Music executive Scott Borchetta’s lifelong passion for racing fuels desire to start new team

Posted on February 2, 2021February 2, 2021 by Chase Wilhelm

For Big Machine Label Group president and CEO Scott Borchetta, racing at a younger age, Super Truck titles and influence from championship-winning crew chief Ray Evernham were just few pit stops en route to NASCAR ownership.

It was announced in January that Borchetta’s Big Machine Records company would start its own NASCAR Xfinity Series team for the 2021 season. The team will be called the Big Machine Racing Team with Jade Buford behind the wheel of the new No. 48 Chevrolet.

But it’s what happened years before that sculpted Borchetta’s desire to take on this new endeavor.

Borchetta attended his first major league race in 1970 when IndyCar made its inaugural appearance at Ontario Motor Speedway for the California 500. While playing for several different rock bands, the Burbank, California, native also raced motocross and quarter-midget events in Southern California.

In 1978, when Borchetta was 16, his father moved the family to Nashville to begin his own independent record promotion company after years of working for Los Angeles-based labels. Although he took a hiatus from racing, Borchetta returned to run legends cars in 1995 when country music duo Brooks & Dunn began the Summer Legends Shootout Series at what was then the Nashville Motor Speedway. From there, Borchetta moved up to the NASCAR SuperTrucks Series in 1999, rattling off three consecutive SuperTrucks championships from 2003-05.

“It’s always been part of my DNA,” Borchetta told NASCAR.com. “It’s always been part of my culture. To me, the music business and racing business are very similar. It’s like, give me that open lane and I’ll find a way to beat you. There’s a lot of similarities because it’s about talent and providing that talent with the best possible opportunity to do their best work. There are a lot of parallels for me.”

Borchetta’s most recent racing journey involves Evernham, former crew chief for NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Jeff Gordon. Evernham noticed how talented Borchetta was in a race car during an episode of his television show “AmeriCarna” in 2014 while taking Marty Robbins’ 1964 Belvedere for a spin.

Evernham later invited him for a track day on dirt, which Borchetta had never raced on before. Once again, Evernham was impressed with Borchetta’s car control, inviting him to race 1972 Corvettes in the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, an opportunity he finally took after careful consideration.

“My hero wants me to come race with him, are you out of your mind?” Borchetta said. “When I got home, I talked to my wife Sandy and she said how can you not do this? This guy has been one of your idols, now he’s become a friend. Go do this.”

As he takes on what is sure to be one of his most difficult tasks to date with an ownership role, Borchetta refers back to the leadership of Evernham, which helped shape the mold for how he envisions his team.

“I always joke with my team … read the rulebook and then read it again,” Borchetta said. “It’s telling you how to win. So many people look at it and say, OK well, it’s telling me how to lose. No, it’s telling you how to win. It’s showing you where the line is. And then there’s the unwritten (rules), now go write the unwritten. Ray wrote the unwritten. The way that he led that team and the way that he and Jeff took the sport by storm. He was going to win, he was going to find new ways to win.”

Buford drives the No. 07 Chevrolet in the rain during the Xfinity Series race at the Charlotte Roval. Credit: Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Aside from his own driving, Borchetta now shifts his focus to providing the tools necessary for Buford to succeed. In 2020, the 32-year-old ran four Xfinity Series road-course races with backing from Big Machine Distillery and Big Machine Hand Sanitizer. Buford’s best finish was eighth at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

Not approved for the Daytona oval, the 32-year-old Brentwood, Tennessee, native will make his first full-time start in the second race of the season at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course. While Borchetta could have picked up an 18-year-old driver, which is the normal trend for owners these days, what did he see in an older driver like Buford?

Overall, Borchetta thinks Buford has “got the goods.”

“(Buford) lives to race, races to live,” Borchetta said. “He’s so technical about his approach and has this extraordinary humbling confidence. And it’s like, you know what, this guy deserves a shot. He’s not the youngest guy on the grid, but I think he’s going to show everybody … I mean it’s going to take a minute and I don’t have any false expectations. We have a lot to learn and build the team out.”

