Driver-turned-broadcaster Kyle Petty and his wife, Morgan, announced Sunday the arrival of their second son together.
Cotten Cable was born on Aug. 2, 2020, according to Petty’s Twitter. Petty, who won eight times in the NASCAR Cup Series before making the transition to broadcasting, currently works as an analyst for NBC Sports. He’s also given back to the community through the Victory Junction Camp and the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America.
Morgan and I welcomed a little boy to our family this morning. We named him Cotten Cable – after his maternal grandmothers, Claudia Cotten Overton and Helen Cable Owens. Mom and baby are both doing great! pic.twitter.com/NuVDM0y6yt
Petty is the son of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty and the grandson of Lee Petty.
This is the fifth child for Petty. He and Morgan married in December 2015. Petty has another son with Morgan and three children from a previous marriage — daughter Montgomery and sons Austin and Adam. Adam, a fourth-generation racer, passed away after a crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2000.
The No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet driven by Bubba Wallace and the No. 32 Go Fas Racing Ford driven by Corey LaJoie will drop to the rear for pre-race penalties found before the start of the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
A pre-race inspection was found on both cars for an improperly mounted ballast. In addition to the loss of starting spots for Sunday’s race, both teams have been issued a 10-point penalty in the driver and owner standings. Crew chiefs Jerry Baxter (No. 43 team) and Ryan Sparks (No. 32 team) have been suspended for today’s race.
Based on the random draw for the lineup, Wallace was slated to start 15th, while LaJoie was going to roll of the grid in the 33rd-starting spot. Wallace entered the weekend 20th in the driver point standings, while LaJoie was 29th.
The No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet driven by Austin Dillon will also drop to the rear because of unapproved adjustments. Dillon was originally slated to start 23rd.
I’m not overly enthusiastic about betting outright winners for Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN) at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Yes, I do have a handful of bets I’m making that I still think provide edges, but I’m more bullish on prop-betting opportunities for New Hampshire, specifically top-five and top-10 finish markets.
In fact, there’s one driver I’m targeting as much as I can, including two separate prop bets.
Let’s look at the props I’m betting for Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301, including the driver I’m backing for a top-five and a top-10 finish.
I’ll be sure to post any additional bets I make for Sunday’s race on Twitter (@PJWalsh24).
NASCAR at New Hampshire Odds, Betting Picks
*Odds as of Saturday at 10 a.m. ET
Kurt Busch (+400) for a Top-5 Finish; (+105) for a Top-10 Finish
Not only am I on Busch to win at 31-1 odds, but I’m also completing the trifecta with bets to finish in the top five and the top 10.
It’s always a risk putting all of one’s eggs in the same proverbial betting basket, but in this case, I think the gamble is warranted.
In 2018, Busch led the most laps, ran the most fast laps and had the second-best driver rating, which is significant because the current higher-horsepower, lower-downforce short-track package that teams will race on Sunday is much more similar to that event that what was used last season.
Busch did drive for a different team (Stewart-Haas Racing) two years ago, but his sixth-place finish at Phoenix, another flat, one-mile circuit earlier this season gives me confidence that Chip Ganassi Racing can give him a fast race car at this style of track.
Bell did not do himself any favors last week as his 23rd-place finish knocked the No. 95 Toyota back out of the top 24 in owner points, resulting in a 35th-place starting position after Thursday’s qualifying draw. Yikes.
However, that’s likely a large reason why this price is so good for a driver who has owned New Hampshire in the Xfinity and Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.
In two Gander Trucks events at this track, Bell has a win and a second-place finish. Somehow, he was even better after graduating to the Xfinity Series, winning both of his starts at New Hampshire while leading 279 (69.8%) of 400 total laps across both races. That’s pretty good.
And finally, Bell’s team, Leavine Family Racing, has an alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, which has won five of the past eight races at New Hampshire, so his car should be plenty fast enough to pick through the field and challenge for a top 10.
The 2020 NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola is more than just a military appreciation platform – it’s a campaign that salutes all who have gone above and beyond to keep their fellow members of society safe and healthy. During a global pandemic that impacted almost every aspect of our daily lives, they have been there for us – doctors, nurses, EMTs, first responders, etc. Now, it’s our turn to be there for them and to give recognition where it’s deserved the most.
