap was ugly. I grew up watching Jeff Gordon do well here so to have him in my mirror is special," Edwards said.
"This team has been working very hard. The whole group has. It's very special to be a part of something like this.
And of course, Edwards' win adds kindling to NASCAR's most-burning off-track topic in 2014: Edwards' contract status. How does the victory affect Edwards' chances of re-signing with Roush, or does it have any affect at all?
Edwards' contract with Roush Fenway Racing is up at the end of the season and if he leaves Roush, Joe Gibbs Racing is a likely destination, as the team has a capacity for a fourth car. Before the race on Sunday, JGR President J.D. Gibbs told the AP that he couldn't comment on Edwards and the AP also reported Edwards has a stipulation in his Roush contract that prevents any announcement of a new contract with a different team from happening until September.
If nothing has been decided on the contract front, a second win can't hurt. Besides breaking a five-race winning streak for Hendrick Motorsports, Edwards is now one of five drivers to have multiple wins in 2014. He's guaranteed to be Chasing in September. And maybe we'll know his future team by then too.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Jay Chamberlain Karun Chandhok Alain de Changy Colin Chapman
Thursday
Wednesday
2014 NASCAR World Cup Group F: Can Ambrose jump Hamlin or Biffle?
Throughout the summer we're running our second NASCAR World Cup. Will Carl Edwards repeat? Or will someone else take the title? Click here for a NASCAR World Cup explanation and a list of all the groups.
Group F: Denny Hamlin (8th in points, 1 win), Greg Biffle (14th, 0), Marcos Ambrose (23rd, 0), Cole Whitt (31st, 0)
Michigan Matchups: Hamlin vs. Whitt, Biffle vs. Ambrose
Sonoma Matchups: Hamlin vs. Biffle, Ambrose vs. Whitt
Kentucky Matchups: Hamlin vs. Ambrose, Biffle vs. Whitt
With a road course in the group stage, Marcos Ambrose is a good sleeper, right? Well, we're not so sure, simply based on the schedule. If you look at the two ovals, the one driver you'd put Ambrose ahead of unequivocally would be Whitt. However, Ambrose draws him at Sonoma. If Ambrose drew Hamlin, or, even better, Biffle at Sonoma, he'd be looking at a very realistic chance of 2-1 and moving out of the group. Instead, he's favored at Sonoma, just by a lot, and not favored in the other two matchups.
That's why this group looks really chalky. Biffle has been consistent enough to stay near the front and minimize bad finishes. However, given the speed Ambrose has shown at Michigan at the repave, he could keep it close at Michigan. Biffle's favored, but it's not by much. We'll say that the winner of Ambrose and Biffle at Michigan gets the second spot.
Projected standings: Hamlin 3-0, Biffle 2-1, Ambrose 1-2, Whitt 0-3
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Tuesday
Unfiltered Race Notes: Dual in Detroit Race 2 2014
Welcome back for day two of the Detroit indycar racing Extravaganza! Let’s do this thing. –Prerace– Power is so melodramatic RHR… dude… get it together today HC losing pole, what a funny guy. so animated TAKU!!!! AJ looks at Taku … Continue reading 
Monday
Former Mercedes DTM boss Ungar starts new Caterham job
Former Mercedes DTM technical director Gerhard Ungar has now officially joined Caterham, as first predicted here on July 8. Ungar will work alongside Christijan Albers in a Newey-style ‘chief technical officer’ role, although his job title has yet to be … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2014/07/27/former-mercedes-dtm-boss-ungar-starts-new-caterham-job/
Sunday
Carl Edwards leaving Roush at the end of 2014 while Greg Biffle is staying
INDIANAPOLIS ? Roush Fenway Racing will be a three-car team in 2015 and one of those cars will not be driven by Carl Edwards.
The long-rumored possibility of Edwards leaving the team following the 2014 season became a reality on Sunday morning when Roush announced that Greg Biffle had signed a contract extension with the team while Edwards would not return.
?I will always be thankful for Carl?s contribution and the role he played in many Roush Fenway wins and championships,? team owner Jack Roush said in a statement. ?We wish him well for the future. �In the meantime, we are excited about continuing our quest for a championship with Carl and the No. 99 team in 2014.?
When asked if Edwards gave him a reason for leaving the only Sprint Cup team he's driven for, Roush said Edwards didn't provide specifics. He also said that Edwards' decision to not return has been made for over a month.
"(Edwards) didn't give me his reason, you'll have to ask him about that," Roush said while adding that he didn't ask Edwards for it.
In the garage, Edwards once again declined to provide specifics about his future destination saying there were "a lot of moving parts" and added it was unfortunate that the announcement of his departure happened on the morning before a race.
Joe Gibbs Racing is seen as the likely landing spot for Edwards. With three cars currently�? Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth�? the team can expand to a fourth car without changing its current driver lineup.
Wherever Edwards goes, he'll need a new primary sponsor. As part of its announcement Sunday, the team said that Fastenal would move over to the No. 17 of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. next season. Biffle, Stenhouse and Trevor Bayne will be the team's three full-time drivers in 2015. Bayne will be driving the No. 6 next year and Roush President Steve Newmark said that barring any unexpected developments, the No. 99 won't be in use full-time by Roush next season.
Edwards, who is sixth in the points standings, has Roush's only two wins in 2014. Once considered the standard bearer for intermediate-length race tracks, the team hasn't had the outright speed of the Hendrick-powered and Team Penske cars this season.
He got his first break at Roush in the Sprint Cup Series in 2004, jumping in the No. 99 for Jeff Burton, who left the team during the season. In nine full seasons and parts of two others, Edwards has 23 race wins, including nine in 2008. In 2011, he tied with Tony Stewart atop the points standings but lost the title via tiebreaker because Stewart had more wins.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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