Photo- Getty Images

Starting Lineup for the Sprint Cup Series’ Coca Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway

1. Denny Hamlin (#11)
2. Kurt Busch (#78)
3. Matt Kenseth (#20)
4. Mark Martin (#55)
5. Clint Bowyer (#15)
6. Kasey Kahne (#5)
7. Greg Biffle (#16)
8. Kyle Busch (#18)
9. Jamie McMurray (#1)
10. Ryan Newman (#39)
11. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#88)
12. Jimmie Johnson (#48)
13. Carl Edwards (#99)
14. Jeff Gordon (#24)
15. Kevin Harvick (#29)
16. Juan Pablo Montoya (#42)
17. Martin Truex Jr. (#56)
18. Aric Almirola (#43)
19. Marcos Ambrose (#9)
20. Brad Keselowski (#2)
21. Casey Mears (#13)
22. Paul Menard (#27)
23. J.J Yeley (#36)
24. Danica Patrick (#10)
25. Tony Stewart (#14)
26. David Gilliland (#38)
27. Jeff Burton (#31)
28. Travis Kvapil (#93)
29. Trevor Bayne (#21)
30. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (#17)
31. Joey Logano (#22)
32. Michael McDowell (#98)
33. Dave Blaney (#7)
34. Bobby Labonte (#47)
35. David Ragan (#34)
36. Regan Smith (#51)
37. Scott Speed (#95)
38. David Reutimann (#83)
39. David Stremme (#30)
40. Timmy Hill (#32)
41. Joe Nemechek (#87)
42. Landon Cassill (#33)
43. Josh Wise (#35)

Did Not Qualify

Mike Bliss (#19)

Photo- Getty Images

Pride is on the line this weekend as the Nationwide Series’ best look to conquer the best of the southeast, the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Everyone wants to win on their home turf and this weekend, all 40 drivers will be looking to take advantage of the home-court advantage and take the victory in the History 300. The Nationwide regulars will be looking to defend their series and not let the Cup drivers take yet another victory this season. It will be a fight to the finish for sure and the drivers will be battling for bragging-rights throughout the afternoon.

The History 300 is set to take place on Saturday, May 25, 2013 and the green-flag is expected to wave at 2:57 PM EST. 300 miles will be comprised of 200 grueling laps where every position will matter. The weather forecast for Saturday afternoon looks great with sunny conditions, a high of 76 F, and a 0% chance of rain. You can catch the race on ABC or listen to it on the radio on PRN.

Last time the Nationwide Series cars were running at Charlotte on Memorial Day Weekend, Brad Keselowski held off a late-race charge by Denny Hamlin for the victory. Keselowski has always been strong at Charlotte and that win solidified that statement. Cup regulars took the top four spots in last year’s race, but with the new talent that has entered the series this year, it will be tough for the same feat to be accomplished.

Kyle Busch continued his torrid start in the Nationwide Series at Darlington two weeks ago when he won his fifth race of the season. He is back for more this weekend and he’ll look for another victory in his chase of the owner’s championship. Michael Annett will be back behind the wheel this weekend after he had to sit out with a fractured sternum after a Daytona crash. Annett was likely going to be a championship contender this season, but after missing about three months, his shot at the title has faded away. He’ll still be going after wins though since he desperately wants to reach victory lane.

Regan Smith continues to sit atop the standings after another solid performance at Darlington and he has a decent-sized points cushion over second place Sam Hornish Jr. When the summer months hit, it’s time to get going for teams who have struggled early in the season. Drivers who desperately need to get going this weekend at Charlotte include Trevor Bayne, Nelson Piquet Jr., and Travis Pastrana. If they can’t put something together soon, they may see their championship hopes float away.

Lots of drivers have a lot on the line this weekend and they can’t afford a poor finish. Charlotte is a track where anything could happen if you put yourself in the right position. Making a strategy call late in the race to be up front could pay-off by the time the checkered flag falls. It will be a game of strategy, track-position, and luck on Saturday and the driver who can handle all of those elements the best will end up in victory lane.

Next Race- 5-Hour Energy 200 at the Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware

By Jason Schultz

The 2013 NASCAR Diversity Interns
Pictured in the 2nd row-far right is NASCAR Diversity Affairs team member Kristian Vazquez-Diaz

This past weekend, a select group of individuals from across the U.S. embarked on a new journey in life – an internship with NASCAR.

