Bliss, Speed race into Daytona 500 and lock in Waltrip

Mike Bliss and Scott Speed were the two highest finishing drivers from outside the top 35 in points and they transfer into the Daytona 500. Since Speed will not need to fall back on his time, that also locks in Michael Waltrip—who had the fifth fastest time in qualification.

Our View Speed and Waltrip should be considered solid dark horses for the 500.

Play Yahoo! fantasy racing

More Cup newsbreakers

Bliss crashes and takes out contenders in 150s Practice 2

At the 15 minute mark of the second practice for the Gatorade 150s, Mike Bliss spun by himself at the exit of turn four and collected Joey Logano. In the aftermath, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin also sustained some damage.

Our View Bliss and Logano will certainly have to go to backups. Johnson—who ran into the back of Hamlin in the stack up—will probably be able to make repairs. Hamlin's damage is also minimal.

Kyle Busch was nearly involved, but he made a masterful move around Logano and Bliss.

Update: Apparently the damage was greater than we thought: Johnson will have to go to a backup.

Play Yahoo! fantasy racing

More Cup newsbreakers

Burton slams wall in active Texas practice 1

Jeff Burton slammed the wall after a power steering line broke in the first practice session for the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Burton was one of more than a half dozen drivers who hit or scrapped the wall in this session.

Our View Burton's damage was the most significant, however, and he will roll out a back up car. "Go-or-go-home" driver Mike Bliss in the No. 09 also had to go to his second car.

More Cup newsbreakers
Official tweets from the track

Lowe's Pit stall selections

Jayski has posted the pit stall selections for the NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway and, as expected pole sitter Jimmie Johnson has the last box exiting pit road.

Our View Mark Martin, Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth are the other drivers with an opening in front of them. Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Mike Bliss in the No. 71 this week have openings behind them.

As well as he qualified and as strong as he ran in the Nationwide race, Bliss should try to run the distance. If he "starts and parks," however, Bobby Labonte inherits an opening as he is immediately ahead.

Complete List

More Cup newsbreakers
Coke 600 newsbreakers
Official tweets from the track

N'Wide: Bowyer wins at Dover

Kyle Busch dominated Dover early but Clint Bowyer had the right handle when it mattered most. He held off late-race charges by Busch, Mike Bliss and Brad Keselowski to win his second career race on the concrete high banks.

Our View In addition, Bowyer now has a seven-race top-10 streak there.

More Nationwide newsbreakers

Finch to run fulltime in 2010?

NASCAR has requested that James Finch field a fulltime car in 2010, according to Lee Spencer, which reveals that the economic situation is not expected to be any better next year and full fields will be hard to come by.

Our View From a competitive standpoint the start and park drivers—which has been Finch's role in most of this year's races—have been frustrating, but it limits fantasy owners choices and makes their job just that much easier.

More Cup newsbreakers
Autism Speaks 400 newsbreakers
Official tweets from the track

NASCAR N'Wide: Bliss out of No. 1

Mike Bliss is out of the No. 1 James Finch ride, according to televised reports by Speed TV. Ryan Newman will run the car this week at Watkins Glen.

Our View Bliss has been one of the best Nationwide Regulars all season, but he's suffered a series of bad luck in the last few weeks. Team chemistry is a fragile thing.

More Nationwide newsbreakers

N'Wide: Nashville Results

Finally, Kyle Busch won a race he dominated and scattered applause broke out in the grandstands. That was in stark contrast to the boos that usually accompany his victories, and then he tried to do a Rock Star impersonation in victory lane by smashing one of the most unique trophies in NASCAR—and may well have alienated those same fans. Busch doesn't mind, he loves being the villain.

Last year, when Brad Keselowski won his Sam Bass designed Gibson guitar, he fell asleep on the plan clutching it and he would probably have cherished this one as well, but he settled into second.

Only two Claim Jumpers were in the field, but they made the most of their long commute since Carl Edwards finished third.

Mike Bliss (fourth), Jason Leffler (fifth), and Stephen Leicht (sixth) were the only other drivers to finish on the lead lap.