What stuck out to Borchetta the most was a track day at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, which serves as a new stop for the NASCAR circuit in 2021. Buford took Borchetta for a ride-along where he taught his future car owner how to improve his lap times around the road course. That lesson resulted in Borchetta decreasing his lap time by roughly a second. That was when Borchetta knew he found his future driver.

“If you are going to understand how to verbalize how to go faster, that means you have a very deep understanding of how to go faster,” Borchetta said. “Anytime you can verbalize and teach somebody, your brain is working in a different way.”

Borchetta’s decision was reaffirmed when Buford made his first laps on an oval in a Mike Skinner-owned race car recently, where Buford out-qualified Skinner.

“Skinner called me up and said, ‘your guy’s got talent,’ ” Borchetta said. “Some guy like Skinner … he’s not going to say that. He doesn’t care. That’s a hard-nosed racer for life. If he (Jade) wasn’t any good, he (Skinner) would have said he’s not any good or he wouldn’t have said anything.”

Buford was one of the reasons why Borchetta felt the 2021 season was the perfect time to start his journey as a NASCAR team owner, taking over Ryan Sieg’s second Xfinity Series team. The No. 48 Big Machine Racing squad will also be led by former NASCAR Cup Series crew chief Patrick Donahue.

“A lot of great things came together,” Borchetta said. “Last year with Jade and the road races we did, I learned a lot more about the inside of running that series. What it takes to do it, what it takes to do it right.”

Borchetta credits his efforts of gaining respect from those in the NASCAR garage, which includes Evernham and NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton, for being provided this ownership opportunity today. Not only does he have eyes on making his team a threat on the race track, but he also sees new opportunities with his record label and vodka brands in the sport like his entitlement sponsorship of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2017.

“It’s just nice to be recognized by the best of the best of having some talent,” Borchetta said. “I think that’s very satisfying for me because I always want to improve. Every time I get in the car, it’s about getting better. I take it very seriously. I love doing it so much. … I certainly had the desire to do it (at a younger age) but didn’t have the means to do it. I think that’s part of why I love to help young drivers.

“We’re only starting at zero because it’s a new team, but we’re bringing decades worth of experience to starting this team. … I’m very blessed to be able to help other race drivers in a sport that I love so much.”

Posted on February 2, 2021January 19, 2022 by Chase Wilhelm

Today’s Stewart-Haas Racing preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, ranked in reverse order of best finish in last year’s owner standings.

MORE: Changes to know for 2021 season

STEWART-HAAS RACING

Manufacturer: Ford
Engine: Roush Yates Engines
Driver-crew chief pairings: Kevin Harvick-Rodney Childers (No. 4), Aric Almirola-Mike Bugarewicz (No. 10), Chase Briscoe-Johnny Klausmeier (No. 14), Cole Custer-Mike Shiplett (No. 41)

What’s new: There’s a new kid on the block. Chase Briscoe will take over the reins of the No. 14 Ford after Clint Bowyer’s retirement from full-time racing. Briscoe enters his rookie campaign with higher expectations after earning nine race victories in the NASCAR Xfinity Series last season. The 26-year-old from Mitchell, Indiana, will have veteran crew chief Johnny Klausmeier atop the pit box, who served as Bowyer’s crew chief last year. Briscoe will compete for Sunoco Rookie of the Year with Front Row Motorsports driver Anthony Alfredo.

Team outlook: The organization looks poised for even more success in 2021. The Harvick-Childers combination is always lethal, especially after coming off a nine-win season that saw them miss the Championship 4 after misfortune in the Round of 8. Almirola hopes to continue momentum after scoring career-high numbers in top-five and top-10 finishes in 2020. Heading into his sophomore season, Custer will be out to prove that his Kentucky victory to advance into the playoffs was no fluke. Rookie sensation Briscoe has all the potential to record a multi-win inaugural Cup Series season if he can be a quick study out of the gate.