The NASCAR Diversity Internship is a 10-week long program that places ethnically diverse college students in a variety of positions throughout the sport. These positions range from public relations, broadcasting, licensing, marketing, engineering, plus more.

In its 14^th year, the diversity internship is a great opportunity for minorities to gain valuable experience through real life experience, while continuing their education. Since its inception in 2000, the program has seen hundreds of applicants each year but only a few are given the chance to participate

In order to get this opportunity, students have to at least be in their sophomore year of college, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and be in good standing with their school.

Along with 15 others, I was selected for this year’s class. We are all thrilled for the chance to showcase our skills and will do our part to make the most out of this opportunity with NASCAR.

The first step was a 3 day orientation in Charlotte. It began on Thursday and ended with all of us getting to enjoy the Sprint Cup All-Star Race on Saturday night.

It was an experience that we will never forget.

Interns are like sponges — we soak up all the information we receive

We got to tour the NASCAR Media Group headquarters in Charlotte

During orientation, we got to experience and see things that any average fan of NASCAR could only dream about.

The first day of orientation was pretty relaxed. We met at our hotel in Charlotte and went bowling later that night. It was more of a social gathering, but the fun was just getting started.

On Friday, we woke up at the crack of dawn and traveled to the NASCAR Research & Development Center. There, we learned about the safety initiatives that NASCAR has put in place over the years to make the sport safer. Also, we saw the vast amount of improvements the sport has made over the years and new innovations like the Gen-6 car that we see on the track today.

From revamped roll cages, the SAFER barrier, to the in car fire extinguisher, and improved chassis in cars, safety is the number one priority  Cheating, however, is a concern and we got to see exactly where the teams get caught when NASCAR breaks down their cars and finds something outside of the rules.

A guided tour of the facility allowed us to see some behind the scenes stuff that we normally wouldn’t see or hear about. Many places we weren’t able to take pictures because of the innovative things NASCAR is working on but others included a fascinating area where NASCAR tests the safety of things like the race car’s windshield – which can handle a 15 pound piece of tungsten traveling about 100mph.

Another cool thing we learned was that they purposely dropped racecars from about 7 feet to test the durability of the car’s roof. I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine a dent in my car, much less having it dropped!

The R&D center overall was a unique learning experience. It was amazing to see how much work is done to make sure drivers can walk away from a hard crash.

From there, we went on a scenic view Mooresville, North Carolina.

This wasn’t planned, but our bus driver apparently had the wrong address for RevolutionRacing.

Once we finished our tour of Mooresville, we finally made it to Rev Racing.

They are a part of the Drive for Diversity (D4D) program and house cars for the NASCAR K&N Series as well as the NASCAR Whelen Series. We learned about their efforts to get more diverse drivers in NASCAR and how they are succeeding in doing that. A prime example is Darrell Wallace Jr., who drove for the team before going to Joe Gibbs Racing. We got to tour the shop, meet their drivers, including up and comer Ryan Gifford, and talk with the pit crew.

With Darrell Wallace Jr. prior to the race

Once we left Revolution Racing, we departed for Roush-Fenway Racing to tour their facilities.

At the end of the day we got to enjoy the Camping World Truck Series race. It was bitter sweet for us because our driver, Darrell Wallace Jr., was in contention for the win before he was caught up in a late-race wreck.

On Saturday, we got to travel to the NASCAR Media Group headquarters in Charlotte. This was quite the thrill.

You don’t realize how much work goes on behind the scenes to produce everything we see on television, the internet, and the track. It’s a huge facility with people working nonstop to bring NASCAR to a city near you.

The coolest part for me was the fan and media engagement center.

There, NASCAR is able to track almost everything we comment on through social media. From tweets complaining about commercials, high points of a certain driver getting mentioned, or overall reaction from the race, NASCAR is closely paying attention to it all.

The goal is for NASCAR to judge what the fans are talking about the most and focus its strategy on making the sport better. For example, if people are constantly complaining about commercials…which we do, NASCAR can take that information to FOX or ESPN and let them know what they need to work on. I believe this is a highly beneficial tool for NASCAR because it shows that they’re continuously looking out for the best interest of the fans.

Needless to say, if you work for or want to work for the sport one day, watch what you tweet because they are watching you!

We left there to go to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

This was my third time there, but I learn something new every time I visit. For instance, did you know that NASCAR legend, David Pearson, would tape chewing gum on the dash and chew a new piece for every 100 miles of the race? The car that’s at the Hall of Fame still has gum in it from the car’s last race. You really learn something new every day.

