With only two races scheduled before the start of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, the question arises: which 12 drivers will be participants in the event? As the excitement rises, so too does the tension; the drivers who are already guaranteed a spot are working harder to keep their positions, while those who are not participants are making a major effort to reach a place. Race after race the battle becomes more intense, as demonstrated last weekend at the Bristol Motor Speedway. The field was filled with top drivers and the track riddled with complexity, but Kyle Busch managed to take the victory in the 24th event of the Nascar Sprint Cup Series. The race was characterized by constant inconveniences on the track, causing the event to be stopped on 11 occasions. Despite the difficulties, however, the younger Busch brother gave a brilliant – even flawless – performance. Busch, who left the grid from 15th place, remained steadfast in his objective, advancing at full speed while avoiding the strong attacks of his closest pursuers. Busch?s strategy allowed him to rise through the ranks until he was placed within the group that controlled the pace of the competition. Lap after lap drivers clashed, seeking to take first place. The intensity increased, and yellow flags were repeatedly dropped, interrupting the extensive 500-lap route that marked the event. Because of the constant accidents and repeated restarts, the race was led by 12 different drivers, the most notable of which were Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, and Tony Stewart. Busch, driving the #18 Toyota Camry, had to redouble his efforts to gain a chance at the lead. With less than 100 laps to go, Johnson and Martin were the focus of attention for the race, battling for first place. Johnson had to make a pit stop for a tire change, giving Martin a chance at first. However, both drivers? efforts were spoiled; Busch passed Martin, leaving the famed driver in second place. Busch was able to remain in front, even after a multiple-car accident, a yellow flag, and yet another restart. Martin continued to pressure Busch, but the driver was able to defend his position and keep first place. Then, with just four laps to go, Clint Bowyer and Michael Waltrip engaged in a serious crash, causing a final restart. Nevertheless, Busch held his position as leader, finally reaching the checkered flag and taking the triumph. Martin, who led 240 of the 500 laps, came in second. ?What a class act,? Busch said of Martin. ?He deserved to win this race. I?m sorry he got second. I know how he feels. But man, I drove as hard as I could.? With the victory, Busch raised two positions in the drivers? standings and is currently placed at 13th with 2,911 points. He is just 34 points behind Matt Kenseth, who is in 12th. He also has a chance to join the list of the 12 best drivers that will compete in that championship of champions, the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

GM Racing, after a couple of years of conducting track testing, is poised to set forth a promising race car in the Chevy Impala SS. To stir enthusiasm to the Impala SS debut on the racetrack, the Chevy Team utilized rocket science and expertise in safety. The Chevy Impala SS is set to conquer the Bristol Motor Speedway on March 25.

“We feel comfortable with the position we are in due to the time, communication and resources that GM has invested to work closely with NASCAR on the rollout of the Impala SS,” said Pat Suhy, the GM Racing NASCAR group manager. “I think our integrated approach in working with NASCAR on its new-generation race car has been valuable in helping them meet their four key objectives and valuable for us, particularly in gaining increased manufacturer identity with the Impala SS.”

NASCAR’s Research & Development Center advances its Car of Tomorrow program to include addition safety features, lessen coasts, offer increased race competition and incorporate manufacturer identity.

GM Racing has been working closely with NASCAR since March 2005. GM Racing engineers were assisted by NASCAR to come up with safety and aerodynamic changes to the race cars. It also gave recommendations on the new wing and splitter. GM also sought the aid of its design studio which allowed for a greater input on design cues thus resulting in the Impala SS race car more closely resembling its production version.

“Chevrolet stylists were actually in the wind tunnel with our racing team working with modeling clay to shape the front end of the Impala SS race car,” said Suhy. “In working with NASCAR early on, we were able to jointly determine how much real estate we could use for manufacturer identity. I think those early efforts really paid off and it is evident in the additional manufacturer cues on the Impala SS compared to the current race cars.”

Suhy added, “One unknown for Bristol is how NASCAR is going to be applying the templates. As NASCAR and the teams continue to work on a gold standard for the template process, GM Racing is trying to help in any way we can. Members of our team who understand the templates and the bodies are working behind-the-scenes with NASCAR and the teams to make sure nothing is left to chance when we arrive in Bristol.”

After Team Chevy posted impressive race speeds, GM Racing engineers are optimistic about the performance of the Chevrolet Impala SS at the Bristol race. As a fact, in the second and third sessions, Team Chevy is testing the race car and they have posted eight of the top-10 fastest lap times.

Denny Hamlin, the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Impala SS, leads the record after recording the fastest speed of the day. Hamlin also commended the extensive preparations invested to get ready for the Chevrolet Impala SS debut. “Our team has done a whole lot of homework on this program the last couple of years,” said Hamlin. “I am pretty happy about where we are standing because not only are we fast but we are really good on the long runs and that really matters here. I am definitely excited to come back.”

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the No. 8 Budweiser Chevy is also impressed with the current performance of the Impala SS. The speeding performance could shy away Flowmaster exhaust. “It actually drives better than our other cars do here,” said Earnhardt. “The car is an inch wider. It has a little more grip. I am really pleasantly surprised really. “It has exceeded my expectations at this point and how the car is driving… I enjoy the way my car drives. I think we will get it even better. A lot of guys are running really good which gives me promise that it will be OK.”