Posted on by Track Release

TALLADEGA, Ala (June 17, 2020) – Academy Award© winner Russell Crowe, star of the upcoming edge-of-your-seat thriller, Unhinged, will serve as the Grand Marshal for the Unhinged 300 at Talladega NASCAR Xfinity Series race at historical Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday.

Crowe will give the command for drivers to “Start Your Engines” for the race, which is set for green flag at 5:30 p.m. ET. Just a week ago, NASCAR, Talladega Superspeedway and Solstice Studios announced the new race entitlement.

Unhinged, opening in theaters nationwide on Saturday, July 10, is one of the first new films to debut since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the partnership with NASCAR’s biggest and most competitive venue, Solstice Studios will also activate at other NASCAR properties, including Motor Racing Network (MRN) and NASCAR Digital Media, as well as FOX.

RELATED: Schedule for Talladega

Unhinged is a timely action-packed psychological thriller that takes something we’ve all experienced — road rage — to an unpredictable and terrifying conclusion. Rachel (Caren Pistorius) is running late to work when she has an altercation at a traffic light with a stranger (Crowe) whose life has left him feeling powerless and invisible. Soon, Rachel finds herself, and everyone she loves, the target of a man who decides to make one last mark upon the world by teaching her a series of deadly lessons. What follows is a dangerous game of cat and mouse that proves you never know just how close you are to someone who is about to become unhinged. Directed by Derrick Borte, the film stars Crowe, Caren Pistorius, Gabriel Bateman, Jimmi Simpson, and Austin P. McKenzie. The Unhinged  trailer can be found here: https://www.unhingedmovie.com/

When Crowe first read the script for Unhinged, his instinctive response was: “Absolutely not. I’m not doing this movie, it scares (the #&%$) out of me, this character is intensely dark … and when I heard that come out of my mouth, I was like, since when did I stop doing that? Cause that’s basically what I look for. I look for challenges.”

Crowe, born in New Zealand but raised in Australia, earned three consecutive Best Actor Oscar® nominations for his work in the acclaimed 1999 drama The Insider; 2000 Best Picture winner, Gladiator, for which he took home the Oscar®; and in Best Picture winner, A Beautiful Mind in 2001

Like Unhinged, racing at Talladega Superspeedway is intense, pushes drivers to the limit, and is definitely a challenge. The track, built in 1969, has held NASCAR Xfinity Series events since 1992, providing some of the closest finishes in the sport’s history, including Terry Labonte’s win in 1999 by .002 seconds. This year’s race will be a part of the Xfinity Series’ Dash 4 Cash $100,000 bonus-money program for Xfinity Series regular drivers. Chase Briscoe, Brandon Jones, Ross Chastain and AJ Allmendinger will vie for the extra cash as well as their first Talladega triumph.

The Unhinged 300 at Talladega will be the second race at the iconic venue on Saturday, June 20. Earlier in the day, at 2 p.m. ET, the General Tire 200 for the ARCA Menards Series will take the green flag. Both events will compete without fans in attendance, but will be broadcast live on FS1, MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

Posted on by Zack Albert

Dale Earnhardt Jr. started the day more preoccupied with a Tuesday morning dental procedure than whether he’d be enshrined forever in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. When the broadcast began to air, though, the anxious feelings kicked in.

Earnhardt was announced as the top vote-getter in the Class of 2021, joining Modified master Mike Stefanik and the legendary Red Farmer as the newest NASCAR Hall of Fame selections. Though Earnhardt said he was just pleased to be nominated, his name appeared on 76 percent of the ballots, a validating feeling for a driver who says he thrives on the power of positive reinforcement from his peers.

RELATED: Earnhardt, Farmer, Stefanik elected

“Even just sitting here right now talking about it, it’s really emotional because I feed off of affirmation, someone saying that was a great job, somebody patting you on the back and appreciating you, and I really, really feed off of that,” Earnhardt said. “That affects me heavily in the workplace and in my home life and everything I do. I think that’s why I had so much success with (former crew chief) Steve Letarte because he was such a great cheerleader, no matter what was happening or how frustrated he might be with me, he knew how I reacted to that affirmation and he knew if he wanted to get the best out of me that that would be the best route to take.

“There’s no greater pat on the back or tip of the cap than this, from the industry, from the people that vote who are all sort of sprinkled throughout the industry and the sport. … It’s such a great feeling that someone feels like that I made an impact on the sport.”

If his root canal from earlier in the day wasn’t unpleasant enough, Earnhardt was teed up for media rounds where he had to size up his career and what it meant. “This is so uncomfortable talking about yourself,” Earnhardt said between questions, managing a laugh.

