Caraviello: Brickyard turns on a spin at the wheel (NASCAR.com)
July 31, 2011
Paul Menard leads Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon. (Getty Images)
Throughout its reasonably brief history as a NASCAR venue, the calling card of Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been its ability to identify greatness. Winning the Brickyard 400 is generally a step toward winning the Sprint Cup championship—hoisting that golden brick in late summer a precursor to possibly lifting a sterling silver trophy in late fall. There are no flukes, no gifts, no excuses at a race track that usually been so demanding, so unforgiving, that only the best prevail.
Sunday, that entire idea was turned on its head in a strange Brickyard 400 that was not only won by Paul Menard, but had its endgame set in motion by a crash sparked by Landon Cassill. This type of factor just isn’t supposed to happen in Indianapolis—the location is too challenging, demands a too-perfect mixture of engine and handling, has been too dominated too frequently by teams that will go on to slug it out for the major prize at the finish of the season. Regardless of whatever chaos or surprises have erupted elsewhere on the schedule, Indianapolis is the place exactly where order is restored.
Not any additional. This Brickyard 400 felt unique from the extremely beginning, with all the focus on the “super weekend” debuting next season, with all the questions about attendance, with the announcement of a forthcoming title sponsor. And it certainly ended as opposed to any other NASCAR event here, with the unsung and previously winless Menard working with an epic fuel run to hold off a charging Jeff Gordon and strike a blow for everyman drivers at the most famous race track in the globe.
“It’s pretty crazy,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr., concisely summing up the afternoon.
And it was, like a movie you had watched for 90 minutes that for the final half-hour suddenly featured a completely distinct cast. The initially two-thirds of the race were the Brickyard as we’ve constantly known it, with the obvious power brokers up front taking turns attempting to run away from one one more. Then on Lap 120, everything changed. Cassill and David Ragan identified themselves side-by-side entering Turn three, and on older tires Cassill’s No. 51 car couldn’t hold the position. He turned sideways, and vehicles went skidding to the apron or via the grass in his wake. The accident necessary a lengthy cleanup, and afterward a few drivers ducked on to pit road to fill up, willing to sacrifice their track position for a shot at glory in the finish.
“Those guys who produced it topped off at the extremely finish of that, and gave up all their track position. But they didn’t have any to start out, so it didn’t matter,” said Alan Gustafson, Gordon’s crew chief. “I think Paul had to come in and clean the grass off the grille. That just gave him the opportunity to save fuel and make it, because he was able to stop and go. We were running naturally a lot superior than that, so we couldn’t take that risk to get the fuel and give up the track position.”
Neither could the other top contenders at the time, who waited an additional 10 laps or more to come in for their final pit stops. One by 1, they located themselves dumped out into deep visitors—the worst doable location at Indianapolis, where it’s notoriously tough to pass—and pinned behind rivals who had decided to either stretch fuel as long as they could, or try and make it to the finish. “How did we get all the way back here behind all these individuals?” Juan Montoya asked on the radio right after he gave up a best-five position to pit, and emerged in 32nd. Earnhardt, Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, David Ragan and others who had comprised the class of the field to that point could relate.
“We cycled about and didn’t have the track position at the end, and that is all it was,” stated Earnhardt, who completed 16th. “Everybody was on a lot of distinct strategies, too.”
Suddenly it was a unique race, with totally new contenders, and an outcome about as uncertain as debt-ceiling talks. Richard “Slugger” Labbe, Menard’s crew chief, knew his automobile had successfully created a 22-lap fuel run in practice on Saturday, and wondered about gambling to try and make the final 35 in the race. Last Monday at the team’s meeting, they had talked about potentially taking some risks on pit road to attempt and qualify for the Chase. Here was a gamble appropriate in front of them, ready to be taken. As soon as the jack dropped, Labbe set the plan in motion, telling his driver to save fuel and use long gears.
“Seems to be a trend in the Cup Series, that men and women take gambles on pit road,” Labbe stated. “It was our turn to get aggressive. I told Paul he had to support me. He supported me a hundred percent [Sunday]. 3 times he had an occasion where he could have mentioned ‘No, I don’t want to do that,’ but he did. Luckily it worked out.”
Others followed suit. Right after the Cassill accident, Regan Smith said he had to come in and get grass cleaned off the front grille of his No. 78 car. Crew chief Pete Rondeau looked at the fuel technique taking shape, and decided to top off. Smith estimated that he saved about two laps’ worth of fuel from that point on, and wound up third. He wanted to push it and attempt to go for the victory, but Rondeau—mindful of a dry tank that had ruined a possible best-10 effort two weeks earlier at New Hampshire—overrode his driver.
“We knew we had a lot of fuel saved. We saved a lot,” Smith said. “A Hail Mary would have been to go for the win. That’s what I wanted to do. At times you’ve got to go for the points. That’s tough here, although.”
Parked proper behind Smith on pit road was the auto of defending Brickyard 400 champion Jamie McMurray, who utilised the identical tactic to salvage his initially top-5 finish of a miserable season. “They told me when the caution came out that we were going to be two laps short,” said McMurray, who placed fourth, “and I told them in our team meeting [Sunday] that this was a track where I thought we could save two laps of gas. So it was quite ironic that those were the two numbers.”
And it was stunning to some that the gambles paid off. “What surprised me actually was those guys that were running up front and running challenging and generating it,” said Kyle Busch. “The No. 27 [vehicle of Menard] created it the No. 78 [vehicle of Smith] produced it. Those guys, I expected them to run out. But they ought to have had just enough.”
They did. For Menard, although, there had been no guarantees, certainly not with Gordon steadily chewing up the distance in between them. Like many of the early-race leaders, Gordon had been buried in site visitors by the pit cycle, but his vehicle was superior sufficient that it was able to steadily make up ground among him and others who were going effortless on the throttle, attempting to make their fuel last. Gustafson estimated that the fuel-saving drivers were about a second a lap slower, permitting Gordon—and Matt Kenseth, who also charged back via the field—to get themselves back in the mix at the end.
