Joey Logano, driver of the #18 Dollar General Toyota, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series 5-hour Energy 200 at Dover International Speedway on June 2, 2012 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images)

While the feel good story at the start of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race was Ryan Truex, just 11 days from appendectomy surgery, starting on the front row. It was his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate that dominated on the track. Joey Logano captured his fourth win of the 2012 season, leading 147 of the scheduled 200 laps at the 1-mile concrete track. The win was his first career win at the track and his 13th overall victory in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Meanwhile the track’s mascot, Miles the Monster had his full share of cars to chew on. There were five cautions for wrecks including the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. On lap 27, Stenhouse spun his No. 6 Ford into the wall after getting lose and suffered extensive left front damage.

For the second week in a row, Stenhouse took a major hit in the NASCAR Nationwide Series point standings. While he returned on the track on lap 94, Stenhouse finished 32nd and fell to second in points, 12 behind Elliott Sadler, who finished seventh.

When asked about the single car incident, Stenhouse told ESPN “It was a driver error…I was just kind of riding around until the competition caution and got behind on the steering.”

Also involved in a wreck was Danica Patrick. On lap 133, Sam Hornish, Jr. got loose underneath Patrick, made contact with the driver of the No. 7 car that caused her to make contact with Brad Sweet(No. 38) and both hit the outside wall.

After the race, Danica Patrick spoke briefly to ESPN and said that this was a “bummer” and that she “hated to see her crew work so hard on the car after a wreck that wasn’t her fault.” She declined comment from the other media outlets and went straight into her No. 7 hauler.

This is the second time Patrick and Hornish have made contact with each other. Most recently, they were involved in an accident after the checkered flag at Talladega Superspeedway. Both drivers were warned, but no punishment was given by NASCAR.

The race winner, Joey Logano, was also involved in a wreck when on Lap 151 he spin Tim Bainey, Jr., a much slower lap down car. Rusty Wallace would comment on the wreck by saying “You have a gas pedal, you have a brake pedal, as a racer you need to learn both of them.” Following the wreck, Logano’s JGR teammate, Ryan Truex inherited the lead and appeared to be heading for Gatorade Victory Lane until five laps to go, Logano caught up with him.

In Gatorade Victory Lane, Logano said that the “lap car was not giving us enough room, and that he had no respect for the leader out there.” Could this be true or was Logano just being impatient?

The NASCAR Nationwide Series has an off-weekend next week and will return on June 16, 2012 at Michigan International Speedway for the Alliance Truck Parts 250. Coverage begins at 3:30PM EST on ABC.

Unoffiical Race Results:

1. Joey Logano
2. Ryan Truex
3. Brian Scott
4. Kurt Busch (MY RACE PICK)
5. Justin Allgaier
6. Austin Dillon
7. Elliott Sadler
8. Ty Dillon
9. James Buescher
10. Jeremy Clements
11. Michael Annett
12. Parker Kligerman
13. Sam Hornish, Jr.
14. Cole Whitt
15. Jason Bowles
16. Tayler Malsam
17. Jeff Green
18. Mike Wallace
19. Joe Nemechek
20. John Wes Townley
21. Jamie Dick
22. Josh Richards
23. Brad Sweet
24. TJ Bell
25. Brad Teague
26. Joey Gase
27. Erik Darnell
28. Tim Bainey Jr.
29. Morgan Shepherd
30. Danica Patrick
31. Timmy Hill
32. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
33. Mike Bliss
34. Mike Harmon
35. Matt Carter
36. Scott Rigg
37. Josh Wise
38. Scott Speed
39. Kevin Lepage
40. Tim Andrews
41. Blake Koch
42.  Matt DiBenedetto

Mark Martin, driver of the #55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway on June 2, 2012 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images)

Mark Martin backed up his fast practice lap from Friday to win the pole position for Sunday’s FedEx 400 at Dover International Speedway, beating Jimmie Johnson as the final car to make an attempt in Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying.

While he maybe running a very limited schedule with Michael Waltrip Raicng, Mark Martin is showing that no matter what your age is you can still compete with the “young guns” of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Martin, who was the fastest in practice on Friday afternoon, won his third pole award in 10 starts with Michael Waltrip Racing of the 2012 season, and his 54th career pole with a lap of 22.742 seconds, 158.297 mph. Martin was the final car to make a qualifying attempt for the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks, and beat Jimmie Johnson.

“Mark found five-thousandths. … Mark is one heck of a wheelman, and he continues to show it,” said Jimmie Johnson.

