Posted on by Tadd Haislop

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour: Race 8/14

 

Nuway150 Logo

Race Nu-Way Auto Parts at New York International Raceway Park
Date Saturday, July 31, 2021
Track New York International Raceway Park
Layout Half-mile oval
Location Lancaster, New York
Start time 8 p.m. ET
Laps 150
Miles 75
Tickets Click here
TV channel NBCSN (Delayed: Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2 p.m. ET)
Live stream TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold (Live)

RACE LINKS: ENTRY LIST | PRACTICE | STARTING LINEUP | RACE RESULTS

RACEDAY SCHEDULE: Saturday, July 31 — Garage opens: 11:30 a.m. ET; Practice: 2-3:15 p.m.; Qualifying: 5 p.m.; Race: 8 p.m.

Quick links:

LIVE TIMING

Posted on by Tadd Haislop

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour: Race 6/14

 

Riverhead Logo

Race Buzz Chew Chevrolet Cadillac 200 at Riverhead Raceway
Date Sunday, June 20, 2021
Track Riverhead Raceway
Layout Quarter-mile oval
Location Riverhead, New York
Start time 1 p.m. ET
Laps 200
Miles 50
Tickets Riverhead Raceway Gate
TV channel NBCSN (Delayed: Thursday, June 24, 4:30 p.m. ET)
Live stream TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold (Live)

RACEDAY SCHEDULE: Saturday, June 19 — Garage opens: 12:45 p.m. ET; Practice: 3-4 p.m.; Qualifying: 6 p.m.; Sunday, June 20 — Race: 1 p.m.

Quick links: Entry List | Practice results | Qualifying | Race preview

LIVE TIMING

Posted on by Tadd Haislop

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour: Race 7/14

 

Nhms Whelen 100

Race Whelen 100
Date Saturday, July 17, 2021
Track New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Layout 1.058-mile oval
Location Loudon, New Hampshire
Start time 12:45 p.m. ET
Laps 100
Miles 105.8
Tickets NHMS.com
TV channel NBCSN (Delayed: Wednesday, Aug. 11, 1 p.m. ET)
Live stream TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold

RACE LINKS: ENTRY LIST | PRACTICE | STARTING LINEUP | RACE RESULTS

RACEDAY SCHEDULE: Saturday, July 17 — Garage opens: 6:30 a.m. ET; Practice: 10-11 a.m.; Qualifying: 11:30 a.m.; Race: 12:45 p.m.

Quick links:

LIVE TIMING

Posted on by Tadd Haislop

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour: Race 4/14

 

Jennerstownsalutes150logofinal

Race Jennerstown Salutes 150 presented by DGV
Date Saturday, May 29, 2021
Track Jennerstown Speedway
Layout 0.522-mile oval
Location Jennerstown, Pennsylvania
Start time 7:15 p.m. ET
Laps 150
Miles 78.3
Tickets TBD
TV channel NBCSN (Delayed: Thursday, June 3, 5 p.m. ET)
Live stream TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold (Live)

RACE LINKS: ENTRY LIST | PRACTICE | QUALIFYING | STARTING LINEUP | RACE RESULTS

RACEDAY SCHEDULE: Saturday, May 29 — Garage opens: 1:15 p.m. ET; Practice: 3:30-4:30 p.m.; Qualifying: 5:45 p.m.; Race: 7:15 p.m.

Quick links:

LIVE TIMING

Posted on by Tadd Haislop

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour: Race 3/14

Miller Lite 200

 

Race Miller Lite 200
Date Saturday, May 15, 2021
Track Riverhead Raceway
Layout Quarter-mile oval
Location Riverhead, New York
Start time 8 p.m. ET
Laps 200
Miles 50
Tickets TBD
TV channel NBCSN (Delayed: Friday, May 21, 5:30 p.m. ET)
Live stream TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold (Live)

RACE LINKS: ENTRY LIST | PRACTICE | QUALIFYING | STARTING LINEUP | RACE RESULTS | RACE RECAP

RACEDAY SCHEDULE: Saturday, May 15 — Garage opens: 12:45 p.m. ET; Practice: 3-4 p.m.; Qualifying: 6 p.m.; Race: 8 p.m.