Results, with average finish

Finish	Start	Driver	Laps	Laps Led	Status	Avg Fin
1	1	Kyle Busch	225	173	Running	15.38
2	10	Brad Keselowski	225	10	Running	14.67
3	6	Carl Edwards	225	1	Running	4.00
4	8	Mike Bliss	225	6	Running	12.36
5	12	Jason Leffler	225	26	Running	14.50
6	9	Stephen Leicht	225		Running	14.00
7	16	Steve Wallace	224		Running	14.25
8	3	Michael McDowell	224	1	Running	11.50
9	27	Erik Darnell	224	1	Running	9.00
10	4	Brad Coleman	224		Running	23.20
11	5	Scott Lagasse Jr	223		Running	10.50
12	35	Shelby Howard	223		Running	13.00
13	24	Justin Allgaier	223		Running	21.00
14	21	Bobby Hamilton Jr	223		Running	14.33
15	22	Burney Lamar	222		Running	13.00
16	28	Kenny Wallace	221	7	Running	15.38
17	43	Morgan Shepherd	221		Running	33.29
18	42	Danny O'Quinn Jr	219		Running	21.00
19	40	Tony Raines	219		Running	20.11
20	37	Brandon Whitt	218		Running	25.00
21	29	Robert Richardson	218		Running	29.25
22	30	Eric McClure	218		Running	30.38
23	18	Kevin Conway	213		Running	27.00
24	7	Brendan Gaughan	211		Running	20.50
25	38	Marc Davis	182		Electrical	25.00
26	11	Jason Keller	170		Running	15.25
27	31	Michael Annett	143		Running	23.00
28	2	Trevor Bayne	128		Accident	28.00
29	13	Sean Caisse	127		Accident	29.00
30	25	Brian Keselowski	127		Accident	35.50
31	15	Cale Gale	123		Accident	24.33
32	19	Ricky Stenhouse Jr	123		Accident	27.50
33	33	Scott Wimmer	79		Wheel	12.55
34	39	Kevin Lepage	64		Engine	26.67
35	26	Kertus Davis	30		Vibration	35.22
36	17	Willie Allen	16		Vibration	34.50
37	32	Kelly Bires	9		Quit	13.80
38	23	Johnny Chapman	8		Quit	39.25
39	41	Mike Harmon	4		Accident	37.67
40	34	Casey Atwood	4		Accident	22.25
41	36	Brad Baker	4		Accident	25.43
42	14	John Wes Townley	2		Accident	30.00
43	20	Mark Green	1		Quit	29.22
44		Justin Hobgood	0		Did Not Qualify	41.00
45		Daryl Harr	0		Did Not Qualify

More Nationwide Newsbreakers

N'Wide: Edwards fastest in Nashville practice 2

With rain cancelling Friday activities at Pocono, Carl Edwards made his way to Nashville Superspeedway and posted the fastest time in Happy Hour for the Federated Auto Parts 300.

Our View: Brad Coleman in a Gibbs' car, Steve Wallace, Mike Bliss and Sean Caisse in a Childress car rounded out the top five. Kyle Busch also made the long commute from Pocono, but he was only 12th fastest. Jason Leffler—who won the first session—clocked in eighth best on this chart.

Complete Practice Times

More Nationwide Newsbreakers

N'Wide: Four drivers do double duty

Four drivers in the Nationwide Heluva Good! 200 will also run in the AAA Insurance 200. They are Mike Bliss, Kyle Busch, Terry Cook and Scott Wimmer.

Our View: Practice makes perfect—and Busch will actually run the triple header with Sunday's Cup Autism Speaks 400.

N'Wide: Dover's last five races

If you're wondering why Roush-Fenway Racing has been so strong on Sundays lately, it's because they've been warming up on Saturday. Matt Kenseth didn't run either race last year, but his position atop the last five races average grid is significant nonetheless because it highlights the strength of the organization. Look a little further down the list and you will find Carl Edwards, who despite a 26th in fall 2006, still has a better than 10th-place average finish on the strength of one victory, a runner-up finish and four consecutive results of sixth or better. Cross reference that with his five consecutive top-fives in Cup, and you have found your favorite this week.

Clint Bowyer also swept the top-10 in Nationwide competition last year, and will be one of the strongest Cup "Claim Jumpers" in the field.

Mike Bliss was in the right place at the right time last week to win the rain-shortened Carquest Auto Parts 300, but he's been hovering around the head of the pack on a weekly basis. And he's likely to do so again with a second last fall and three top-10s in his last four starts at Dover. If he does not take top honors among the Nationwide regulars, chances are good that Brad Keselowski will. He's finished seventh or better in his last three starts on the concrete high banks in Delaware.

