2009 U.S. Cellular 250

The 2009 U.S. Cellular 250 was a NASCAR Nationwide Series race held at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa on August 1, 2009. The race was the first ever Nationwide Series race to be held in Iowa. It was also the 21st race of the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., making his 6th career Nationwide Series start, won the pole for the race but it was Brad Keselowski who would dominate the race, leading the most laps and winning the first ever race in Iowa.[2]

2009 U.S. Cellular 250
Race details[1]
Map of Speedway
Map of Speedway
Date August 1, 2009 (2009-08-01)
Official name 2009 U.S. Cellular 250
Location Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa
Course D-Shaped oval
0.875 mi (1.408 km)
Distance 250 laps, 218.750 mi (352.044 km)
Weather Clear
Average speed 91.858 mph (147.831 km/h)
Attendance 56,087
Pole position
Driver Roush Fenway Racing
Time 23.310
Most laps led
Driver Brad Keselowski JR Motorsports
Laps 121
Winner
No. 88 Brad Keselowski JR Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Marty Reid, Randy LaJoie, Rusty Wallace

Background

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Iowa Speedway is a 7/8-mile (1.4 km) paved oval motor racing track in Newton, Iowa, approximately 30 miles (48 km) east of Des Moines. It has over 25,000 permanent seats as well as a unique multi-tiered RV viewing area along the backstretch. The premiere event of the track is the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend held yearly in July since its inaugural running in 2007.

The track opened in September 2006 with the Soy Biodiesel 250, won by Woody Howard, for the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Four Champions playoff. The Indy Racing League announced a race there on June 24, 2007, the Iowa Corn Indy 250, which was won by Dario Franchitti, who barely nipped Marco Andretti at the finish line. The track also secured a combined NASCAR Camping World East-West race where results counted towards both series' championships.[3] That race delivered a dramatic battle between 17-year-old Joey Logano from the Busch East Series, who defeated Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick, 1998 West Series champion, who represented the West Series at the end of the race. The track was awarded a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and a NASCAR Xfinity Series race in 2009.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver
# Driver Team Make
0 Kertus Davis JD Motorsports Chevrolet
01 Danny O'Quinn Jr. JD Motorsports Chevrolet
1 Mike Bliss Phoenix Racing Chevrolet
2 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
05 Casey Atwood Day Enterprise Racing Ford
5 Scott Wimmer JR Motorsports Chevrolet
6 Erik Darnell (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford
07 Mike Harmon SK Motorsports Chevrolet
09 John Wes Townley (R) RAB Racing Ford
10 Kelly Bires Braun Racing Toyota
11 Scott Lagasse Jr. (R) CJM Racing Toyota
12 Justin Allgaier (R) Penske Racing Dodge
15 Michael Annett (R) Germain Racing Toyota
16 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford
18 Jeremy Clements Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
20 Brad Coleman Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
23 Ken Butler III (R) R3 Motorsports Chevrolet
24 Eric McClure Rensi-Hamilton Racing Ford
26 Michael McDowell (R) Whitney Motorsports Dodge
27 Jason Keller Baker Curb Racing Ford
28 Kenny Wallace Jay Robinson Racing Chevrolet
29 Stephen Leicht Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
32 Brian Ickler Braun Racing Toyota
33 Cale Gale Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet
34 Kevin Hamlin Front Row Motorsports Chevrolet
38 Jason Leffler Braun Racing Toyota
40 Aric Almirola Key Motorsports Chevrolet
47 Coleman Pressley JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota
49 Mark Green Jay Robinson Racing Chevrolet
52 Jack Smith Means Racing Chevrolet
58 Chris Horn Horn Auto Racing Chevrolet
60 Auggie Vidovich Roush Fenway Racing Ford
61 Matt Carter Specialty Racing Ford
62 Brendan Gaughan (R) Rusty Wallace Racing Chevrolet
66 Steve Wallace Rusty Wallace Racing Chevrolet
70 Shelby Howard ML Motorsports Chevrolet
72 Benny Gordon VSI Racing Ford
73 Kevin Lepage Derrike Cope Inc. Dodge
75 Kenny Hendrick Bob Schact Racing Chevrolet
77 Peyton Sellers Cardinal Motorsports Chevrolet
78 Derrike Cope Derrike Cope Inc. Dodge
81 Sean Murphy MacDonald Motorsports Dodge
83 Johnny Borneman III Borneman Motorsports Ford
87 Jeff Fuller NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet
88 Brad Keselowski JR Motorsports Chevrolet
89 Morgan Shepherd Faith Motorsports Chevrolet
90 Johnny Chapman MSRP Motorsports Chevrolet
91 Chase Miller MSRP Motorsports Chevrolet
96 Andy Ponstein Whitney Motorsports Dodge
99 Trevor Bayne Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
Official Entry list

