N’WIDE: Allen Gets Second-Straight Michigan Last-Place Finish
Willie Allen picked up the 3rd last-place finish of his NASCAR Nationwide Series career in Saturday’s Carfax 250 at the Michigan International Speedway when his #05 Cash America / Owens Corning Chevrolet fell out with transmission problems after completing 2 of the race’s 125 laps.
Allen qualified 24th for the race at a speed of 173.548 mph, making his “Second-Generation” Chevrolet the 4th-fastest of the 14 cars not locked-into the field on speed. Unfortunately, Allen was forced to make an extended pit stop just two laps into the race. Even though Kevin Lepage pulled owner John McNelly’s #56 behind the wall during Allen’s stop, Allen was credited with 43rd when he failed to return to the track.
All-time LASTCAR leader Derrike Cope finished 39th when ignition troubles forced him out 10 laps in while Johnny Chapman, still tied with Lepage for 7th all-time and 3rd in the Nationwide standings, had the only car that failed to make the race.
N’WIDE STATS AND FACTS
*Allen had not finished last in the Nationwide Series since the 2009 Kroger On Track For The Cure 250 at Memphis where a vibration sent him behind the wall after 3 laps. It was also Allen’s second-consecutive last-place finish in a Nationwide Series race at Michigan. In fact, his first-ever last-place finish came in last year’s Carfax 250 where another vibration took him out after 1 lap. In both finishes, Allen was driving the same #92 K-Automotive Motorsports team that currently leads the 2010 LASTCAR Nationwide Series rankings. The team was owned by Dusty Whitney when Allen finished last with the team both times.
*Wayne Day’s team and the #05 had not finished last in the Nationwide Series since Casey Atwood’s 31-W Insulation Chevrolet lost the transmission 8 laps into last year’s Heluva Good! 200 at Dover.
*The #05 had never before finished last in a Nationwide Series race at Michigan.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
43) #05-Willie Allen / 2 laps / transmission
42) #56-Kevin Lepage / 2 laps / electrical
41) #07-Danny Efland / 3 laps / engine
40) #27-Josh Wise / 4 laps / transmission
39) #73-Derrike Cope / 10 laps / ignition
N’WIDE DRIVER RANKINGS
1st) Dennis Setzer (9)
2nd) Mark Green (2)
3rd) Willie Allen, Michael Annett, Johnny Borneman III, Matt Carter, Johnny Chapman, David Gilliland, Jeff Green, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Brian Keselowski, Kevin Lepage, Danny O’Quinn, Jr., Chrissy Wallace (1)
N’WIDE TEAM RANKINGS
1st) #92-K-Automotive Motorsports (10)
2nd) #15-Germain Racing, #27-Curb Motorsports, #36-Mark Smith, #41-Rick Ware, #49-Jay Robinson, Inc., #70-Mary Louise Miller, #82-MacDonald Motorsports, #83-John Borneman, Jr., #90-D’Hont Humphrey Motorsports, #91-D’Hont Humphrey Motorsports, #96-K-Automotive Motorsports, #04-Johnny Davis Motorsports, #05-Wayne Day (1)
Allen qualified 24th for the race at a speed of 173.548 mph, making his “Second-Generation” Chevrolet the 4th-fastest of the 14 cars not locked-into the field on speed. Unfortunately, Allen was forced to make an extended pit stop just two laps into the race. Even though Kevin Lepage pulled owner John McNelly’s #56 behind the wall during Allen’s stop, Allen was credited with 43rd when he failed to return to the track.
All-time LASTCAR leader Derrike Cope finished 39th when ignition troubles forced him out 10 laps in while Johnny Chapman, still tied with Lepage for 7th all-time and 3rd in the Nationwide standings, had the only car that failed to make the race.
N’WIDE STATS AND FACTS
*Allen had not finished last in the Nationwide Series since the 2009 Kroger On Track For The Cure 250 at Memphis where a vibration sent him behind the wall after 3 laps. It was also Allen’s second-consecutive last-place finish in a Nationwide Series race at Michigan. In fact, his first-ever last-place finish came in last year’s Carfax 250 where another vibration took him out after 1 lap. In both finishes, Allen was driving the same #92 K-Automotive Motorsports team that currently leads the 2010 LASTCAR Nationwide Series rankings. The team was owned by Dusty Whitney when Allen finished last with the team both times.
*Wayne Day’s team and the #05 had not finished last in the Nationwide Series since Casey Atwood’s 31-W Insulation Chevrolet lost the transmission 8 laps into last year’s Heluva Good! 200 at Dover.
*The #05 had never before finished last in a Nationwide Series race at Michigan.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
43) #05-Willie Allen / 2 laps / transmission
42) #56-Kevin Lepage / 2 laps / electrical
41) #07-Danny Efland / 3 laps / engine
40) #27-Josh Wise / 4 laps / transmission
39) #73-Derrike Cope / 10 laps / ignition
N’WIDE DRIVER RANKINGS
1st) Dennis Setzer (9)
2nd) Mark Green (2)
3rd) Willie Allen, Michael Annett, Johnny Borneman III, Matt Carter, Johnny Chapman, David Gilliland, Jeff Green, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Brian Keselowski, Kevin Lepage, Danny O’Quinn, Jr., Chrissy Wallace (1)
N’WIDE TEAM RANKINGS
1st) #92-K-Automotive Motorsports (10)
2nd) #15-Germain Racing, #27-Curb Motorsports, #36-Mark Smith, #41-Rick Ware, #49-Jay Robinson, Inc., #70-Mary Louise Miller, #82-MacDonald Motorsports, #83-John Borneman, Jr., #90-D’Hont Humphrey Motorsports, #91-D’Hont Humphrey Motorsports, #96-K-Automotive Motorsports, #04-Johnny Davis Motorsports, #05-Wayne Day (1)