They simply ran out of laps. It was an electric conclusion, with the No. 24 auto flying past 1 vehicle right after one more, and closing to within .686 seconds of Menard at the whilst flag. It seemed to have all the makings of a heartbreaking finish of the type Indianapolis specializes in, but by that time Labbe had already turned his driver loose. They had saved sufficient to get to the finish. They knew it, and the No. 27 vehicle was a blur beneath the checkers, even if Menard was so fixated on his fuel pressure gauge he didn’t even notice.
“Paul did a great job saving fuel, simply because when I got there, even Regan and other guys, they were nonetheless fairly significantly checking up when I got there,” stated Gordon, who came up .725 seconds brief of a record-tying fifth Indianapolis victory. “It was uncomplicated to get by them. But Paul had saved sufficient to exactly where he could go back to a full pace. By that time, my automobile was just too tight behind him.”
It was a well-liked and emotional victory, particularly given how active Menard’s family members has been in the Indianapolis 500 over the years, but in some corners of the NASCAR garage competitors shook their heads and supplied wry smiles that seemed to ask—what else do we have to do? It was an understandable sentiment, given what it usually takes to win at Indianapolis, and what transpired in Indianapolis on Sunday afternoon. No one questioned Menard’s worthiness as champion in fact, other drivers went out of their way to complement an individual who’s usually received too a great deal attention for his last name and sponsorship, and not sufficient for his prowess behind the wheel.
But for Indianapolis, of all events, to feature such a surprise winner and be decided in such a topsy-turvy fashion, seemed alien. What’s subsequent—Nationwide cars at the Brickyard? Then again, this has been a topsy-turvy season, one from which evidently the most celebrated venue in motorsports is not immune.
“Us and [Gordon] in all probability had the two very best cars overall for the day. It’s a shame 1 of us couldn’t get a win,” lamented Kenseth, who rallied to finish fifth. “But we ran pretty very good, and hopefully we’re keeping ourselves in position like this, and hopefully there will be far more races that come down to performance at the end of the race and we can be in the mix of things and have a shot at some wins.”
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer
Sprint Cup Series Standings 1. — Carl Edwards 682 — two. — Jimmie Johnson 671 -11 3. +1 Kevin Harvick 670 -124. +1 Kyle Busch 666 -16 5. +1 Matt Kenseth 666 -16
Caraviello: Brickyard turns on one spin at the wheel (NASCAR.com)
July 31, 2011
Paul Menard leads Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon. (Getty Images)
Throughout its relatively brief history as a NASCAR venue, the calling card of Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been its ability to identify greatness. Winning the Brickyard 400 is typically a step toward winning the Sprint Cup championship—hoisting that golden brick in late summer a precursor to possibly lifting a sterling silver trophy in late fall. There are no flukes, no gifts, no excuses at a race track that constantly been so demanding, so unforgiving, that only the ideal prevail.
Sunday, that entire concept was turned on its head in a strange Brickyard 400 that was not only won by Paul Menard, but had its endgame set in motion by a crash sparked by Landon Cassill. This kind of thing just isn’t supposed to happen in Indianapolis—the spot is too tough, calls for a too-ideal combination of engine and handling, has been too dominated too frequently by teams that will go on to slug it out for the huge prize at the finish of the season. Regardless of whatever chaos or surprises have erupted elsewhere on the schedule, Indianapolis is the location exactly where order is restored.
Not any a lot more. This Brickyard 400 felt diverse from the quite beginning, with all the focus on the “super weekend” debuting next season, with all the questions about attendance, with the announcement of a forthcoming title sponsor. And it certainly ended unlike any other NASCAR event here, with the unsung and previously winless Menard making use of an epic fuel run to hold off a charging Jeff Gordon and strike a blow for everyman drivers at the most famous race track in the globe.
“It’s pretty crazy,” stated Dale Earnhardt Jr., concisely summing up the afternoon.
And it was, like a movie you had watched for 90 minutes that for the final half-hour suddenly featured a completely different cast. The initially two-thirds of the race were the Brickyard as we’ve usually recognized it, with the obvious power brokers up front taking turns attempting to run away from one yet another. Then on Lap 120, every little thing changed. Cassill and David Ragan found themselves side-by-side entering Turn 3, and on older tires Cassill’s No. 51 car couldn’t hold the position. He turned sideways, and vehicles went skidding to the apron or by means of the grass in his wake. The accident required a lengthy cleanup, and afterward a couple of drivers ducked on to pit road to fill up, willing to sacrifice their track position for a shot at glory in the end.
“Those guys who created it topped off at the very end of that, and gave up all their track position. But they didn’t have any to start, so it didn’t matter,” mentioned Alan Gustafson, Gordon’s crew chief. “I feel Paul had to come in and clean the grass off the grille. That just gave him the chance to save fuel and make it, mainly because he was able to stop and go. We were running naturally a lot better than that, so we couldn’t take that risk to get the fuel and give up the track position.”
Neither could the other best contenders at the time, who waited a different 10 laps or far more to come in for their final pit stops. 1 by 1, they identified themselves dumped out into deep traffic—the worst probable location at Indianapolis, exactly where it’s notoriously challenging to pass—and pinned behind rivals who had decided to either stretch fuel as lengthy as they could, or try and make it to the end. “How did we get all the way back here behind all these men and women?” Juan Montoya asked on the radio soon after he gave up a best-five position to pit, and emerged in 32nd. Earnhardt, Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, David Ragan and other people who had comprised the class of the field to that point could relate.
“We cycled about and didn’t have the track position at the end, and that is all it was,” stated Earnhardt, who completed 16th. “Everybody was on a lot of unique strategies, too.”
