http://www.yardbarker.com/motor_sports Recent articles about Motor Sports en-us Veteran Formula One driver Rubens Barrichello says his move to the IndyCar Series depends on finding new sponsors and acknowledges he may only compete on road and street circuits. Barrichello said Thursday that ''everybody is in a hurry to try to find the money'' to allow him to drive this season. He says there are only ''minor details'' to be discussed but the move still remains up in the air. The 39-year-old Brazilian says it would be a great challenge to drive on an oval circuit. Barrichello says in an interview with SporTV that he hasn't completely closed the door on F1. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:46:36 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/barrichello_seeking_sponsors_for_indycar_move/9844039 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/barrichello_seeking_sponsors_for_indycar_move/9844039 Barrichello seeking sponsors for IndyCar move http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/barrichello_seeking_sponsors_for_indycar_move/9844039 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/e/a/eab3c276cae122efe14dc6c11784f074f41d8a61/mini/Sports_News_61be.jpg When Kasey Kahne lands in Daytona next week for SpeedWeeks at Daytona International Speedway, he will be apart of something he has never gotten the chance to enjoy–to be apart of a championship team. “I think everywhere I go I’m going to be pretty darned excited,” Kahne said Tuesday during a media teleconference. “But definitely Daytona, as big of a race as the 500 is, and all of us want to win that race so bad. Kahne being excited is a big deal as he is one of the few drivers on the track that is known for being quiet. “To come down there with Hendrick Motorsports, a team that’s won the race, I mean, it’s just awesome. I look forward to that,” Kahne said. Heading into the 2012 season, Kahne finally has a solid foundation with Hendrick Motorsports and couldn’t be happier. “Oh, man, stability — that’s a great word,” he said. “Good word to hear. I have four years here, and I know it’s going... Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:00:19 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/stability_is_the_name_of_the_game_for_kasey_kahne/9839581 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/stability_is_the_name_of_the_game_for_kasey_kahne/9839581 Stability is the Name of the Game for Kasey Kahne http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/stability_is_the_name_of_the_game_for_kasey_kahne/9839581 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/8/4863671994b2ea29835390eecaa16580013abcb2/mini/GettyImage.ashx_url_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f93262850.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D07CFF9D96331E5EAA80C701BA0D6F304554756118114B7E12.jpg SUBWAY® restaurant chain, the world’s largest restaurant chain, has expanded its successful partnership with Carl Edwards and Roush Fenway Racing from the primary sponsor of the No. 99 Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for three races in 2011 to six races starting in 2012.  The multi-year partnership also includes four additional races as a major associate sponsor and becoming the Official Training Restaurant of Carl Edwards and Roush Fenway Racing.    “Carl has been a fan of our brand and our sweet onion chicken teriyaki sandwich for a long time,” said Tony Pace, Sr. Vice President, Global Chief Marketing Officer at SUBWAY® Franchisee Advertising Fund.  “He and Roush Fenway Racing are great partners and proven winners. We look forward to Carl chasing his goal of a championship in 2012.”   The first race this year for the No. 99 SUBWAY® Ford will be March 4 in the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ at Phoenix International Raceway; returning to the track March 25, at Auto Club Spe... Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:15:33 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/subway_expands_partnership_with_edwards_and_roush_fenway/9838681 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/subway_expands_partnership_with_edwards_and_roush_fenway/9838681 Subway Expands Partnershi​p with Edwards and Roush Fenway http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/subway_expands_partnership_with_edwards_and_roush_fenway/9838681 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Brad Keselowski will be driving the No. 19 Brad Keselowski Racing RAM Truck in the season-opening NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 24th.  Brad Keselowski has been an active participant in the banter between NASCAR drivers and fans on Twitter.  As part of that he wanted to further engage his fans and followers on Twitter in the real sense of Truck racing. “During the off-season, I have been putting a lot of thought into how to further engage with the fans,” said Keselowski.  “Social media and Twitter in particular, is an important tool for NASCAR, for the drivers, and for the sponsors.” He held a contest where fans on Twitter could follow Brad @keselowski and some of his sponsors @ReeseTowpower and @CooperStandard on Twitter then retweet an entry with the first 5000 being selected on the truck.  As shown in the picture they are on the deck lid.  Ten additional lucky fans will be prominently featuring five on each side of the... Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:01:20 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/brad_keselowski_is_engaging_twitter_fans_with_his_camping_world_truck_series_entry_for_daytona/9834007 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/brad_keselowski_is_engaging_twitter_fans_with_his_camping_world_truck_series_entry_for_daytona/9834007 Brad Keselowski is Engaging Twitter Fans with his Camping World Truck Series Entry for Daytona http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/brad_keselowski_is_engaging_twitter_fans_with_his_camping_world_truck_series_entry_for_daytona/9834007 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/5/65750376a72587264798b6d7522ccbee3598ec98/mini/GettyImage.ashx_url_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f99569167.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921A343B2C87A49D8F50012563902C802240670F575C1D197A3ED3859E7469A3D6F.jpg Michael Schumacher set the fastest pace on the second day of Formula One preseason testing Wednesday at the Jerez Circuit track. The German driver, entering the final year of his F1 comeback, used Mercedes' car from last year to clock an early morning lap of 1 minute, 18.561 seconds. Schumacher says ''it was a good and productive test, full of lots of useful information, and I am now looking forward to driving our 2012 car for the first time at the next test.'' While Schumacher used last year's car to try out the new Pirelli tires, Mark Webber came in second at 0.623 seconds behind driving Red Bull's new 2012 vehicle. Daniel Ricciardo of Toro Rosso was third, while Kimi Raikkonen was fifth after having the fastest lap on day one. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:24:53 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/schumacher_paces_f1_field_in_test/9828295 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/schumacher_paces_f1_field_in_test/9828295 Schumacher paces F1 field in test http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/schumacher_paces_f1_field_in_test/9828295 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/1/8/18416bee9ff37dd2f10d4d9a281f50971cab9a9c/mini/F1_Testing_in_df59.jpg The Chevrolets of Richard Childress Racing are featured in this installment of Sports-at-Work's series of 2012 Sprint Cup team previews. After placing three out of three teams in the Chase in 2010, only one of the four RCR entries made the postseason in 2011. Richard Childress is hoping that less will prove to be more this season, as Clint Bowyer moves on to Michael Waltrip Racing and the team pares down to three teams in 2012. Kevin Harvick should lead the way for RCR, and if veteran Jeff Burton can bounce back and Paul Menard continues to improve, placing all three of the organization's cars in the Chase will be a real possibility. Paul Menard - #27 Sam Salo: The good news about Menard's 2011 was the Brickyard win and the associated pomp and circumstance. The bad news is that Menard didn't quite emerge as the dark horse Chase contender that many had predicted. Early on, 2011 looked like the breakthrough year was forming, but summer struggles ended up leading ... Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:20:57 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/richard_childress_racing_2012_team_preview/9827203 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/richard_childress_racing_2012_team_preview/9827203 Richard Childress Racing 2012 Team Preview http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/richard_childress_racing_2012_team_preview/9827203 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/f/e/fe5f70181b6a1b81daff774a3c2d58fff62954e1/mini/amp-energy-500.jpg 2012 Team Preview: Richard Petty Motorsports Owners: Andy Murstein, Richard Petty, Doug Bergeron Drivers: Marcos Ambrose and Aric Almirola (Ambrose finished 19th in the Cup standings in 2011; Almirola finished fourth in the Nationwide Series.) Crew chiefs: Todd Parrott (Ambrose), Greg Erwin (Almirola) Key offseason changes: RPM lost the Best Buy sponsorship and, consequently, rising star AJ Allmendinger. RPM also elected not to renew the contract of vice president of operations Robbie Loomis. Overview: After a tumultuous 2010 season, RPM attempted to regain its footing under new ownership and a reduction from four teams to two. While the company was able to retain the Stanley Tool sponsorship for the No. 9 Ford, the loss of Best Buy (which had been with the organization since its 2009 reorganization) to Roush Fenway Racing proved costly. Certainly, RPM will benefit from losing Loomis' reported seven-figure salary and the duo of