From there it was on to the track and the finale – the Sprint Cup All-Star Race.

Jimmie Johnson won the All-Star Race — a cool million dollars

Sprint Cup driver, Danica Patrick, took a moment to pose with the group

Overall impressions

There were plenty of other things that we got to experience throughout the orientation weekend. This included going to the Sprint Cup drivers meeting, hanging out by the stage both nights for driver introductions, and meeting different personalities throughout the sport.

We met quite a few people that work in the sport who not only went through the diversity internship program, but currently have full time jobs in the sport. This was very encouraging for all of us.

The biggest take away from the weekend came from the people that spoke to us. They gave us helpful advice that will go a long way in our future endeavors.

NASCAR is a huge sport, but a small family. In order to accomplish the goal of working in the sport, you have to put in the work and make the right connections. Everyone we talked to loved their jobs and they gave me justification for my goal of wanting to work in the sport. If you are doing something you love, happiness will come naturally. There is nothing that makes me happier than NASCAR.

For a few of the interns, this was their first time getting to experience NASCAR. If they weren’t fans before, they definitely are now.

But hey, don’t just take it from me. Here’s what some of my fellow interns had to say about the weekend.

Melia Sigmon: “Despite orientation being just a few days long, I’ve benefited in more ways than I ever imagined possible. From snippets of wisdom gleaned during speaker events to brushing shoulders with NASCAR superstars, orientation was definitely the most rewarding experience I’ve ever come across in an internship program. If the rest of the summer is like this, then I want to be an intern forever!”

Paige Sanchez: “As I am pursuing a career in the NASCAR industry, this orientation experience was a dream come true for me. It has opened my eyes to the innumerable opportunities this sport has to offer and has given me a behind the scenes experience of the weekly operations that make each race possible. I thoroughly enjoyed speaking to professionals in the sport and learning about the skills that I need to develop. As if I didn’t love NASCAR enough already, I have definitely come away from this with a greater appreciation of this extraordinary sport.”

Rachel Almario: “I’ve been a diehard NASCAR fan since about twelve years old and knew I had an extreme passion for the sport. I’ve strongly wanted to change the stereotypical ideas that people have of NASCAR and show that NASCAR is much more diverse than people realize. Being in the diversity internship program, it has fueled my fire even more with the understanding that NASCAR wants to become part of popular culture and break those stereotypical boundaries as I also want to do.” 

By Guest Writer and friend, Dontae Allen

Follow Dontae on Twitter: @Dontae_Allen

Photo- Getty Images

The All-Star Race: it has to be driven by best of the best, it has to be an all-out mad dash for cash, and, most importantly, it has to be unique. Over the years, various attempts have been made at creating a unique format for the race, one that will generate the best racing possible in a fairly short distance.

With any proposal for the All-Star format, there is a chance of unforeseen strategies that can affect the quality of racing. Last year’s All-Star format seemed promising – with incentive for winning each individual segment – but caused sandbagging and a lack of racing by drivers who had already won a segment because they were already guaranteed top starting positions for the final 10-lap shootout.

This year, NASCAR sought to avoid the ailments of the 2012 race with a format that seemed almost like a complex algebraic equation, with the lineup going into the final pit stop being decided by the average finish of each driver during all four 20-lap segments. In case of tiebreakers in average finish, positions were to be decided by the driver who finished higher in the final segment. While the new format initially seemed like a headache waiting to happen, it made the race exceedingly more competitive than the previous year’s race.

Having the running order before the final stop depend on the average finish for every segment lead to frequent side-by-side battles as drivers scrambled for position, a pretty rare occurrence on a 1.5-mile track. The segments didn’t turn into single-file parades because NASCAR put the emphasis on finishing order rather than simply winning the segments – which loosely promises racing at the front of the pack, if that.

Pit crews still got to showcase their brawn – which is usually done at the Pit Crew Challenge that did not occur this year – during the mandatory 4-tire stop before the 10-lap shootout. While the driver’s average finish determined their order entering the pits, the crew determined the lineup on the final restart, restoring a bit of their spotlight that was taken away by the absence of the Challenge.

The All-Star format for this year addressed nearly every problem that the 2012 one encountered, and even gave the pit crews their share of glory. The first four segments of the race were exciting, dicey racing for position and didn’t disappoint; however, the final 10-lap shootout failed to live up to its hype. NASCAR mandated unlimited green-white-checkered finishes and a rule to end the race under green no matter the carnage that occurred, but disappointingly, once Jimmie Johnson took the lead the race was basically over as the field got strung out.