Qualifying

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Both Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Justin Allgaier tied for the pole position with a time of 23.310 and a speed of 135.135 but Stenhouse got the tiebreaker and Stenhouse won his first career Nationwide Series pole in just his 6th start.

Grid No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 16 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 23.310 135.135
2 12 Justin Allgaier (R) Penske Racing Dodge 23.310 135.135
3 6 Erik Darnell (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 23.322 135.066
4 99 Trevor Bayne Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 23.329 135.025
5 20 Brad Coleman Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 23.384 134.707
6 29 Stephen Leicht Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 23.400 134.615
7 5 Scott Wimmer JR Motorsports Chevrolet 23.410 134.558
8 66 Steve Wallace Rusty Wallace Racing Chevrolet 23.426 134.466
9 26 Michael McDowell (R) Whitney Motorsports Dodge 23.426 134.466
10 1 Mike Bliss Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 23.488 134.111
11 88 Brad Keselowski JR Motorsports Chevrolet 23.512 133.974
12 10 Kelly Bires Braun Racing Toyota 23.517 133.946
13 27 Jason Keller Baker Curb Racing Ford 23.518 133.940
14 90 Johnny Chapman MSRP Motorsports Chevrolet 23.520 133.929
15 38 Jason Leffler Braun Racing Toyota 23.539 133.820
16 2 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 23.554 133.735
17 11 Scott Lagasse Jr. (R) CJM Racing Toyota 23.558 133.713
18 34 Tony Raines** *** Front Row Motorsports Chevrolet 23.559 133.707
19 49 Mark Green Jay Robinson Racing Chevrolet 23.563 133.684
20 83 Johnny Borneman III Borneman Motorsports Ford 23.563 133.684
21 62 Brendan Gaughan (R) Rusty Wallace Racing Chevrolet 23.577 133.605
22 05 Casey Atwood Day Enterprise Racing Ford 23.583 133.571
23 23 Ken Butler III (R) R3 Motorsports Chevrolet 23.613 133.401
24 28 Kenny Wallace Jay Robinson Racing Chevrolet 23.633 133.288
25 72 Benny Gordon VSI Racing Ford 23.641 133.243
26 47 Coleman Pressley*** JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota 23.659 133.142
27 18 Kyle Busch** *** Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 23.674 133.057
28 40 Aric Almirola Key Motorsports Chevrolet 23.677 133.041
29 32 Brian Ickler Braun Racing Toyota 23.683 133.007
30 09 John Wes Townley (R) RAB Racing Ford 23.731 132.738
31 0 Kertus Davis JD Motorsports Chevrolet 23.755 132.604
32 91 Chase Miller MSRP Motorsports Chevrolet 23.759 132.581
33 01 Danny O'Quinn Jr. JD Motorsports Chevrolet 23.768 132.531
34 33 Kevin Harvick** *** Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet 23.770 132.520
35 73 Kevin Lepage Derrike Cope Inc. Dodge 23.774 132.498
36 15 Michael Annett (R) Germain Racing Toyota 23.821 132.236
37 61 Matt Carter Specialty Racing Ford 23.917 131.705
38 81 Sean Murphy MacDonald Motorsports Dodge 23.948 131.535
39 24 Eric McClure* Rensi-Hamilton Racing Ford 24.155 130.408
40 60 Carl Edwards* ** *** Roush Fenway Racing Ford 24.286 129.704
41 87 Jeff Fuller* NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 24.812 126.955
42 07 Mike Harmon* *** SK Motorsports Chevrolet 25.984 121.228
43 89 Morgan Shepherd Faith Motorsports Chevrolet 23.860 132.020
Failed to Qualify, withdrew, or driver changes
44 70 Shelby Howard ML Motorsports Chevrolet 23.885 131.882
45 77 Peyton Sellers Cardinal Motorsports Chevrolet 23.907 131.761
46 75 Kenny Hendrick Bob Schacht Racing Chevrolet 23.930 131.634
47 78 Derrike Cope Derrike Cope Inc. Dodge 24.066 130.890
48 96 Andy Ponstein Whitney Motorsports Dodge 24.140 130.489
49 52 Jack Smith Means Racing Chevrolet 24.190 130.219
50 58 Chris Horn Horn Auto Racing Chevrolet 24.363 129.294
DC 18 Jeremy Clements Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
DC 33 Cale Gale Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet
DC 34 Kevin Hamlin Front Row Motorsports Chevrolet
DC 60 Auggie Vidovich Roush Fenway Racing Ford
Official Starting grid