director of operations Sammy Johns and technical director Dr. Eric Warren can pick up the slack. Ambrose starts his second season with the No. 9 team. With Parrott at the helm, Ambrose's statistics showed dramatic improvement in his first season at RPM. Not only did he earn his first win and post five top-five and 12 top-10 finishes, Ambrose improved his position in the points standings by seven spots and was on target to finish 17th before an engine failure in the season finale at Homestead. Ambrose also posted a career-best 17.5 average starting position which contributed to an average finish of 18.3, also a career mark, in his third full season on the tour. Almirola rejoins RPM following a five-race stint in 2010, when he subbed for Kasey Kahne, who opted out early for Red Bull Racing. Almirola's fifth start with the team resulted in a career-high fourth-place finish. Most recently, Almirola competed for JR Motorsports in his first full season in the Nationwide Series and finished fourth in the points standings. Fourth was also the best finish Almirola could muster among his seven top-five Nationwide finishes. Although Almirola, 27, has 35 Cup starts, he did not compete in the series last year. To get him up to speed, Almirola will have veteran crew chief Erwin, who worked wonders with Allmendinger after arriving in July. The Erwin-Allmendinger pair nearly made the Chase for the Sprint Cup but settled for 15th in points. RPM has beefed up both pit crews in the offseason, and each group will alternate servicing the No. 43 Nationwide Series car with driver Michael Annett. RPM will also continue to benefit from its alliance with Roush Fenway Racing. Prediction: RPM suffers from a lack of direction with its absentee ownership and sponsorship. Although Smithfield Foods adds its support to the No. 43 Ford this season, that car is far from being completely sold. If the funding holds out, then this organization should be able to maintain a weekly top-20 presence. However, both teams must work together to maximize what they lack in size. Certainly Ambrose can help Almirola with his road-course program and Almirola can improve Ambrose's restrictor-plate prowess. Ambrose's commitment to NASCAR has been questioned in the past. Is the 35-year-old Australian just spinning his wheels before he returns home to raise his children Down Under? Time will tell, but in order for this company to reach the next level, there must be continuity. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:42:12 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/petty_team_brings_different_look_in_12/9826264 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/petty_team_brings_different_look_in_12/9826264 Petty team brings different look in '12 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/petty_team_brings_different_look_in_12/9826264 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/8/6819cd951823cd8ff73e932ec20ad5254959bb25/mini/GettyImage.ashx_url_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f98969903.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921A343B2C87A49D8F552655D1FE0CCE9BAB5C0E3817B450649F52F0D3731987026.jpg 2012 Team Preview: Richard Childress Racing Owner: Richard Childress (100 career wins, six career Sprint Cup championships) Drivers: Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard and Jeff Burton (finished third, 17th and 20th, respectively, in 2011) Crew chiefs: Shane Wilson (Harvick), Slugger Labbe (Menard), Drew Blickensderfer (Burton) Key offseason changes: For the second time in three seasons, RCR has downsized from four Cup teams to three with the departure of Clint Bowyer and a reduction in support from General Mills. However, the No. 33 team will not be inactive for long as a variety of drivers fill the seat before the anticipated full-time arrival of Childress' grandson Austin in 2013. RCR also acquired the teams and assets from Kevin Harvick Inc. to expand the Nationwide and Camping World Truck series side of the roster. Last fall, director of competition Scott Miller parted ways with the company and was replaced by technical director of competition Kent Day. Overview: RCR has always performed better as a three-car Cup operation. And Harvick is at the top of his game. At 36, he has shed the responsibility of operating KHI and can concentrate solely on winning the Sprint Cup championship. After finishing third in the points standings for two consecutive seasons, Harvick has to be considered the frontrunner for the title. Here's why: The No. 29 team has solid backing from Budweiser and the addition of Wilson as crew chief will provide Harvick with a fresh perspective moving forward. Harvick has won seven races and posted 25 top-five and 45 top-10 finishes in the past two seasons. Although Harvick has spent multiple weeks at the top of the points standings, similar to Kyle Busch, he has had difficulty maintaining that position in the postseason. Alleviating the distraction of KHI, which was a perennial