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Top performances of the '11 Nationwide season Plethora of interesting storylines and drivers highlight memorable season By Official Release December 06, 2011 4:06 PM, EST DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Remember standing at the ice cream counter as a kid? So many great flavors to choose from that sometimes you gave in to a double or triple scoop? That's the way the 2011 Nationwide Series season ended up -- so many great stories were told. From the "pick-a-series" rule that gave driver championship contenders an opportunity to truly chase a championship, to the first full year of competition for the new car, to new stars and veterans alike taking center stage, this past season was one that made its own headlines. Nice perks Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is getting used to what it means to be a Nationwide champion ... and so far, it's all good. Complete story Stenhouse grabs first title Video: 1on1 with the champ Video: Championship recap Video: Banquet speech Video: Stenhouse celebrates There certainly were some outstanding performances that took place during the recently completed 2011 Nationwide Series season. The following is a look back at some of those standout performers and memorable races, as selected from discussions with the national series directors, competition department and NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications managers. Top Driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. -- Redemption may be an over-used word in athletic achievement, but there's no better way to describe Stenhouse Jr.'s recovery from infamy to the fame of winning the 2011 Nationwide Series driver championship. The story is worth repeating. Stenhouse, 24, barely made it through a 2010 season in which he filled Roush Fenway Racing's shop with the remains of numerous Ford race cars. Relieved of his driving duties at one point in 2010 by owner Jack Roush, Stenhouse's NASCAR career hung by the thinnest of threads. But the native of Olive Branch, Miss., listened -- and learned -- from the experience. He rebounded to claim rookie of the year honors, in the process erasing the largest deficit in series history. Stenhouse kept that momentum in 2011, winning two races, three poles and piling up 16 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes. Stenhouse earned his first NASCAR national series win -- and a reputation for never backing down -- at Iowa Speedway in May, coming out on top of a door-to-door battle with his teammate Carl Edwards. His signature moment came three months later, also at Iowa, when he won despite a last-lap engine failure as Edwards rammed into Stenhouse's rear, blasting him across the finish line. Elliott Sadler (Honorable Mention) -- His first full Nationwide Series season since 1998 didn't exactly get off to the rousing start Sadler had hoped for. He finished 38th at Daytona and left Speedweeks ranked 27th with just six points to his credit. But the NASCAR veteran recovered, climbing to the points lead twice and challenging Stenhouse Jr. in what effectively was a two-man race throughout the last half of 2011. Sadler was a victim of an untimely wreck in the seasons' penultimate race at Phoenix, costing him a real opportunity to take the title chase with Stenhouse down to the season finale at Homestead. Still, his return to the series was a hit with the fans, who voted Sadler as the Nationwide Series' most popular driver in an online poll on NASCAR.COM. Video: Sadler celebrates his second-place finish in return to series Comeback Driver of the Year Reed Sorenson -- Sorenson led the points standings three times in the season's first 20 races, took home the coveted Harley Davidson Sportster motorcycle trophy after winning a wild race at Road America and collected a cool $200,000 as highest finisher among eligible drivers in two of the first four "Dash 4 Cash" races. That was the high. He was involved in an accident with his Turner Motorsports teammate, Justin Allgaier, resulting in a 32nd-place finish at Atlanta. He fell to 40 points behind the leader with eight races left, effectively ending his championship hopes. Then following the race at Dover, he was released by Turner Motorsports. He was still third in the standings, but without a ride to keep that status. That was the low. Despite a seemingly insurmountable task, he was able to work out a season-ending deal with MacDonald Motorsports. His finishes, although not what he had been accustomed to, were consistent enough to lock him into fifth place in the final championship standings. Video: Sorenson reflects on an interesting season at the banquet Kenny Wallace (Honorable Mention) -- Driving for an independent team -- RAB Racing -- and, by his own decision, without a paycheck -- Wallace spearheaded one of the most unsung comebacks of 2011. In the process, he cemented himself in the record books by becoming the all-time starts leader in the Nationwide Series. Following the 2010 season, Wallace underwent a personal reinvention. He lost weight, got fit and rediscovered his "inner race-car driver" with his move to RAB. In addition to overtaking Jason Keller as the series' starts leader -- and becoming just the second driver in series history to surpass 500 starts -- Wallace partied like it was 2005 registering or matching the following bests, all since that season: his first top-five finish, 11 top-10s and a seventh-place final championship ranking. Related: Wallace knows his place in life Top Team RAB Racing with Brack Maggard -- Before becoming the primary face of RAB Racing, Robby Benton, 32, got started in NASCAR doing summer jobs in Robert Yates' shop before serving on Davey Allison's crew. He still displays a pair of Allison's racing gloves on his office wall. Before this season Wallace, 48, had produced solid numbers in a career that totaled more than 800 starts among its three national series. But he felt as though he was running out of time to continue to prove himself on the track. The two joined forces in 2011, providing proof for one another that they could compete -- and how. Benton's RAB Racing team finished 14th in the final 2011 owner standings, the highest among single-car independent teams in the Nationwide Series. Its turnaround can be traced back to 