Daniel Hemric joins Joe Gibbs Racing for 2021 Xfinity Series ride

Posted on November 12, 2020November 12, 2020 by Staff Report

Daniel Hemric will pilot the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra full time and compete for the Xfinity Series championship in 2021, the team announced Thursday.

“It’s been quite a roller coaster ride for me over the last few years, but I can’t say how thankful I am for the opportunity to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing,” said Hemric in a team release. “Their reputation speaks for itself. I know they have high expectations for me, as I do as well, and I could not be more excited to chase the Xfinity Series championship with them next season.”

MORE: Keep tabs on Silly Season moves

Hemric was behind the wheel of the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for 21 of the series’ 33 races in 2020, compiling an average finish of 16.2 and scattering in seven top fives, 12 top 10 and a pair of runner-ups at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway. A season prior he earned Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors at the Cup Series level, running the full season for Richard Childress Racing in the No. 8 Chevrolet.

The veteran also made back-to-back Xfinity Series Championship 4 appearances in ’17 and ’18 for RCR, with a third-place finish in the series standings coming in his career year in ’18.

Sponsorship and team personnel details will be announced at a later date.

Harrison Burton and Brandon Jones will also be competing for the organization in the Xfinity Series on a full-time basis in 2021.

Riley Herbst, who piloted the ride in 2020, is leaving Joe Gibbs Racing to pursue other opportunities, according to the release and his Twitter account.

Posted on November 12, 2020January 21, 2021 by Staff Report

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour added upstate New York to the 2021 slate Thursday.

The tour will visit New York International Raceway Park at Lancaster Speedway on Saturday, July 31. The night race will be 150 laps.

Lancaster, located just outside of Buffalo, is steeped in Modified history. NASCAR Hall of Famer Richie Evans was a frequent winner at Lancaster, as was Modified pioneer Maynard Troyer. Tyler Rypkema, the 2020 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Sunoco Rookie of the Year, has also won at the .625-mile oval which first opened in 1959.

[NEWS] #NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour adds Lancaster to 2021 schedule.@LancasterSpdwy | #NWMT pic.twitter.com/FH4nHkOgjv

— NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) November 12, 2020

More recently, Modified tour veterans Chuck Hossfeld and Matt Hirschman dominated Race of Champions events at the track. A.J. Foyt and Parnelli Jones picked up USAC Sprint car wins at Lancaster.

The NASCAR announced last week that the Whelen Modified Tour will visit Virginia’s Martinsville Speedway Thursday, April 8, and Richmond Raceway on Friday, Sept. 10.

Wednesday, Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway released its 2021 schedule that included three Whelen Modified Tour dates: Sunday, April 25 as part of the NAPA Spring Sizzler weekend, Friday, Aug. 6, and Saturday, Sept. 25 as part of NAPA Fall Final.

Posted on November 11, 2020November 11, 2020 by Team Release

CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 11, 2020) – Roush Fenway Racing has named Jimmy Fennig executive vice president in charge of competition. Fennig, who joined the organization in 1997 and played a major role in several of the team’s greatest successes, will oversee all aspects of competition for Roush Fenway’s racing operations that currently fields two entries in the NASCAR Cup Series.

The Milwaukee native served as a crew chief at Roush Fenway for almost two decades, working with a parade of all-star drivers like NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch. He most recently oversaw the team’s superspeedway racing program, growing Roush Fenway into a recurrent powerhouse at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.

“I’m certainly humbled at the opportunity provided to me by Jack (Roush) and everyone at Roush Fenway Racing,” said Fennig, who in 2018 was awarded the prestigious Smokey Yunick Award for his lifetime impact on the motorsports industry. “I’ve been a part of this organization for a long time and during that time we’ve experienced a lot of highs and lows, but I believe in the team, I believe in Jack and I believe in the people we have here to help us get back to the top.

“Make no mistake, our goal is to get these Roush Fenway Fords to the front. We know we have a lot of work in front of us, but I believe we owe that to Jack and we owe that to ourselves as racers, and I know the entire team embraces that challenge.”

In a career worthy of major Hall of Fame consideration, Fennig guided his vast lineup of drivers to 40 wins, 192 top-five and 255 top-10 finishes, while seeing his race cars lead more than 10,200 laps in Cup Series action. He cut his teeth on the pit box at NASCAR’s highest levels with a young Martin in 1986, before moving to head up Bobby Allison’s team the next year – where he helped guide the NASCAR Hall of Famer to a 1988 Daytona 500 win.

