Webber was running third behind TRB teammate Sebastian Vettel in the closing laps of the race when he was told over the radio to hold his position. He ignored the call and continued pushing Vettel to the checkered flag.

Afterwards, Webber said that he ignored the order because he wanted to score the best finish possible. He wrote in his column for the Herald Sun:

The last stint was probably my best of the race and I was able to pass Lewis (Hamilton) pretty easily for third place. That gave the team a double podium and extended our lead in the constructors’ championship to 110 points. [Vettel] and I had a good battle late on. The team put in a few calls asking me to maintain the gap, but I kept pushing because you can never give up in F1. If Fernando [Alonso] had retired on the last lap, we would have been fighting for the lead. Obviously the team wanted the points for the world championship – and they got them – but so did I.

The team was worried that Vettel and Webber would crash, if they continued to push each other for position.

Bild called the planto replace Webber with Raikkonen “top secret” and cited a source “at the highest level.”

Raikkonen talked with TRB about a ride last year, and is said to have changed his mind about staying in rallying and NASCAR.

But, according to Autosport.com, TRB owner Dietrich Mateschitz said that there are absolutely no doubts that Webber will stay with the team next year. Mateschitz said:

Mark Webber will re-sign with us. This will happen for sure. He is very popular within the team, he feels very comfortable and it is an excellent relationship. He knows this and we know it. To be honest, Mark has no better choice than the fastest car and we have no better choice for a fast driver.

Mateschitz also said that he was fine with Webber’s actions during the British Grand Prix. He said:

This is no problem for us. Sebastian realized that Fernando Alonso was gone and could not be caught anymore, so he backed down. This let Mark close in. He would be a very bad racer had he not tried to attack and gain a position.

He said that if Raikkonen wanted to race in that series this weekend, it would need to be with another team. Raikkonen was approved to race in the series prior to the CWTS race at Charlotte.

Following Raikkonen’s 15th-place finish in his first Trucks series start, it appears now that KBM has found a way to field a Toyota Camry for him in the N’Wide series race at Charlotte.

Raikkonen will pilot a car built by KBM with owner’s points coming from Joe Nemechek’s NEMCO Motorsports team, which is currently 19th in the standings.

NEMCO will provide the crew, with additional support from KBM. NEMCO will also provide the transporter, equipment, and a backup car.

With the name of murder victim Zahra Baker of Hickory, N.C., on his No. 18 Toyota, Busch took the lead for the first time on Lap 128 of 134 and held off runner-up Clint Bowyer the rest of the way to win the North Carolina Education Lottery 200.

Busch crossed the finish line .317 seconds ahead of Bowyer. The victory was his third straight in the series, his fourth in six starts this season and the 28th of his career, bringing his aggregate victories across NASCAR’s top three series to 97. That ties him with Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip for third all-time in total wins across all three national series.

Baker, who battled cancer before her untimely death at age 10, came to Charlotte Motor Speedway in May 2010 as a guest of Speedway Children’s Charities. Baker was one of a group of underprivileged children who were given hearing aids at the racetrack.

Baker’s stepmother has been changed with her murder.

“I had an angel running with me that last run of the race,” Busch said. “We didn’t have the truck to beat tonight. The 2 (Bowyer) did. Somehow I found some more out of it, and I’m going to say that I had some help tonight.

“It’s weird how things work, but, man, when you believe in it and you trust it and you have faith in it, it’ll repay you.”

Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 Formula One champion, finished 15th in his NASCAR debut. Raikkonen started 31st but gained track position under the second caution of the race when he missed pit road and remained on the track.

Raikkonnen was about to make a green-flag stop on Lap 51, when Busch, his car owner, spun off Turn 4 to cause the fourth caution and put Raikkonen back on pit sequence with the rest of the field.

Cole Whitt ran third and took over the series points lead. At 19, Whitt is the youngest driver ever to lead the series points and the first rookie.

James Buescher came home fourth, followed by Ron Hornaday Jr.

Jamie Dick’s brush with the outside wall caused the ninth caution of the race on Lap 96, with Bowyer in the lead. Bowyer kept his No. 2 Chevrolet out front until David Starr’s Toyota smacked the wall to bring out the record 10th and final caution of the race on Lap 106.