Perhaps the best way to fix the problem would be to lengthen the final segment to 20 laps, the same length as the other segments. A mere 10 laps can cause edge-of-your-seat racing at superspeedways, but maybe it’s not the best approach at an intermediate track. Instead, a longer “shootout” might allow drivers more time to get settled after the final pit stop and challenge for position as they did in the first four segments on Saturday night.

Regardless of the near impossibility to ensure the nail-biting 10-lap shootout that was advertised by the unlimited-G.W.C rule, NASCAR’s algebraic equation of an All-Star Race produced a fair amount of dicey fights for position, and was, overall, an impressive event.

By Alanis King

Photo- Getty Images

Disclaimer: This is my opinion and nothing more. If you don’t agree, that is fine. If you would like to make your opinion heard, feel-free to comment, but I will not respond.

Reflect back to the early to mid 2000’s. The All-Star Races during those years were action-packed and go for broke events. Team owners told their drivers to only bring back the steering wheel. Drivers would listen and by only bringing back the steering wheel, it showed that they went all-out for the victory. The million dollar prize seemed to mean more back then, because drivers seemed to do everything it took to wind up in first place. Those were the good ‘ole days when the All-Star Race was one of the most spectacular events of the season. Now days, the race seems to have changed and the once incredible All-Star Race needs to regain its prestige as the most exciting night in motorsports.

NASCAR has tried very hard to rekindle the fire of the All-Star Race. They have changed the format, made it extra special to run and stay up front, and even put an extra million dollars on the line. It seems as none of those things have worked in trying to spice the All-Star Race back up and if anything, the races have been tamer with those new elements. The only tweaks NASCAR has been making are to the ending of the race, trying to make it an all-out dash for the finish. What they really should be focusing on is how to make the whole race as exciting as the ending should be.

Throughout the years, NASCAR has thrown out new rudiments for the race. As fast as they throw them out there, they take them back. Not allowing the new ways to be tested in multiple races. Innovative ideas that could potentially work have been trashed far before they could be successfully tested. NASCAR needs to give their experiments more than one test trial and if they had done so after the last few races, we could still be ecstatic about this million dollar race. There are a few notable aspects of the race that were once tossed-away, but they are some of the essential elements needed to return the All-Star Race to its top-form.

A few of the thrown out ideas for the race that could come back and enhance the race include the invert and fewer segments. The invert was a fan favorite aspect of the race until NASCAR did away with it after the 2005 race. It would include a randomly selected number of cars switching places on the track after a segment. If the randomly selected number was 6, then the top six drivers would change positions. First would go to sixth, second to fifth, third to fourth and so on. That would create some excitement since the usually faster cars were now behind and they would be hungry to make it back to the top. The inversion of the field would occur early in the race so the drivers would have a chance to make up their lost ground. If NASCAR wants to bring the All-Star magic back, the invert is one idea they need to consider.

Adjusting the number of segments is also an idea that could bring a full-race of action back. The 5 segment format that’s in place now is a little excessive. Shortening the amount of segments would increase the number of laps per segment.  Making the segments longer would allow for more action to develop along with a longer amount of time for the drivers to catch the leader if they have a fast car. Having three segments seems like a good number since it’s not too many and at the same time, it’s not one long race.

Throwing a mandatory four-tire pit stop in the middle of one of the segment could also be a positive addition. If that stop were to be put in, then the stop before the final segment wouldn’t need to be there allowing more of a strategy to develop. The first two segments could be longer than the rest since fans may still want a sort of shootout finish, but with more of a strategic feel if NASCAR threw out the mandatory pit-stop before the final segment.

One more potential excitement-adder could be the addition of cars in the race. There are only about 22 cars in the race each year and that doesn’t allow for constant action around the track. If more cars were eligible for the race, there would likely be more racing action throughout the event. Adding all the cars that finished inside the top twenty-five in points during the previous season would boost the number of cars in the race. Adding cars in the main event would decrease the number in the Showdown, but the Showdown would become a race among drivers who don’t usually get to run up-front. That would be a fan-friendly addition and it would benefit the whole All-Star Race night. More of anything usually equals an enhancement of excitement and NASCAR should consider putting more racers in the race.