Suddenly it was a distinct race, with fully new contenders, and an outcome about as uncertain as debt-ceiling talks. Richard “Slugger” Labbe, Menard’s crew chief, knew his auto had successfully made a 22-lap fuel run in practice on Saturday, and wondered about gambling to try and make the final 35 in the race. Last Monday at the team’s meeting, they had talked about potentially taking some risks on pit road to try and qualify for the Chase. Here was a gamble proper in front of them, ready to be taken. As soon as the jack dropped, Labbe set the plan in motion, telling his driver to save fuel and use long gears.
“Seems to be a trend in the Cup Series, that folks take gambles on pit road,” Labbe mentioned. “It was our turn to get aggressive. I told Paul he had to support me. He supported me a hundred percent [Sunday]. 3 times he had an occasion where he could have stated ‘No, I don’t want to do that,’ but he did. Luckily it worked out.”
Others followed suit. Soon after the Cassill accident, Regan Smith stated he had to come in and get grass cleaned off the front grille of his No. 78 auto. Crew chief Pete Rondeau looked at the fuel technique taking shape, and decided to leading off. Smith estimated that he saved about two laps’ worth of fuel from that point on, and wound up third. He wanted to push it and try to go for the victory, but Rondeau—mindful of a dry tank that had ruined a possible leading-10 effort two weeks earlier at New Hampshire—overrode his driver.
“We knew we had a lot of fuel saved. We saved a lot,” Smith stated. “A Hail Mary would have been to go for the win. That’s what I wanted to do. Sometimes you’ve got to go for the points. That’s tough here, though.”
Parked correct behind Smith on pit road was the auto of defending Brickyard 400 champion Jamie McMurray, who used the very same tactic to salvage his first top-five finish of a miserable season. “They told me when the caution came out that we were going to be two laps brief,” stated McMurray, who placed fourth, “and I told them in our team meeting [Sunday] that this was a track where I thought we could save two laps of gas. So it was very ironic that those were the two numbers.”
And it was stunning to some that the gambles paid off. “What surprised me truly was those guys that had been running up front and running hard and making it,” stated Kyle Busch. “The No. 27 [car of Menard] created it the No. 78 [automobile of Smith] produced it. Those guys, I expected them to run out. But they have to have had just sufficient.”
They did. For Menard, although, there were no guarantees, surely not with Gordon steadily chewing up the distance between them. Like quite a few of the early-race leaders, Gordon had been buried in targeted traffic by the pit cycle, but his vehicle was excellent enough that it was able to steadily make up ground among him and others who had been going uncomplicated on the throttle, trying to make their fuel last. Gustafson estimated that the fuel-saving drivers were about a second a lap slower, allowing Gordon—and Matt Kenseth, who also charged back by means of the field—to get themselves back in the mix at the end.
They simply ran out of laps. It was an electric conclusion, with the No. 24 automobile flying past 1 vehicle right after yet another, and closing to inside .686 seconds of Menard at the even though flag. It seemed to have all the makings of a heartbreaking finish of the type Indianapolis specializes in, but by that time Labbe had already turned his driver loose. They had saved sufficient to get to the finish. They knew it, and the No. 27 vehicle was a blur beneath the checkers, even if Menard was so fixated on his fuel pressure gauge he didn’t even notice.
“Paul did a wonderful job saving fuel, because when I got there, even Regan and other guys, they had been still fairly a great deal checking up when I got there,” said Gordon, who came up .725 seconds short of a record-tying fifth Indianapolis victory. “It was straightforward to get by them. But Paul had saved enough to exactly where he could go back to a full pace. By that time, my car was just too tight behind him.”
It was a preferred and emotional victory, particularly given how active Menard’s loved ones has been in the Indianapolis 500 over the years, but in some corners of the NASCAR garage competitors shook their heads and supplied wry smiles that seemed to ask—what else do we have to do? It was an understandable sentiment, given what it generally takes to win at Indianapolis, and what transpired in Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon. No one questioned Menard’s worthiness as champion in truth, other drivers went out of their way to complement someone who’s usually received too significantly attention for his final name and sponsorship, and not sufficient for his prowess behind the wheel.
But for Indianapolis, of all events, to feature such a surprise winner and be decided in such a topsy-turvy fashion, seemed alien. What’s subsequent—Nationwide vehicles at the Brickyard? Then once more, this has been a topsy-turvy season, 1 from which evidently the most celebrated venue in motorsports is not immune.
“Us and [Gordon] in all probability had the two ideal cars overall for the day. It’s a shame 1 of us couldn’t get a win,” lamented Kenseth, who rallied to finish fifth. “But we ran fairly very good, and hopefully we’re keeping ourselves in position like this, and hopefully there will be more races that come down to performance at the finish of the race and we can be in the mix of items and have a shot at some wins.”
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer
Sprint Cup Series Standings 1. — Carl Edwards 682 — 2. — Jimmie Johnson 671 -11 3. +1 Kevin Harvick 670 -124. +1 Kyle Busch 666 -16 5. +1 Matt Kenseth 666 -16
Bills, LB Barnett agree on 3 years, $12M
July 31, 2011
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP)—Linebacker Nick Barnett(notes) didn’t last long in freeagency after agreeing to a 3-year, $12 million contract with the BuffaloBills on Sunday.
Barnett had agreed to the contract earlier in the day, and the Billsannounced the signing just soon after the begin of their evening practice. A personfamiliar with the contract supplied The Associated Press the monetary terms,speaking on the condition of anonymity mainly because the team did not disclose theamount.
The deal came two days after Barnett was released by the Green Bay Packers.And it was reached hours after the eight-year veteran watched a Billswalkthrough at training camp in suburban Rochester. Wearing his 2011 Super Bowlring, Barnett spent a great deal of the session chatting with assistant coach DaveWannstedt, who doubles as the team’s inside linebackers coach.