Racing Insights’ stats break: With 35 total victories, no driver has won more than Kevin Harvick in his seven seasons with Stewart-Haas Racing. The 45-year-old driver earned nine wins in 2020 and shows no signs of slowing down. Only three drivers in the last 15 seasons have won over the age of 45. Thanks to his Kentucky Speedway victory last year, Cole Custer won 2020 Rookie of the Year honors. Aric Almirola had career-high top-five and top-10 finishing streaks in 2020. Chase Briscoe joins the team, replacing Clint Bowyer, after winning nine races en route to the Xfinity Series championship last year. Briscoe broke the record for most Xfinity Series wins by a Ford driver in one season, while scoring the second-most victories by a non-Cup competitor. (Sam Ard had 10 wins in 1983.)

Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Ford

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Experience: 21st full-time season in NASCAR Cup Series
2020 stats: Fifth in final standings; 9 wins, 20 top fives, 27 top 10s
2020 final Fantasy Live ranking: 1st
2021 championship odds: 11-2

Outlook: If you’re Harvick and crew chief Childers, you may be over last season’s heartbreak, but you will never forget it. Harvick was the favorite to win the 2020 championship until hiccups in the Round of 8 soiled his chances of a second title. There’s absolutely no doubt we could see Harvick click off another seven-, eight- or even nine-win year in 2021. With so many changes heading into what is arguably the most anticipated Cup Series season in recent memory, there is one constant: the No. 4 car will be at the front more often than not.

Aric Almirola, No. 10 Ford

Chris Graythen | Getty Images

Experience: 10th full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series
2020 stats: 15th in the final standings; 6 top fives, 18 top 10s
2020 final Fantasy Live ranking: 11th
2021 championship odds: 35-1

Outlook: Almirola posted career numbers in 2020, scoring career highs in top fives and top 10s. While his final placement in the drivers’ standings was no where close to his fifth-place ranking during the 2018 season where he also recorded his first victory in the No. 10, there are plenty of positives the team can carry over into this year. Almirola had eight finishes of 20th or worse last season, so if he can minimize those types of results this time around, there’s no reason why he can’t be a championship threat.

Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Ford

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Experience: First full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series
2020 stats: First in Xfinity Series standings; 9 wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s
2020 final Fantasy Live ranking: N/A
2021 championship odds: 100-1

Outlook: There’s a lot of hype around young Briscoe after the dominating season he had in the Xfinity Series last year. While he came up short of winning the title to Team Penske’s Austin Cindric, that’s not something being held against him. If there’s one dark horse in the field that you should not overlook, it’s Briscoe. Being a highly experienced dirt racer from Indiana, the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race is one where he has a legitimate shot at parking it in Victory Lane to advance to the playoffs.

Cole Custer, No. 41 Ford

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Experience: Second full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series
2020 stats: 16th in the final standings; 1 win, 2 top fives, 7 top 10s
2020 final Fantasy Live ranking: 20th
2021 championship odds: 66-1

Outlook: With one year under his belt and the pressure of earning that difficult first career victory out of the way, Custer’s sophomore season will likely be more consistent. His Kentucky triumph proved that he can find the front at NASCAR’s highest level; now the focus needs to be on staying up there on a regular basis to improve upon his 19.2 average finish in 2020. If Custer can cut down the DNFs (six in 2020), he has all the potential to pose a greater playoff threat and record a multi-win season along the way.

NASCAR.com 2021 team previews schedule

Jan. 18: 23XI Racing
Jan. 19: Trackhouse Racing Team
Jan. 20: Live Fast Motorsports
Jan. 21: Spire Motorsports
Jan. 22: JTG Daugherty Racing
Jan. 25: Front Row Motorsports
Jan. 26: Richard Petty Motorsports
Jan. 27: Roush Fenway Racing
Jan. 28: Wood Brothers Racing
Jan. 29: Richard Childress Racing
Jan. 30: Non-chartered and teams outside the top 30
Feb. 1: Chip Ganassi Racing
Feb. 2: Stewart-Haas Racing
Feb. 3: Joe Gibbs Racing
Feb. 4: Team Penske
Feb. 5: Hendrick Motorsports

Posted on February 1, 2021February 1, 2021 by Staff Report

Mark Beard Sr., team owner of the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series, died Sunday. He was 72.

