Kevin Harvick powered by Kyle Busch for the lead with 10 laps to go Monday and held on to win the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway.  KHI's Ron Hornaday finished second, and Mike Skinner, Johnny Benson and pole-sitter Rick Crawford rounded out the top five.

Driving his No. 2 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet, Harvick collected his fourth career Truck Series win in his 97th start in an event that had been postponed because of rain on Saturday.

"I was able to get to his bumper there and just kind of get him up about half a groove and got up under him," said Harvick, who ran the final 185 laps, including one extra lap because of a green-white-checkered finish, on one tank of fuel.

Story Source and Pic Credit:  http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/headlines/truck/03/30/post.race.kharvick.wins.martinsville/index.html

Picture Credit:  http://motorsport.com/photos/popup.asp?N=7&I=nascar-truck/2009/fon/nascartrk-2009-fon-as-0022.jpg&FS=NASCAR-TRUCK&SN=1_64.235.98.12:33176&S=NASCAR-TRUCK

Hornaday, Harvick's teammate, moved up to the second position for the final two-lap shootout, but could not catch Harvick before the race ended under caution.

Story Source:  http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2009/03/30/Harvick_wins_rain-delayed_truck_race/UPI-98771238462922/

Picture Credit:  http://motorsport.com/photos/popup.asp?N=8&I=nascar-truck/2009/fon/nascartrk-2009-fon-as-0023.jpg&FS=NASCAR-TRUCK&SN=1_64.235.98.12:33176&S=NASCAR-TRUCK

Hornaday stated, " I will take second, I guess. Busch was up there slowing us down. Kevin had a couple runs on him and Kevin backed up, he was guarding the bottom pretty good which let me catch Kevin then Mike caught me and it was going to be a four truck battle. They threw the yellows. "

Skinner interjected, "...I thought you and I was going to have some old times, you and I was going to have some fun."

Pic Credit:  http://motorsport.com/photos/popup.asp?N=22&I=nascar-truck/2009/fon/nascartrk-2009-fon-as-0038.jpg&FS=NASCAR-TRUCK&SN=1_64.235.98.12:26733&S=NASCAR-TRUCK

Benson may have been lucky to have finished fourth given he was spun out by Hornaday earlier.  Hornaday described it this way wihout apology. 

I got in to Benson (Johnny), but he knows why. I spun him around.  I thought I had the spot and he gave me the room and then he didn't like I was there and (I) was there and (I) spun him out."

Story Source:  http://motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=322433&FS=NASCAR-CUP

Wait, let me get this straight, you make millions of dollars a year and can't pay your taxes?  While most of us work for considerably less and are expected to pay ours?

Truth be known almost anyone can get an extension for almost no reason at all.  But what is Jamie's problem?

NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray is trying to gain access to five investment accounts frozen in the multi-billion-dollar fraud investigation of Stanford Financial Group.  Some of the funds in the accounts are used to pay expenses associated with his racing team, including employees, according to a filing in Dallas federal court.  McMurray's Chicago-based attorney did not respond to phone and email messages Monday evening.

Earlier, several Major League Baseball players including Yankees outfielders Johnny Damon and Xavier Nady, Mets pitcher Mike Pelfrey and former Rangers Darren Oliver and Robb Nen have been linked to frozen Stanford accounts.

Story and Pic credit:  http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/yahoolatestnews/stories/033109dnspomcmurray.367b4ab.html

Yankees Pic Credit and associated story:  http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/02/20/nady.damon.ap/index.html

After reading the full story it appears McMurray simply bought a CD that is problematic, whatever that means.  I assume McMurray is innocent.  But I am not so sure about his investment advisor.  This is troubling to me especially coming on the heals of Helio Castroneves's trial at which you may have noted Jimmie Johnson appeared as the first defense witness in defense of his financial advisor who he shares with Castroneves along with several other NASCAR drivers.

What do you guys know?  Is this related even more closely to the Castroneves deal than I am aware of?  What do you know about these baseball players that are apparently in the same situation as Jamie?  Damon and Nady's agent Scott Boras?  Let's hear it from Fox Blogs Nation.

They had dominated testing ever since their car first turned a wheel in anger, but it was not until the first qualifying session of the year that Brawn could truly be sure of their real position. Now, however, they can be, as Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello wrapped up the front row of the grid for the first time for a new team since March performed the feat in South Africa back in 1970.

Back in 1970 that feat was accomplished by none other than Jackie Stewart.

Jenson Button Picture Credit:  http://www.motorsport.com/photos/popup.asp?N=14&I=f1/2009/aus/f1-2009-aus-xp-1306.jpg&FS=F1&SN=1_64.235.98.12:78888&S=F1

There was further controversy after qualifying when the Toyotas were stripped of their positions for having rear wings deemed to be to flexible, while Williams withdrew a protest over the design of the leading edge of the sidepods on the Ferraris and Red Bulls after deciding it wasn't in the interests of the sport.

Brawn Racing Virgin Sponsorship Picture Credit:  http://www.motorsport.com/photos/popup.asp?N=6&I=f1/2009/aus/f1-2009-aus-xp-1208.jpg&FS=F1&SN=1_64.235.98.12:44300&S=F1

Brawn
Jenson Button, 1m 25.981s, P3/1m 26.202s, P1
Rubens Barrichello, 1m 26.348s, P6/1m 26.505s, P2
Barrichello set the pace in the first two qualifying sessions, but as he found his BGP001 starting to understeer with its race fuel load, so Button found his handling with the edge and poise it had lacked on low fuel. The result was the Englishman's fourth pole, but Barrichello was also fast enough to take the other front row slot. It was the perfect start for Ross Brawn's squad.

Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel, 1m 27.009s, P13/1m 26.830s, P3
Mark Webber, 1m 26.355s, P7/1m 27.246s, P10, will start P8
Vettel had a problem with a wheel nut which hampered his morning running, but in qualifying he banged in a great lap which showed the true promise of Adrian Newey's 'conventional' car. Webber was not happy with his final lap of Q3, as he found his RB5 unsettled in the bumps of Turn Nine.

Robert Kubica Picture Credit:  http://www.motorsport.com/photos/popup.asp?N=11&I=f1/2009/aus/f1-2009-aus-xp-1193.jpg&FS=F1&SN=1_64.235.98.12:34575&S=F1

BMW Sauber
Robert Kubica, 1m 26.514s, P9/1m 26.914s, P4
Nick Heidfeld, 1m 26.555s, P10/1m 25.504s, P11, will start P9
After struggling for grip on Friday the Swiss-German team made good progress and Kubica was able to put some strong laps together, but even he admitted that fourth was better than he expected. Yet he lost grip on his second Q3 run after Rosberg threw dirt on to the track in Turn 14, otherwise he thought third was possible. Heidfeld, meanwhile, was happy enough until he encountered too much oversteer in the final corner and lost his chance of making it through to Q3. He is hoping KERS (which Kubica does not have) will give him an advantage in the race.

Nick Heidfeld Picture Credit:  http://www.motorsport.com/photos/popup.asp?N=20&I=f1/2009/aus/f1-2009-aus-xp-1202.jpg&FS=F1&SN=1_64.235.98.12:67667&S=F1

Williams
Nico Rosberg, 1m 25.808s, P1/1m 26.973s, P5
Kazuki Nakajima, 1m 26.078s, P5/1m 25.607s, P13, will start P11
It was tempting to feel disappointed for Williams to start only fifth courtesy of Rosberg after all his practice speed. He said his FW31 was still nice to drive, and was quite happy, suggesting that the team believe some of their rivals to be running lighter on fuel (though it turns out those ahead largely are not). Nakajima looked okay in Q1 and Q2, but made a crucial error that left him stranded in Q2. Again.


Story Credit:  http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2009/3/9090.html

Rubens Barrichello Picture Credit:  http://www.motorsport.com/photos/popup.asp?N=25&I=f1/2009/aus/f1-2009-aus-xp-1207.jpg&FS=F1&SN=1_64.235.98.12:32430&S=F1

The checkered flag falls in about an hour.  I can't wait for this one.  GO RUBENS!  It's been a long time since my favorite F1 driver had a chance to win a race.  I'm lovin' it!

They didn't race today but when the checkered flag waves on Monday Rick Crawford will be on pole.

Martinsville, VA -- (Sports Network) - Rick Crawford will start on the pole for Saturday's Kroger 250 Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway. 

Picture Source:  http://www.ciastockphoto.com/cgi/viewimage/image/t0902dg0804/

Crawford, who holds the record for most starts in the series with 301, posted the best lap around the half-mile, "paper-clip" track in 19.988 seconds (94.737 m.p.h.) in his No. 14 Circle Bar Racing Ford.

"It just feels good anytime to be up front, especially on the pole here," Crawford said. "We're a little bit bruised up this year. We're not running the way we want to. (Crew chief) Kevin Starland and the whole International Truck Engine team have been working really hard. This might heal us up a little bit. So we might have a good run here today."

Crawford scored his sixth career Truck Series pole and his second at Martinsville. His first pole here came in October 2005.

Picture Source:  http://www.ciastockphoto.com/cgi/viewimage/image/t0902tc2699/

Story Source:  http://www.wxii12.com/sports/19035511/detail.html

From my friend Nathan at Kenny Wallace's Board.

Unofficial Top 10 (no full time Cup drivers allowed):

Brendan Gaughan Pic Credit:  http://www.ciastockphoto.com/cgi/viewimage/image/u0903dg0140/

1 (same). Brendan Gaughan, 512 points. Bristol: 21st. Pole winner leads the first 6 laps, then handling problems and a blistered tire ruins his day.

2 (same) Jason Leffler (-20). Bristol: 10th. Leffler quietly stays in the top 15 all day and scores his 2nd top 10 of the season.

3 (+2) Justin Allgier (-46). Bristol: 5th. Rookie continues to impress with his best finish in a NW race, and scores the unofficial Bristol "win" as the NW series driver with the top race finish.

4 (+2) Kenny Wallace (-75). Bristol: 14th. 2nd straight 14th place finish, impressive considering a 35th place start.

5 (+3) Scott Lagasse, Jr. (-89). Bristol: 13th. St Augustine, FL native survives his first Bristol race and moves up 3 spots in the standings.

Jason Leffler Pic Credit:  http://www.ciastockphoto.com/cgi/viewimage/image/u0903ac3893/

Gaughan, Leffler, Allgier, Wallace and Lagasse are 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th and 10th in the official NASCAR Nationwide Series Points Standings.

See Nathan's full entry at...

Story Credit:  http://www.motorsportslounge.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/26341/