The Bills were in want of an inside linebacker soon after Paul Posluszny(notes) signedwith Jacksonville last week.
Barnett had already begun posting notes hinting at the agreement on hisTwitter account.
“You bills fans are wonderful here on twitter. How bout in the stadium?”Barnett had written. He also added: “GO BILLS.”
Barnett and general manager Buddy Nix were scheduled to discuss the signingafter the evening practice.
Under NFL rules relating to veteran free agents this offseason, Barnett willnot be allowed to practice with the team until the collective bargainingagreement is formally ratified. That is expected to happen by Thursday.
Shortly soon after signing the contract, Barnett created his way on the field towatch his new teammates practice. A number of fans instantly recognized him andbegan chanting his name, though a couple of asked to see his ring.
Barnett responded with a fist pump and a smile to the crowd. He then madehis way up the sideline, where he was greeted by Wannstedt, who shook theplayer’s hand and asked, “How are you, excellent?”
Barnett was a cornerstone of the Packers’ defense given that getting drafted in thefirst round in 2003 out of Oregon State. Injuries, on the other hand, have restricted hisperformance and he’s ended two of the past 3 seasons on injured reserve.
That includes final year, when a perfect wrist injury limited him to only fourgames. His 2008 season was cut brief following a correct knee injury.
Barnett had a solid season in 2009, when he had a career-greatest 4 sacks, whilebeing credited with 105 tackles. Overall, he has 15 1/two sacks and nineinterceptions in 107 career games.
The Bills continue revamping a defense that finished final against the runlast year, although also giving up an average 26.five points a game. It was apatchwork and injury-plagued unit that took a great deal of the blame for the team’s4-12 finish.
Bills players were upbeat about the possibility of Barnett’s signingfollowing their walkthrough.
“He’s a special kind of player and you can’t assist but be excited about thepossibility of playing with him,” linebacker Shawne Merriman(notes) stated.
Rookie linebacker Kelvin Sheppard(notes) was impressed following Barnett introducedhimself.
“For him to truly come up to me and say, `What’s up Shep?’ That’sexciting,” Sheppard stated. “How could you not want a guy like that on yourteam?”
Barnett’s release by the Packers was not a surprise. Scheduled to make morethan $five million this season, Barnett proved to be the odd-man out, especiallyafter the Packers reworked linebacker A.J. Hawk’s(notes) deal in March.
Barnett also proved to be a distraction in Green Bay. In January, he andtight end Jermichael Finley(notes) had complained on Twitter that injured playersweren’t going to be allowed in a team photo scheduled to be taken days beforethe Super Bowl in Dallas. The Packers ultimately relented and allowed theinjured players to take portion in the photo session.
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Stewart leads late, finishes 6th at Brickyard
July 31, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—Tony Stewart held onto a sliver of hope that he could claim his third Brickyard 400 title when he took the lead late in Sunday’s race.
He didn’t have enough fuel to stay up front.
Stewart stayed on the track when other drivers refueled and he took the lead on lap 134. He rocketed out to a 13.five-second lead prior to it became clear he couldn’t finish without having generating a quit. With 15 laps to go, he finally pulled in. Paul Menard won, and Stewart eventually completed sixth.
“We knew it was a borrowed lead, but it certain was nice to lead here once more at Indy,” stated Stewart, who won here in 2005 and 2007.
Stewart had a rough day at times, but he somehow salvaged it. He was penalized for running into a speed-limit cone early in the race, then he later collided with Kyle Busch on pit road.
“It’s a long pit road, it’s a narrow pit road,” Stewart said. “I feel poor for Kyle and those guys mainly because they had a good day going at the time.”
When he went to the pits for the final time, he knew he had no chance at a win. He said a caution wouldn’t have helped mainly because the other drivers near the front had already refueled and had fresher tires, so they likely would have stayed on the track, and he nonetheless would have had to stop for gas.
Regardless of beginning 24th and generating many mistakes, Stewart ended up with what he considered a great finish.
“That’s the difficult way to do it, man,” he stated. “We had to fight from the back a couple of times to get up there. I don’t even know how we finished sixth.”
MONTOYA’S LUCK: For the third straight year, Juan Pablo Montoya spent significantly of the race near the front of the field.
When once again, he faded late.
Montoya was running as high as third with 40 laps to go, but had to make a fuel stop, got mired in traffic and finished 28th. It was Montoya’s initial race with new crew chief Jim Pohlman, who replaced Brian Pattie last week.
“It (stinks) when you run excellent all day, but I believe Jim Pohlman and all the guys did a definitely very good job all day,” Montoya mentioned.
Two years ago, he led 116 laps and built a 5-second lead over the competition just before finding flagged for speeding on the final pit stop. He completed 11th.
Final year, the Colombian dominated once more, leading a race-high 86 laps just before taking 4 tires instead of two throughout a late caution. The move dropped Montoya from very first to seventh. He struggled on the restart and eventually crashed out and finished 32nd.
EARNHARDT STREAK: When Dale Earnhardt Jr. took an early lead, the popular driver gave his fans hope that his 112-race winless streak would finish.
He led seven laps total, ran inside the top three for some time, but eventually finished 16th.
Earnhardt’s final victory was at Michigan in 2008.
He mentioned passing was challenging on the narrow Indianapolis track, and he knew he didn’t have a chance as soon as he fell back.
“Some guys were quick sufficient to get up there, and some of us didn’t,” he stated. “We played it out, and that was the result we got. I don’t know what to be angry about if I was going to be angry.”
Big-TIME SMITH: Regan Smith had never ever placed in the top 10 given that beginning his NASCAR Sprint Cup career in 2007.
This year, he has placed in the top 10 in four of NASCAR’s crown jewel races. He was seventh at Daytona, earned his very first career victory in the Southern 500 at Darlington, took eighth at the Coca-Cola 600 and finished third at the Brickyard 400 Sunday.