2010, when Boris Said edged Kevin Harvick Inc.'s Max Papis at the finish line in Montreal, giving Said his first Nationwide victory while rewarding Benton and RAB with the organization's first victory. More importantly, RAB learned it belonged. This year, Wallace brought with him a renewed energy. He helped lead the fourth-year organization into uncharted territory, where it thrived. In addition to RAB finishing tops among one-car independents in the owner rankings with an average finish of 15th, Wallace was seventh in the final driver standings, collecting one top-five and 11 top-10s. Since 2008, the team's only previous top-five/top-10 finish was Said's victory. Roush Fenway Racing (Honorable Mention) -- It took a while -- four years to be exact -- but Edwards tenaciously ran down the three-time defending champion Joe Gibbs Racing to give Roush Fenway Racing its second Nationwide Series owners' championship. Edwards won the 2007 driver championship, a season in which Richard Childress Racing was the owner champion. With Stenhouse Jr. winning the 2011 driver championship, this year marked the first time that the same owner claimed both the Nationwide Series driver and owner titles with different teams. JGR's No. 18 Toyota, helmed mostly by 2009 series champion Kyle Busch, appeared unbeatable in the early going, winning five of the season's first 10 races. But Edwards and Roush Fenway's No. 60 Ford team, backed by veteran crew chief Mike Beam, kept chipping away at the deficit. He closed on his rival in September and kept up the pressure through the season finale at Homestead. Nationwide Series 2011 Rookie Standings Pos. Driver Behind 1. Timmy Hill Leader 2. Blake Koch -1 3. Ryan Truex -5 4. Jennifer Jo Cobb -47 5. Charles Lewandoski -53 Complete Rookie Standings Edwards competed in 33 of the season's 34 races. Road Racing veteran Billy Johnson drove the No. 60 at Road America and was headed for a top-five finish before being struck down by mechanical problems. Top Breakthrough Performer Timmy Hill -- Winning the rookie of the year award in one of the most hotly-contested battles in series history is a testament to the resilience of Hill and his Rick Ware Racing team. To begin the climb, Hill didn't race in the season-opener at Daytona. He wasn't yet 18. Twice during the season, RWR tragically lost a member of its team. Then, just one week after Hill had been honored at the season-ending banquet as the series' top rookie, another member of the RWR organization unexpectedly passed away. But through it all, Hill managed to grow in the moment. He battled fellow rookies Blake Koch and Ryan Truex from the moment the trio began racing against each other at Phoenix in February. His main competition turned out to be Koch, as Truex wasn't able to secure a ride for the season finale, losing his rookie standings lead in the process. Hill's best result was 11th at Road America. He also posted finishes inside the top 20 at Talladega, Chicagoland, Richmond and Darlington. His Chicago result came three days before his high school graduation. He and Koch, who became good friends throughout the battle, finished just one position apart six times. The rookie award came down to the final race where the driver who finished in the best position between the two would claim the honor. Koch finished 23rd. Hill was 21st. Hill is now the youngest rookie of the year in NASCAR's three national series. Related: Mitchell, VP at Rick Ware Racing, passes away Blake Koch (Honorable Mention) -- Koch didn't race at Daytona to open the season. He also wasn't entered at Las Vegas. But with full sponsorship and a fresh, upbeat attitude in addition to solid skills, Koch's season with MacDonald Motorsports truly began at Auto Club Speedway and showed improvement throughout. He drew close to Hill for the rookie honor at the season's quarter pole and even took a slim lead late, thanks in part to a five-race string of finishes that bested Hill, including matching his career-best finish of 14th at Phoenix. But the string broke at Homestead, the worst time for Koch's award aspirations. Top Race NAPA Auto Parts 200, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve -- Marcos Ambrose, the class of the Nationwide Series Montreal field, had continuously failed to bring home a victory for various reasons. He vowed to return to this event until he won. His chances this year again looked slim after having to start at the rear for missing qualifying while traveling from his Sprint Cup duties in Michigan -- which took him from a plane to a helicopter to a boat to finally get to his spot on the starting grid -- just before the race. He also had to deal with the hometown favorites: Jacques Villeneuve (the pole-sitter), Patrick Carpentier (making his last start before retiring) and Alex Tagliani (also started on the front row). Villeneuve led 29 of the first 44 laps but his chances went away when he and Ambrose tangled in Turn 1 after a restart with 26 laps remaining. Ambrose powered through the mishap and kept pushing through the field, finally taking the lead from Tagliani on Lap 65. This time he held on around the final turn to take an improbable victory. The excitement continued after the race when Carpentier's frustrated crew chief Jerry Baxter grabbed Steve Wallace by the hair while Wallace was still in his car. Baxter's pit road rage was in response to Wallace spinning out the local hero on Lap 56, ruining Carpentier's final race. Results | Story | Final Laps | Victory Lane | Race Highlights U.S. Cellular 250, Iowa Speedway (Honorable Mention) -- In its short Nationwide Series history, Iowa Speedway is quickly becoming a track where the outcome can be counted on as one to remember. Both races at the .875-mile track this season were sellouts (as have all series races there); both were thrillers and both had the same winner, Stenhouse Jr., and the same protagonist, Edwards. But the August race resulted in one of this year's top moments. As he was leading out of Turn 4 on the final lap, Stenhouse's engine unexpectedly gave way. Edwards, running a distant second but making obvious headway after Stenhouse's misfortune, had his view blinded by the smoke and oil from Stenhouse's expiring motor and plowed into the rear of the No. 6. That short chain-reaction sent Stenhouse across the finish line first.