When pressed, he did so humbly, keeping his career in perspective. Earnhardt scored 26 premier-series wins, including two Daytona 500s and a half-dozen raucous Talladega triumphs. Add in his two titles in what is now the Xfinity Series and the credentials stack up nicely against an entire field of Hall-worthy nominees.

MORE: Class of 2021 nominees

Tack on — and this is a big add — the fact that he helped carry the weight of his family legacy and the sport’s hopes as a budding 26-year-old star after the 2001 death of his father, the iconic seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt. It may rank among the biggest intangible accomplishments in NASCAR’s history.

Earnhardt acknowledged that his lack of a NASCAR Cup Series championship weighed against him, but said he hoped his candidacy was valued for his role as an ambassador for stock-car racing. That meant taking NASCAR to places it hadn’t been — the pages of Rolling Stone, the pop-culture glitz of MTV, a music-video appearance with Jay-Z riding shotgun — all while keeping true to his racing roots as a fan of the sport’s heritage.

Tuesday provided more validation for not only the on-track accomplishments, but his entire ethos. Earnhardt says he lives for positive feedback, but he’s also intent on bettering himself, on making his career and his life one worth appreciating.

“I think every day you wake up and you want to make somebody proud,” Earnhardt said. “… Every day that I get up, I want to do something that makes my wife very proud of me. I seek that everywhere I go.”

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR Cup Series drivers, NASCAR Hall of Famers and more took to social media to send out their congratulations to Hall of Fame Class of 2021 inductees — Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mike Stefanik and Red Farmer.

RELATED: Dale Jr. ups legacy with Hall nod | Titles, popularity define Stefanik | Farmer’s legend stands tall

Following Tuesday’s reveal, take a look at what others had to say.

https://twitter.com/odsteve/status/1273077533945270272

 

Posted on by Zack Albert

Editor’s note: NASCAR.com’s Zack Albert is among the 66 voting members — including the fan vote — casting ballots to elect the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021. This year marks his third time participating in Voting Day. Here, he reveals the reasoning behind the three choices on his ballot, a handful of honorable mentions and his pick for the Landmark Award.

Class of 2021 selections

Dale Earnhardt Jr. — On a purely statistical basis, Earnhardt’s merits as a two-time Daytona 500 champ, a 26-time premier series winner and a two-time Busch (now Xfinity) Series champion deserve strong consideration. But how often does an ambassador for the sport — a transcendent one who fully appreciates its rich history — come across the ballot? This was a layup among a field of tough choices.

Mike Stefanik — It’s not often that a nine-time champion appears on the ballot, either. Stefanik is just as deserving as Richie Evans and Jerry Cook, the Modified legends who were enshrined before him. Checking the box beside his name serves as a reminder that the Hall of Fame is for all NASCAR standouts, not just those who achieved fame at the Cup Series level.

Red Farmer — The longevity is one thing for a driver who still competes regularly at Talladega’s dirt track at age 87 — he actually finished 10th on Saturday night before Voting Day. But his accomplishments in winning four championships at what would be equivalent to a national-series title today pushed him over the top for my Pioneer Ballot vote. Having serious Alabama Gang founders cred didn’t hurt either.

Honorable mentions: Neil Bonnett’s winsome resume as a driver and able broadcaster provided some appeal (and will in future votes). Kirk Shelmerdine’s link to the championship campaigns of Dale Earnhardt should usher his way to the Hall sooner than later. And the timeless Hershel McGriff, a legend in NASCAR’s westward series and a four-time Cup winner, will rise to the top of my queue for Pioneer consideration next year.

Landmark Award

Ralph Seagraves — The longtime R.J. Reynolds marketer and promoter helped cultivate a period of tremendous growth for stock-car racing from a regional to a national sport in the Winston Cup era. Seagraves’ influence also provided a model for what was possible in sports marketing and sponsorship. T. Wayne Robertson, who followed Seagraves as an apprentice to become RJR’s sports marketing chief, should follow him onto the Landmark Award ballot for consideration in years to come.

Posted on by Zack Albert

The NASCAR Hall of Fame announced Tuesday its three inductees for the Class of 2021, with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mike Stefanik and Red Farmer set for enshrinement next winter.

The three-member class was the first elected under new voting rules, with nominees divided into Modern Era and Pioneer Era groups. Two were chosen from a field of 10 Modern Era nominees, and one was selected from a group of five on the Pioneer Era ballot for legends whose careers began more than 60 years ago.

Earnhardt — a two-time Daytona 500 winner who was chosen as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver 15 times — led all nominees with 76 percent of the vote, winning induction on his first year on the ballot. Stefanik — a nine-time champion in Modified and Busch North (now ARCA East) competition — was the other Modern Era selection, appearing on 49 percent of ballots cast in his seventh year of eligibility. Ricky Rudd and Neil Bonnett were the next top vote-getters in the Modern Era category.