Bowyer led the field to the green flag for a restart on Lap 112 but surrendered the top spot 16 laps later.

Earlier in the night, Busch beat out Bowyer for the pole position for Saturday’s Sprint All-Star Race.

With 28 wins, Busch is tied for second all-time in the truck series with Mike Skinner and Jack Sprague.

Raikkonen will become the second F1 champion to drive in the Camping World Truck Series — Jacques Villeneuve, 1997 F1 champion, competed in the series, making his debut in 2007. He will be one of three former F1 drivers in the CWTS race at Charlotte: Nelson Piquet Jr, Max Papis, and Raikkonen.

Team owner Busch said:

We’ve sent him a few videos the past couple of years of truck racing at Charlotte. He’ll get a good view of what to expect with the in-car stuff, listening to throttle control, how much you’re on the gas and how to race people.

Raikkonen will be the seventh former F1 driver to have raced in the series. The other six are Narain Karthikeyan, Papis, Piquet Jr, Eliseo Salazar, Scott Speed, and Villeneuve. Of them, Piquet Jr is the only one to have posted a top 10 in his debut, finishing sixth at Daytona International Speedway in 2010. Scott Speed is the only former F1 driver to win a series race, winning at Dover International Speedway in 2008.

Raikkonen began racing in F1 in 2001, driving for Sauber-Petronas (now known as Sauber). In 2002, he began racing for what is now known as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. With McLaren, he finished the 2003 and 2005 F1 seasons as runner up for the championship. Some say that unreliablecars from McLaren were to blame for him missing both championships.

He switched to the team now known as Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, and won the 2007 F1 championship. Two years later, he was replaced by Fernando Alonso at Ferrari. Negotiations with McLaren and Mercedes GP didn’t pan out. He was offered a ride with Toyota F1, but Raikkonen declined. It was reported that Raikkonen wanted to drive a race-winning car (which Toyota F1 didn’t have) and that the salary was not high enough.

Raikkonen left F1 after the 2009 season and began racing full time in the World Rally Championship, driving for the Citroën Junior Team with sponsorship from Red Bull.

Raikkonen currently drives for his own team, ICE 1 Racing. It was originally rumored that his ICE 1 racing team would field his truck for his NASCAR debut. Shortly thereafter, however, Kyle Busch Motorsports announced that they signed Raikkonen.

Raikkonen was quoted in a Finnish paper as saying:

I’m really looking forward to get there to familiarize to the world of NASCAR. I have been following it for a long time. I know, it’s a very tough and open top racing series. I just love the American spirit of racing. It feels just great to get involved with that. Obviously, it will be very challenging and great fun for me.

Raikkonen’s business manager confirmed the news.

Ray Evernham, who worked with the Gilletts when they purchased his Sprint Cup Series team to form Gillett Evernham Motorsports, reacted to the news in an article for Auto123.com. He said:

I really don’t know why Kimi would partner with people who continually fail with sports franchises. I don’t know how they could leave with so many unpaid bills and return to the sport.

Juan Montoya said he would welcome Raikkonen to the sport. He said:

Well, people talk a lot and I’ve heard the story already before, but if he’s definitely coming it would be really good for him and for the sport. He would be very welcome here.

Update: Kyle Busch Motorsports announced that it has signed Raikkonen to drive a KBM Toyota in the Truck Series this season, starting with the N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 20. Sponsorship details and a schedule of the races Raikkonen will drive have yet to be released.

Team owner Kyle Busch said:

We are honored that Kimi Raikkonen, a former Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champion and proven winner, has chosen to start his career in NASCAR with Kyle Busch Motorsports. Adding one of the most talented drivers in the world is a continuation of building a team of proven winners and champions at KBM. I look forward to assisting in Kimi’s transition to NASCAR as both an owner and teammate.

Raikkonen said:

Kyle is one of the best in NASCAR, and being able to draw on his knowledge will be a valuable asset as I make my transition to a new form of racing. He has put together an experienced team that builds fast race trucks. I look forward to being a part of a team that has proven to be a winner on and off the race track.