Fennig joined Roush in 1993, teaming with Martin from 1997-2001 and building Roush’s No. 6 team into a perennial championship contender. The duo won 14 races in that span and finished runner-up in the Cup Series in 1998 – after winning seven races, scoring 22 top-five finishes and leading 1,730 laps in one of the most successful seasons in NASCAR history.

Fennig was instrumental in leading Roush Fenway to its second consecutive Cup Series championship with Kurt Busch in 2004, and in 2012, he kicked off the team’s 25th-anniversary season by guiding Matt Kenseth to a dramatic win in the Daytona 500 – marking Jack Roush’s historic 300th NASCAR victory.

“Jimmy Fennig has been a key part of our organization for over two decades,” Hall of Fame team owner Jack Roush said. “Jimmy is a real racer and his record and accolades as a championship level crew chief speak for themselves.

“His passion and drive have played an important role in our success as a race team. He is one of the most loyal and dedicated people I’ve ever known and I’m confident that he is the right man for the job. I’m certainly excited to work with him as we continue to build our program back to the level that will see us compete on the track each week for wins and championships.”

Both Tommy Wheeler and Kevin Kidd will continue to serve in their current roles under Fennig as director of operations and director of competition, respectively.

Posted on November 11, 2020November 16, 2020 by Staff Report

Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. got their first taste of the Next Gen stock car for the 2022 Cup Series on Monday, as a two-day test session opened at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The two former NASCAR Cup Series champions are on hand for the next step in the 2022 model’s development, including the first time that two prototypes of the new model are scheduled to be on track at the same time.

The two Next Gen tests are scheduled Monday and Wednesday at the Concord, North Carolina track. Monday’s test will be on the 2.32-mile oval/road course layout while Wednesday’s session will be held on the 1.5-mile D-shaped oval. Officials will use the Tuesday in between tests to change track configurations.

The sessions will mark the sixth and seventh on-track shakedowns for the proposed 2022 model. The most recent test was a two-day session at Dover International Speedway in August, when Sunoco Rookie of the Year Cole Custer took his first laps in the “P3” prototype, the third model built by Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR’s Research & Development team as a collaboration.

The Dover test was intended to test the model’s durability and adjustability, plus putting miles on some of the car’s final-production parts. Each test so far has been held using a single prototype.

Monday’s test marks the first official NASCAR test of the Next Gen model on a road course. IMSA team Action Express Racing held its own track day with a Next Gen car in August at the Daytona International Speedway road course.

PHOTOS: See scenes from the Next Gen test at Auto Club Speedway

Busch is driving the P3 prototype at Monday’s test, and Truex is behind the wheel of the Action Express test car.

Posted on November 11, 2020January 21, 2021 by Staff Report

Stafford Speedway management has released the official 2021 race schedule for the Stafford Springs, CT half-mile. The 24-race schedule offers a blend of Stafford‘s classic weekly racing events and special events. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is set to return to Stafford Speedway for 3 events in 2021.

“Another season is on the horizon,” explained Stafford Speedway CEO Mark Arute. “2020 was a challenge but with the support of the race teams, race fans, and Team Stafford, we were able to get through it. For 2021 we look to continue to build on our strong weekly program and special events. We‘ve added a few twists and turns in the schedule to keep things interesting but our approach continues to be schedule consistency, we think that is important for the sport.”

The season kicks-off with the 49th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzleru00ae Weekend Saturday, April 24th and Sunday, April 25th. New for the 2021 Spring Sizzleru00ae Saturday and Sunday will be two separate tickets with the Granite State Pro Stock Series joining the SK Modifiedsu00ae, Late Models, Limited Late Models and Street Stocks on Saturday. Spring Sizzleru00ae Sunday will see the SK Modifiedsu00ae return for their 2nd race of the weekend along with the SK Light Modified division, the Vintage All-Stars, and finally the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competing in the 150-lap NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzleru00ae.

“We had multiple Friday and Saturday events this season due to Covid,” continued Arute. “With capacity restriction as the big unknown entering 2021 we took a look at what we could do to ensure that even if we are at a reduced capacity we‘d be able to run our entire schedule. This included making the 2021 NAPA Spring Sizzler Weekend a two day, two ticket event. The NASCAR Modified Tour will headline the weekend and we‘ve added the Granite State Pro Stocks and the SK Modifiedu00ae teams will run both Saturday and Sunday.”