Farmer, a founding member of the Alabama Gang and a four-time regional champion in NASCAR’s early days, topped the Pioneer Era list with 71 percent of the vote. Hershel McGriff and Banjo Matthews were the next-highest candidates receiving votes.

RELATED: Full list of 2021 Hall of Fame nominees

Ralph Seagraves, the R.J. Reynolds marketing chief who lifted the sport during the Winston Cup era of growth, was chosen as the 2021 Landmark Award winner for outstanding contributions to NASCAR.

Earnhardt retired from full-time competition in 2017, compiling 26 premier-series wins and collecting two championships in what is now called the Xfinity Series in his career. The 45-year-old has stayed active in the sport since stepping away from a full-time role, maintaining the JR Motorsports organization as a team owner in the Xfinity Series and joining NBC Sports as an on-air analyst in 2018.

His sincerity in addressing the media immediately after his selection was announced was indicative of the humble and heartfelt manner he conducted his career. He insisted with a smile that he was more nervous Tuesday after a morning root canal at his dentist than waiting for the results of the NASCAR Hall of Fame voting.

“When that list of nominees came out I was so honored to be on that sheet,’’ Earnhardt said. “I couldn’t believe my name was on that sheet to be honest with you. I know those guys and their body of work. I was good with just being on the sheet and was going to be happy with that. It’s such a great feeling that someone feels like I made an impact on the sport. And I know my numbers, the wins, the lack of a championship, I know what my numbers are. And I feel like I was chosen based on that but also based on the impact off the race track and being an ambassador for the sport.”

Stefanik amassed 74 Whelen Modified Tour wins in a wide-ranging career that included winning Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series in 1999 at age 41. He also won Modified and Busch North titles in the same season twice (1997-98). Stefanik died last September in a plane crash at age 61.

Farmer, 87, still competes as a short-track weekend warrior, but his career spanned a variety of series. He made just 36 Cup Series starts, but was a three-time Late Model Sportsman (now Xfinity Series) champion and a one-time Modified title winner. Staying true to his racer roots, Farmer said that earlier Tuesday he was working on getting his backup car ready for this weekend’s events at the Talladega Short Track after a bump-up competing last week.

“I had to catch my breath there for a minute,’’ a smiling Farmer said of hearing the NASCAR Hall of Fame news. “This is the biggest honor you could ever get. … I started down there on the beach (at Daytona) in 1953. I’ve been in NASCAR a long time and got to run against a lot of great drivers.”

Voting Day was held the previous Tuesday on June 9, with the voting panel conducting a virtual meeting through a video teleconference as COVID-19 restrictions remain in place. The panel consisted of 65 former drivers, inductees, NASCAR executives, industry leaders and media members, plus one vote reserved for fan balloting.

The official fan ballot, which counted as a formal vote, was for Earnhardt Jr., Neil Bonnett and Farmer.

Contributing: Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR officials handed down a pair of NASCAR Cup Series lug-nut penalties after Sunday night’s Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

RELATED: Official Homestead race results

James Small, crew chief for the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team of Martin Truex Jr., and Chad Johnston, crew chief for the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team of Matt Kenseth, were each fined $10,000 after their cars were found to have one lug nut not safe and secure during post-race inspection at the 1.5-mile Florida intermediate track. Truex finished 12th, while Kenseth finished 25th.

There were also several penalties incurred across NASCAR’s other two national series. In addition to the previously announced penalties to the No. 98 Ford team of Chase Briscoe for a pre-race ballast loss penalty, the Nos. 11, 19 and 26, driven by Justin Haley, Brandon Jones and Colin Garrett, respectively, were each found to have one lug nut not safe and secure during post-race inspection. Crew chiefs Alexander Yontz, Jeff Meendering and Bryan Smith, respectively, were each fined $5,000.

In the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, the No. 51 Toyota, driven to Victory Lane by Kyle Busch, was found to have a track bar mount and support that did not meet rule specifications and the team was assessed with a loss of 10 owner points.  The No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet, driven to a third-place finish by Ross Chastain, was found to have a lug nut not properly installed, and crew chief Paul Clapprood was fined $2,500.

The NASCAR Cup Series returns on Sunday for the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway (3 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on by Staff Report

The calendar doesn’t officially turn to summer until this weekend, but things are heating up at NASCAR’s top level.