In this edition of NASCAR Salutes Refreshing Moments, NASCAR.com is highlighting the specially wrapped haulers from Mack Trucks, the “Official Hauler of NASCAR.”
As part of the NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola campaign, Mack Trucks unveiled two customized truck-wrap designs for the duration of the season earlier this month that were chosen via a fan vote among four designs. This is the third consecutive year Mack has wrapped its trucks in support of NASCAR Salutes.
“We depend on the incredible efforts of our front-line heroes to help combat the coronavirus pandemic,” Mack Trucks vice president of marketing John Walsh said. “We at Mack are proud to show our support not only for those fighting the virus, but also for our Armed Forces as they work tirelessly to defend our country.”
“This year’s NASCAR Salutes platform is unique in that we’re recognizing all of those fighting to keep us safe – whether against COVID-19 or part of our U.S. Armed Forces,” said Jeff Wohlschlaeger, NASCAR’s vice president of partnership marketing.
“Our industry has tremendous respect for the responsibility in hosting events across the country during this unprecedented time, and as we travel to and from those races, Mack Trucks will help us recognize those selfless acts.”
Tyler Strong | NASCAR Digital Media
As the Official Hauler of NASCAR, Mack provides a fleet of custom-designed Mack Anthem 70-inch Stand-Up Sleeper models spec’d to meet the challenges of the NASCAR schedule traveling thousands of miles across the country to deliver critical technology and equipment that helps ensure a successful race weekend. Each NASCAR Mack Anthem features a 505-horsepower Mack MP8 engine and a Mack mDRIVE automated manual transmission. The Mack GuardDog Connect, an uptime solutions service that proactively monitors the truck to help prevent unplanned downtime events.
For the first time ever, NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola kicked off with the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as the platform shifts to a mid-summer window due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola, which runs through July 31, will see the NASCAR industry honor United States Armed Forces and frontline healthcare heroes as part of this year’s expanded program — an industry-wide opportunity to recognize and thank those who keep society safe and healthy.
We released the results from our midseason Driver Survey earlier Friday, and in no question was the gulf between first and second place wider than when we asked 19 NASCAR Cup Series drivers (anonymously) to vote for the best crew chief in the garage.
Rodney Childers, the standard-bearer at Stewart-Haas Racing, received 63% of the vote. Chris Gabehart, crew chief of the No. 11 Toyota driven by Denny Hamlin, was the only other crew chief to receive multiple votes and finished second with 16%.
Childers is one of the most tenured crew chiefs in the garage while Gabehart is one of the newest, especially in the Joe Gibbs Racing stable. But Gabehart has found an undeniable chemistry with Hamlin, bringing a racer’s swagger to atop the pit box as the No. 11 team morphed into a championship contender following a winless 2018.
Much as we expect Hamlin and Kevin Harvick to battle for titles on the track throughout this year (and into the future), we likewise expect their crew chiefs, Gabehart and Childers, respectively, to match wits over that same stretch.
Below is a comparison in key stats since the 2019 Daytona 500, which was Gabehart’s first race as Hamlin’s crew chief — and which produced a victory. Of note: Childers and Gabehart rank 1-2 in each category among every crew chief, with the exception of top-10 finishes (Childers is first, Gabehart is third) and starts.
On Friday, we released results of our Driver Survey — 19 Cup Series drivers answered, anonymously, six questions we posed about NASCAR drivers and crew chiefs.
One name that may have stood out among the otherwise list of NASCAR Cup Series champions was Timmy Hill. He ranked fifth in our question asking “Which Cup Series driver (other than yourself) gets the best consistent performance from their equipment?”
Kevin Harvick — with a championship and 53 Cup Series wins — was the top vote-getter in that category, and at first, it may seem strange to see this particular pair of drivers together. We asked our friends at Racing Insights to give us a little data to work with, and the numbers show — no surprise — the drivers really know what they’re talking about.
We took a look at career starts among all current full-time Cup Series drivers and then measured the number of DNFs due to an accident/wreck compared to those starts. From there, we determined what percentage of a driver’s starts yielded a DNF – Accident.
No. 1, among all active full-time drivers? Timmy Hill.
Hill has 111 career starts and three DNFs – Accident, a sterling result of 2.7%. It’s the best in the series, and drivers have taken note of his ability to protect his equipment.