Beard Motorsports announced his passing Monday evening through social media. Beard was owner and team president for the No. 62 entry, which was used in part to market Beard Oil Distributing, a third-generation family business based in his hometown of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

The team indicated it still intends to compete in the season-opening Daytona 500, deploying Xfinity Series regular Noah Gragson in a bid for his NASCAR Cup Series debut.

Beard Motorsports has been an occasional entrant in the Cup Series in recent years, fielding Brendan Gaughan — like Gragson, a Las Vegas native — primarily in superspeedway events at Daytona and Talladega. The team notched all four of its top-10 finishes with Gaughan, the most recent being an eighth-place result in the regular-season finale at Daytona last August.

“Racing is our passion project,” Beard said last month, marking the announcement of Gragson as the team’s next driver. Beard made two starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as a driver, scoring a best finish of 18th in the Daytona season opener in 1982.

Heavy hearts today. Thinking about the Beard Family❤️ Time to go "drive the piss out of it" and do it for Mr. Beard in the 500. #RIP https://t.co/sZSDWm0GcK

— Noah Gragson (@NoahGragson) February 2, 2021

Beard’s survivors include his wife of 43 years, Linda; his daughter, Amie; his son, Mark; two sisters and six nieces and nephews. Memorial services are scheduled Feb. 20 at Charles R. Lux Funeral Home in his hometown.

Posted on February 1, 2021February 1, 2021 by Zack Albert

NASCAR competition officials provided a variety of updates Monday to preview what’s ahead for the 2021 season and beyond, including the announcement that the development stage of the Next Gen car was complete.

The updates were part of an annual roundtable media briefing from the NASCAR Research & Development Center, hosted virtually by the competition department this year because of COVID-19 concerns. Officials touched on safety, rules changes and coronavirus protocols, but also delved into the timetable for the Next Gen prototype car that’s set for an official on-track debut in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022.

John Probst, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Innovation, indicated that all three manufacturers — Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota — have had their designs for the Next Gen car approved. The car will return to the track March 16-17 at Richmond Raceway, Probst said, and a handful of Goodyear tire tests were planned beyond that. All three automakers are set to have models on the track at the same time during a proposed test for wheel-force data collection at Martinsville Speedway in late March.

Probst said a full unveil of the three manufacturer-specific models is set for late spring. The car was initially slated for a competition debut this season, but COVID-19’s impact pushed back that schedule.

“In hindsight, when we were on target for 2021 and now we’ve gone through all of this, we look back and boy, we probably would’ve had our tongues hanging out right now if we were to launch it in 2021, which we could’ve done,” Probst said. “I think we’re certainly on schedule. We’re probably actually being able to spend a little more time since we pushed it out to 2022, focusing on a lot of the line-item costs.”

The P3 prototype will be used in tire testing at Richmond, Darlington Raceway, Texas Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway this year, Probst said. Seven tests are scheduled for wheel-force transducer (WFT) Next Gen cars and three organizational tests for teams. Probst said at least one organizational test would take place after the Charlotte Roval race on Oct. 10, with two set for after the season ends. Two tire tests are also scheduled for the current car model this season.

In other updates from Monday’s briefing:

• NASCAR will continue to use COVID-19 protocols that were established last season, placing an extra emphasis on rapid reporting and supplementing its screening processes. John Bobo, NASCAR vice president of racing operations, said that teams have been reminded about proper use of masks as a coronavirus safeguard when at the race track.

“We’re constantly monitoring what’s going on in terms of the virus, also as it relates to the communities that we’re going into,” Bobo said. “We always want to be a good guest in every community and be aware of everything that’s happening there. … We continue to put as many tools as possible into the protocol toolbox. Like last season toward the end of the year, we did a lot of rapid-antigen testing as part of a secondary screening as people were coming into the track. We’re going to continue this season as well as part of secondary screenings to do rapid-antigen testings if requested by the position, and it’s a great tool when we need to use that.”