Weekly Friday night racing at Stafford will commence Friday, May 7th after 1 off week following the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzleru00ae and will continue weekly through the fall. Headlined by Stafford‘s SK Modifiedu00ae division, Stafford‘s 5 weekly divisions will compete at each Friday night event through the season. New for 2021, race teams will have their worst finish of the season dropped from their final championship point total allowing for an off week, if necessary. More information on this rule will be included in the 2021 general rules to be released in the near future.

The fan favorite Open Modifieds take to the Stafford half-mile 4 times in 2021, Friday, May 14th for the Modified Open 80, Friday, June 11th for the Twisted Tea 80, Friday, July 9th for the Bud Light 80, and Friday, August 20th for the Lincoln Tech 80. The 2020 season featured 4 different winners including Marcello Rufrano, Keith Rocco, Ronnie Williams, and Woody Pitkat.

Each of Stafford‘s 5 weekly divisions have at least 1 extra distance race scheduled in 2021. Extra distance races for the full fendered divisions kicks off with 25 laps for the Limited Late Models on Friday, June 18th, the Street Stock Firecracker 30 is slated for Friday, July 2nd, and the traditional Late Model 50 returns to the schedule on Friday, September 3rd. Three extra distance races for Stafford‘s weekly Modified divisions are scheduled, the 8th Annual NAPA Auto Parts SK 5K on Friday, June 25th, Dunleavy‘s Modifiedz Night for the SK Light Modifieds on Friday, July 23rd, and the Senators Cup for the SK Modifiedu00ae division on Friday, August 13th. The SK Modifiedu00ae division will also compete in the 4th Annual TC 13 SK Modifiedu00ae Shootout on Friday, September 10th.

New for 2021 the season will be extended 1 week beyond NAPA Auto Parts Fall Final Weekend with the addition of NAPA Auto Parts Championship night on Friday, October 1st.

“We were forced to extend beyond the NAPA Fall Final this season due to Covid,” continued Arute. “The fans and drivers liked the NAPA Champions night format so we will continue that in 2021. Running our weekly divisions as the final night of the season gives our champions their own night in the spotlight.”

Season tickets for the 2021 season are now on sale at staffordspeedway.com/store. Early bird discount pricing is in effect until December 16th when prices increase. Season pass holders saved over 60% in 2020 when compared to purchasing a ticket every week.

For more information, visit www.staffordspeedway.com, checkout Stafford Speedway on Facebook or Twitter, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.

Posted on November 10, 2020November 11, 2020 by Staff Report

NASCAR became one of the first sports leagues to resume following the COVID-19 pause, and the sport soon began to shift its attention to another problem well beyond the race track: racial inequality.

As the death of George Floyd and countless other acts of racial injustice sparked cultural change around the country, Bubba Wallace, NASCAR’s lone Black driver, led the sport through the national conversation about racial justice and inclusion.

In “We Stand United,” Episode 2 of MotorTrend’s docuseries “NASCAR 2020: Under Pressure,” Wallace shares his thoughts on the journey to take a stand against racism while trying to perform at his best in the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet. The episode shares new perspectives on an emotional few weeks over the summer, a movement that sparked NASCAR’s ban on the Confederate flag as drivers and crew members rallied around Wallace in a monumental moment at Talladega Superspeedway.

MORE: Drivers, crews stand behind Bubba in show of support | Bubba Wallace’s inspired drive at Martinsville

Come back every Saturday, from Nov. 7 to Dec. 12, to see an all-new episode of “NASCAR 2020: Under Pressure,” an inside look at the unforgettable 2020 NASCAR season.

Plus, with your free trial to the MotorTrend App you will also get access to over 3,600 hours of automotive entertainment, including shows from MotorTrend, Discovery Channel, live events and more. Start watching “Under Pressure” today.

Posted on November 10, 2020November 10, 2020 by Staff Report

NASCAR officials announced Tuesday that they have issued an indefinite suspension to Josh Reaume, a driver and team owner in the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.

Reaume was indefinitely barred for violating Sections 12.1 and 12.8.1.e in the NASCAR Rule Book. NASCAR officials confirmed that the behavioral penalty stemmed from a recent post Reaume made on social media, without revealing the specific nature of its content.

The Rule Book’s Section 12.1 involves general disciplinary action, while 12.8.1.e concerns specific items regarding NASCAR member conduct. Those conduct guidelines include details for violations through “public statement and/or communication that criticizes, ridicules, or otherwise disparages another person based upon that person’s race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, or handicapping condition.”

The Reaume Brother Racing team fielded at least two entries in every Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series event this season. Josh Reaume made 12 Gander Trucks starts as a driver-owner and added two spot starts in the Xfinity Series this year.