Perhaps equally as impressive is the second-place driver — Harvick himself. In a staggering 701 starts, Harvick has not finished due to a wreck just 22 times in his career. That percentage rate? 3.14%. That Harvick is consistently running toward the front and in position to be involved in incidents every race makes this even more impressive.
So yes, Hill and Harvick certainly know how to get the best out of — and take care of — their equipment.
The midway point of the NASCAR Cup Series season is a natural time for superlative pieces, analysis and projections. We wanted to do that again this year, but we also wanted to hear from those who have the most unique perspective to give their opinion — the drivers themselves.
Nineteen Cup Series drivers answered our six questions, ranging from “Who is the greatest NASCAR driver of all time?” to “At this point in the season, which driver (other than yourself) is your pick to win the 2020 Cup Series Championship?”
The results are in, and listed in full below.
Who is the greatest NASCAR driver of all time?
Jonathan Ferrey | NASCAR via Getty Images
1. Jimmie Johnson, 37%
2. Richard Petty, 31%
3. Dale Earnhardt, 16%
4. Kyle Busch, 11%
5. David Pearson, 5%
Note: The three drivers who have won seven championships at NASCAR’s top level comprised the top three spots, with Johnson’s peers voting him the greatest driver of all time in this exercise. Johnson edged “The King” by one vote, with Dale Earnhardt finishing third. It’s the ultimate sign of respect for Seven-Time, who is driving his last full-time Cup Series season this year. Perhaps the most intriguing result is Kyle Busch finishing fourth. “Rowdy” is the all-time career wins leader in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. He’s put up win totals across all three national series at a dizzying rate and will only grow them over the rest of his career.
Other than yourself, who is the best active NASCAR Cup Series driver?
Note: The younger Busch gets the nod here, despite having no Cup Series wins yet this season. That he’s still clearly No. 1 in the minds’ of drivers is a testament to his natural-born talent and the respect he’s won over years of competition. Busch, the 2019 series champion, remains the only multi-time series champion other than Jimmie Johnson currently driving a full-time schedule at NASCAR’s top level. Of the five drivers who received votes, Hamlin is the only one without a title.
Who is the best active NASCAR Cup Series crew chief?
Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
1. Rodney Childers, 63%
2. Chris Gabehart, 16%
t-3. Justin Alexander, 5%
t-3. Alan Gustafson, 5%
t-3. Chad Knaus, 5%
t-3. Paul Wolfe, 5%
Note: No question produced a wider gulf between first and second place. Childers and driver Kevin Harvick have undeniable chemistry, which has resulted in 30 wins and one championship since the start of the 2014 season. Harvick currently sits first place in the points standings and has four wins through 19 races, driving a fast car every single week. Gabehart is the newbie of the group, but his results are undeniable — 11 wins in 51 races since taking over as Denny Hamlin’s crew chief.
At this point in the season, which team (excluding your own) has been the best?
Rob Carr | Getty Images
1. Stewart-Haas Racing, 42%
2. Team Penske, 37%
3. Joe Gibbs Racing, 21%
Note: Stewart-Haas Racing clearly is led by Kevin Harvick, who tops the standings by nearly 100 points through 19 races. Beyond Harvick, though, the Stewart-Haas Fords have been fast across the board since the return from the COVID-19-forced pause. Cole Custer became the first Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender to win a race since 2016 when he was victorious at Kentucky, and Aric Almirola has rattled off eight consecutive top-10 finishes — including five consecutive top-five results.
Which Cup Series driver (other than yourself) gets the best consistent performance from their equipment?
Patrick Smith | Getty Images
1. Kevin Harvick, 47%
t-2. Chase Elliott, 16%
t-2. Denny Hamlin, 16%
4. Brad Keselowski, 11%
t-5. Kurt Busch, 5%
t-5. Timmy Hill, 5%
Note: That championship contender and series points leader Kevin Harvick wins here tells you that, while he has a fast race car every week, he knows how to get the most out of it — and he knows how to take care of. It’s the ultimate sign of a respected veteran. Speaking of veterans, this list is full of experienced drivers who seemingly put together top finishes every week. The inclusion of Timmy Hill, who drives for MBM Motorsports, is a nod of respect for his ability to push its car to its limits while still taking care of his equipment.
