Oak Park Journal Sports Page

The Trophy for the 400
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo by Mark Rotor

Jimmie Johnson with Daytona Winner Trevor Bayne
#48 Jimmie Johnson 3rd fastest lap @ 174.58mph.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo by Mark Rotor

#56 Martin Truex Jr. 2nd fastest lap
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo by Mark Rotor

© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photos by Mark Rotor

Tomorrow they race for the pole in the 18th Annual Brickyard 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

KENSETH LEADS ROUSH FENWAY POWER PLAY AT BRICKYARD PRACTICE

INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, July 29, 2011 - Matt Kenseth was the fastest driver overall on the opening day of practice Friday, July 29 for the Brickyard 400 presented by Big Machine Records.com, turning a top lap of 181.203 mph in the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford.

Kenseth was one of three Roush Fenway Racing Fords among the top five overall. Teammates Carl Edwards and David Ragan were fourth and fifth, respectively.

"Our first lap on the racetrack was our fastest lap today," Kenseth said. "Unfortunately, it's been kind of downhill since then. We really struggled in race trim with the Crown Royal car and have some work to do before Sunday."

All five of the top speeds were turned in the first practice, when teams worked on qualifying setups on the 2.5-mile oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Kasey Kahne was second at 181.178 in the No. 4 Red Bull Toyota, followed by Denny Hamlin at 181.050 in the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota. Edwards was fourth at 180.658 in the No. 99 Ortho Home Defense Max Ford, with Ragan rounding out the top five at 180.404 in the No. 6 UPS/Hall of Fame/Ned Jarrett Ford.

Pole qualifying is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. (ET) Saturday, with final practice from 10-11:30 a.m. The Brickyard 400 presented by Big Machine Records.com is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Kenseth dropped to 29th in the second session, when teams worked on race setups in 92-degree air temperature. But Roush Fenway continued its power play as Greg Biffle was fastest at 178.310 in the No. 16 Red Cross Ford.

"We have a chance at a front-row start," Biffle said. "Our cars (Roush Fenway Racing) are running good, and they are all fast."

Defending Brickyard 400 champion Jamie McMurray was eighth overall with a top lap of 179.634 during the first practice in the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet.

Four-time Brickyard 400 winner Jeff Gordon was ninth overall at 179.519 in the first practice in the No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet.

2011 Brickyard 400 tickets: Tickets are on sale for the 2011 Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 31 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Race Day ticket prices start at just $30. Fans can buy tickets online at www.imstix.com, by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or by visiting the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.

Children 12 and under will receive free general admission to any IMS event in 2011 when accompanied by an adult general admission ticket holder.

2012 SUPER WEEKEND AT THE BRICKYARD TICKETS ON SALE AUG. 1

IMS to roll back clock to 2010 pricing for premium Sprint Cup race seats

INDIANAPOLIS, Saturday, July 30, 2011 - The 2012 Crown Royal "Your Hero's Name Here" 400 at the Brickyard will feature a return to 2010 ticket prices in Penthouse and Deck seating areas as the inaugural Super Weekend at the Brickyard makes racing history next July at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Tickets go on sale Monday, Aug. 1 for the Super Weekend at the Brickyard, scheduled for July 26-29, 2012, at www.imstix.com or in person at the IMS Ticket Office.
The Super Weekend at the Brickyard will feature the NASCAR Nationwide and GRAND-AM Road Racing series for the first time at IMS as they join the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for an unforgettable four days of on-track activity featuring four races in three days.

Ticket prices have been reduced from $165 to $150 in the E & B Penthouse for the 2012 Crown Royal "Your Hero's Name Here" 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday, July 29. Seats in the A Penthouse, Northwest Vista Deck, Northeast Vista Deck, Southeast Vista Deck, South Vista Deck (sections 1-4) and Southwest Vista Deck will be reduced from $160 to $150.
Fans who purchased Penthouse and Deck seats for this year's Brickyard 400 presented by Big Machine Records.com can renew their seats for next year's race over a two-week period beginning Aug. 1, and will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets for those seats for next year's Nationwide Series race.

Prices for the Nationwide Series race on Saturday, July 28 will range from $65 for Penthouse seats to $25 for general admission seats in Stands E, B & A. Seats in the Paddock and the Northwest, Southeast and Southwest Vistas are also priced at $25. Tickets for the Nationwide Series practice Thursday, July 26 are $10 for open seating.
All seats will be general admission and priced at $30 for the two GRAND-AM races Friday, July 27 on the IMS road course. Open seating will be available in the H, J, Paddock Penthouse, Press Paddock Penthouse, Paddock, A Penthouse, Stand A, Southeast Vista, Southeast Vista Deck, Southwest Vista and Southwest Vista Deck.

Fans also can buy Super Weekend tickets for just $80 that provide open seating for Thursday and Friday, with limited general admission seating Saturday and general admission infield access for the Crown Royal "Your Hero's Name Here" 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday.
Children 12 and under will receive free general admission when accompanied by an adult with a Super Weekend Ticket or single-day general admission ticket.

All ticket orders can be made at www.imstix.com or by visiting the IMS Ticket Office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday. For more information, call the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area,

Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.