contender in both Nationwide and Truck competition, should help him tremendously when the Chase for the Sprint Cup rolls around. He won't feel the need to bounce between both garages. Harvick inherited the top RCR pit crew from the No. 33 team during the 2011 season, and rear tire carrier Aaron Schields and jackman Jason Hunt have joined the effort from Burton's crew. So, expect his over-the-wall effort to be stout. For the first time in Menard's career, he has had a true opportunity to exhibit his talent at the Cup level. With RCR's resources and under the direction of crew chief Labbe, Menard has proven he's much more than a gentleman racer. Menard has shown marked improvement since he was paired with Labbe in 2010. Coming off a breakthrough season that included Menard's first Sprint Cup victory -- in the Brickyard 400 -- and his best finish (17th) in the points standings, the No. 27 team has much to build on for 2012. Menard quadrupled his number of top fives (four) last year and led more laps (82) than he had in the five full seasons that he's been competing at the Cup level. Now the team must find a way to eliminate finishes outside of the top 20. Menard showed during the Chase last season that with finishes of 20th or better, he can make substantial gains in the standings. In the final 10 races, his average finish of 16th vaulted the team from 23rd to 17th in points. After nearly a decade climbing the ladder at Roush Fenway Racing, Blickensderfer joins RCR as Burton's crew chief. Burton, 44, was in desperate need of a fresh start after experiencing his worse finish in the points standings since 1995. Of course, the No. 31 Chevrolet was plagued by three engine failures and crew chief Todd Berrier was replaced by engineer and aspiring crew chief Luke Lambert 19 races into the season. Burton, who has never been a strong qualifier, had difficulty moving forward, with an average start of 20.7. He led only 94 laps for the year. Burton has asked Blickensderfer to be brutally honest in areas that need improvement. No doubt Blick, the son of a basketball coach, will crack the whip when he sees fit. The pair are testing together for Goodyear at Texas Motor Speedway this week and will join the other Richard Childress Racing teams at Nashville on Monday and Tuesday for a full company test. Burton has inherited the crew that pitted Bowyer late last season for his 2012 effort. Prediction: Whether you believe in numerology or not, RCR has always performed stronger as a three-car operation. With Harvick leading the flagship team, RCR is looking at its best opportunity to win a championship since "Happy" assumed the driving duties from the late Dale Earnhardt in the renumbered No. 29 Chevrolet in 2001. And he'll have strong support from the Nos. 27 and 31 teams, which both have solid shots at being Chase contenders. With three fully subsidized Cup programs, Childress has a firm foundation for RCR and for the advancement of the future racing endeavors of his grandsons, Austin and Ty Dillon. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:59:55 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/3_seems_to_be_magic_number_at_rcr/9817060 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/3_seems_to_be_magic_number_at_rcr/9817060 3 seems to be magic number at RCR http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/3_seems_to_be_magic_number_at_rcr/9817060 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/f/e/fe5f70181b6a1b81daff774a3c2d58fff62954e1/mini/amp-energy-500.jpg Jeff Burton seldom shies from offering his opinion. Straightforward and honest in assessing everything from NASCAR rule changes to the caliber of his own team, Burton refuses to soften his characterization of his 2011 Sprint Cup season. It was a year in which the Richard Childress Racing driver not only went winless, but fell to 20th in the standings -- his worst career performance since his sophomore 1995 season. It was the kind of performance that can upset and unbalance a team -- but one that Burton is intent to make sure doesn't happen again. So he enters the 2012 season with a new crew chief, Drew Blickensderfer -- interim Luke Lambert has moved to Elliott Sadler's championship-contending Nationwide Series effort at RCR -- and a renewed diligence when it comes to being up on everything happening within his own team. Last year, he dismisses as simply unrepeatable. "If anybody around me thinks last year was acceptable, they need to go somewhere else," Burton said, "because last year, it was embarrassing, to be quite honest. "We can't run like that. "You're going to have years that are bad years; that's just sports. But when you're in the midst of it, it's not acceptable. And I feel like we've done the things necessary to turn it around. I really do." As Burton himself has often said about other competitors, he didn't just forget how to drive. Clearly, a lot of factors were at play in the struggles of 2011. They were clearly a deviation from his normal level