At this point in the season, which driver (other than yourself) is your pick to win the 2020 Cup Series Championship?
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
1. Denny Hamlin, 53%
2. Kevin Harvick, 47%
Note: It’s been the “Big Two” since we’ve returned to racing in May, and drivers have clearly taken notice. The up-front battles between Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick should last throughout the entirety of the NASCAR Playoffs — and ends, according to the drivers, with Hamlin taking home his first championship.
NASCAR officials announced Thursday afternoon several key competition components of the August race weekend at the Daytona Road Course, including the addition of a chicane off Turn 4 of the famed oval.
The chicane will add another tactical element to the intricate road course that will force drivers to be up on the wheel at all times for what is sure to be an unforgettable weekend of racing among four series.
“I think, more than anything, it’s going to add even more excitement for the fans than we were already expecting,” Daytona International Speedway president Chip Wile said. “It’s really, truly making it NASCAR-centric. Obviously we have our road course that’s been in existence since 1959. But now, we have something very unique that no driver has seen. It’s truly going to make that last lap so exciting. As they come off Turn 4, they’re going to make a hard left and then a hard right and a hard left back onto the race track. It’s going to be just an exciting piece to what is going to be a historic weekend here at the Daytona International Speedway.”
The ARCA Menards Series kicks off the historic race weekend on Friday, Aug. 14, at 5 p.m. ET. The NASCAR Xfinity Series follows on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, with the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series (12 p.m. ET) and NASCAR Cup Series (3 p.m. ET) combining for a doubleheader on Sunday.
Also announced were stage lengths for each of the three national series and race distances on the 3.61-mile course, and the confirmation that the NASCAR Cup Series will run a high downforce rules package that targets 750 HP.
“NASCAR and its OEMs ran several simulations to determine the course layout and engine/aero package for the inaugural NASCAR race on the Daytona International Speedway road course,” said John Probst, senior vice president of racing innovation. “Due to the predicted high speeds and loads on the braking system, NASCAR will add a chicane off oval Turn 4 at Daytona and move to a high downforce 750 hp aero/engine package for the NASCAR Cup Series race on Aug. 16. We believe this will combine vehicle performance and safety to provide the best possible road course race for our fans.”
The developed rules package for this event combines elements of both the 2020 rules packages currently in use. The high downforce aero package, which is also high in drag, will be combined with the 750 HP engine used at short tracks and road courses. This package is only scheduled to be used at the Daytona Road Course.
News of the first NASCAR national series races on Daytona’s road course was announced earlier in July. The addition to the Cup Series schedule serves as a race realigned from NASCAR’s annual visit to Watkins Glen International, as New York state health and safety regulations cannot allow for the previously scheduled NASCAR weekend to happen there at this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
These races will be held on the same road course as the Rolex 24 at Daytona, North America’s premier race for sports cars. Road-course racing has always been an anticipated, vital component of the makeup of the speedway, with the Rolex 24 first held in 1962 as a three-hour race called the Daytona Continental. The Daytona 200 for motorcycles was moved off the old Daytona Beach Road Course to the speedway in 1961, and the majority of today’s course is used for the Daytona 200.
In March, it was announced that the 2021 Busch Clash would move to the speedway’s road course and be held under the lights on Tuesday, Feb. 9.
Now, however, the August 14-16 weekend will be on the pole for the track’s first NASCAR road-course weekend.
The starting lineup for Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) has been set.
Aric Almirola will start from the pole position, while three-time New Hampshire winner Denny Hamlin will start alongside him on the the front row for the 301-lap, 318.46-mile race at the 1.058-mile track.
Seven-time championship-winning crew chief Chad Knaus is now a two-time dad as he and wife Brooke welcomed Vivienne Mae Knaus into the world on July 29.
The couple welcomed son Kipling in August of 2018. Knaus did not travel with the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team to last week’s race at Kansas Speedway, and instead, Keith Rodden served as the team’s crew chief for driver William Byron. Byron currently sits in the last provisional playoff spot as the last driver in on points with seven races left in the regular season.
The chicane will add another tactical element to the intricate road course that will force drivers to be up on the wheel at all times for what is sure to be an unforgettable weekend of racing among four series.