In his other 16 races this season, he hasn’t placed greater than 15th.
“We’ve just got to figure out how to perform on the rest of the stages,” he mentioned.
GRAND-AM CHAMP: Reigning Grand-Am Rolex Series champion Scott Pruett looks forward to his debut at the Speedway subsequent July 27.
Pruett raced in the Indianapolis 500 4 times and finished 10th in the Brickyard 400 in 2000. Now, soon after he vowed not to drive Indy vehicles again, Grand-Am has gave him an unexpected opportunity to return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway following agreeing to hold Rolex and Continental Series events there subsequent year as part of three days of racing at the track.
“There’s one thing magical about the Speedway,” Pruett said before Sunday’s race. “I love this place I adore Indy. Racers love Indy. If you just mention the word Indy, they know what it is—Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Brickyard—even individuals who may possibly not be race fans.”
SOLO DRIVES: U.S. girls’s soccer goalie Hope Solo enjoyed her run as the pace vehicle driver.
Race director David Hoots thanked Solo over the radio for acquiring the race began. She replied: “No challenge guys this is pretty awesome.”
Solo helped the U.S. national team advance to the Women’s Globe Cup final in Germany. She was named to the 2011 World Cup all-tournament team and was named the leading goalkeeper of the tournament.
STENHOUSE THE SPOKESMAN: Nationwide driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., has agreed to lend his voice to radio announcements promoting driver safety for the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Stenhouse also will participate in the Distracted Driver Simulator Tour for ODOT. He will demonstrate the difficulty of driving even though distracted even though employing the simulator Monday at the Ohio State Fair.
It is part of the state’s “Every Move You Make, Keep it Secure” roadway safety campaign.
SUMMER SHOWDOWN: With his win Sunday, Menard positioned himself to earn an further $3 million payout by way of Sprint.
Menard’s victory qualified him for the Sprint Summer Showdown. If Menard can also win at Atlanta on Labor Day weekend, he will earn $1 million for himself, an additional million for his designated charity and yet another million for a randomly chosen fan who went on-line and picked him to win Sunday’s race.
There are four remaining probabilities for fans to get on the net and pick a winner. Yet another finalist will be picked amongst those who decide on the winners of the races at Pocono, Watkins Glen, Michigan and Bristol. If any of those race winners also claim victory in Atlanta, that driver will earn the payout for himself, his charity and the fan.
MISCELLANEOUS: Denny Hamlin qualified 14th, but he was forced to the back of the field at the start out as a penalty for altering his engine. The original engine blew up late in Friday’s final practice. He completed 27th. … David Ragan, who won the pole less than a month after earning his very first career Sprint Cup Series victory in July at Daytona, finished 23rd … Jamie McMurray, last year’s winner, completed fourth. … NASCAR’s attendance estimate was 138,000.
Jaguars TE Lewis ends 5-day holdout
July 31, 2011
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP)—Pro Bowl tight end Marcedes Lewis(notes) is ending hisholdout with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Even though he nonetheless doesn’t have a lengthy-term contract, Lewis said on hisTwitter page Sunday that he is returning to the team right after a 5-day holdout.
“Though my contract is still becoming negotiated, I’m headed back to jaxtoday! want to be with my team! Its been entirely too lengthy,” Lewis tweeted.
Jaguars general manager Gene Smith expects Lewis to be at training campMonday.
“Marcedes is a man of his word,” Smith mentioned. “I eagerly anticipate himbeing back here. He’s a big part of this team and where we’re going. It’ll begreat to see him.”
Lewis caught 58 passes for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns final season—allcareer highs. The Jaguars placed the franchise tag on Lewis, who signed aone-year tender supply worth practically $7.three million. But both sides want to function outa lengthy-term deal and are continuing to negotiate.
Nonetheless, Lewis opted not to report for camp. Coach Jack Del Rioindicated he would fine the 6-foot-6, 275-pound former 1st-round pick formissing time. Under the league’s new collective bargaining agreement, Lewis canbe fined as a great deal as $30,000 a day.
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Keenum headlines talented QBs in C-USA
July 31, 2011
MEMPHIS (AP)—Houston coach Kevin Sumlin sat down for breakfast with hisstar quarterback Case Keenum on Sunday morning. Quite rapidly, he realized theirconversation was in contrast to most between a college coach and player.
“He’s a grown man,” Sumlin mentioned laughing. “He’s married. He’s graduatedfrom college. He’s got all the identical troubles that somebody like me or you has.”
Such are the luxuries of having a 23-year-old, sixth-year quarterback. Andwhile Keenum may well have some new grown-up problems, so do opposing defenses inConference USA soon after the NCAA granted the prolific passer yet another season.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Keenum headlines a deep and talented group ofquarterbacks in Conference USA, a number of of whom gathered on Sunday forConference USA Media Day. Tulsa senior G.J. Kinne, who was C-USA’s offensiveplayer of the year last season, returns following throwing for three,650 yards and 31touchdowns. So does Central Florida’s Jeff Godfrey, the conference freshman ofthe year who threw for 2,159 yards and 13 touchdowns as the Knights won thechampionship.
But no one’s resume can touch Keenum’s. He already ranks in the NCAA careertop 10 with 14,448 career yards of total offense, 13,586 passing yards, 107touchdown passes and 1,118 pass completions. He’s one of only two players inDivision I history to have several five,000-yard passing seasons.
“He’s just a surgeon with the football,” Tulsa coach Bill Blankenshipsaid. “And when he lines up on the field, his team believes in him. You canfeel it. He’s got the kind of presence you want in a quarterback.”
Keenum was granted a sixth season by the NCAA following tearing his ACL againstUCLA in the third game of final season on Sept. 18. He wasn’t able to go throughspring practice, but says the knee is nearing full strength.