• No wholesale changes are coming for the current car, but officials have determined that a low-downforce, high-horsepower (target: 750 hp) package would be used for races at Darlington, Nashville Superspeedway, the Daytona International Speedway Road Course and likely Circuit of the Americas. Officials indicated that the chicane installed before the start-finish line at the Daytona road circuit would remain in place for 2021 events.

• Officials said that the structure for the March 28 debut on dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway was still taking shape, but that qualifying heats would be used to set the starting lineup. “Still working through some intricacies on that one, but another race that we are really looking forward to for this season,” said Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice president of competition. The race is scheduled for 250 laps, 100 laps longer that previous dirt-track events for the Camping World Truck Series at Eldora Speedway.

• Field sizes have been established for the 2021 season in all three national series. Points-paying Cup Series races will remain limited to 40 cars, with practice and qualifying only scheduled for eight events. In the Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series, the field will be capped at 36 vehicles when qualifying is held; if qualifying is not scheduled or is canceled because of inclement weather, the field will expand to a 40-car maximum.

• NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O’Donnell said that sensitivity training has been made mandatory for the entire industry and that membership in the sport is contingent on completing the training. “I would say that our mantra to be as inclusive as we possibly can has never been stronger,” O’Donnell said.

• Miller said that NASCAR has clarified its stance on a specific pit-road penalty, indicating that a crewmember who slips and places his or her hand in the pit box while reaching over the wall for a tire would no longer qualify as an infraction for too many crewmembers over the wall.

Posted on February 1, 2021 by Daytona International Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — GRAMMY®-winning international superstar, Pitbull, will serve as the Grand Marshal for the 63rd DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 14, and will give the command for drivers to start their engines (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway.

“It’s an honor to be named Grand Marshal for the 63rd DAYTONA 500,” said Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull).

“It’s exciting to mix culture, music and sports into motor racing. I’m humbled how embracing the NASCAR community and fans around the world have been about me joining the Trackhouse family. Unity at its finest. So let’s get ready to start engines, DALE (Dah-lay)!”

“We’re honored to have someone as accomplished and respected as Pitbull be a part of the 63rd running of the Daytona 500,” said Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile. “He is not just a world renowned artist, Pitbull has made his mark as a philanthropist and businessman, most recently announcing he has joined the NASCAR ranks as a co-owner with Justin Marks at Trackhouse Racing with driver Daniel Suárez. We’re proud to welcome Pitbull to our great sport and I can’t wait to hear him deliver the most famous words in motorsports ahead of the Great American Race.”

With countless awards, dozens of international number ones, hundreds of gold and platinum certifications, single sales of over 80 million, and cumulative views in excess of 15 billion, Pitbull owns one of the most impressive careers in music history, setting the stage for him to make true change. Not only did he successfully help establish Sports Leadership Arts and Management (SLAM!) tuition-free public charter schools across the country, he was honored by the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of “Clean Water Here.” He is also a partner in eMerge Americas, the annual tech and innovation summit held in Miami, and he was honored alongside music legends as well as Nobel Peace Prize and Pulitzer Prize winners at the 2019 International Achievement Summit.

In January, Pitbull was announced as an ownership partner in the new NASCAR Cup Series team, Trackhouse Racing, set to make their NASCAR debut at the DAYTONA 500 with the No. 99 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Suárez.

For information on the 2021 DAYTONA 500 and all Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth events, which kicks off on Tuesday, Feb. 9 with the 43rd Annual Busch Clash on the DAYTONA Road Course under the lights, fans can visit www.DAYTONA500.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

All Speedweeks events will be conducted in accordance with enhanced safety protocols and procedures to provide a safe environment for guests, NASCAR competitors, employees and the local community. All guests will be screened before entering the facility and will be required to wear face coverings while maintaining six feet social distancing throughout their visit.

For a schedule of on-track activities and protocols, logo onto www.DAYTONA500.com. Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest speedway news.

Posted on February 1, 2021February 1, 2021 by Staff Report

Denny Hamlin and longtime primary sponsor FedEx have agreed to multiyear extensions with Joe Gibbs Racing, the organization announced Monday. The terms of the deals were not disclosed.

