NASCAR NNCS (DOVER) - SERIES NOTES

Truex Tries For Sweep At Hometown Track

Bowyer Finishes N.H. With Perfect Driver Rating

Four First-Time Winners Are Most In Series Since 2002

Ragan Closing On Montoya In Rookie Battle

Around Town: Teams Ready For Military Visits

Hometown Hero: Truex Looking For Dover Sweep

The last time the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series visited Dover International Speedway, Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) was out to prove he could be “the man.”

Just a few weeks prior to the June race at Dover, his Dale Earnhardt Inc. teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet) announced his intentions to switch teams at the end of the year. Truex knew he needed to show he could be the flagship driver for the organization, but hadn’t solidified that status with a win.

That all changed in front of his hometown fans when Truex led 216 laps en route to his first career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series victory. The win catapulted Truex into 12th place – the coveted final spot in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.

And he hasn’t looked back.

Truex has remained in Chase position ever since and is one of two first-time Chase drivers. He has six top-five finishes in 14 races since then, compared with two in his first 57 career starts.

This weekend marks a big return for Truex, who also will compete in the NASCAR Busch Series, where he has two Dover victories.

“Obviously, Dover holds a lot of special memories for me,” Truex said. “I came up through the ranks racing there and it’s also the place where I got my first NASCAR Nextel Cup victory. To top it off, I’ll be competing in the Busch Series race on Saturday in a car sponsored by my dad’s company, Sea Watch! He sponsored some of my cars when I was younger, so it will definitely be cool to have those logos on the car again. We’ll definitely be trying to “sweep” the Monster!”

Picture Perfect: Bowyer’s Win Nets Flawless Driver Rating

Clint Bowyer’s (No. 07 DirecTV Chevrolet) New Hampshire win marked only the sixth time a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver has recorded a perfect Driver Rating since the stat’s inception in 2005.

“That’s pretty cool,” said Bowyer, when made aware of his accomplishment. “I think that’s the first time I’ve gotten a perfect score on anything, but it goes a lot further than me. (Crew Chief) Gil (Martin) and all the guys that work on that Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet gave me a perfect race car.”

Bowyer ran the fastest lap on 78 of the 273 green flag laps of the race.

Chase Notebook: Trend Points To New Dover Winner From Chase Field

Dover marks the second race in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup – and the second consecutive at which a driver competing in the Chase has won all three previous Chase races. Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) is the defending winner, Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) won in 2005 and Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge) won in 2004.

In addition, Dover has seen seven consecutive different race winners, the longest such streak for the track. Since 2004, no driver has been able to win twice at Dover. That feat is noteworthy considering the two Dover races were swept by the same driver three times between 2000 and 2003 – by Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) (2000), Johnson, (2002) and Newman (2003).

Going by the current trend, odds are against recent winners and Chase competitors Martin Truex Jr., Burton, Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford), and Johnson.

Other notes of interest:

* Clint Bowyer became the 18th different driver to win a race in all three national series. He has five NASCAR Busch Series victories and one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win.

* Every car that started the second race at New Hampshire International Speedway was running at the finish – the first time since the mandated 43-car field (1998) that all cars were running at the end of a race. It is just the fourth time in NASCAR history that the entire field was running at the finish. The others were Nashville – May 24, 1959 (12 cars), North Wilkesboro – Oct. 1, 1995 (36 cars) and North Wilkesboro – Sept. 29, 1996 (37 cars).

* Sam Hornish Jr. (No. 06 Penske Truck Rental Dodge) is trying for the second time to make his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series debut. Hornish just missed qualifying for the New Hampshire race last week. He has competed in eight NASCAR Busch Series events.

Bowyer Becomes Fourth First-Time Winner This Season

For the first time since 2002, four drivers have earned their first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series victory in the same season. Two of the four – Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer – are also competing in their first Chase.

"Having four first-time winners in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series so far this season is a good indication of just how balanced and talented the group of drivers in this series is,” said NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. “It also shows that the level of competition is as good as it's ever been and it is only going to continue to get better."

Truex and Bowyer were both part of the 2006 Raybestos Rookie of the Year class, considered by some to be the best rookie class the series has seen, while Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge) leads the 2007 Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings.

“I’m just lucky to be part of such a strong rookie class,” Bowyer said. “I think when you look back on this group of guys 20 years from now, people will be able to say that was a pretty stout group of guys and hopefully, we’ll all be here for a long time to come. I think it’s pretty apparent how good that group of guys is when you look at who is in the Chase this year.”

Five drivers picked up their first career victory in 2002, including Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge), Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray (No. 26 IRWIN Ford) and Johnny Benson.

