DPR Sports & Racing News

 

The NASCAR Nationwide Series returns to Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis for the 30th annual Kroger 200 benefitting Riley Hospital for Children during another action packed racing season at the dynamic multipurpose racing facility.  The drag strip schedule will be highlighted by celebration of the 60th anniversary year of the NHRA during the running of the Mac Tools U. S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend.

The Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis oval schedule will be fortified by the return of USAC Thursday Night Thunder featuring the USAC Sprint Car Series six times during the summer.  From May through October, open wheel fans will be able to watch the stars of tomorrow race at one of the fan friendliest venues in the country.

New for 2011 on the oval will be the debut of the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards to the Kroger SpeedFest line-up.  On July 28th, the first night of Kroger SpeedFest, the USAC Midget Series, the J. D. Byrider 100 Silver Crown Series race and the ARCA Series will take to the Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis oval during the Thursday Night Triple Header.  On July 29th the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns for the running of the AAA Insurance 200.  The weekend concludes as the 30th annual Kroger 200 benefitting Riley Hospital for Children returns on July 30th.  For three decades NASCAR has called Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis home and has repeatedly been called one of the best NASCAR races in the country during the course of the year.     

Since 1951 the NHRA has been the leader in drag racing and during that time history has been created at tracks across the county.  History will once again be made as the stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series come to the track during the Mac Tools U. S. Nationals on August 31st through Sept. 5th.  Larry Dixon, Ashley Force Hood, Greg Stanfield and LE Tonglet will all look to defend their race wins when they return in 2011. 

Also returning to Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis will be the NHRA Spring Spectacle of Speed, Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event on April 29th through May 1st.  This event is always a great start to the drag racing season and features the wildly popular Alcohol Dragster and Alcohol Funny Cars.

New events on the drag strip include Friday Nite Rage, featuring heads-up grudge racing that has taken tracks by storm in the Midwest and South.  These nights will test racers in ‘run what you brung’ style racing with the fastest racer taking home the win.

Central Indiana drag racers will once again have the opportunity to race on the world famous drag strip during the course of the season.  The VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Racing Series, Wild Wednesday Street Legals and Slick Tire Test and Tunes will all take place during the year and will offer a chance for racers to compete at the facility.

Lucas Oil Raceway is on numerous social media sites search Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis on Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and the Twitter handle is @LucasOilRaceway.

Keselowski Wins final NASCAR Nationwide race at Lucas Oil Raceway

Photo By Dan Peters

The sun now has set at yet another Nostalgic American Race Track. Saturday night’s Nationwide Race was the last for Lucas Oil Raceway. Next Year, its all Brickyard for the Nationwide Series

Photo By Mark Rotor

For three quarters of the night, it was just “another race” for Brad Keselowski in the Kroger 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Lucas Oil Raceway. The defending series champion needed a bit of mayhem, and when he got that late in the race, it resulted in his second victory of the season.

Photo By Dan Peters

Keselowski, was a non-factor through the middle portion of an atypically unremarkable race at the .686-mile track, jumped ahead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on a green-white-checkered restart and cruised to a .987-second victory. The race went four laps beyond its scheduled 200.
 
"It’s a very special win being from Michigan," Keselowski said. "I’ve been coming to this racetrack for years. I’ve been to victory lane as a team guy and a mechanic but never a driver.  It’s so special to win here and win here in a Dodge."

Photo By Mark Rotor

A Photo Finish….
 
The battle for second place was so close that NASCAR officials had to review video. Several minutes after the race ended, second place was taken from Stenhouse and given to James Buescher, who had finished second in Friday night’s Camping World Truck Series race at the track.
 
It took several more minutes before officials finally announced Stenhouse had moved into first place in the standings—three points ahead of Reed Sorenson, who started the night as the leader and finished ninth Saturday.

Photo By Mark Rotor

From Calm to Mayhem.. it happens fast..at this short track.

But all of that was just the end of a chaotic final 25 laps. After a mild first 175 laps, in which only two yellow flags waved and in which Stenhouse led all but four laps, a wild crash occurred on Lap 177.

Michael Annett and Tim Andrews tangled and hit the wall in Turn 3. After their cars had spun to a stop, the car of Steve Wallace came in sideways at speed and slammed both stalled cars.
 
"Tried to accelerate away from those guys and got sideways," said Wallace, Annett’s Rusty Wallace Racing teammate.
 
"It was horrible," Annett said.
 
A red flag ensued.

Photo By Dan Peters

Six laps after the race restarted on Lap 184, Trevor Bayne, who was running second, blew an engine and oiled down the track to bring out another caution. Just as the race was about to go green with seven laps to go, Justin Allgaier’s car caught fire. He pulled off the track, and the restart was aborted.
 
Suddenly Keselowski was in the front row set to restart next to leader Stenhouse.
 
He got there, according to Nationwide Series director Joe Balash, because Allgaier pulled out of line and the whole line behind him moved forward and Keselowski was at the head of the line.

Photo By Dan Peters

Keselowski took the lead on the restart. But another quick caution on Lap 199 pushed the race into overtime. Keselowski pulled away for the victory and some head scratching.
 
"I’m not sure what happened at the end of that race," he said. "I’m going to have to go back and watch it on TV to fully understand what happened.  The 16 car blew up.  The 31 caught on fire.  We ended up restarting in second position on the outside lane, and I knew that if I could get around the 6 car (of Stenhouse, who led 189 laps) that we had a shot at the win.
 
"I had a great short-run car that could give Ricky a run for his money.  If the race was two of three laps longer, I’m sure Ricky would have drove around us."

Photo By Dan Peters



These fans have seen the last NASCAR race here... at least for now

Photo By Mark Rotor