“STP 300”
JOLIET, ILLINOIS- The
Nationwide Series ran their eighteenth race of the season at the Chicagoland
Speedway. The race was scheduled for 200 laps on the 1.5 mile track. The Pole
Sitter was Sam Hornish Jr. (12), with Elliott Sadler (11) starting second. This
was the third of four races, involved in the “Dash 4 Cash”. Brian Scott (2),
Austin Dillon (3), Brian Vickers (20) and Michael Annett (43) were the four
drivers who qualified last week to race for the extra $100K bonus in this race.
The top finisher among these four drivers will get that money, and qualify for
the final run for the bonus dollars at Indianapolis next weekend. There was
only one Cup Series driver in this race, being Joey Lagono (22).
During the opening
ceremonies, Glen Spoolstra provided the Invocation. Michael McDermott played a
guitar and sang the National Anthem. Nate Ellis was the Grand Marshall and
Justin Allgaier (31) was the In-Race Reporter. This is the one and only race
that is scheduled on a Sunday for the NNS. The attendance for this race was
extremely low, as the grandstands looked very empty.
It did not take long
for the first caution to fly, as Joey Gase (52) had an oil cooler belt blow off
his race car at the start of the race, bringing the caution out before he made
it 200 feet past the start/finish line, as the green flag was thrown.
The second caution came
out on lap 49, when Harrison Rhodes had an engine failure on track. During the
pit stops, the race leader who led every lap so far, was penalized for speeding
on pit road. Sam Hornish Jr. (12) was forced to restart in twentieth position.
The race ran clean to
the mid-race lap, with Elliott Sadler (11) leading the way. Green Flag stops
began just after the 100th lap, and after all was completed Austin
Dillon (3) was the new race leader. To this point, Sam Hornish Jr., Elliott
Sadler, Austin Dillon, Joey Lagono (22) and Kyle Larson (32) had led laps.
The third caution flew
near lap 118, when Travis Patrana (60) had a tire failure, that sent him into
the outside wall. The fourth caution was on lap 130, when Regan Smith (7) spun
out, sending his car across the grass of the infield.
On lap 170, Mike Bliss
(19) spun out on track for the fifth caution. Just a few laps later, on lap
178, Reed Sorenson (40) went up in smoke. There were only seventeen cars left
on the lead lap after the final race caution.
Joey Lagono (22) was
able to out race his teammate Sam Hornish Jr. (12) for the victory. The two
race cars looked identical, except for their car numbers. They both ran a full
yellow paint scheme with Hertz being the major sponsor. This gave Penske a
one-two finish.
Austin Dillon (3) was
the winner of the “Dash 4 Cash” bonus of $100K, for the second consecutive
weekend. He is now qualified for the bonus next week at Indianapolis, along
with Elliott Sadler (11), Sam Hornish Jr. (12) and Brian Vickers (20). Elliott
Sadler won the first bonus, and Dillon has won the last two, with one
remaining.
The rest of the top ten
were: Austin Dillon (3), Elliott Sadler (11), Brian Vickers (20), Parker
Kligerman (77), Trevor Bayne (6), Justin Allgaier (31), Brad Sweet (5) and
(33).
Sam Hornish Jr. (12)
now has the points lead over previous leader Regan Smith (7), by seven points.
The next race will be
Indianapolis on ESPN, Saturday at 4 PM EST.