Rookie Battle: Ragan Continues to Gain Ground On Montoya

David Ragan (No. 6 AAA Ford) has slowly crept back into contention for Raybestos Rookie of the Year after spotting Juan Pablo Montoya an early lead following Montoya’s win at Infineon Raceway and runner-up finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Montoya leads Ragan by 13 points, but had led by as many as 26 points after the August Pocono race.

Rookie points are calculated based on a rookie driver’s finish compared to other rookies. The highest finishing rookie gets 10 points, second finishing rookie gets nine points, etc.

Each driver’s top 17 races count towards the Rookie of the Year standings.

Raybestos Rookie of the Year Standings Rookie Pts Juan Pablo Montoya 219 David Ragan 206 Paul Menard 178 David Reutimann 157 AJ Allmendinger 115

Keys To Victory

Dover International Speedway

Although Dover is very similar in length to New Hampshire, the two tracks are quite different. While New Hampshire is a flat track (12 degree banking in the turns), Dover is high-banked (24 degrees) and runs like a superspeedway.

• Aerodynamics will play a role; The high banking differentiates Dover from other mile tracks.

• Tire management is important; Drivers cannot afford to wear down their tires.

• Prepare for green flag stops; Crew chiefs need to make the right call when to come into the pits. A wrong decision could cost a driver up to two laps under green.

2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Owner Points – After 27 Races

Pos. Points Team Owner Driver

30th 2,252 No. 38 Ford Robert Yates David Gilliland 31st 2,251 No. 66 Chevrolet Joe Custer Jeff Green 32nd 2,157 No. 88 Ford Robert Yates Ricky Rudd 33rd 2,154 No. 70 Chevrolet Joe Custer Johnny Sauter 34th 2,065 No. 70 Chevrolet Kyle Petty Kyle Petty

35th 2,022 No. 21 Ford Glen Wood Ken Schrader

36th 1,983 No. 22 Toyota Bill Davis Dave Blaney 37th 1,810 No. 10 Dodge James Rocco Scott Riggs 38th 1,745 No. 83 Toyota Dietrich Mateschitz Brian Vickers 39th 1,649 No. 00 Toyota Cal Wells David Reutimann 40th 1,547 No. 13 Chevrolet Jay Frye Joe Nemechek

In The Loop: Top Drivers Shine At Dover

As was the case last week at New Hampshire, the best shine at Dover – except in one noticeable instance.

Though he started his Dover career with four consecutive top-five finishes (including a season sweep in 2000) and 11 top 10s in 12 races, Tony Stewart has struggled of late at the one-mile Delaware track. Over the last five races, his average finish is 26.2 (which does include 2006’s June Dover race where Ricky Rudd subbed for him after 38 laps and finished 25th).

Over the last five Dover races, he has notched a Driver Rating of 67.1, his lowest of any track on the series. Other Stewart statistics: 23.3 Average Running Position and 34.8% of his laps were in the top 15.

Aside from Stewart, Dover has been a welcome stop for Chase drivers – the other 11 are all in the top 17 in Driver Rating over the past five races and eight are in the top 11.

The best of the bunch is Matt Kenseth, who has four top 10s in the last five Dover races. He has the second-best Dover Driver Rating at 110.2 (behind teammate Greg Biffle’s (No. 16 Nintendo Wii Ford) 112.9), the third-best Average Running Position (7.7), 129 Fastest Laps Run (fourth-most) and has spent 91.1% of his Laps in the Top 15.

But two “dark horse” Chase threats could wind up winning at Dover. Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer came into the Chase ranked seventh and 12th respectively. Now Bowyer, who won the first Chase race at New Hampshire, is in fourth and Truex sits sixth. Both figure to be strong at Dover.

At Dover in June, Truex picked up his first career win and in three races there has a Driver Rating of 102.0 (fifth-best), an Average Running Position of 12.0 (seventh-best) and 120 Fastest Laps Run (fifth-most). Bowyer has both history and momentum on his side. In three race at Dover, Bowyer ranks prominently, with an eighth-best Driver Rating (98.8), fifth-best Average Running Position (8.7) and 89.3% of his Laps in the Top 15 (fifth-best percentage).

Around Town: Wood Brothers/JTG Racing Help Celebrate Air Force Anniversary

On The Line: Kenseth On Weekly NASCAR Teleconference

Matt Kenseth was the guest on this week’s NASCAR teleconference. The 2003 series champion is one of two drivers to compete in the Chase all four seasons. Some highlights from the teleconference:

On making the Chase four straight years:

“It’s not frustrating at all making the Chase four years in a row. Obviously, it’s a difficult thing to do, it’s difficult to put together a good 26 races to be in the top 10, so I’m real proud of my team for being able to accomplish that.”