“It’s certainly not the knee that God gave me anymore,” Keenum said.“It’s got some modifications, courtesy of my doctors. But honestly, I thinkit’s stronger. The further along I go, the much more it gets to being my normalknee.”
Sumlin said he won’t push Keenum in the course of preseason practice mainly because he knowswhat the veteran brings to the offense.
“There’s 3 methods that I evaluate quarterbacks—accuracy, gamemanagement and his capacity to make and extend plays,” Sumlin mentioned. “If you’vegot a guy who can do two out of those 3 factors, you’ve got your self a reallygood player. If you’ve got a guy who can do all 3, you’ve got your self asuperstar like Case.”
Keenum’s return really should aid push Houston back into C-USA’s elite. Soon after thequarterback’s knee injury last season, the Cougars struggled to a 5-7 record.
But with Keenum back under center, the Cougars can go back to the punishingoffensive pace that buried opponents in 2009, when Keenum threw for five,671 yards,the third highest total in Football Bowl Subdivision history.
“As a great deal as it means to us, it most likely indicates even far more for him,” Sumlinsaid. “The sound of his voice when I named to tell him the news wasunbelievable. He’s genuinely grateful for the opportunity. I couldn’t be happier forhim.”
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Houston QB Keenum ready for sixth season
July 31, 2011
MEMPHIS (AP)—Houston coach Kevin Sumlin sat down for breakfast with hisstar quarterback Case Keenum on Sunday morning. Incredibly quickly, he realized theirconversation was as opposed to most among a college coach and player.
“He’s a grown man,” Sumlin said laughing. “He’s married. He’s graduatedfrom college. He’s got all the very same difficulties that somebody like me or you has.”
Such are the luxuries of having a 23-year-old, sixth-year quarterback. Andwhile Keenum may have some new grown-up troubles, so do opposing defenses inConference USA soon after the NCAA granted the prolific passer another season.
The 6-foot-two, 210-pound Keenum headlines a deep and talented group ofquarterbacks in Conference USA, various of whom gathered on Sunday forConference USA Media Day. Tulsa senior G.J. Kinne, who was C-USA’s offensiveplayer of the year final season, returns immediately after throwing for 3,650 yards and 31touchdowns. So does Central Florida’s Jeff Godfrey, the conference freshman ofthe year who threw for two,159 yards and 13 touchdowns as the Knights won thechampionship.
But no one’s resume can touch Keenum’s. He already ranks in the NCAA careertop 10 with 14,448 career yards of total offense, 13,586 passing yards, 107touchdown passes and 1,118 pass completions. He’s one of only two players inDivision I history to have numerous 5,000-yard passing seasons.
“He’s just a surgeon with the football,” Tulsa coach Bill Blankenshipsaid. “And when he lines up on the field, his team believes in him. You canfeel it. He’s got the type of presence you want in a quarterback.”
Keenum was granted a sixth season by the NCAA after tearing his ACL againstUCLA in the third game of final season on Sept. 18. He wasn’t able to go throughspring practice, but says the knee is nearing full strength.
“It’s naturally not the knee that God gave me anymore,” Keenum stated.“It’s got some modifications, courtesy of my doctors. But honestly, I thinkit’s stronger. The further along I go, the a lot more it gets to getting my normalknee.”
Sumlin said he won’t push Keenum for the duration of preseason practice since he knowswhat the veteran brings to the offense.
“There’s 3 ways that I evaluate quarterbacks—accuracy, gamemanagement and his ability to make and extend plays,” Sumlin stated. “If you’vegot a guy who can do two out of those 3 points, you’ve got yourself a reallygood player. If you’ve got a guy who can do all three, you’ve got your self asuperstar like Case.”
Keenum’s return must aid push Houston back into C-USA’s elite. After thequarterback’s knee injury last season, the Cougars struggled to a 5-7 record.
But with Keenum back under center, the Cougars can go back to the punishingoffensive pace that buried opponents in 2009, when Keenum threw for five,671 yards,the third highest total in Football Bowl Subdivision history.
“As much as it means to us, it possibly indicates even more for him,” Sumlinsaid. “The sound of his voice when I known as to tell him the news wasunbelievable. He’s really grateful for the chance. I couldn’t be happier forhim.”
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Browne makes few mistakes to win U.S. Senior Open (PGATOUR.com)
July 31, 2011
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP)—After a stoic week, Olin Browne lastly let loose.
Browne showed little emotion until rolling in a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole to clinch a three-shot victory over Mark O’Meara in the U.S. Senior Open on Sunday.
Immediately after Browne’s last putt dropped and a huge gallery around the final green at Inverness Club roared its approval, he raised his arms in triumph. It was the greatest victory of the journeyman’s 27 years as a expert.
Browne’s closing even-par 71 followed rounds of 64, 69 and 65 and left him at 15-under 269.
Making couple of mistakes, he parred the 1st seven holes. Right after a bogey dropped him into a tie with O’Meara (72), he played the last 10 holes in 1 under, although O’Meara made two costly bogeys.
Mark Calcavecchia shot a 69 and was alone in third at 273. Ageless Hale Irwin had a 68 and was one more shot back along with Joey Sindelar (70).
Browne changed his approach in the final round. He had produced 15 birdies and two eagles to blitz the field and take a two-stroke lead into the final round. But in the final 18 holes, he played inside himself and was content to settle for pars even though everyone else tried to catch him.
O’Meara, winner of the 1998 Masters and British Open, caught up but couldn’t hang on.
With Browne generally acquiring the fairway, hitting the green in regulation and then generating two putts for par, it was O’Meara who blinked in their final-round, head-to-head matchup in the final pairing.
With Browne and O’Meara tied for the lead, O’Meara lost his share for excellent when his drive on the par-4, 461-yard 13th ended up behind a tree left of the fairway. He was forced to hit a low draw about the tree that hit another tree and ended up in the deep rough proper of the green. He muscled the chip shot out of the high grass, but it rolled 45 feet past the pin, leading to a two-putt bogey.