Quick links:

LIVE TIMING

Riverhead Finish: July 2019

Posted on by Zack Albert

Chase Elliott’s first competitive stint in a midget car last weekend delivered not only some valuable prep time for the NASCAR Cup Series champ’s Chili Bowl Nationals debut next month, but it also generated some rave reviews from two Cup Series peers with rich dirt-track pedigrees.

SPEED SPORT: Chase Elliott gets set at Millbridge

Elliott finished third and fourth in Saturday’s twin A-Mains at the 1/6-mile Millbridge Speedway oval near Salisbury, North Carolina, placing not far behind feature winners Chase Briscoe and Kyle Larson, who will both compete alongside him in the Cup Series in 2021. Briscoe helped make the connection for Elliott with his midget-car effort, and the dividends were a podium result in the 30-lap opener and a positive first impression.

“For me, I feel like the transition from dirt to pavement … I’ve never went the other direction, but I feel like it’d be a lot easier. The pavement-to-dirt thing, I think would be extremely tough,” said Briscoe, who will be a Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate in Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 14 Ford next year.

Though there were only 12 cars entered, Briscoe said “there was still seven or eight good, good guys, and for him to run as good as he did, I was amazed to be honest. There were USAC champions in the field, there were guys that win USAC races, won Chili Bowl prelim nights. He drove by ’em, working on the bottom. He drove by me, pounding the fence, so I was highly, highly impressed at what he was able to do.

“Obviously if you win a Cup championship, I mean, you’re a heck of a race car driver, and that just proved it to me.”

RELATED: Chase Elliott wins 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship

It’s been a busy offseason of extracurricular events for Elliott, who finished third in the Snowball Derby on Dec. 6. Elliott told Speed Sport post-race that he still had “a lot to learn” after his Millbridge debut and that he had been leaning on Briscoe and Larson for pointers. He also shied away from compliments about his modest early success.

Tyler Reddick, who just finished his rookie season with Richard Childress Racing, also noted the challenges to making the move from asphalt racing to dirt, chalking up Elliott’s ability to adjust to his determination.

“With Chase Elliott, I mean, we’ve seen it. Definitely seems like when he puts his mind to something and he wants to go out and do it, he puts every ounce of effort toward it,” Reddick said. “And to see him run that good isn’t a surprise from that aspect because you see the drive, you see the work he’s going to put into now be a Cup champion. So seeing him get in, it’s not a surprise, it’s just a nod to the effort that he puts into go out there and do as good as he does.”

Posted on by Steve Luvender

We know who is racing at the top level of eNASCAR in 2021.

Following the conclusion of the iRacing Pro Series season Tuesday at the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway, 21 drivers graduated to the 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, sealing the complete field of 40 racers who will compete in the series that awarded over $300,000 in prizes in 2020 — including $100,000 to champion Nick Ottinger.

Half the 40-driver Coca-Cola iRacing Series field is comprised of the top 20 drivers from the previous season — that half was known since the Nov. 2 series finale.

The other half is sourced from the winter iRacing Pro Series — the six-week mini-series that’s a melting pot of the bottom-20 Coca-Cola iRacing Series drivers and the top-20 from the 2020 iRacing Road to Pro Series, a racing division open to any driver on the iRacing service who has completed the standard license progression.

MORE: Complete eNASCAR coverage

It’s a cutthroat format where sim racers are constantly forced to perform, either by working their way up the ranks or trying to stay alive in the big leagues.

The 2021 Coca-Cola iRacing Series will feature a remarkable 11 rookie drivers graduating from the iRacing Pro Series, including up-and-comer Isaac Gann, who won the final two races on his way to the championship:

• Isaac Gann (first place in iRacing Pro Series)
• Mitchell deJong (third)
• Garrett Manes (sixth)
• Femi Olat (eighth)
• Derek Justis (ninth)
• Jake Matheson (10th)
• Ryan Doucette (11th)
• Vicente Salas (12th)
• Zack Nichols (16th)
• Blade Whitt (17th)
• Steven Wilson (21st)

For 21st-place Steven Wilson, an extra batch of luck was on his side. Normally, only the top 20 drivers advance, but 21 made the cut this year — an extra spot opened up when Christian Challiner accepted a job at iRacing, voiding his 18th-place Coca-Cola iRacing Series points finish.

