One of the most clever elements of ESPN's NASCAR coverage is its annual ad campaign, showing NASCAR drivers with the kind of absurdity that we love. Already this year we've seen Jimmie Johnson caring for a pricklebear and Carl Edwards contemplating cannibalism, and now we have Brad Keselowski triumphing over vast odds to continue winning. If winning were easy, losers would do it.
Saturday
Lewis Hamilton: ?There was no real benefit bombing around today??
Lewis Hamilton has put in some spectacular drives in the wet over the years, but today in Spa he was pretty subdued as he used the day to gain a little more knowledge about McLaren?s latest updates. Hamilton ran only … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/08/31/lewis-hamilton-there-was-no-real-benefit-bombing-around-today/
Friday
Paul Menard penalized 25 points; crew chief Slugger Labbe fined $100,000
Paul Menard and the Richard Childress Racing No. 27 team was docked 25 points for infractions found in post-race inspection at Michigan, and crew chief Slugger Labbe was fined $100,000 and suspended until October 3 for frame rail modifications.
According to the release from NASCAR, "The No. 27 team was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4K (race equipment that has been previously certified or previously approved by NASCAR for use in an event, pursuant to sub-section 8-12, has been altered, modified, repaired or changed in any manner. Intentionally modifying frame rails for the purpose of deceiving NASCAR's inspection gauges) of the 2012 NASCAR Rule Book."
Menard finished 9th at Michigan. The penalty dropped him from 15th to 16th in the points standings.
Car chief Craig Smokstad and crew member Grant Hutchens were also suspended until October 3 and both he and Labbe are on probation until the end of the year. Childress said that he was going to appeal the penalties, so until the appeals process is complete, Labbe will be on top of the pit box.
Thursday
Senna Looking To Maintain Williams Form
Bruno Senna is confidant that both he can impress at this weekend?s Belgian Grand Prix, and build on his recent upturn in form. The Brazilian finished seventh in Hungary, before the mid-season break, arguably his best performance of the season. He is now looking to put a good sequence of results together to guarantee his [...]
Lewis and McLaren
Time is ticking on and we are awaiting more driver announcements for 2013. Red Bull Racing is done, but beyond that there is plenty of room for manoeuvre, but very little obvious action. Felipe Massa’s future at Ferrari remains uncertain, but the big question for the Italian team is who would be best to drive [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/08/27/lewis-and-mclaren/
On The Ground: Grand-Am at IMS
Programming Note: I am awash with guilt because NASCAR and Grand-Am are receiving features on a website specifically devoted to indycar racing. However, this weekend?s events took place at our open wheel home so we were all paying a bit … Continue reading 
Source: http://anotherindycarblog.wordpress.com/2012/07/31/on-the-ground-grand-am-at-ims/
Wednesday
Denny Hamlin?s Bristol win was the 200th for No. 11
When he took the checkered flag Saturday night at Bristol, Denny Hamlin scored the 200th win for the No. 11 car in the Sprint Cup Series, the most wins for any car number.
Say what, you say? Doesn't Richard Petty have 200 wins? And didn't he drive the No. 43 car? Yes and yes. But Petty won 192 races in the 43; with six wins coming in the No. 41 and two in the No. 42 for Petty Enterprises. The No. 43 has 198 wins, and its last win was John Andretti at Martinsville in 1999.
That meant that Hamlin's win at Kansas earlier in the season pushed the No. 11 to the top of the list. The winningest driver in the No. 11 is Cale Yarborough, who scored 55 wins with the number and Ned Jarrett is second with 49. Heck, the entire roster of winners in the 11 is practically a who's who of racing history and includes five NASCAR Hall of Famers. Check it out:
Cale Yarborough, 55 wins
Ned Jarrett, 49 wins
Darrell Waltrip, 43 wins
Denny Hamlin, 20 wins
Junior Johnson, 11 wins
Bill Elliott 6 wins
Geoff Bodine, 4 wins
Terry Labonte, 4 wins
Bobby Allison, 3 wins
Buddy Baker, 2 wins
A.J. Foyt, 1 win
Mario Andretti, 1 win
Parnelli Jones, 1 win
At one point, it wasn't unfathomable to think that the No. 43 would never have been caught as the most victorious car number. But coupled with Hamlin's 20 wins in 6+ seasons and an over 12 year winless drought for the 43, it's reasonable to think that the No. 11 could extend it's lead and stay at the top of the list for a while. (The No. 3 is a distant third place with 97 wins.) What do you think? Will Hamlin keep racking up the wins or will the No. 43 get its mojo back in the near future and reclaim the top spot?
Earnhardt?s tires will be the difference at Michigan, Letarte believes
Letarte recently spoke with Frontstretch about the repave and the way it eliminated the high groove: "It is going to be years before you get back up to the wall again. You used to run up high because there was a little bit more banking and a little bigger radius to the corners, which was a little bit easier on your lateral load. Now that there is a tremendous amount of grip about one groove up, where there is the first groove with banking and that is where the preferred groove is. That is where you're going to see the majority of your cars." (That sounds like the threat of a one-groove track.)
On the plus side, Letarte noted that the cars have plenty of go: "I really think people underestimate just how much power we lose when we go to a restrictor plate track. We have a ton, a ton of power when we go to an open track."
Junior will be the odds-on favorite to repeat at Michigan. It won't be easy, but the fact that Letarte isn't taking anything for granted is a good sign for the 88's fans.
Danica Patrick?s day ends just after it begins at Watkins Glen
At Road America, the first Nationwide road course race of the season, Danica Patrick was in fourth on the final lap before getting spun into the gravel trap by Jacques Villeneuve. At Watkins Glen on Saturday, contact was the main storyline for Patrick once again. Except this time, it was on the first lap rather than the last one. And not only was it on the first lap, it was on the first turn.
[Related: Carl Edwards wins Nationwide race in first start this year]
As the field went into Turn 1 after taking the green flag, Ryan Truex got loose and slid into the grass on the inside of the downhill right-hander. As he attempted to gather the car up, he slid back onto the track, right into the path of Patrick and the rest of the field. And that was that for Patrick's chances. The damage to her front fender and radiator forced her to take the car to the garage. She finished dead last at 43rd.
It was Patrick's sixth DNF� (did not finish) in 21 starts this season. She has one top-10 finish.
As quoted in USA Today, "I wish I would have done it differently," said Patrick. "But that's the way accidents happen.
"It's unfortunate, because we really felt like we could have a strong finish... I just feel so bad," Patrick continued. "I wish it would've gone differently."
Carl Edwards ended up winning the race.
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