NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown News & Notes


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - It's become the pinnacle of short-track racing in
America, and this year's NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown looks to build on
that reputation with an entry list that represents eight NASCAR
Developmental Series championships and includes two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
regulars.
The all-star event, termed the "Daytona 500 of short-track racing," is
slated for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 29-30, at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale,
Calif.
The entry list for the weekend's main attraction, Saturday night's NASCAR
K&N Pro Series race, features a couple of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers
who are coming home, so to speak.
Joey Logano, who won the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award in NASCAR's
premier series last season, will be driving an entry for car owner Mike
Olsen. Logano, of Middletown, Conn., won the K&N Pro Series East
championship in 2007.
David Gilliland, who won the pole for the Daytona 500 in 2007, will be
behind the wheel of an entry for Jennifer Wong. Gilliland, of Riverside,
Calif., is a second-generation competitor who won the Sunoco Rookie of the
Year title in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West in 2004.
The entry list also features several recently crowned 2009 champions - Ryan
Truex, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East; Jason Bowles, NASCAR K&N Pro Series West;
Andrew Ranger, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1, and George
Brunnhoelzl III, NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
In addition to Logano, other former champions on the entry list include
two-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion Eric Holmes (2006 and 2008) and
the 2008 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion, Matt Kobyluck.
Also among this year's entries are Steve Park, who has victories in all
three national series in NASCAR, and Auggie Vidovich, who raced in the
NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2006.
Former NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown winners include Kobyluck, who won the
prestigious event last year and in 2006, Logano, who won in 2007, and
Gilliland, who won in 2005.
Holmes and Vidovich each had Showdown victories in the former NASCAR Elite
Division race in 2004 and 2005, respectively.
Another NASCAR K&N Pro Series competitor, Greg Pursley, earned a Showdown
trophy by capturing the Super Late Model race in 2007.
The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series feature races are equally stacked with
headliners, led by track champion Nick Joanides. Joanides, who finished
third in the nation, became the first driver in track history to claim the
AC Delco Super Late Model and the Auto Club Late Model championships in the
same season.
Four-time track champion Rip Michels leads the Super Late Model challengers,
and he will be joined by defending race winner Travis Thirkettle, 2009
national rookie of the year Jacob Gomes and Gilliland.
Former NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion and Toyota Speedway track
champion Sean Woodside is scheduled for double duty.
In the Late Model race, Joanides will be joined by Woodside, Holmes,
defending race champion Mike Johnson, three-time track Late Model champ Tim
Huddleston and Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway champ Justin Philpott.

Showdown Notes

The event . This marks the seventh running of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star
Showdown. It will be highlighted by the 225-lap NASCAR K&N Pro Series
all-star race. The schedule also includes a 100-lap NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series Super Late Model race and a 75-lap NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series Late Model race.
The procedure . The NASCAR K&N Pro Series competition is open to any driver
approved to drive on half-mile or longer tracks in the NASCAR K&N Pro
Series. Each race winner during the 2009 NASCAR K&N Pro Series season is
eligible for a protected starting spot. In addition, 2009 series champions
of NASCAR's regional touring series and the 2009 national champion for the
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series are also eligible for protected starting
spots. In addition to eligible 2009 race winners and series champions, the
starting lineup is determined through time trials, limited provisionals for
NASCAR K&N Pro Series regulars, and the last-chance "Open" race that
provides drivers one final chance to make the grid.
Qualifying . Sean Caisse holds the qualifying record for the event with a
lap of 18.271 seconds/98.517 mph in 2007. Note: Qualifying has only been
held in the past two events.
Multiple wins . Matt Kobyluck is the only driver to reach Victory Lane more
than once in the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. He won last year's event
and also in 2006.
More on Kobyluck . Kobyluck is the only driver to compete in all six
previous all-star events. His average finish in those six races is 3.66. He
has registered five top-five finishes, more than any driver. With five
top-10 finishes, he also leads that category.
Prior winners . In addition to Kobyluck, other prior winners of the all-star
event on the entry list include NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regulars Joey
Logano (2007) and David Gilliland (2005).
Leading The Way . Logano has led the most laps of competition in the K&N Pro
Series race. He led 87 laps in 2007 and 83 laps last year, for a total of
170.