Eight drivers from the 2020 Coca-Cola iRacing Series championship fought their way back for a 2021 entry despite their bottom-20 relegation at the top level. One of those drivers was 2019 Coca-Cola iRacing Series champion Zack Novak, who struggled in defense of his title — though he’ll now have a chance to prove himself again:

• Ashton Crowder (second place in iRacing Pro Series)
• Nathan Lyon (fourth)
• Zack Novak (seventh)
• Malik Ray (13th)
• Michael Guest (14th)
• Brian Schoenburg (15th)
• Dylan Duval (18th)
• Matt Bussa (20th)

In addition, two former Coca-Cola iRacing Series drivers — Taylor Hurst (fifth) and Allen Boes (19th) — will strap in for a second tour at the top level after their iRacing Pro Series performances. Hurst was active from 2015 through 2019, while Boes raced from 2015 through 2017.

Of course, where there’s celebration, there’s also heartbreak.

Among those who missed the cut are 10 drivers who were relegated from the 2020 Coca-Cola iRacing Series, then failed to crack the top half of the iRacing Pro Series:

• Santiago Tirres
• Brandon Hayse Kettelle
• Chris Overland
• Alex McCollum
• Michael Guariglia
• Justin Bolton
• Eric J. Smith
• Kollin Keister
• Jarl Teien
• Steve Sheehan

These racers will return to the pool of standard iRacing drivers; they can attempt the 2021 Road to Pro Series like any other iRacer with hopes of fighting into the 2022 Coca-Cola iRacing Series to race with the best of the best.

While details for the 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series haven’t yet been announced, the 2020 season featured some intense sim racing with record-breaking prizes. Real-world NASCAR teams along with top esports outfits participate in the league, fielding entries for the 40 best racers on iRacing. The $100,000-to-win 2020 championship race was aired on NBC Sports following the conclusion of the NASCAR Cup Series finale at Phoenix Raceway.

The complete 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series field:

• Nick Ottinger (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Bobby Zalenski (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Michael Conti (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Ryan Michael Luza (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Jimmy Mullis (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Keegan Leahy (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Garrett Lowe (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Ray Alfalla (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Corey Vincent (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Logan Clampitt (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Graham A. Bowlin (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Brad Davies (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Chris Shearburn (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Blake Reynolds (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Caine Cook (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Bob Bryant (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Jake Nichols (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Casey Kirwan (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• John Gorlinsky (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
• Isaac Gann (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Ashton Crowder (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Mitchell deJong (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Nathan Lyon (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Taylor Hurst (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Garrett Manes (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Zack Novak (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Femi Olat (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Derek Justis (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Jake Matheson (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Ryan Doucette (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Vicente Salas (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Malik Ray (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Michael Guest (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Brian Schoenburg (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Zack Nichols (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Blade Whitt (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Dylan Duval (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Allen Boes (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Matt Bussa (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
• Steven Wilson (2020 iRacing Pro Series)

With 19 drivers hungry to return to the track, 11 ready to prove themselves for the first time, and 10 prepared to give it another shot, the 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series is sure to excite. Keep an eye on eNASCAR.com for further details.

Posted on by Staff Report

Ed Clark, who retired this season after 25 years as president of Atlanta Motor Speedway, was honored Tuesday as the 2020 recipient of the prestigious Buddy Shuman Award.

Ed Clark, left, receives the 2020 Buddy Shuman Award from friend and former NASCAR President Mike Helton. | Special to NASCAR.com

Clark spent the majority of his career with Speedway Motorsports Inc., joining the company in 1981 after beginning his career at Bristol Raceway (now Bristol Motor Speedway). He worked in public relations at Charlotte Motor Speedway before shifting to the Atlanta venue in 1992, first as the track’s general manager and three years later, as its president.

“I cannot think of anyone as deserving as Ed Clark to be receiving the Buddy Shuman Award for 2020,” said Mike Helton, former NASCAR President and longtime friend of Clark. “Everyone in our sport knows Ed and his solid character. This award will hopefully contribute to thanking him for his many contributions over nearly 50 years that have made the sport better for NASCAR, our competitors, but most importantly, our fans.”