Fans can catch the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks on Sunday afternoon starting at 12:00pm EST on Fox. This will be the last race for the NASCAR on Fox gang, as the season moves over to TNT starting next week.

Starting Lineup:

Ryan Truex, driver of the #20 Grime Boss Toyota, poses with the Coors pPole award after qualifying for pole position for the NASCAR Nationwide Series 5-hour Energy 200 at Dover International Speedway on June 2, 2012 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)

On Tuesday, May 22, 2012 Ryan Truex, younger brother of Martin Truex, Jr., was rushed to the hospital with severe stomach pains. It was quickly determined by an ultrasound that he needed to have an emergency appendectomy. 8 days later it was announced that he was cleared by NASCAR to race in the 5-Hour Energy 200 at Dover International Speedway, the fifth race of his NASCAR Nationwide Series career.

Dover is an important track to the Truex family, as it is the closet track to their family and hometown of Mayetta, New Jersey.

Earlier on Saturday, Ryan Truex showed that he wasn’t going to let his healing from surgery get the best of him by capturing the Coors Light Pole Award for the 31st running of the 5-Hour Energy 200. Truex, who posted a lap of 23.264 seconds, 154.746 mph, won his first pole in 29 career NNS races

Ryan led an all Joe Gibbs Racing rush front row. His teammate, Joey Logano, will start second with a lap of 154.453 mph.

Fans can catch the 5-Hour Energy 200 from Dover International Speedway starting at 1:30 PM EST on ESPN.

Starting Lineup: 

Todd Bodine celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 200 at Dover International Speedway on June 1, 2012 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images for NASCAR)

The wait is over for Todd Bodine. Bodine, who waited out two red flags for rain, captured his first win of the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, and his first since 2012 at Dover International Speedway on Friday afternoon. However, it was Kevin Harvick, who was making a guest appearance in the series, who had the dominant truck but couldn’t get back up to the front to battle for the win after the first red flag.

“I’ve lost them this way. Now I’ve won one this way,” Bodine said after the race. “I’ll take it.”

The race, which was scheduled for 200 laps, was called with 57 laps to go.

Bodine’s race started off rocky when he lost control of his No. 11 Red Horse Raicng Toyota and blew his left-rear tire in the process. Bodine was able to capitalize on pit strategy.

Finally,” Bodine said after his 38-race winless streak came to an end. “We didn’t have the best Toyota Tundra today. [Crew chief] Rick [Gay] made a great call. I didn’t realize what he was trying to accomplish and how close we were on fuel, but it worked out. You don’t like to win this way, but you know what, I’ve lost them this way.”

Bodine became the sixth different winner in as many truck races this season, and became the 12th different winner in 13 races at the track. Kyle Busch, who is the only driver with multiple victories, did not compete in Friday afternoon’s event.

Charlotte Motor Speedway winner, Justin Lofton, left Dover with a one-point lead over Timothy Peters in the NCWTS point standings. Lofton entered the race with the same points margin over Peters.

Ty Dillon is third in points (-13), followed by James Buescher (-16), Parker Kligerman (-22) and today’s winner, Todd Bodine (-37).

The next race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is Friday, June 8, 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway. Coverage begins with the NCWTS Setup on SPEED at 8:30PM EST.

Kevin Harvick, driver of the #2 Tide Chevrolet, poses with the Keystone Light Pole award after qualifying for the pole position for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 200 at Dover International Speedway on June 1, 2012 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)

With a lap of 22.751 seconds, 158.235 mph, Kevin Harvick captured the Keystone Light Pole for the Lucas Oil 200 at Dover International Speedway on Friday. This is Harvick’s second pole of the season and his fourth pole in his NCWTS career.

Harvick, who won Happy Hour on Thursday at the 1-mile concrete track, edged his Richard Childress Racing teammate, Joey Coulter who posted a lap of 157.336 mph.

Coverage of the Lucas Oil 200 from Dover begins at 4:30PM EST on SPEED.

Starting Lineup:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 5, 2012. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)

With Jimmie Johnson already giving Hendrick Motorsports win number 200 at Darlington Raceway and Kasey Kahne winning the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway just last Sunday, all eyes are now on Dale Earnhardt, Jr to win again especially while the team as a whole has made progress.

Many do not known that my favorite driver is Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and no it isn’t because he is a pretty face. He can wheel a car, but the last few years just haven’t been on his side and no matter what I have been on his side.

With 12 races into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series(NSCS) schedule, NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver has been running consistently. In fact, if you look at the stats, he is on record to have one of the best seasons in his NSCS career.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who is currently fourth in point Read the rest of this entry »