The time for change has come in the All-Star Race. Fans have sat through too many of these new All-Star Races with a decrease in action as the years go on. The formats NASCAR used in the early 2000’s worked and why they went away from them is beyond me. NASCAR has revived the old-style of drafting at the superspeedways and the old look of the cars, but they have yet to bring back to life the exciting All-Star Races that we used to see. It’s another piece to the puzzle to bring fans back to the sport while continuing to draw new fans in. Fans want exhilaration in races, especially in the race advertised to be the most exciting of the season. NASCAR needs to give the All-Star Race a makeover and that change should revive old All-Star Race elements. The old stuff has been working in racing lately so why not bring back the old style of the All-Star Race? It could be a revolutionary change that could make the All-Star Race a can’t miss event once again.

By Jason Schultz

Photo- Getty Images

For the fourth time in his career, Jimmie Johnson scored victory in the Sprint All-Star Race. He did it in classic Jimmie Johnson fashion by not coming alive until the last segment and then doing an all-out blitz to the finish. The race was rather calm, but the historic run by Johnson makes up for some of the vacant storylines this race had.

The race didn’t get far when the green-flag fell due to the rain that invaded the track and caused a red-flag rain-delay for 41 minutes and 28 seconds.  Prior to the delay, Brad Keselowski broke a transmission and took himself out of contention for the victory. Once the delay ended, Kurt Busch was able to stay up front and win the first segment.

Segment 2 started out a little chaotic when Clint Bowyer made it three-wide for the lead. Bowyer was able to stay out front until a yellow-flag flew. The caution came out for Mark Martin who spun through the infield grass after Ricky Stenhouse Jr. bounced off the wall and into Martin in turn 4. Just a few laps following the restart, Kyle Busch was able to make his way to the lead for the first time of the night. He won the second segment and then the third after two straight segments of Rowdy domination.

New faces rose to the front for the fourth segment and Kasey Kahne was out front when the green-flag fell. Kahne managed to stay up front for about half of the segment and then Kurt Busch found his way back to the lead by lap 72. He went on to win his second segment of the night and he had the best average finish throughout the first four segments, so he was first on pit road for the mandatory stop.

The Busch brothers entered pit road one-two, but they didn’t leave that way. Hendrick teammates Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson had now taken over the top spot and they were in prime-position for the million dollars.

A ten-lap shootout to decide the race was ran very cleanly and once it started, Jimmie Johnson took off with only the million dollar prize on his mind. There was no contest for the victory and Johnson just sailed through the final laps. It was the second straight year that we’ve seen Johnson take the All-Star win with authority and he absolutely owned the final ten laps tonight.

Ultimately, this race means nothing and Johnson will be the only one leaving the track with pride. It may have been a nice race for the No.48 team, but the season will resume next weekend with the Coca Cola 600 and the intensity will pick-up as the drivers battle for 600 miles under the lights at Charlotte.

By Jason Schultz

Results via ESPN.com

Photo- Getty Images

It may have taken awhile, but Kyle Busch is back on top of the Camping World Truck Series. He has been absent from victory lane since New Hampshire in 2011 and this win broke his seven race losing streak in the series. Busch started out running well in the race, but then a pit road mistake left him at the back of the field during the latter part of the event. He battled back to the front after a few wild restarts and was able to secure the victory. This race had action from the drop of the green-flag and it proved why the Truck races are usually the best events of the weekend.

Rookie Jeb Burton started on the pole for the third time this season, but he couldn’t hold onto the lead for long and Ty Dillon passed him on lap 1. It didn’t take long for Busch to make it to the lead and he passed Dillon for the top spot on lap 4. Brendan Gaughan had a strong truck all night and he was able to grab the lead on lap 24. After a caution for Caleb Holman on lap 26, Busch got a chance to regain the lead after the restart and he was back in the top spot by lap 34.

A yellow-flag with 52 laps to go for a couple of spinning trucks allowed the drivers to make a pit stop, but the dominant truck of the night received a penalty following his stop. Busch had removed the gas can from his pit box and that put him at the tail end of the field with only 50 laps remaining in the race. Miguel Paludo capitalized on Busch’s penalty and he became the new man out front for much of the final 50 laps.

The fifth caution of the night came out for a scary wreck involving Ron Hornaday Jr. and Jake Crum. Hornaday Jr. had a problem with his truck and he started to slide up the hill in turn 3. While trucks tried to avoid him, Jake Crum couldn’t and he plowed into the back of Hornaday Jr. Crum’s front-end was destroyed and Hornaday Jr. had a fair amount of damage. That wreck wouldn’t be the last one in the closing laps and some payback was issued during the seventh caution of the night.