The award, now in its 64th year, recognizes individuals and organizations whose efforts and contributions helped advance the sport of stock-car racing. It is named for pioneering driver Louis Grier “Buddy ” Shuman, who perished in a hotel fire in 1955.

Shuman was one of NASCAR’s earliest stars, both a talented driver and pioneering technical inspector — and above all, a beloved member of the racing community.

Clark’s recognition marks the fourth consecutive year that the award has been presented to a track operator. Other recent winners include Dover Motorsports’ Denis McGlynn (2019), Talladega Superspeedway’s Grant Lynch (2018) and NASCAR Hall of Famer Bruton Smith of Speedway Motorsports (2017).

While at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Clark was part of the team that helped launch the inaugural NASCAR All-Star Race. He delivered the command to fire engines for the 36th annual All-Star Open this year, which marked the invitational event’s first running at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Posted on by Jason Christley

PUEBLA, Mexico — Rubén Rovelo finished 10th in the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series finale Friday at Autódromo Internacional Miguel E. Abed, but it was more than enough for the 33-year-old from Mexico City to capture his first championship.

Two-time champion Abraham Calderón won the 12th and final race of the 2020 season, ahead of three-time champion Rubén García Jr. Calderón won the titles in 2014 and ’17, while García was champion in 2015 and 2018-19; there was no 2016 season.

Rovelo entered the last race of the year with a 22-point lead over García and 32 over Calderón, and need only to start the race in his #28 Alessandros/Marketing & Advertising/Andrade Toyota to clinch the title.

Rovelo, who made his series debut in 2008 as a 20 year old, has finished in the top 10 in points every season of his career — including runner-up in 2015 and ’17. It was also the first championship for his team JV Racing, the only team other than Escuderia Telmex and Team GP to win a championship in the series’ history.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series was delated until July. Rovelo won the first three races – Querétaro, San Luis Potosí and Aguascalientes — and added wins at Querétaro in October and again there in the penultimate race of the season en route to the crown.

Rovelo has 22 career NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series wins. He made five starts in the former NASCAR East Series in 2010, with a career best ninth at South Carolina’s Greenville Pickens Speedway.

Max Gutierrez won the NASCAR FedEx Challenge Series championship on the strength of five wins, while Noel de Jesús León ran the final race of the season for the second division series.

Andres Perez de Lara won the Truck Mexico Series race by .008 seconds over Federico Gutierrez, and took home the non-NASCAR-sanctioned series title.

In addition, the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series unveiled the new 2021 car.

The 2021 NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series schedule will be announced at a later date.

Posted on by Staff Report

Fresh off his first career NASCAR Cup Series championship, Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott will compete in the 2021 running of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Rolex 24 in January at Daytona International Speedway.

Elliott will return to the site of one of his five 2020 wins when he teams with Felipe Nasr, Pipo Derani and Mike Conway in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R to run the twice-around-the-clock race for the first time in his young career.

MORE: Chase Elliott through the years

“The Rolex 24 is such a major event, and it’s a race that anybody across any type of motorsports really respects,” Elliott said in a team release. “I think everyone wants to win a watch before their career is over. It’s something different and a completely different element of racing that I haven’t really tried before. I’m trying to branch out and be more diverse as a driver and this is another part of that experience. I appreciate Action Express giving me this opportunity and I am looking forward to learning and running my first Rolex 24 next month.”

While the Rolex 24 may be a new experience for Elliott, he’s proven to be an elite road-course racer throughout his NASCAR career with five of his 11 career Cup wins coming on them and claiming his only Camping World Truck Series win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

MORE: Elliott captures historic Daytona Road Course win

“Recently we were able to spend a day with Chase in the simulator, running the Dallara, Cadillac model on the Daytona Road Course,” said Gary Nelson, Action Express Racing team manager, in the release. “We were amazed at how quick Chase got up to speed, his feedback, and how easy he was to work with. We are very excited to work with him again next month in Daytona at the Roar and the Rolex 24.”

The 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season will kick off with the traditional Roar Before the 24 on Jan. 22-24 at Daytona International Speedway and with the Rolex 24 Hour At Daytona taking place the following weekend, Jan. 29-31.