Browne maintained his one-stroke lead until Inverness’ most complicated hole, the long and uphill par-4, 488-yard 16th. Whilst Browne was splitting the fairway and hitting a hybrid pin high on the green, O’Meara’s lengthy-iron approach came up 30 yards brief of the green. He chipped to 20 feet below the hole and failed to make the par putt as the lead doubled.
Playing keep-away with the lead, Browne produced a 12-foot par putt on the 17th green. At the 18th hole made famous by Bob Tway’s sand shot that broke Greg Norman’s heart to win the 1986 PGA Championship, Browne drove into the 1st cut of rough and calmly put a wedge on the green. Safely below the hole, he stroked the putt into the middle of the cup.
Browne, who did not begin playing golf until he was 19, became just the second player in tournament history to go wire-to-wire by matching the accomplishment of Dale Douglass (1986).
His best showing in his two previous U.S. Senior Opens was a tie for third last year at Sahalee. He was 10th the prior year at Crooked Stick.
O’Meara was thwarted in his bid for a second Champions Tour main to go with his Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship he won last year in Maryland. Instead, he finished second for the 10th time in his five seasons due to the fact joining the over-50 circuit.
Peter Senior (71) was at 275. Corey Pavin (69) and Michael Allen (70) were another shot back. The group at 277 included Steve Pate (68), John Huston (69), Nick Price (70) and defending champion Bernhard Langer (70).
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Daily Wrap-up: Round 4, The Greenbrier Classic (PGATOUR.com)
July 31, 2011
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. (AP)—PGA TOUR rookie Scott Stallings won the Greenbrier Classic on Sunday, sinking a birdie putt on the initial playoff hole to beat Bob Estes and Bill Haas.
Immediately after watching Estes and Haas miss their birdie attempts on the 168-yard 18th hole, Stallings curled in a 7-footer for his very first TOUR victory. He flipped his putter, then hugged and high-fived his caddie.
Stallings created six birdies on the back nine to make the playoff, where he earned a winner’s check of $1.08 million and a spot in the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.
It marked the second straight week that a tournament was won in sudden death. Sean O’Hair beat Kris Blanks on the initially playoff hole a week ago at the RBC Canadian Open.
In just its second year, the Greenbrier Classic produced a different dramatic finish. Stuart Appleby shot 59 in last year’s final round, which includes a birdie on the final hole to beat Jeff Overton by a stroke.
Haas earned his fourth best-10 finish of the season, while the 45-year-old Estes missed out on his 1st TOUR win because 2002 and fifth overall. Estes battled a wrist injury earlier this year and was playing in just his seventh tournament.
Estes shot 6-under 64 and was the clubhouse leader at 10 under, then watched as Haas birdied the par-5 17th six groups later to join him soon after a 67.
Stallings, who shot 69, bogeyed the par-five 17th immediately after his drive went out of bounds and he needed a birdie at No. 18 to make the playoff. He sank a 5-footer to do it.
Jimmy Walker (68), Andres Romero (65), Brendon de Jonge (66), Cameron Tringale (67) and Gary Woodland (69) finished at 9 under.
Right after final year’s tournament, the course was lengthened much more than 200 yards and the reseeded greens were much less receptive to approach shots this time about. Appleby and Phil Mickelson were among those missing the cut, and the low rounds of the tournament had been 62s shot by Anthony Kim and Walker on Saturday.
There were birdies to be produced Sunday, just not the boatload that Appleby enjoyed last year.
Kim, the third-round leader, missed 4 birdie tries under 14 feet on the initially six holes. He 3-putted the par-3 8th, then hooked his tee shot into trees on the next hole and made bogey. He shot 74 to finish at 6 under, tied with four other people.
Webb Simpson overcame a double bogey on the initial hole, made five birdies on the front nine and took the lead briefly following a 3-footer for birdie at No. 9. It would be his final. He bogeyed the subsequent hole and never ever recovered. He shot even par and finished tied with Kyle Stanley at 8 under.
Simpson relinquished the lead to Haas, who had back-to-back birdies at No. 8 and 9. Haas made bogey at No. 15 to give Estes the lead, then tied him two holes later.
Stallings began the day a shot out of the lead and seemed to take himself out of contention with three bogeys on the front nine. He responded with four birdies on the initial 5 holes on the back, then hit a 103-yard wedge within a foot of the hole on the par-four 16th to move to 10 under just before getting into trouble on No. 17.
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Tour Report: Congratulate Stallings on his win (PGATOUR.com)
July 31, 2011
Martin/Getty Images
Scott Stallings birdied the initial hole of a playoff against Bill Haas and Bob Estes to win The Greenbrier Classic on Sunday. Post your note of congratulations here and we’ll share it with him.
Stallings wins in playoff
Facing nearly the exact same putt he had in regulation, Scott Stallings once again birdied the par-3 18th hole at The Old White TPC this time for the win.
The victory is the initial of Stallings’ career and nets him 500 FedExCup points.
Stallings is the sixth rookie and 10th first-time winner to win on the PGA TOUR this year. With the win, Stallings moves from 88th to 26th in FedExCup points.
After watching Bob Estes and Bill Haas miss their birdie attempts on the 168-yard 18th, Stallings curled in his 7-footer, flipped his putter skyward and then hugged and high-fived his caddie.
Stallings created six birdies on the back nine to make the playoff, where he earned also earned a spot in subsequent week’s World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.
It marked the second straight week that a tournament was won in sudden death. Sean O’Hair beat Kris Blanks on the initial playoff hole a week ago at the RBC Canadian Open.
Playoff play-by-play: Stallings wins
Bob Estes, Bill Haas and Scott Stallings are in a playoff at The Old White TPC, where the 1st playoff hole will be the par-three 18th, followed by the par-five 17th (if necessary) and then back to the 18th (if needed).
