BUSCH: Loudon: News of note, schedule

* Tim Fedewa looks to repeat already impressive New Hampshire history

* Edwards and Sorenson battle it out for top Raybestos Rookie honors

NEWS & NOTES

Fedewa hopes to repeat history ... New Hampshire International Speedway has been very kind to Tim Fedewa (No. 12 Supercuts Dodge). In just 11 career starts at the 1.058 mile track, Fedewa has claimed two top-five and three top-10 finishes. His best finish came in 2000 when he won his fourth race from the Busch pole. The only other NASCAR Busch Series driver who won a race from the pole at New Hampshire was Ricky Craven in 1991. "Loudon is one of my best tracks", Fedewa said. "I was able to capture the pole and the win there in 2000. The track is flat which makes it harder to pass so handling will be very important. I always enjoy racing at short tracks and hope to add to my successful record at New Hampshire International Speedway this weekend."

Fedewa, who drives for FitzBradshaw Racing, is currently 21st in the NASCAR Busch Series point standings. His best finish this season was 15th at Las Vegas.

Raybestos Rookie of the Year battle ... Carl Edwards (No. 60 Charter Communications Ford) has narrowed the gap between himself and Reed Sorenson (No. 41 Discount Tire Dodge). Both drivers are competing for this year's top honor as the 2005 NASCAR Busch Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year. Edwards' fourth-place finish at Chicagoland Speedway brought him closer to the Raybestos Rookie of the Year leader; one point separates the two drivers. Both Sorenson and Edwards have exchanged the top spot all season long. Edwards held it for eight consecutive weeks earlier this season until he failed to race at Nashville Superspeedway in June, where inclement weather forced the postponement of the race to the following day. Edwards was scheduled to race in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event in Pocono that day and Roush Racing owner, Jack Roush, decided to replace Edwards with Hank Parker Jr., who finished 20th.

Chevrolet continues to lead in manufacturers race ... Chevrolet kept the lead in the battle for the Bill France Performance Cup following Kevin Harvick's (No. 21 Reese's Chevrolet) win last Saturday at Chicagoland. There have been three lead changes and five ties between Chevrolet and Ford through the first 20 events of the 2005 season. Chevrolet enters the race at New Hampshire with nine wins and 133 points, Ford has seven wins and 125 points while Dodge has three victories and 103 points. Ford has the edge at New Hampshire, having won three of the four previous NASCAR Busch Series races at the track.

ON THE RIGHT TRACK

There have been 18 different race winners in each of the 18 NASCAR Busch Series events held at New Hampshire International Speedway; Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Waste Management Ford) is the defending 2004 race winner. ... Seven of the 18 previous NASCAR Busch Series winners at New Hampshire -- Kenny Wallace (No. 22 ppc Racing Ford), 1991; Derrike Cope (No. 28 Jay Robinson Racing Ford), 1994; Randy LaJoie (No. 34 Dollar General Chevrolet), 1996; Tim Fedewa, 2000; Jason Keller (No. 35 McDonald's Ford), 2001; David Green (No. 27 Kleenex Ford), 2003 and Kenseth, 2004 -- are entered in Saturday's event. ... NASCAR Busch Series drivers seem to have the edge when it comes to winning at New Hampshire. ... Only two NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers have won the NASCAR Busch Series event; Cope won the New England Chevy Dealers 250 in 1994 and Kenseth won the Siemens 200 in 2004.

ETC.

Rick Viers, crew chief of the No. 21 Reese's Chevrolet, received the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award for leading his driver, Kevin Harvick, to Victory Lane. This is Harvick's 15th NASCAR Busch Series career win, his first NASCAR Busch Series win at Chicagoland Speedway and second win this season. ... Justin Labonte (No. 44 U.S. Coast Guard Shield of Freedom Chevrolet) is scheduled to visit the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn. on Wednesday, July 13 before heading to Loudon, N.H. to compete in his third NASCAR Busch Series race at New Hampshire International Speedway. ... Glynn Motorsports driver Regan Smith (No. 58 Glynn Motorsports Dodge) will make his first NASCAR Busch Series appearance at New Hampshire this weekend. Smith has finished in the top 20 twice, posting his best finish of 15th at Nashville Superspeedway in June. Smith's gasman, Jimmy Villeneuve, is a native of New Hampshire. Villeneuve was born in nearby Berlin, N.H. and grew up in Auburn, N.H. "Jimmy V," as he is referred to in the garage area, began his racing career at Sugar Hill Speedway in Weare, N.H. before continuing on to Lee Speedway in Lee, N.H. ... ppc Racing announced that Brent Sherman (No. 15 Consort for Men Ford) will run the remaining 16 events on the NASCAR Busch Series schedule. Sherman competed in last weekend's race at Chicagoland Speedway driving for owner Greg Pollex for the first time. He qualified 30th and finished 24th. ... Curtis Truex Jr., the 23-year old cousin of defending series champion Martin Truex Jr., won the 46th annual Garden State Classic 100 for NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds last Saturday night at Wall Township (N.J.) Speedway.