After a contentious battle for the lead that turned into a wreck between Joey Logano and Chase Elliott late last month at Bristol Motor Speedway — and also resulted in an animated discussion on pit road following the race — it didn’t take long for the ramifications to become apparent. Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Elliott was attempting to hold off Denny Hamlin for the lead in the closing laps, but there was a car in his way — the No. 22 Team Penske Ford of Logano, off the lead lap.

RELATED: Late-race crash foils Elliott, Logano in Bristol thriller

Logano held up Elliott enough to allow Hamlin to move into the lead and then slip away to Victory Lane as Elliott settled for a runner-up finish.

“Yeah, of course (I drove him differently),” Logano told Sporting News two days after the race, while talking about his new role as a Panini trading card ambassador. “You race people the way they race you. You can’t do things without repercussions of some sort. You cost me a win, I cost you a win. Those types of things go like that.

“I would assume that everyone kind of understands how that stuff works. And you kind of move on from there.”

Elliott refused to acknowledge Logano’s exploits directly after the race, only saying succinctly that he “just needed to get through lapped traffic better.”

We’re only about a third of the way through the 2020 NASCAR Cup schedule, with plenty of potential payback spots left on the docket should these guys decide it’s not over yet — not to mention $1 million suddenly up for grabs in the recently-announced All-Star Race at the track started all this.

So, has Logano already fulfilled his end of the restitution and is now ready to move on?

“We’ll see,” he said.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR will utilize a new paint scheme concept for the July 15 All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, one which moves the car numbers backward on the vehicle toward the rear wheel.

The one-race experiment comes at the request of the teams, who will use the newfound prime real estate for sponsorship integrations. A rendering of the cars and numbers location is above.

NASCAR will ultimately take feedback from teams, sponsors and fans before deciding on any potential changes for the future.

NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell confirmed the one-race test in a series of tweets Monday evening.

https://twitter.com/odsteve/status/1272693615169601537

https://twitter.com/odsteve/status/1272694264439373824

Having numbers positioned to the side of the car is not precedent-setting. In the early 1950s, as NASCAR historian Ken Martin notes, it was not unusual to see numbers by the rear wheels. Such is the case for driver Jimmy Florian, whose victory at Dayton on June 25, 1950, was the first win for manufacturer Ford in NASCAR Cup Series history (and the only win of Florian’s career as well).

RacingOne
RacingOne
Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR today announced the appointment of industry veteran Brandon Thompson to the newly created position of Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion. In this role, Thompson will lead the sanctioning body’s strategy for diversity and inclusion, as well as programs and initiatives designed to champion and enhance diversity across the NASCAR industry.

Thompson recently served as Managing Director of the NASCAR Touring Series and in his new role will be based in Charlotte, N.C. He will report to Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Content Officer, Jill Gregory.

“Brandon is an established and well-respected leader in our sport who will help NASCAR realize its vision in creating a more diverse industry,” said Gregory. “This new position and Brandon’s appointment reinforces our steadfast commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for our fans, industry and employees.”

Thompson will oversee an existing team of NASCAR employees responsible for multicultural programs and initiatives including the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, as well as strategic alliances with the Institute for Sport and Social Justice and the Diversity and Inclusion Sports Consortium.

The team includes Dawn Harris, who has been elevated to the position of Managing Director, Diversity and Inclusion. Harris will continue to manage diversity programs as well as cultivate and strengthen NASCAR relationships with national and local civic organizations across the country.

Under Thompson’s leadership, NASCAR will look to grow and expand upon the sanctioning body’s current platform with a diversity and inclusion strategy that will extend across the NASCAR industry and position the sport to attract top diverse talent — on and off the track.

“NASCAR has made significant progress in the areas of diversity and inclusion and we now have an opportunity to build on our momentum — both as a company and industry,” said Thompson. “It is with great passion and energy that we will champion our sport as accepting and welcoming of all individuals interested in being part of the NASCAR family.”

Thompson was appointed to oversee the NASCAR Touring Series in 2016. Following NASCAR’s purchase of the ARCA Racing Series, he managed the integration of the NASCAR Pro Series into the ARCA Menards Series and spearheaded the launch of competition under one banner in 2020.

Thompson’s leadership also contributed to the growth of NASCAR’s international series and notably the NASCAR Pinty’s Series in Canada.

Thompson began his career in motorsports as an intern at Nashville Superspeedway in 2003, a role he applied for through the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program. The Nashville native and 17-year industry veteran now becomes the first diversity intern graduate to join NASCAR’s executive ranks as an officer.

As the most visible of NASCAR’s diversity initiatives, the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program has helped create a path to national series competition for multicultural drivers such as Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez. More than 50 graduates of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program are now working in NASCAR, including more than 30 crew member alumni competing in the NASCAR Cup Series.