Results tagged “NACSAR” from Haddock in the Paddock

Jimmie Johnson will start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race from the pole after rain washed out qualifying Friday at the newly named Auto Club Speedway.
Johnson, last year’s Cup champion, earned the top starting spot in Sunday’s race based on the owners standings from 2007. Jeff Gordon, Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, will start second and on the front row.
The Cup drivers tried to get out on the track to practice Friday, but wet track conditions prevented them. That didn't seem to worry Johnson.
“We tested out here. I guess you get used to it," said Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. "We have things rained out from time to time. I’d like to be out there and I think there is probably more pressure on the crew chiefs than the drivers at this point. I’m sure a lot of guys are coming out here different then where we tested and would love to be on track to see how that was going to work out. I think the crew chiefs will lose a little sleep. I think the drivers will be fine.”
Gordon and Johnson have combined to win five Cup races at California Speedway. Johnson won last year’s Labor Day race at the track. Gordon’s last win at California Speedway came in 2004.
"I think most of us are just anxious to see where we stack up against the competition," said Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. "And then the other thing is, and the reason we’re all here, is that the race is on Sunday so tomorrow’s practice is more important about being in traffic and maneuvering around cars and getting your car working good on a long run. I’m looking forward to getting out there for that. Today, with the position we’re at in the points, all it was, was making one or two lap runs for qualifying. So for us, today we didn’t really lose much.”
Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 07 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, will start third.
“It’s pretty good for me," Bowyer said. "I’m good with third. I’ll take it. Tomorrow will be crucial. It’ll be a busy day for us; for me personally running the Nationwide car too, so there will be a lot going on tomorrow. But we’ll be ready for it. I think a good starting spot goes a long way in these races and staying up front in clean air I think is going to be big with this car in particular. So, I’m looking forward to it.”
Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 Dodge for Penske Racing, will start 13th.
Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing and winner of the past two February Cup races at California Speedway, will start fourth.

The Daytona 500 is more than a month away, but testing for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season begins Monday with a collection of drivers including Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Casey Mears.
Johnson won last year's Cup championship, his second in a row. Gordon was the runner-up. Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch and Carl Edwards, all Chase drivers from a year ago, will also be testing at Daytona.
This is the first test session for Cup teams since the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow, which was used in select races last year, will be used in every race in 2008. Every Cup team will be testing in the Car of Tomorrow at Daytona.
“We’re feeling pretty good about it,” said Chad Knaus, crew chief for and the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. “We’ve got a couple of good cars we’re bringing. It’s going to be fun to have this car at Daytona and we’re looking forward to getting back to the track.”
Teams that held odd-numbered positions in the owners standings on July 17, 2007, will be the first to test, beginning Monday and ending Wednesday. Teams that had even-numbered spots in the standings as of July 17 will test Jan. 14 at Daytona and conclude their runs Jan. 16 as part of NASCAR's Preseason Thunder.
The teams and drivers will test at California Speedway as part of Preseason Thunder Jan. 31 to Feb. 1 and Las Vegas Motor Speedway before the season starts Feb. 17 with the Daytona 500.
“A lot of people think when they wave the green flag at Homestead, we all leave and go to the beach,” Knaus said. “That’s not what happens. We’ve been in here working five and six days a week and haven’t really taken that much time off. Contrary to what people think, we really have been working hard, but our guys are now looking forward to going to the race track.”
The other drivers who will be testing first are:
David Reutimann, Robby Gordon, Mark Martin, Greg Biffle, Elliott Sadler, Jacques Villeneuve, Travis Kvapil, Scott Wimmer, Reed Sorenson, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kyle Petty, Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek, AJ Allmendinger, J.J. Yeley and Jason Keller.