* – Made the field via owners points

** – There were 4 different driver changes by Raceday as there were drivers qualifying the cars for the Cup Series drivers. Jeremy Clements qualified for Kyle Busch, Cale Gale qualified for Kevin Harvick, Kevin Hamlin qualified for Tony Raines, and Auggie Vidovich qualified for Carl Edwards. This was during the peak of the Buschwhacker era where Cup Series drivers would drive in the Busch Series and would ask for other drivers to qualify their Busch Series car while they tried to qualify the Cup Series race which would be the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway.

*** – Tony Raines, Coleman Pressley, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, and Mike Harmon all had to start at the rear of the field. Harmon and Pressley had an unapproved impound adjustment while Busch, Harvick, Raines, and Edwards had driver changes.

Race

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Pole sitter Ricky Stenhouse Jr. led the first lap of the race. The first caution flew on lap 3 when John Wes Townley crashed off of turn 2 after his rear track bar broke. The race restarted on lap 8. On the restart, Justin Allgaier took the lead from Stenhouse. On lap 11, the second caution flew when Sean Murphy, making his Nationwide Series debut, crashed in turn 2. The race restarted on lap 16. On lap 39, the third caution flew when Casey Atwood crashed in turns 1 and 2. Brad Keselowski won the race off of pit road and led the field to the restart on lap 45. On lap 74, the 4th caution flew when Aric Almirola blew a front right tire and hit the outside wall in turn 3. Erik Darnell won the race off of pit road. Mike Bliss and Austin Dillon did not pit and Bliss led the field to a restart on lap 79. On lap 80, Kyle Busch took the lead. On lap 93, the 5th caution flew when Michael McDowell spun down the front-stretch after getting bumped by Tony Raines. The race restarted on lap 98. On lap 105, Brad Keselowski took the lead from Kyle Busch. On lap 108, Brendan Gaughan cut a tire off on turn 4 after he had contact with Brian Ickler. Gaughan went into turn 1 and spun where he collected Ken Butler III that caused Butler to spin while the wreck also collected Austin Dillon, Stephen Leicht, and Matt Carter, bringing the 6th caution of the race. The race restarted on lap 114.

Final laps

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On lap 145, the 7th caution flew for debris in turn 1. Kyle Busch won the race off of pit road and led the field to the restart on lap 150. On lap 153, the 8th caution flew when Mike Bliss and Trevor Bayne crashed off of turn 4. The race restarted on lap 158. On lap 166, the 9th caution flew when Brad Coleman and Brian Ickler crashed in turn 2. The race restarted on lap 173. On lap 179, Brad Keselowski attempted to take the lead from Kyle Busch but failed to get in front of him. Keselowski tried again, on lap 186, and battled with Busch until lap 189, when Keselowski was able to get past him. On lap 211, the 10th caution flew when Austin Dillon cut a front left tire and hit the outside wall in turn 2. The race restarted on lap 219. On lap 224, Kyle Busch took the lead from Keselowski. On lap 229, the 11th caution flew when Morgan Shepherd spun down the front-stretch. The race restarted on lap 234. On the restart, the 12th and final caution flew when Justin Allgaier slid up into Erik Darnell and pinned Darnell and Steve Wallace into the outside wall down the back-stretch. The race restarted on lap 240. On lap 241, Brad Keselowski passed Kyle Busch for the lead. Busch tried to pass him in the closing laps but was unsuccessful. Keselowski took the first checkered flag at Iowa in Nationwide Series history and Busch finished in second. This would be Keselowski's 2nd win of the season and the 4th of his career since 2008. Jason Leffler, Carl Edwards, and Kelly Bires rounded out the top 5 while Jason Keller, Kenny Wallace, Michael McDowell, Scott Lagasse Jr, and Stephen Leicht rounded out the top 10.[4]