Results, last five years

Driver	Avg Finish	2008.2	2008.1	2007.2	2007.1	2006.2
Matt Kenseth	3.33			3	5	2
Casey Mears	4.00				4
Clint Bowyer	6.67	10	9			1
David Stremme	7.00	11	3
Carl Edwards	8.00	5	2	6	1	26
Mike Bliss	8.25	2	18	4	9
Denny Hamlin	10.00	6	1	1	2	40
Joey Logano	10.00	14	6
Greg Biffle	10.00		5	9	18	8
Michael Waltrip	10.00					10
Brad Keselowski	10.25	3	7	7	24
Kasey Kahne	11.00		10		12
Bobby Labonte	11.00			11
David Reutimann	11.50	17	4	10	15
Scott Wimmer	11.80	4	12	29	3	11
Kyle Busch	12.00	1	28			7
Scott Riggs	12.00					12
Reed Sorenson	12.67			5	27	6
Bobby Hamilton Jr	12.75	15	14	12	10
Todd Kluever	13.00					13
Kevin Harvick	13.75	28	17		7	3
Jason Keller	14.00	19	16	8	13
Juan Montoya	14.00				14
Dario Franchitti	15.00		15
Ken Schrader	15.00					15
Sterling Marlin	15.00			15
Jason Leffler	16.00	7	27	30	11	5
Josh Wise	16.00	13	19
Martin Truex Jr	16.00			2		30
Martin Truex Jr	16.00			2		30
Chase Miller	16.00			16
Ward Burton	17.00				17
J J Yeley	17.00				25	9
Mike Wallace	17.60	12	8	13	33	22
Jamie McMurray	18.00	8		40	20	4
Marcos Ambrose	18.00	16	30	20	6
Dave Blaney	18.33			23	16	16
Steve Wallace	18.80	18	11	22	22	21
Jeff Burton	19.00				19
John Andretti	19.00					19
Patrick Carpentier	20.00	20
Stacy Compton	20.00					20
Kevin Hamlin	21.00	21
Kenny Wallace	21.00	29	20			14
A J Allmendinger	21.00			21
Tony Raines	21.50			35	8
Casey Atwood	21.50			14		29
Regan Smith	21.50				26	17
Kelly Bires	22.00	34	13	19
Landon Cassill	22.67	25	25	18
Brandon Whitt	23.00	23
Sam Hornish Jr	23.00		23
D J Kennington	23.00				23
David Ragan	24.00	9	29	32	32	18
Tim McCreadie	24.00			24
Stanton Barrett	24.25	27	21	17		32
Ashton Lewis	25.00					25
Eric McClure	26.00	24	26	26	28
Auggie Vidovich	27.00					27
Kyle Krisiloff	27.50			34	21
Richard Johns	28.00			28
Tim Sauter	28.00					28
David Gilliland	29.00				29
Derrike Cope	29.67	32	24			33
Morgan Shepherd	30.00	22	22	38	38
John Wes Townley	30.00	30
Kevin Conway	30.00				30
Danny Efland	31.00	26		36
Scott Lagasse Jr	31.00	31
Jay Sauter	31.00					31
Travis Kvapil	31.00				31
Robby Gordon	31.00			31
Robert Richardson	31.50			27	36
Bryan Clauson	32.00	33	31
Johnny Sauter	32.00	40				24
Stephen Leicht	32.67			41	34	23
Brett Rowe	33.00		33
Carl Long	33.00			33
Donnie Neuenberger	35.00	43	34	25	39	34
Shane Hall	35.00					35
Larry Gunselman	36.00	36
Shane Huffman	36.50				37	36
Brad Coleman	37.00		32	42
Paul Menard	37.00					37
Marc Mitchell	37.00			37
Kertus Davis	38.00	37	36			41
Kevin Lepage	38.00	39	35		40
J C Stout	38.00		38
Jon Wood	38.00					38
Johnny Chapman	38.50	38	39
Burney Lamar	38.67	35	42			39
Brent Sherman	39.00			43	35
Brad Teague	39.50		37		42
Kenny Hendrick	40.50	41	40
Terry Cook	41.00		41
Mike Harmon	41.00		43	39
Jerick Johnson	41.00				41
Justin Hobgood	42.00	42
Sean Caisse	42.00					42
Chris Wimmer	43.00					43
Randy MacDonald	43.00				43
Dominick Casola	44.00		44

N'Wide: Bliss changes engine

Mike Bliss missed a shift in the first practice session for the Carquest Auto Parts 300 and will be forced to change an engine. He will join Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski at the back of the pack to start on Saturday.

Our View: Bliss was expected to be one of the top Nationwide Regulars, and this certainly doesn't improve his odds. Look for a solid but unspectacular run now.

Lowe's Cup entry list

The entry list for the Coca-Cola 600 has been posted and it features 46 cars for 43 slots.

Our View: In addition to the regulars, Bill Elliott will drive the No. 21, J.J. Yeley will drive the No. 41 Shana Mayfield entry, Mike Bliss will drive the No. 09 and David Starr will be in Trevor Boys' No. 06.

Nationwide regulars run strong at Darlington

A Cup veteran, Matt Kenseth may have won the Diamond Hill Plywood 200, but Nationwide Regulars acquitted themselves well. Jason Leffler finished second, rookie Erik Darnell was fourth, rookie Justin Allgaier was fifth, Mike Bliss was seventh and Scott Wimmer came home in 10th.

Our View: It's been quite some time before three Nationwide Regulars finished in the top five and since these drivers command a lower salary cap, fantasy owners got a lot of bang for their buck.

Pit stall selections

Jayski has posted the pit stall selections on his site. As expected, pole sitter Brian Vickers has the first stall before leaving pit road.

Our View: Races are won and lost in the pits, so if you have a close choice to make, Vickers, Jeff Gordon, and Mike Bliss have the best slots with an opening in front of them.

Bliss replaces Keselowski at Richmond

Mike Bliss will replace Brad Keselowski in the No. 09 this week. Tuesday's preliminary roster had the younger driver listed.

Our View: While we have been cautioning Keselowski all week about jumping series too soon, there is such a thing as momentum and the Young Gun had it. Bliss should not be as highly regarded in terms of his chances to finish among the top 15.