QUOTEBOOK

"I am real excited about going to New Hampshire; it's a place where I know the way to Victory Lane. We are taking a brand new chassis this week and really look forward to going to a track where a driver makes a ton of difference. Aerodynamics will not be a big factor this weekend. It's a real driver's track." -- Jason Keller

"I've always loved going to New Hampshire. I've had a lot of good races there and always look forward to going back. It can be really tough to pass there, so qualifying well and keeping your track position are the keys to a good finish." -- David Green

"During the race, I just want to earn respect from my fellow competitors and have a good finish. Bringing the car home in one piece would be nice, too." -- Ryan Moore on his first NASCAR Busch Series career start

"I've got two top-10 finishes at New Hampshire in three races, and the one thing I've figured out is that it's a track where a driver really has to find a rhythm. Although it's a one-mile track, you really need to bring a short track mentality because it's flat and the car tends to slide a lot through the turns." -- Stacy Compton (No. 59 Kingsford/Bush's Baked Beans Ford)

FROM THE ARCHIVES

New Hampshire International Speedway was the scene of Derrike Cope's lone career NASCAR Busch Series victory in 1994. Cope drove for Orlando businessman Ron Zook, not to be confused with the former University of Florida football coach. Zook had recently bought the late Davey Allison's NASCAR Busch Series team with Allison's former crew, including crew chief Red Farmer coming along as part of the deal.

Cope qualified 14th for the New England Chevy Dealers 250 in a Ford bearing the No. 82 -- Allison's famed No. 28 backwards. The race saw nine drivers swapping the lead 15 times. Cope, who led twice for a total of 36 laps, took the lead for the last time on Lap 244 and held it for the rest of the race. With this win, Cope became the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series regular to win a NASCAR Busch Series race at New Hampshire; the previous seven races had been won by regular NASCAR Busch Series competitors.

Cope beat Bobby Dotter by .45 of a second for his first NASCAR Busch Series win.

ON DECK: PIKE'S PEAK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

The NASCAR Busch Series heads to Pike's Peak International Raceway, located in Fountain, Col., for the ITT Industries Systems Division and Goulds Pumps Salute to the Troops 250 presented by Dodge on July 23. The one mile track will host its eighth NASCAR Busch Series event; seven different drivers have won there. Greg Biffle (No. 66 Duraflame Ford) won the 2004 Goulds Pumps ITT 250 while Martin Truex Jr. sat on the Busch pole. Matt Kenseth won the inaugural event in 1998 and is the only driver to win from the pole at this track.

FAST FACTS

What: New England 200 (Race No. 20 of 35 in the NASCAR Busch Series).

Where: New Hampshire International Speedway, Loudon, N.H.
When: 3:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, July 16.

Track Layout: 1.058-mile paved.
Race Length: 211.6 miles/200 laps.

Posted Awards: $1,076,124.

TV: TNT, 3:00 p.m. ET.
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.

2004 Winner: Matt Kenseth.
2004 Polesitter: Jamie McMurray.

NASCAR Busch Series Top 10: 1. Martin Truex Jr. 2,661. 2. Clint Bowyer 2,589. 3. Reed Sorenson 2,555. 4. Carl Edwards 2,456. 5. Kenny Wallace 2,369. 6. Denny Hamlin 2,276. 7. Ashton Lewis Jr. 2,198. 8. David Stremme 2,176. 9. Greg Biffle 2,104. 10. Jason Keller 2,086.

Pre-race schedule (all times local): Fri., July 15: Practice -- 11 a.m. -- 12 p.m.; 2:45 p.m. -- 3:45 p.m. Sat., July 16: Qualifying -- 10:05 a.m.

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