Race results

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Pos Car Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Run Laps Led Status Points
1 88 Brad Keselowski JR Motorsports Chevrolet 250 121 running 195
2 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 250 84 running 175
3 38 Jason Leffler Braun Racing Toyota 250 0 running 165
4 60 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 250 0 running 160
5 10 Kelly Bires Braun Racing Toyota 250 0 running 155
6 27 Jason Keller Baker Curb Racing Ford 250 0 running 150
7 28 Kenny Wallace Jay Robinson Racing Chevrolet 250 0 running 146
8 26 Michael McDowell (R) Whitney Motorsports Dodge 250 0 running 142
9 11 Scott Lagasse Jr. (R) CJM Racing Toyota 250 0 running 138
10 29 Stephen Leicht Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 250 0 running 134
11 15 Michael Annett (R) Germain Racing Toyota 250 0 running 130
12 72 Benny Gordon VSI Racing Ford 250 0 running 127
13 20 Brad Coleman Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 250 0 running 124
14 1 Mike Bliss Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 250 3 running 126
15 12 Justin Allgaier (R) Penske Racing Dodge 250 35 running 123
16 83 Johnny Borneman III Borneman Motorsports Ford 250 0 running 115
17 66 Steve Wallace Rusty Wallace Racing Chevrolet 249 0 running 112
18 34 Tony Raines Front Row Motorsports Chevrolet 249 0 running 109
19 89 Morgan Shepherd Faith Motorsports Chevrolet 249 0 running 106
20 24 Eric McClure Rensi-Hamilton Racing Ford 249 0 running 103
21 61 Matt Carter Specialty Racing Ford 248 0 running 100
22 16 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 248 7 running 102
23 6 Erik Darnell (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 247 0 running 94
24 01 Danny O'Quinn Jr. JD Motorsports Chevrolet 245 0 running 91
25 62 Brandan Gaughan (R) Rusty Wallace Racing Chevrolet 244 0 running 88
26 99 Trevor Bayne Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 244 0 running 85
27 81 Sean Murphy MacDonald Motorsports Dodge 222 0 running 82
28 2 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 211 0 crash 79
29 09 John Wes Townley (R) RAB Racing Ford 205 0 running 76
30 33 Kevin Harvick Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet 195 0 running 73
31 5 Scott Wimmer JR Motorsports Chevrolet 168 0 engine 70
32 32 Brian Ickler Braun Racing Toyota 165 0 crash 67
33 23 Ken Butler III (R) R3 Motorsports Chevrolet 108 0 crash 64
34 40 Aric Almirola Key Motorsports Chevrolet 74 0 crash 61
35 05 Casey Atwood Day Enterprise Racing Ford 37 0 crash 58
36 87 Jeff Fuller NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 31 0 overheating 55
37 0 Kertus Davis JD Motorsports Chevrolet 26 0 brakes 52
38 49 Mark Green Jay Robinson Racing Chevrolet 21 0 brakes 49
39 73 Kevin Lepage Derrike Cope Inc. Dodge 19 0 rear end 46
40 91 Chase Miller MSRP Motorsports Chevrolet 9 0 brakes 43
41 47 Coleman Pressley JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota 8 0 engine 40
42 90 Johnny Chapman MSRP Motorsports Chevrolet 7 0 overheating 37
43 07 Mike Harmon SK Motorsports Chevrolet 6 0 brakes 34
Official Race results

References

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  1. ^ "2009 U.S. Cellular 250". Retrieved August 1, 2009.
  2. ^ "Keselowski wins inaugural race at Iowa Speedway". Retrieved August 1, 2009.
  3. ^ "NASCAR : NASCAR Drivers, Race Standings & News". NASCAR.com. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
  4. ^ "Nationwide Series Breakdown: 2009 US Cellular 250 at Iowa". 2 August 2009. Retrieved August 2, 2009.


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