On who the favorite to win the Chase is:

“I don’t think anybody expected Clint to come and win the race and lead all of those laps this weekend. You just never know, I think all 12 teams today have a legitimate shot. I think anybody right now could get on a roll and be a real contender.”

On the Chase format:

“I certainly think the Chase format has made it more exciting for the fans. I think it kind of re-energizes everybody once football season starts and we’ve already been racing for 28 weeks or something like that. I think it gets everybody jacked up about racing again and gives them something to watch and follow and see who the champion is.”

For the complete transcript, visit www.nascarmedia.com.

Wood Brothers Help Celebrate 60th Anniversary of U.S. Air Force

Tuesday, Sept. 18 marks the 60th anniversary of the United States Air Force, an occasion that will be commemorated by Wood Brothers/JTG Racing and the No. 21 U.S. Air Force Ford. The No. 21, piloted by Ken Schrader will carry the U.S. Air Force colors at Dover, and all team drivers and owners will attend a special reception at Dover Air Force Base on Friday night following qualifying.

“Our relationship with the United States Air Force is not only a blessing, but an honor,” said team owner Eddie Wood. “To represent one of the branches of the military certainly means a lot to our organization as a whole and we’ve enjoyed hosting their personnel at the race tracks as part of their long-standing partnership with the Wood Brothers.

“We’re in our seventh consecutive partnership year with the U.S. Air Force and our bond with them continues to grow. We wish them a happy and successful 60th Anniversary.”

Mears To Visit Walter Reed

Casey Mears and members of the No. 25 National Guard/GMAC Chevrolet will visit Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. on Thursday afternoon. The group will meet with military service men and women who are currently receiving treatment. The Walter Reed Army Medical Center serves more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military.

“It’s not easy to visit soldiers who have been through so much, but it’s something I really want to do,” Mears said. “It’s a great honor to represent the National Guard every weekend, and the men and women who serve put a lot of things in perspective for the rest of us.”

Celebrity Chase Tracker Field Set

Defending Chase Tracker champion Mike Hampton (Atlanta Braves pitcher) is one of 35 celebrities competing in the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Celebrity Chase Tracker. The game is being hosted on NASCAR.COM this year and is open to fans.

All participants – celebrities and fans – filled out the Chase Tracker grid with their predictions prior to New Hampshire. Predictions included the Chase standings after each race as well as the race winner.

Celebrities from the sports and entertainment world are participating in this year’s challenge. Several entries make natural rivals, including the New England Patriots Offensive Line (who collectively filled out an entry) and Nick Mangold (New York Jets Offensive lineman); Chan Gailey (Georgia Tech head football coach) and Tom O’Brien (N.C. State head football coach) and Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals wide receiver) and Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers wide receiver).

Tommy Davidson (STAR Motorsports/ Actor/Comedian) took the early lead after one week. Davidson was the only celebrity to predict Clint Bowyer’s New Hampshire victory. He also correctly picked Jimmie Johnson’s and Kevin Harvick’s (No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet) position in the standings. His seven points leads Tom O’Brien, who has five points.

On Deck: Kansas Marks Third Chase Race

Round Three of the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup takes the series to the “Heartland” of America – Kansas Speedway.

This will be the seventh time the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series visits Kansas Speedway. Jeff Gordon won the first two events at the track, but there hasn’t been a repeat winner since.

Tony Stewart is the defending race winner. Kasey Kahne (No. 9 UAW/Dodge Dealers Dodge) was last year’s polesitter.

The Race: Dodge Dealers 400 The Place: Dover International Speedway The Date: Sunday, Sept. 23 The Time: 1:30 p.m. (ET) TV: ESPN, 1 p.m. (ET) The Track: 1-mile concrete oval The Distance: 400 miles, 400 laps The Purse: $5,132,767 2006 Winner: Jeff Burton 2006 Pole: Jeff Gordon Series Standings Pos. Driver Pts. 1 Johnson 5,210 2 Gordon 5,210 3 Stewart 5,200 4 Bowyer 5,195 5 Kyle Busch 5,175 6 Truex Jr. 5,170 7 Kenseth 5,156 8 Edwards 5,147 9 Hamlin 5,128 10 Harvick 5,122 11 J. Burton 5,119 12 Kurt Busch 5,108 Pre-Race Schedule (local/ET time): Friday—Practice, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Qualifying, 3:15 p.m. Saturday—Practice, 11-11:50 a.m. and 1:50-2:50 p.m.