“I’m so fortunate to have the support of FedEx behind me throughout my career,” said Hamlin in a team release. “I take a tremendous amount of pride in having the opportunity to represent them not only on the racetrack, but also in the community through the countless programs they have supported for the better part of these past two decades.”

.@JoeGibbsRacing, @FedEx and I have shared a lot of big wins and special moments together throughout our 16 years together. And we’re nowhere near done. Still have a lot of racing and winning to do for a coach and all the FedEx team members. Let’s go! https://t.co/tpIYQ7Z4FM

— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) February 1, 2021

Entering his 16th full-time NASCAR Cup Series season in 2021, the No. 11 Toyota driver has earned 44 career victories, 179 top-five finishes and 280 top 10s in 542 career starts. The Chesterfield, Virginia, native is a three-time Daytona 500 champion and will try to become the first driver to win three consecutive Daytona 500s when the season kicks off on Feb. 14 at Daytona International Speedway.

“The relationship between FedEx and our organization has been a tremendous success story in so many ways and we’re excited that FedEx will continue to support Denny and our No. 11 team,” said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. “Denny continues to perform at the top of our sport, and our goal is to continue to position him and FedEx to win a championship.”

Hamlin has reached the Championship 4 the past two seasons, finishing fourth in the standings on both occasions. The 40-year-old has earned 13 wins in that span, which is tied for the most in the NASCAR Cup Series during that time with Kevin Harvick.

“FedEx has remained the primary sponsor of the No. 11 car and Denny Hamlin for over fifteen years, and together we have celebrated many successes on and off the track, including three Daytona 500 wins,” said Jenny Robertson, Senior Vice President, FedEx Integrated and Marketing Communications. “The FedEx Racing relationship with Joe Gibbs Racing has continued to provide meaningful opportunities for us to engage our customers, team members, and fans, as well as make a positive impact in the community. We are honored to extend this relationship with the Joe Gibbs Racing organization for multiple years and continue the drive for a NASCAR Cup Series championship.”

Posted on February 1, 2021February 1, 2021 by Staff Report

Bubba Wallace probably didn’t have NFL Pro Bowler on his 2021 to-do list, but here we are.

Wallace traded his fire suit for a football jersey Sunday evening, helping the NFC roll to a 32-12 victory in the 2021 Pro Bowl, held virtually through Madden 21 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wallace, set for his first season with 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series this year, joined Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, Seattle Seahawks safety Jamal Adams and former NFL star Marshawn Lynch on the winning side. The participants rotated control of the players, and Murray — who helped call plays to get Wallace more involved — was named the game’s MVP. The AFC team was controlled by Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson, NFL analyst Keyshawn Johnson, Tennessee Titans rusher Derrick Henry and Snoop Dogg.

RELATED: Changes to know for 2021

Wallace had set low expectations for himself entering the game, but he was key to a first-half offensive outburst for the NFC, scoring three second-quarter touchdowns and reveling in the playful (we think) trash talk on the live stream. Snoop Dogg was among those crying foul for the AFC, claiming that Wallace and his teammates had undersold his actual Madden skill.

“Ya’ll got a ringer over there,” Snoop Dogg lamented. “Y’all didn’t tell us Bubba knew how to play.”

"WE COACHIN'"@K1 dials up a play and @BubbaWallace plays it to perfection. NFC is ahead after the @DeAndreHopkins TD!

WATCH LIVE: https://t.co/riFQzMVuwf pic.twitter.com/PVuuKXbsFl

— NFL (@NFL) January 31, 2021

ANOTHER TD for @BubbaWallace and the NFC! #ProBowl @dalvincook

WATCH LIVE: https://t.co/riFQzMVuwf pic.twitter.com/y6HkHkwNfL

— NFL (@NFL) January 31, 2021

“I was just taking it all in and enjoying it and then hearing some of the stories and conversations, it was just, it was almost like, ‘Man, am I really sitting here talking to these guys,'” Wallace told ESPN. “I’m just a race car driver that has no business being in the room with these people but, hey, here we are, being here playing with Snoop Dogg, that was cool.”