The Race: NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown
The Place: Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.)
The Date: Friday, Jan. 29 &
Saturday, Jan. 30
The Event: 100-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model race
(Friday); 75-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model race and
225-lap NASCAR K&N Pro Series races (Saturday)
The Time: 7 p.m. PT (both days)
TV Schedule: Live on SPEED
Beginning at 7 p.m. PT both days
Radio Schedule: Live on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio
Beginning at 7 p.m. PT both days
Track Layout: .5-mile oval
2009 Winners:
Matt Kobyluck (K&N Pro Series)
Travis Thirkettle (Super Late Model)
Mike Johnson (Late Model)
2009 Poles:
Chris Johnson (K&N Pro Series)

Change In Distance, Change In Strategy?

With the distance changed from 250 to 225 laps for this year's feature race,
it may change the race strategy for some. Once again, the event will be run
in three segments - with a break after the first 100 laps and another break
after the second 200 laps.
Shortening the final portion from 50 to 25 laps will make the second segment
more crucial, according to veteran crew chief and former driver Steve
Portenga.
"The key is the segment before the final 25 laps," he said. "That's where
track position is going to be crucial. If you're in the top two or three
rows for that last 25 laps and you've got your car right, that's going to be
the key."
One thing that hasn't changed is the philosophy of taking care of your car,
Portenga said. "You've got to be aggressively smart," he said. "You can get
a little minor damage here or there, but if you knock the fenders in or get
the toe messed up, don't expect that thing to run fast in the last 25 laps."
Portenga, who won the inaugural NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Toyota
Speedway in 1999, raced in the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown three times.

Sirius Fan Fest Events Kick Off Showdown Week

Many of NASCAR's top short track drivers will be competing in this year's
NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale on Jan.
29-30. Fans will get a chance to meet some of those drivers in advance of
the prestigious all-star race with two Fan Fest events this week.
The two special events - slated from 6 to 9 p.m. each evening - will be at
Clubhouse 66 Restaurant in Glendora on Wednesday, Jan. 27, and at the Longo
Toyota dealership in El Monte on Thursday, Jan. 28. Both nights will feature
a chance to meet the drivers, an autograph session and a live broadcast on
SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver David Gilliland, who hails from nearby
Riverside, is among a slate of drivers slated to attend the Fan Fest on
Wednesday. Joining him will be 2009 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion
Jason Bowles of Ontario and the 2009 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion
Ryan Truex. Also from the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will be Matt
DiBenedetto. Local drivers Rip Michels and Mackena Bell will also be on hand
to meet and greet fans. Clubhouse 66 Restaurant is located at 1200 E. Route
66 in Glendora.
The Fan Fest event at Longo Toyota on Thursday will feature NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series driver Joey Logano, who won the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown
and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship in 2007. Matt Kobyluck, the
2008 NASCAR K&N Pro Series champion, will join Logano - along with two-time
NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion Eric Holmes and Paulie Harraka, who won
the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West last
season.  Longo Toyota is located at 3534 N. Peck Road in El Monte.
Both Fan Fest events will feature a live broadcast from 7-8 p.m. on SIRIUS
XM NASCAR Radio with Pat Patterson.
The NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown will be highlighted by the 225-lap
Camping World Series all-star race. The schedule also includes 100-lap
Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model and 75-lap Late Model races.

Last year's event .

Matt Kobyluck is no stranger to wild finishes at the NASCAR Toyota All-Star
Showdown and he once again got the best of a three-car, last-lap
free-for-all to end up in Victory Lane. In the process, the Uncasville,
Conn., driver became the first to win two NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdowns.
Joey Logano slid up into Peyton Sellers while going for the lead in Turn 4
coming to the checkered flag. Kobyluck, who was running third, came across
the start-finish line a nose behind Logano. Logano was penalized for his
move, though, giving Kobyluck a second NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown to go
with the one he won in 2006. "I saw it coming," Kobyluck said. "So I laid up
a little, got on the brakes and cut to the bottom so that I could miss it
all. The writing was on the wall. I've been here and doing this enough to
know what the outcome was going to be one way or the other. I just didn't
want to get caught up in it." Trevor Bayne wound up second, followed by
Jason Bowles. Logano finished 40th. Johnny Borneman and NASCAR Camping World
Truck Series driver Matt Crafton rounded out the top five. It was the first
year the event was held in January.