On a restart, Johnny Sauter got into James Buescher causing Buescher to lose a lot of ground. Once Buescher regained his lost ground, he found himself on the rear bumper of Sauter. Buescher nudged Sauter in turn 3 and Sauter spun up the track and made contact with the outside wall. Sauter came into the race second in the standings and now, he wasn’t going to leave that way.

Kyle Busch had made a miraculous comeback from his penalty and with 14 laps to go, he regained the top spot. A truck out of his stable driven by Bubba Wallace was also up front with him until an incident ended Wallace’s night. Just as the a caution came out for a spin in turn 2, Brad Keselowski and Wallace made contact which sent Wallace’s truck spinning into the inside wall on the backstretch. The contact with the wall was sufficient enough to end his night. Now, Kyle Busch was KBM’s only hope to bring home a win in their backyard.

He did not fail at that mission and after the final restart; he stretched out his lead and cruised to the finish line. This win didn’t look possible with about 50 laps to go, but you can never count Busch out. He’s been striving to get back to victory lane in his own truck for over a year now, and he accomplished that goal with this win. Anytime he wins a race its special, but it’s even more special to win a race in KBM’s backyard. A celebration is already underway for Busch after he once again showed how much talent he has by taking home another win. Busch hopes to duplicate his performance tomorrow night and take home the million dollar prize in the Sprint All-Star Race.

By Jason Schultz

Results via ESPN.com

Starting Lineup for the Sprint Cup Series’ Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte

1. Carl Edwards (#99)
2. Kurt Busch (#78)
3. Greg Biffle (#16)
4. Kyle Busch (#18)
5. Joey Logano (#22)
6. Clint Bowyer (#15)
7. Denny Hamlin (#11)
8. Mark Martin (#55)
9. Kasey Kahne (#5)
10. Jeff Gordon (#24)
11. Ryan Newman (#39)
12. Brad Keselowski (#2)
13. Tony Stewart (#14)
14. David Ragan (#34)
15. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#88)
16. Matt Kenseth (#20)
17. Marcos Ambrose (#9)
18. Jimmie Johnson (#48)
19. Kevin Harvick (#29)
20. Showdown Winner
21. Showdown Runner-Up
22. Fan Vote Winner

1. Martin Truex Jr. (#56)
2. Jamie McMurray (#1)
3. Juan Pablo Montoya (#42)
4. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (#17)
5. Casey Mears (#13)
6. Jeff Burton (#31)
7. Danica Patrick (#10)
8. Paul Menard (#27)
9. J. J Yeley (#36)
10. Landon Cassill (#33)
11. Bobby Labonte (#47)
12. Aric Almirola (#43)
13. Scott Riggs (#44)
14. David Gilliland (#38)
15. Michael McDowell (#95)
16. David Reutimann (#83)
17. Mike Bliss (#19)
18. Travis Kvapil (#93)
19. Dave Blaney (#7)
20. Timmy Hill (#32)
21. Joe Nemechek (#87)
22. David Stremme (#30)
23. Brian Keselowski (#52)

1. Jeb Burton (#4)
2. Ty Dillon (#3)
3. Timothy Peters (#17)
4. Kyle Busch (#51)
5. Miguel Paludo (#32)
6. Justin Lofton (#6)
7. Ross Chastain (#19)
8. Dakoda Armstrong (#60)
9. Ryan Blaney (#29)
10. German Quiroga (#77)
11. Tim George Jr. (#5)
12. James Buescher (#31)
13. Darrell Wallace Jr. (#54)
14. Matt Crafton (#88)
15. Brennan Newberry (#24)
16. Johnny Sauter (#98)
17. Joey Coulter (#18)
18. John Wes Townley (#7)
19. Brad Keselowski (#2)
20. Ryan Sieg (#39)
21. Max Gresham (#8)
22. Ron Hornaday Jr. (#9)
23. Brendan Gaughan (#62)
24. Scott Riggs (#92)
25. Jake Crum (#01)
26. Tyler Young (#02)
27. Caleb Holman (#75)
28. Jeff Agnew (#27)
29. Chris Jones (#93)
30. David Starr (#81)
31. Bryan Silas (#99)
32. Todd Bodine (#13)
33. Chris Cockrum (#07)
34. Danny Efland (#50)
35. Blake Koch (#28)
36. Mike Harmon (#84)

Did Not Qualify

Norm Benning (#57)

Jennifer Jo Cobb (#10)