Watch the entire broadcast of the virtual Pro Bowl here.

Posted on February 1, 2021February 3, 2021 by Track Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway today announced the criteria for eligibility for NASCAR Cup Series drivers to compete in one of the most unique and anticipated events in all of motorsports — the historic 2021 Busch Clash At DAYTONA on the iconic DAYTONA Road Course.

Set for Tuesday, Feb. 9, under the lights, the 2021 Busch Clash At DAYTONA will mark the first time in history the traditional exhibition-style event will tackle the track’s 14-turn, 3.61-mile road course, which was introduced for the first time ever to NASCAR’s top three national series this past August. The 43rd Annual Busch Clash At DAYTONA, which kicks off DAYTONA Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth, will be held on the same course (with the lone addition a NASCAR fourth-turn chicane) as the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA and the DAYTONA 200, North America’s premier races for sports cars and motorcycles, respectively.

Due to the pandemic, NASCAR adjusted the format for setting the field for a majority of its races in 2020. As such, the eligibility for next season’s Busch Clash At DAYTONA — which has long been tied to Busch Pole Award wins in the previous season — will have a new look. The eligibility requirements for the 2021 edition are:

2020 Busch Pole Award winners
Past Busch Clash winners who competed full-time in 2020
DAYTONA 500 champions who competed full-time in 2020
Former DAYTONA 500 Busch Pole winners who competed full-time in 2020
2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers
2020 NASCAR Cup Series race winners
2020 NASCAR Cup Series stage winners

In contrast to the tightly packed competition on the Speedway’s famed 2.5-mile high-banked-tri-oval, the reimagined Busch Clash, which was held for the first time in 1979 at Daytona, will utilize approximately three-quarters of the tri-oval along with the challenging infield portion of the road course. That translates into 14 turns instead of the usual four.

“The excitement by both the drivers and our fans leading up to the 2021 Busch Clash At DAYTONA is unprecedented,” said Speedway President Chip Wile. “NASCAR’s initial visit to the DAYTONA Road Course in August delivered big time, with incredible competition, adding to the legacy of the famed road course made famous with sports cars and motorcycles.

“Having the Busch Clash At DAYTONA on Tuesday night also adds to the anticipation of an action-packed Speedweeks calendar. With the talent level in the field, the race will now clearly have its own look and feel during DAYTONA Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth in 2021 and beyond.”

There are 24 drivers eligible to compete in the ’21 Busch Clash, and they include:

Aric Almirola
Ryan Blaney
Alex Bowman
Clint Bowyer
Chris Buescher
Kurt Busch
Kyle Busch
William Byron
Cole Custer
Matt DiBenedetto
Austin Dillon
Ty Dillon
Chase Elliott
Denny Hamlin
Kevin Harvick
Jimmie Johnson
Erik Jones
Matt Kenseth
Brad Keselowski
Joey Logano
Ryan Newman
Tyler Reddick
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
Martin Truex, Jr.

Here is the bulk of the schedule for Speedweeks Presented by Advent Health. For a more complete schedule, click here:

Tuesday, Feb. 9: 43rd Annual Busch Clash At DAYTONA (DAYTONA Road Course under the lights)
Wednesday, Feb. 10: DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger
Thursday, Feb. 11: Duel At DAYTONA qualifying races
Friday, Feb. 12: NextEra Energy 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race
Saturday, Feb. 13: Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. 300 (NASCAR Xfinity Series) and Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire (ARCA Menards) doubleheader
Sunday, Feb. 14: DAYTONA 500, The Great American Race.

Posted on February 1, 2021February 1, 2021 by Staff Report

As Cameron Bolin was leaving Greenville-Pickens Speedway on the final race of the 2019 season, he turned to this dad and said it would be “dang cool” if he could finish 2020 as track champion.

Three wins and 15 top-five finishes later, Bolin’s premonition came true, and he was able to put his name on the wall of champions at the South Carolina track where he’s been racing for three years.

At 15 years old on championship night, Bolin is the youngest late model track champion in the history of Greenville-Pickens, a NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series sanctioned half-mile paved track in Easley, South Carolina.

