Pit Row Preview

Napa Auto Parts 200
August 2, 2008
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Montreal
Race 23 of 34 on Nationwide series circuit
TV: ESPN2, 12 p.m.
Laps: 74
Track length: 2.709-mile road course
Race length: 200 miles Qualifying record: Patrick Carpentier, Dodge, 95.531 mph (2007)
Race record: Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 64.671 mph (2007)


Pennsylvania 500
August 3, 2008
Pocono Raceway Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Race 21 of 36 on Sprint Cup circuit
TV: ESPN, 10 a.m.
Laps: 200
Track length: 2 1/2 miles
Race length: 500 miles
Qualifying record: Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 172.391 mph, 2000
Race record: Rusty Wallace, Ford, 144.892 mph, 1996

Hungarian Grand Prix
August 3, 2008
Hungaroring Budapest, Hungary
Race 11 of 17 in Grand Prix Series
Laps: 77
Track length: 2.470 miles
Race length: 190 miles
Lap Record: Michael Schumacher, 1:19.071 (2004)

Johnson Claims Pole at Brickyard 400

INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The last time Jimmie Johnson raced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, his day ended in a fiery wreck. His next race at the famed track will begin from an unfamiliar position - at the front. Johnson hopes to cap an impressive weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by winning Sunday's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.

Johnson posted the fastest time in Saturday morning's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying session, lapping the historic 2 1/2-mile track in 49.52 seconds at a speed of 181.763 miles per hour. It will mark the first time in seven career starts that Johnson will start from the pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Despite winning this race two years ago, Johnson traditionally has struggled at this track.

The two-time reigning series champion was involved in multiple crashes at last year's race, and he was forced to exit his burning car as flames entered the cockpit. "Every mental coach in the country right now is going to love to hear us, but positive thoughts bring positive things," said Johnson, who finished 39th in last year's race and has placed outside the top 35 in three of his last four races here. "We are off to a good start, so hopefully we don't find any negativity out there. It is our turn to do well this year."

One day after dominating in practice, Johnson picked up where he left off Saturday morning. It was the fourth pole this season and 17th career for Johnson, whose No. 48 car has headlined a stable of dominant Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets this weekend. Johnson posted the fastest lap time during Friday's practice when he clocked 49.987 seconds in the afternoon session. "Only a win on Sunday would make this weekend better," he said. "I am grateful for such a great race car these guys prepared."

Johnson won this event in 2006, when he dominated the field to join Dale Jarrett as the only drivers in NASCAR history to win both the Daytona 500 and the Allstate 400 in the same season. "When I look back at the Daytona 500, the Brickyard, and the championship, there was so much that went on that year that it's hard to really look back and savor one aspect of it," Johnson said. "I'd love to experience it again."

Pit Row Preview

Grand Prix of Edmonton
July 26, 2008
Streets of Edmonton Edmonton, Alberta
Race 13 of 18 in the 2008 IndyCar Series season
TV: ESPN, 2:00 p.m.
Length: 250 laps
Race length: 200 miles
Track length: 1.96-mile street course

Kroger 200
July 26, 2008
O'Reilly Raceway Park Indianapolis, Indiana
Race 22 of 35 on Nationwide series circuit
TV: ESPN2, 4:30 p.m.
Laps: 200
Track length: 0.686-mile
Race length: 137 miles
Qualifying record: David Green, Chevrolet, 113.461 mph, 1994
Race record: Jimmy Hensley, Oldsmobile, 96.923 mph, 1985

Pit Row Preview

MISOURI-ILLINOIS DODGE DEALERS 250
July 19, 2008
Gateway International Raceway
St. Louis, Missouri
Race 21 of 35 on Nationwide series circuit
TV: ESPN2, 8 p.m. EDT
Laps: 200
Track length: 1 1/4-mile oval
Race length: 250 miles
Qualifying record: Scott Wimmer, Chevrolet, 135.355 mph, 2007
Race record: Carl Edwards, 119.142 mph, Ford, 2006

GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY

July 20, 2008
Hockenheimring Heidelberg, Germany
Race 10 of 18 in Grand Prix series
Laps: 67
Track length: 2.831 miles
Race length: 187.6 miles

HONDA INDY 200
July 20, 2008
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Lexington, Ohio
Race 12 of 17 in the 2007 IndyCar Series season
TV: ABC, 10:30 a.m.
Length: 85 laps
Race length: 191.93 miles
Track length: 2.4-mile road course

Pit Row Preview

FIRESTONE INDY 200

July 12, 2008
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville, Tennessee
Race 11 of 17 in the 2008 IndyCar Series season
TV: ESPN2, 5 p.m.
Length: 200 laps
Race length: 266 miles
Track length: 1.33-mile oval
Qualifying record: Scott Dixon, 204.414 mph, 2007
Race record: Scott Dixon, 164.030 mph, 2007

LIFELOCK 400

July 12, 2008
Chicagoland Speedway
Joliet, Illinois
Race 19 of 36 on Sprint Cup circuit
TV: TNT, 5 p.m.
Laps: 267
Track length: 1 1/2 miles
Race length: 400 miles
Qualifying record: Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 188.147 mph, 2005
Race record: Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 136.825 mph, 2002

Pit Row Preview

Winn Dixon 250
July 4, 2008
Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
Race 19 of 34 on Nationwide series circuit
Laps: 100
Track length: 2 1/2 miles
Race length: 250 miles
TV: ESPN2, 4:30 p.m.
Qualifying record: Tommy Houston, 194.389 mph (February 1987)
Race record: Geoffrey Bodine, 157.137 mph (February 1985)

Coke Zero 400
July 5, 2008
Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
Race 18 of 36 on the Sprint Cup circuit
TV: TNT, 5 p.m.
Laps: 160
Track Length: 2 1/2 miles
Race Length: 400 miles
Qualifying Record: Bill Elliott, Ford, 210.364 mph, 1987
Race Record: Bobby Allison, Mercury, 173.473 mph, 1980

Santander British Grand Prix
July 6, 2008
Silverstone Circuits Limited, Northamptonshire, England
Race 9 of 17 in Grand Prix Series
Laps: 60
Track length: 3.2 miles
Race length: 191.6 miles

Camping World Watkins Glen Grand Prix
July 8, 2007
Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York
Race 10 of 17 in the 2008 IndyCar Series season
TV: ABC, 12:30 p.m.
Length: 60 laps
Race length: 204 miles
Track length: 3.37-mile road course
Qualifying record: Helio Castroneves, 136.634 mph, 2007
Race record: Scott Dixon, 116.183 mph, 2007

Pit Row Preview

SUNTRUST INDY CHALLENGE
June 28, 2008
Richmond International Speedway
Richmond, Virginia
Race 9 of 17 in the 2008 IndyCar Series season
TV: ESPN2, 5 p.m.
Length: 250 laps
Track length: 3/4 mile
Race length: 187.5 miles

CAMPING WORLD RV 200
June 28, 2008
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Loudon, New Hampshire
Race 18 of 35 on Nationwide Series circuit
TV: ABC, 11:30 a.m.
Laps: 200
Track length: 1.058 miles
Race length: 212 miles
Qualifying record: Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 130.716 mph, 2001
Race record: Bobby Hamilton Jr., Ford, 110.368 mph, 2002

LENOX INDUSTRIAL TOOLS 301
June 29, 2008
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Loudon, New Hampshire
Race 17 of 36 on Sprint Cup circuit
TV: TNT, 10:00 a.m.
Laps: 301
Track length: 1.058 miles
Race length: 318 miles
Qualifying record: Ryan Newman, Dodge, 132.360 mph, 2004
Race record: Jeff Burton, Ford, 117.134 mph, 1997