What a great Sunday for a carshow supporting the Alzheimer's Association put on by Community Hospital Long Term Care.

Thompson Insurance and Financial Services is a company committed to growing along with you.  Our commitment to agriculture is evident in our actions today and has helped us to become the leading farm and agricultural cooperative insurer in the U.S.*

Our insurance history stems from nearly a century of hard work and financial stability.  We're proud to be a part of the Nationwide family of companies, providing insurance protection throughout American and the world.

Thompson Insurance and Financial Services help set the standard for insurance coverage for farm families. There are many reasons to choose Thompson Insurance to protect your agribusiness.

- Customized Protection

- Top Quality Loss Prevention Services

- "Back to Business" Claims Service by Farm Specialists

- Financial Strength

- We're part of your community!

Protecting your farm, your personal property, and you...

*Includes Direct Written Premium of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and affiliated compaines as of year-end 2005 as reported by A.M. Best, an authoritative source of insurance company ratings and information.

Winter is prime time for home energy conservation, but summer is also loaded with opportunities to reduce your usage and bills.  For an energy-smart lifestyle, here's a daily action plan for warm-weather savings.



Morning Rituals

Take a short shower to lower water-heating costs.  It'll reduce your morning prep time and give you a few extra minutes of shut-eye.

Enlist the kids to turn off all the household computers and printers before they head off to day camp or the beach (or whatever summer fun they have planned).  Power strips make the job quick and easy, so your tweens and teens can't complain about this chore.

Turn up the thermostat if you have central air.  Or, install and A/C timer and a programmable thermostat to put these tasks on autopilot.

Close your windows and pull the shades or curtains.  You'll reduce heat gain and keep your newly reupholstered couch from fading.

Respect the speed limit on the way to your morning destination.  Driving 75 mph versus 65 mph lowers your fuel economy by about 10 percent, according to greencars.org.

Afternoon Agenda

Make a grocery run.  A full fridge keeps the appliance from warming up too fast when the door is open, according to the California Energy Commission's Consumer Energy Center.  You'll be happy you did when searching for a midnight snack.

Run ceiling fans instead of the A/C.  Fans with an Energy Star label run 50 percent more efficiently than those without, reports the U.S. Department of Energy.  It seems hard to believe, but most ceiling fans use less energy than a light bulb, according to Flex Your Power (fypower.org).

Leave the lights off.  "Ninety percent of the energy used by old incandescent bulbs produces heat, not light," notes Flex Your Power.  Keeping them off will keep a room cooler.

Evening Events

Use compact fluorescent lights (CFLS) in rooms where you need artificial light.  According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a single 20-watt CFL offers the same amount of light as a 75-watt incandescent light bulb, but lasts up to seven times longer.

Prepare dinner on an outdoor grill rather than in the oven (which asks more of your A/C) and eat al fresco.  After a long day at the over-air-conditioned office, you'll appreciate a chance to commune with nature.

Load up the dishes.  A full dishwasher uses less water than hand-washing your plates, glasses and cutlery, so let it rip...on an energy-efficient cycle, of course.

And for the Ambitious: Weekend Eco-Warrior

Change the filter in yoru air conditioner.  Proper filter maintenance can reduce an air conditioner's energy consumption by u to 15 percent.

Lower the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees.  The U.S. Department of Energy reports a 3 to 5 percent reduction in energy costs for every 10-degree reduction in temperature.

Plant shade trees near south-facing windows to reduce heat gain.  Deciduous varieties do double-duty: when their leaves fall, low-angled sunlight will warm your house in the winter.

SAVINGS ISN'T JUST FOR ENERGY

Can't live through the Summer without A/C, but still want to cut costs?  Try saving on your insurance instead.  Contact Thompson Insurance by calling 765-644-6787 for an On Your Side Review. Source:my Nationwide Magazine

We had a great time at this year's Indianapolis Air Show!  We're already looking forward to 2012.  For more pics, visit our Photo Gallery tab.

The Blue Angels Will Be Headlining The 2011 Air Show!

Tickets are on sale Online and at Central Indiana Marsh Stores Now

CLICK HERE for more event information.

It's coming at you faster than the speed of sound!

For 4 years Thompson Insurance has proudly sponsored the Indianapolis Air Show to support Riley Hospital for Children.

Special thanks to our partners at NCA Group!