“It‘s really surreal,” Bolin said. “I‘d never thought about it that way until someone did mention that I was the youngest name on the wall at Greenville at 15. That‘s cool within itself. Your name is there for good with the Wall of Fame.”

Greenville-Pickens Speedway | GPS on Facebook

Bolin was able to share his track championship with the people who helped him get his start in racing. Most nights in the race shop there are three generations of Bolins working on the car – Cameron, his dad, Brad, and his grandfather, Roddey.

Roddey Bolin raced dirt late models all around North and South Carolina for nearly 30 years. When Cameron started getting into the sport, Roddey backed off his own driving to be the youngest Bolin’s crew chief.

Brad Bolin never drove himself, but he was also a crew member on Roddey’s team.

The three started working as a trio when Cameron was five years old. He moved up to racing bandoleros at tracks near his home in York, South Carolina, eventually branching out to races across the country.

Cameron won a national championship in bandoleros in 2017 when he was 12 years old.

The next year they gave late models a try at Greenville. While the first race went without a hitch – he finished second – the second race he was caught up in a crash and totaled the car.

“Here we are in May of 2018 and we had to take a step away running on the limited budget that we do. We had to save the money up to buy a new car,” Cameron said.

The team was only able to race one more time that year at the end of September.

The next year was Cameron’s first full season, and he learned a lot that he took into 2020. The start of his championship run wasn’t smooth sailing, though.

“We got off to a slow start. Our first night out we qualified decent but just didn‘t really have the speed we needed to have in the races and stuff like that,” he said. “We couldn‘t put a whole night together. We finally hit on something about the fifth race and we really started putting some solid runs together.”

Cameron’s first win came in August when he finished a race third, but was given the victory after the top two finishers were both disqualified.

A week later he got his first on-track win.

“We took a lot of notes. Taking what we did learn in 2019 and building on it and what we learned at the start of 2020 through struggles and through challenges,” Cameron said. “I think we took every week as another page and once we got to about August when we won our first race we had it down to a T, so that was really big.”

Through the struggles and triumphs, the Bolins stuck together and kept the team a family. Cameron’s two best friends come to help every weekend, and he has uncles and cousins who also pitch in.

Roddey’s cousin, Scott, who helped the eldest Bolin start the race team in 1978, started helping again in 2019, and served as crew chief for Cameron while Roddey was spotter for one race in 2020.

“That was cool getting to see them rekindle their old times through my racing,” Cameron said.

Cameron said he loves that his team is a family, and he has his grandfather to go to for help.

“I bank on my pawpaw a lot just for advice and just through all his years of what he‘s seen and stuff like that,” he said. “It‘s really cool that we can talk about how I need to be better in some ways and how I can slow down in others. But it‘s really special because he is my role model and here we are ultimately living out the same dream in a way.”

It’s possible Cameron will try to repeat his track title at Greenville this upcoming season, but the Bolins also plan to travel around to try to make a run at the South Carolina championship. He finished second in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series South Carolina title race in 2020 by 42 points. He’s also always wanted to race at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina, so the hope is to run a few races there, as well.

NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: 2020 National Standings | 2020 U.S. State & Canadian Province Standings

Cameron may be just 16 years old, but he already knows racing is what he wants to do for a long time.

“I‘m ate up with it, honestly. It‘s an addiction,” he said.

“There‘s a picture of me and my grandpa in Victory Lane and I‘m six months old. Racing is all I know. I can‘t get through a conversation without relating it to racing. It‘s all I want to do.”

Posted on January 31, 2021January 31, 2021 by Staff Report

Which channels have NASCAR programming this week? We answer that and give the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET.

MORE: How to find NBCSN | Get the NBC Sports App | How to find FS1 | Get FOX Sports App

Tuesday, February 2
On MRN
7 p.m., NASCAR Live

Wednesday, February 3
1:30 a.m., 2021 NASCAR Season Preview Show (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App

Sunday, February 7
3 p.m., 2021 NASCAR Season Preview Show (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App