of performance. Burton has eight career top-10 points finishes, the most recent in 2008. He has 21 career wins and has 242 top-10 finishes, 130 of them top fives, in the Cup series. In 2000, when he finished third in the standings driving for Roush Fenway Racing, he was looked to as a driver ready to break out and challenge for the title in the coming season. When his Roush Fenway team lost sponsorship and the organization suffered a drop-off overall in performance in 2004, Burton made a late-season move to RCR. That team was also in the midst of struggles, but Burton helped buoy the effort. Soon, the group was putting three drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Teammate Kevin Harvick has finished third in the standings in each of the past two seasons. Burton, meanwhile, led the standings in 2010 before setbacks pushed him to 12th overall. Last year, his team reached a new level of struggle, though, as it earned only five top-10 finishes, two of them top fives. This year, Burton is focused on changing that. His intensity and competitive fire have not dimmed over the years, not at all. "Jeff's desire and ability is as high as it's ever been," Blickensderfer said. So is his ability to build a team. Burton twice has helped build struggling organizations back to prominence. Can he do so again with his own team this year? Blickensderfer sees all the passion the driver brings, the work ethic and his willingness to dig in and continue to learn about the car -- and has faith that this team can quickly turn things around. "The thing that really turned me on about Jeff was he's always optimistic," he said. "He looks at tomorrow as the grass is going to be greener tomorrow and the sun's going to be brighter tomorrow, and that's what you want from your race-car driver. I mean, there's going to be days when your race cars don't handle very well, and I want him to go home on Friday night, have confidence in us and our team that it's going to be better tomorrow. And that's what I see in Jeff. "He's definitely going to be optimistic. He wants to do good, and the passion he has to win a championship is greater than anything I've ever seen from any other driver. He really, really wants to perform at this high level." So much so that Burton is going back to the basics. He's going back to racing the way that has always worked best for him. He recognizes how far his team has slipped in recent years. And while he plays an active role in all aspects of his group, he plans to get more involved this year. Burton, always more of a hands-on racer than some, plans to dig back in and learn everything he can about his car this year. He doesn't cast blame for the setbacks of the past -- but plans to help rebuild things this time. "It's not fair to (my crew chief) or me, to say, 'OK I'm a good driver, you've just got to make it so I can drive it.' That's not fair to either one of us," Burton said. "I've got to be part of that. Now to do that, I've got to be more involved, I've got to understand more about what's going on, I'm going to have to get more technical, but that's OK. I've done a lot of things this winter to understand more about what's going on, and that's how I want it. I want to be part of it. "If we don't run well Sunday, I want to go home, not mad because other people around me aren't smart enough, I want to go home mad because I was part of not being smart enough. I'm better off doing that." All of those are steps he sees as necessary as he tries to get back on track, to once more become a weekly factor in the races. Burton clearly was not only displeased with the setbacks of 2011 but is doing everything he can to make sure those don't happen again. He's not willing to sit back and just watch the team make changes -- such as adding Blickensderfer -- and hope those will turn things around. He is diligently working to make himself part of the solution. And that could pay off for everyone in the group. "We need to win races," Burton said. "It still bothers me how many races we didn't win the year before last. I've never before in my career had so many chances to win races and not win them, and that's something I always took pride in. There's people that have won more races than me, but if you go back and look at the races I won, when I got in position to win them, I won most of them. There's some I lost, but most positions I got in, I won. In 2010, was just, I'm still mad about it. . . . "I want to win a championship. I want to win in the worst way. If you can't win championships, then you at least want to be winning races. But I want to do both. "We need to become relevant again. You become relevant by leading races, by winning races and by contending for championships. Last year, I felt like I was an outsider. You walk up, there's a group of drivers talking and you don't even stop. You go well, 'They're talking about something I can't talk about right now.' And I don't like that feeling." Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:59:54 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/burton_intent_on_return_to_form_in_12/9817045 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/burton_intent_on_return_to_form_in_12/9817045 Burton intent on return to form in '12 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/burton_intent_on_return_to_form_in_12/9817045 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/b/7/b7e88099fad9652a2c0fe90ea01e6d60139a8aaa/mini/GettyImage.ashx_url_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f96421712.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921A343B2C87A49D8F5F67C89DBD09DBFC2FD2C3C6B759B66322E93469FC088B7DD.jpg Kyle Busch has enjoyed his offseason. He has done some racing, including winning the CRA Super Series Speedfest 200 once more. He hung out at the Super Bowl and worked with his team to be even more competitive in 2012. He's cutting back his extracurricular racing within the confines of the NASCAR season, as well, slowing in his pursuit of overall wins in order to focus his energies on taking the Sprint Cup title home. Will this be his year? No one doubts that Busch has what it takes to be champion. An aggressive driver with a talent for finding the small opening on the track and dashing through it, he has all the ingredients necessary to top the field. He has a solid relationship with his crew chief, the equipment needed to get the job done and a desire and determination that make him sometimes seem to will top finishes out of what could have been average days. Busch, at 26, could be poised for the greatest season of his career. He has made the Chase for the Sprint Cup in five of the past six seasons, with a career-best finish of fifth. He has won at least one race a season in each of his seven full-time Cup seasons. Overall, he has 23 wins in the Cup ranks (as well as a record-setting 51 in Nationwide and 30 in the Camping World Truck series). And he has shown the ability to learn from his mistakes, something evident in his reaction to an outburst that cost him a chance to race at Texas Motor Speedway last fall when Busch crashed out Ron Hornaday, causing NASCAR to park Busch for not only that Truck race, but also the ensuing Nationwide and Sprint Cup events. Now, refreshed and relaxed, Busch is ready for another run at that elusive title. Will cutting back his driving schedule aid his Cup run? "Certainly, it all relates to one another," Busch said. "It's all circumstantial upon something else. I think running less races is also a conditioning tool. I've been working really hard in the offseason in doing some things, and running less races will also help that, but just being more focused and just trying to operate more on a level field with (crew chief) Dave (Rogers) and how much he works and how hard he works, and I've got to do the same." It's a mere guess what impact cutting back his schedule will really have -- until the season is well under way. After all, Busch has long proven that he can excel while doing both and is an owner of his Camping World Truck and Nationwide series programs. Still, he wants to be champion. And to get there, he's willing to give this a shot. So is crew chief Rogers. He, too, sees the benefit of both approaches to racing. Like Busch, he's waiting to see the full impact of the change for 2012. "Each year, Kyle gets older and older and he gets more mature and more dedicated," Rogers said. "I think he rededicates himself every offseason, and he's made some personal decisions this year to free up more time for him to focus on the Cup program and help us get to where we want to be. I think he's doing a good job of it. "I think cutting out some of the Nationwide races and taking a step back -- he's done some other things at (KBM) to hire some really good people. . . . He's hired some really good people that can give that company direction with a little less involvement from him. The less time he has to spend at KBM working on that deal, the more time he has for Joe Gibbs Racing and the 18, and I think that is going to add up at the end of the year." Busch is also continuing to work on balancing those two sides of racing -- focusing that intensity and drive to win without letting the frustration of a setback spill over. It's a balance all drivers work to find throughout their careers. Busch recognizes that as well as anyone. Last season, after being parked for the Truck race incident at Texas, Busch finished 12th overall in the points standings. This year, he's chasing more. "I've had a lot of fans, whether it's been in meeting them in person or seeing them on Twitter or whatever -- they all tell you, 'Don't change anything -- we love the way you are and keep that attitude.' At the end of the day, it doesn't seem like me not changing anything is helping anything," Busch said. "I have to change something, I just have to figure out what that is and make it work for me." Being an aggressive driver has, more often than not, paid off for Busch. It's netted him wins