Pitstop Preview

Bombardier Lear Jet 550K
June 7, 2008
Texas Motor Speedway
Fort Worth, Texas
Race 7 of 18 in the 2008 IndyCar Series season
TV: ESPN2, 7:00 p.m.
Length: 200 laps
Track length: 1 1/2 miles
Race length: 300 miles
Qualifying record: Billy Boat, 225.979 mph, 1998
Race record: Helio Castroneves, 185.710 mph, 2006

Pocono 500
June 8, 2008
Pocono Raceway
Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Race 14 of 36 on Sprint Cup circuit
TV: TNT, 9:30 a.m.
Laps: 200 Track length: 2 1/2 miles
Race length: 500 miles
Qualifying record: Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 172.533 mph, 2004
Race record: Rusty Wallace, Ford, 144.892 mph, 1996


Grand Prix of Montreal
June 8, 2008
Gilles Villeneuve Circuit Montreal, Canada
Race 7 of 18 in Grand Prix Series
Laps: 70
Race length: 189.545 miles
Track length: 2.75 miles
Lap record: Rubens Barrichello - 1:13.622 (2004)


Federated Auto Parts 300
June 7, 2008
Nashville Superspeedway
Lebanon, Tennessee
Race 15 of 35 on the Nationwide Series circuit
Laps: 225
Track length: 1.33 miles
Race length: 300 miles
Qualifying record: Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 166.515 mph, 2004
Race record: Carl Edwards, Ford, 129.949 mph, 2007

Pit Row Preview

O'Reilly 300
April 5, 2008
Texas Motor Speedway
Fort Worth, Texas
Race 7 of 35 on Nationwide Series circuit
ESPN 2
Laps: 200
Track length: 1 1/2 miles
Race length: 300 miles
Qualifying record: Jeff Green, Chevrolet, 193.493 mph, April 2002
Race record: Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 145.710 mph, November 2006


Samsung 500
April 6, 2008
Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas
Race 7 of 37 on Sprint Cup circuit
TV: FOX, 10:30 a.m.
Laps: 334
Track length: 1 1/2 miles
Race length: 500 miles
Qualifying record: Brian Vickers, Chevrolet, 196.235 mph, November 2006
Race record: Carl Edwards, Ford, 151.055 mph, November 2005


Honda Grand Prix of Florida
April 6, 2008
St. Petersburg, Florida
Race 2 of 16 in the 2008 IndyCar Series season
TV: ESPN, 11:30 a.m. EDT
Laps: 100
Track length: 1.8-mile street course
Race length: 181 miles
Qualifying record: Dario Franchitti, 104.054 mph, 2006
Race record: Helio Castroneves, 92.340

IRL & Champ Car Deal Pending

INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Kevin Kalkhoven, the main principal of Champ Car Racing, left Indianapolis on Friday morning after meeting with IndyCar Series founder Tony George without completing a deal that would have brought both series together.

Kalkhoven and George met late Thursday night at a downtown restaurant and made what both sides called "significant progress." The two met again Friday morning but were unable to complete a deal that would essentially have Champ Car close its doors, allowing its teams to join IndyCar.

Time is becoming a major consideration for both sides. The IndyCar Series is set to have its first open practice of the season next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and some of the Champ Car teams expected to join the series were hoping to attend. But without a firm agreement between the two sides, the open-wheel war which began when the Indy Racing League began completion on January 27, 1996 wages on for at least another day.

The IndyCar Series had hoped to call a press conference for noon on Friday, but that plan was scuttled after Thursday night's meeting. Among the issues that could keep this from happening is the fact Champ Car is scheduled to compete in the Long Beach Grand Prix on April 20 while IndyCar will be on the other side of the Earth when it competes at Twin Ring Motegi on April 19. I

ndyCar must compete in that race because the track is owned by Honda, which supplies the engines to that series. Long Beach is one of the biggest races of the season for open-wheel racing, and that race must be held on that date because of contractual obligations with the city of Long Beach. But as snow continues to fall in Indianapolis, the grim reality of another day to open-wheel racing's "Cold War" continues to be evident.