18TH HOLE (five:58 p.m.): Bill Haas led off the playoff — and hit a practically identical shot as he did in regulation with his ball just receiving onto the back shelf at the par-3 hole. Haas applied 9-iron. Estes, meanwhile, hit an 8-iron inside of Haas hole high possibly 15 feet right of the hole. Stallings was the final to go  and he hit practically the similar shot he hit in regulation when he produced birdie, hitting it just outside five feet. All 3 will now have pretty much identical putts to what they faced in regulation.
(6:03 p.m.): Haas and Estes each missed their birdie putts, although Stallings, who had a nearly identical putt to what he had in regulation when he produced birdie rolled his in for the win.
3 to begin playoff
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. – A year ago, it took a 59 to win The Greenbrier Classic. The excitement has continued on Sunday as Bob Estes, Scott Stallings and Bill Haas embark on a playoff to choose the champion.
The playoff will start on the par-3 18th, then move to the par-5 17th and back to No. 18, if essential.
Estes, who has battled wrist injuries and missed the cut in five of his six starts this year, finished at 10 under initial. He shot a bogey-totally free 65 in the final round and rolled in birdie putts of 4 and 15 feet on his last two holes.
Estes is a three-time PGA TOUR winner. His final victory came at the 2002 Kemper Open, which was 223 begins ago.
Haas, who picked up his initially two PGA TOUR victories final year, closed with a 67. He bogeyed the 15th hole but came back with a clutch 10-footer for  birdie at the 17th hole to tie with Estes.
Stallings was at 10 under, as effectively, until he hit his tee shot in the hazard at the 17th hole and went on to make bogey. But the rookie came up with a pressure-packed 5-footer for a birdie at the 18th to rejoin the fray.
Estes shoots 65, grabs lead
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. — Bob Estes is trying to pull a Sean O’Hair Sunday at The Greenbrier Classic.
Estes has just completed off a bogey-cost-free round of 64 that moved him into a tie for first at 10 under with Bill Haas. Minutes later, though, Haas created bogey at the 15th hole and Estes now has the lead alone.
Ought to Estes win, he would move from 254th in the FedExCup to 82nd. A win would also end a nine-year victory drought for the 45-year-old Texan, who has played sparingly this year after finishing outside the leading 125 on the funds list for just the second time in his career.
When O’Hair won the RBC Canadian Open last week, he moved from 147th in the FedExCup to 43rd.
Prior to this week, Estes had only played in six PGA TOUR events. He’d only cashed 1 check – in his first start out at the Valero Texas Open back in April.
De Jonge rallies, but misses opportunity
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. — Brendon de Jonge known as it a "terrible" effort.
He was searching at a birdie putt on the 72nd hole. A mere 5 feet, 7 inches stood among the massive man from Zimbabwe and a share of the lead at The Greenbrier Classic.
But de Jonge missed. And a different chance at his initially PGA TOUR victory disappeared, as effectively.
"I had it straight up the hill … and barely touched the hole and just had a bad putt," de Jonge mentioned.
Still, the former Virginia Tech standout couldn’t be too disappointed. He held a share of the 36-hole lead, lost it with a frustrating 72 on Saturday but rallied and gave himself a chance on Sunday.
De Jonge bogeyed his initially hole of the final round, but produced the turn in 31 following closing out the front nine with a string of three straight birdies. He went on to make a 5-footer at the par-5 17th to move to 9 under and inside 1 stroke of Bob Estes, who was waiting in the clubhouse.
And then he missed that birdie putt.
"I didn’t get off to a great start out, clearly, bogeying the initial but made a couple of birdies about the turn which got me back in the tournament and gave me a chance on the back nine," de Jonge stated. "Just didn’t make any putts when I necessary to."
Even so, de Jonge, who had two leading-10s entering The Greenbrier Classic, continues his really like affair with The Old White TPC. He completed solo third a year ago.
"It was enjoyable,” de Jonge mentioned. "It was exciting. Clearly, it would have been good to make that last one or a couple more coming in, but , no, that was fun."
Romero posts 9 under
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. — Andres Romero has given the leaders some thing to ponder soon after putting the finishing touches on a 65 and posting 9 under.
The 30-year-old from Argentina did the bulk of his scoring on the back nine — the more complicated of the two at The Old White TPC — this weekend. He shot 31 on that segment on Saturday and 32 on Sunday.
Romero, who finished third final week at the RBC Canadian Open, was 1 stroke off the pace getting set by Bill Haas when he finished. He had a chip to tie on the par-three 18th hole but it slid four feet by.
Haas still has 4 holes remaining.
Haas attempting to hold on
Bill Haas is still holding onto the lead on the back nine at The Old White TPC, but it’ a slim lead at one stroke.
The very good news for Haas is that Andres Romero I already in at 9 under and Brendon de Jonge and Bob Estes are about to finish their rounds as effectively. Jimmy Walker, nonetheless, is two under by way of 13 holes and also at 9 under just a stroke back.
Four other people, including overnight leader Anthony Kim, are on the course at 8 under.
In terms of Haas, he’s played the back nine effectively. He has just two bogey and both came on Thursday. The last four holes he’s played in a collective 2 under considering that — now it’s just a matter if he can fend off the challengers for the subsequent hour.
Simpson has big turnaround
Things didn’t appear extremely promising for Webb Simpson following the initially hole. He pulled his tee shot effectively to the left and went on to make double bogey. Considering that then, although, it’s been a distinct story for the Wake Forest product who’s looking for his first career win in what is his third year on the PGA TOUR.
Simpson just produced the turn in four under with 4 birdies in his final 5 holes and 5 in all on the front nine at The Old White TPC, where he now shares the top spot at 10 under with Bill Haas.
Anthony Kim, meanwhile, has bogeyed every single of his final two holes and is now two shots back following playing the front nine in 2 over.
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