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Staff Report

NASCAR officials issued penalties for post-race lug-nut violations to three teams in the Xfinity Series after that tour’s season finale last Saturday at Phoenix Raceway.

RELATED: 2021 Xfinity Series schedule

The infractions were found in a post-race check after Saturday’s Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200 at the 1-mile track. The violations of Section 10.9.10.4 in the NASCAR Rule Book resulted in $5,000 fines for the crew chiefs of the following teams:

No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet (crew chief Jason Burdett)
No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet (crew chief Taylor Moyer)
No. 22 Team Penske Ford (crew chief Brian Wilson)

Austin Cindric drove Penske’s No. 22 Ford to victory in the season finale, sealing his first series championship. Justin Allgaier wound up second in the final standings after driving the No. 7 JRM Chevy to fifth place. Daniel Hemric, part-time pilot this year for the No. 8 JRM entry, placed 25th.

Posted on November 10, 2020November 10, 2020 by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 10, 2020) – During Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race, NBC Sports announced that the 2020 NASCAR Awards Show will be broadcast on Wednesday, Nov. 18th at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

The 90-minute broadcast special will celebrate and feature appearances from NASCAR’s 2020 champions in the NASCAR Cup Series – Chase Elliott, NASCAR Xfinity Series – Austin Cindric and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series – Sheldon Creed. NBC Sports’ Kelli Stavast and Marty Snider will co-host the presentation.

The show will also feature an opening performance by award-winning musician Chris Stapleton with the television debut of his song, Arkansas, from his highly anticipated new album Starting Over, and a tribute to seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Jimmie Johnson, who completed his final full-time season.

In addition, the show will reveal the Bill France Award of Excellence recipient, crown the 2020 Most Popular Drivers, highlight this year’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award finalists, honor the Sunoco Rookie of the Year in each series and recognize additional award winners.

The move to the broadcast special came after the cancelation of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Awards due to the uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus.

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Zack Albert

Sunday’s NASCAR season finale culminated with a first Cup Series title for newly crowned Chase Elliott, but Phoenix Raceway also cheered another historic first — its debut as host track for the sport’s championship weekend.

The 1-mile track in Avondale, Arizona, minted three new national series champs last weekend: Chase Elliott (Cup Series), Austin Cindric (Xfinity Series) and Sheldon Creed (Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series). The events were a generally well-received success, though the protocols necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 restricted attendance for each race of the tripleheader. Socially distanced fans sold out the limited allotment of grandstand seating, and portions of the infield and camping areas were also opened up.

Last weekend was meant to be a showcase event for the recently renovated track, which received a $178 million face-lift that included a reconfiguration of the layout and the addition of many fan-friendly amenities. Though the limits on attendance may have dampened a bit of the race-day pop, NASCAR President Steve Phelps praised track president Julie Giese and the work of state and local leaders to create a buzz around the season-ending events.

“The facility looks fantastic. It’s just unfortunate that everyone can’t experience it,” Phelps said. “It’s a bit bittersweet, but I do think this market has responded incredibly strongly to us coming here. Visually when you go around the city, you know that our championship is here. That’s heartwarming.”

MORE: NASCAR’s thank-you to fans

Phoenix was installed as the 2020 season’s closer after an 18-year run at Homestead-Miami Speedway in south Florida. The shift moved the final weekend from an intermediate-sized circuit to a venue with a short-track feel to it. “In general, I think NASCAR was built on the smaller tracks and the championship being awarded on them feels right to me,” said Brad Keselowski, who wrapped the year as the Cup Series runner-up.

Phoenix appears in the same time slot on the 2021 schedule, a move that was applauded by other members of this year’s Championship 4, though some suggested a rotation system for the final weekend.

NASCAR’s All-Star Race has slowly begun to break away from its long-standing home at Charlotte Motor Speedway, being run at Bristol last summer and shifting to Texas next year. Why not the championship?

“I think that I’m good with it moving around. I’m good with it staying here for a little bit,” said Denny Hamlin, a two-time winner at Phoenix. “I certainly think that Phoenix Raceway invested money into the fan experience, and any track that does that deserves to have a big race. To me, facilities is a big hitter in my mind for the fan experience, and they invested money in it.

“The city is a sports town. A lot of stuff goes on in this city beyond racing, other sports. We always have had great crowds here no matter what’s gone on, whether we’ve raced two races a year here. If it was a playoff race or not, it was a packed crowd. This place deserves the race that it got.”