and fans, showing just how much talent he brings to the sport. Rogers doesn't expect that aggression to taper off, just for Busch to continue his natural progression as a more mature driver. And that, combined with his new schedule, could make Busch even more capable than ever of challenging for that Cup title. "I think it would be terrible for our sport if Kyle changed all together," Rogers said. "There's some things we all love about him. Some boo, some cheer, but everyone loves the fact that he gets out of the car and does his bow. That's Kyle Busch, and that makes NASCAR NASCAR. He's matured; he's definitely matured. We talked about it, and each year he's done a little bit of growing up. Last year, we were talking about his wedding. This year, we can talk about the end of the season. "All of us were young kids at some point. All of us made mistakes. Hopefully, most of us learned. Kyle's a very intelligent person. He's had a lot of consequences to deal with for his mistakes. He's gone through a lot of remorse, and I think in the end it's going to make him a better person and he's going to make better decisions based on it. We're still going to have Rowdy Busch driving our race car, and I wouldn't have it any other way." Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:26:29 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/busch_cutting_schedule_not_intensity/9812572 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/busch_cutting_schedule_not_intensity/9812572 Busch cutting schedule, not intensity http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/busch_cutting_schedule_not_intensity/9812572 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/0/60e25be3afa6dae94805157919dfb0cb43b53709/mini/price-chopper-400.jpg Kimi Raikkonen's Formula One comeback with Lotus started perfectly when the former world champion was fastest on the first day of preseason testing. The Finnish driver and 2007 F1 champion marked his first official ride since the end of 2009 with a lap time of 1 minute, 19.670 seconds at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain on Tuesday. Raikkonen edged Force India's Paul di Resta and Nico Rosberg of Mercedes, with constructors' champion Red Bull beginning its campaign with a fourth-place run by Mark Webber, who trailed Raikkonen by more than eight-tenths of a second. McLaren driver Jenson Button was eighth ahead of Felipe Massa of Ferrari, while Spanish outfit HRT ran on the first test day for the first time in its third season on the grid. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:06:36 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/raikkonen_marks_return_with_fastest_test_session/9809839 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/raikkonen_marks_return_with_fastest_test_session/9809839 Raikkonen marks return with fastest test session http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/raikkonen_marks_return_with_fastest_test_session/9809839 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/2/421d0b35fb15989e2b5c9157e3f062ce242f881a/mini/F1_Grand_Prix_f32f.jpg 2012 Team Preview: Roush Fenway Racing Owners: Jack Roush and John Henry (125 career wins, two career championships) Drivers: Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle (finished second, fourth and 16th, respectively, in 2011) Crew chiefs: Bob Osborne (Edwards), Jimmy Fennig (Kenseth), Matt Puccia (Biffle) Key offseason changes: For the first time since 1997, Roush Fenway Racing is running fewer than four full-time Sprint Cup teams as the flagship No. 6 Ford will only run in limited races this season. Because of a lack of sponsorship, the RFR workforce has been downsized by more than 100 employees. Overview: From a competition standpoint, Roush Fenway Racing has nothing to complain about with two of its three cars finishing in the top four in the points standings. However, the stark reality that one of NASCAR's top operations has shrunk from 10 fully sponsored teams in 2008 to barely three full-time Cup cars and a defending championship Nationwide Series program supported out of the owner's pocket is quite a change. Edwards and Osborne comprise one of the elite partnerships in the sport. However, the No. 99 team fell short in executing multiple wins, which certainly factored into the team's runner-up finish in points to Tony Stewart last year. Stewart put Edwards away with five victories in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Roush Fenway Racing has prided itself in consistency with points racing throughout the years, but as NASCAR gears its system with an emphasis on winning, teams such as the No. 99 will need to reinvent themselves. This team is strong enough to take the necessary chances to win early in the season when there's ample time to recover in the points. The good news for 2012 is Edwards won't have to worry about contract negotiations distracting himself, his team or the rest of the organization. Kenseth, the only former champion on the Roush Cup roster, was a contender in the Chase until he tangled with Brian Vickers at Martinsville Speedway. The No. 17 boasted its best season since 2006, when Kenseth scored four wins and finished second in the points standings. Kenseth led the Roush contingent in 2011 with three wins and continued to solidify his relationship with Fennig -- a throwback crew chief of the Robbie Reiser mold. Although it's difficult to believe that the driver once referred to as "Matt the Brat" turns 40 this season, he remains on top of his game. This season will be no different. Biffle missed the Chase in 2011 for the fourth time in seven seasons. Early in the year, the No. 16 Ford was plagued with problems in the pits, particularly with the new closed-loop fuel system. By the halfway point of the season, the 41-year-old Roush veteran demanded a crew chief change and Greg Erwin was replaced by engineer and former Nationwide crew chief Puccia in July. Although Biffle has complete confidence in Puccia, his statistics did not improve dramatically except with qualifying. Biffle scored three poles in the final 14 races, proving his cars had plenty of speed. However, the end results could not vault the former Truck and Nationwide series champ into the top 15 in the points standings by the end of the season, and an engine failure in the finale exacerbated the problem. Having the opportunity to get acquainted with Puccia last year should allow Biffle to hit the ground running for SpeedWeeks. Also, Biffle's pit crew issues have been addressed and will have a new look this season. With Roush's aging driver roster, Nationwide racers Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne are waiting in the wings for an opportunity to take that next step into the Sprint Cup Series. Stenhouse, who has been marked as the future of Roush, will run the No. 6 Ford in the Daytona 500, but a lack of sponsorship will limit his opportunity to gain seat time in Cup. If RFR hopes to hold on to this hotshot, the marketing/sales group better bring its A game to the table or Stenhouse or his former USAC team owner, Stewart, will be waiting. Prediction: Roush Fenway Racing remains one of the top organizations in NASCAR. Expect Edwards and Kenseth to pick up where they left off in 2011. These drivers and their teams continue to be perennial contenders, and that should not change. Biffle has the security of the 3M sponsorship (the closest example of a full-time primary at RFR) for the next three years and can concentrate on joining his teammates for the postseason. The competition side of the company understands the necessity of returning to a four-car operation to compete against the other juggernauts in NASCAR. And RFR is expected to reinforce its sales staff for 2012. At this juncture, sponsorship results will be every bit as crucial to the success of this organization as are the results on the track. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:16:53 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_edwards_should_challenge_again/9807607 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_edwards_should_challenge_again/9807607 Kenseth, Edwards should challenge again http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/kenseth_edwards_should_challenge_again/9807607 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/6/66c14864988a50f8cdc84da8fce9c8b29d8f06d2/mini/NASCAR_Sprint_Cup_e1ca.jpg Entering their ninth season with Richard Childress Racing driver Paul Menard, PEAK® Performance announced today the No. 27 Chevrolet will sport an exciting and electric look during 2012 Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway. Expanding on their hood sponsorship of the Menards Chevrolet, PEAK has redesigned the No. 27 Impala to be completely adorned with the signature "PEAK blue" and "Menards yellow" as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series kicks off the season with the 54th running of the "Great American Race" on February 26. The special paint scheme will also be showcased in the Budweiser Shootout on February 18 and the Duel 150 qualifying race on February 23. "PEAK has been a great partner to work with over the years," commented Menard. "This year, to kick off the season at Daytona with a little extra punch, PEAK decided to run a vastly different paint scheme on the No. 27 Chevrolet. There is always a special energy going into Day... Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:49:12 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/menards_chevrolet_changes_its_colors_for_daytona_speedweeks/9795523 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/menards_chevrolet_changes_its_colors_for_daytona_speedweeks/9795523 Menards Chevrolet Changes its Colors for Daytona Speedweeks http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/menards_chevrolet_changes_its_colors_for_daytona_speedweeks/9795523 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/7/57852bfbc97e0163033d33449ede8f4fa8e795d4/mini/Checker_OReilly_Auto_b0ad.jpg