Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR announced Thursday its revised May schedule, with plans to return to racing at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, May 17 with a full slate of races throughout the month.

MORE: NASCAR announces revised schedule | FAQs for NASCAR’s return

Drivers took to Twitter to offer their reactions to the news.

 

Posted on by NASCAR.com

Name: David
Current City: Elmira, New York
Member Since: 2014

Getting to KNOW David:
​
Q. ​How did you first become interested in NASCAR?
“My dad was a big NASCAR fan before I was born. He even named me after his then favorite drive Davey Allison. I always enjoyed watching and attending races for as long as I can remember. I guess you could say I was born to be a NASCAR fan. I also became a Davey Allison fan and I remember going to the races at Watkins Glen International every year growing up.”

Q. What is your favorite part about NASCAR?
“I enjoy going to the races a few times a year. There is nothing like the sights and sounds of a race weekend.”

Q: What is your favorite NASCAR memory?
“It is very hard to pick out just one memory. I would have to say spending time walking around the track and garage with my dad over the years. We have had the opportunity to meet so many drivers. This past year I got to bring my son, Charlie, to his first race at Watkins Glen. It was very cool experience to share with my wife, mom, and, dad. I look forward to many more years of sharing my love for racing with my family.”

Q: Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?
Driver: “Chase Elliott.”
Tracks: “Watkins Glen International.”
OEM: “Chevy.”
Sponsors: “I work in construction, so naturally I am a big DeWalt and Stanley Tools fan.”

Q. What are some of your hobbies?
“I enjoy spending time with my wife and son. I also enjoy woodworking. Of course, I enjoy a great NASCAR race on the weekends.”

​FROM ALL OF US AT NASCAR, WE THANK DAVID FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM HIM IN 2020!

Look for David on the Official NASCAR Fan Council page on NASCAR.COM.

Posted on by Terrin Waack

The National Basketball Association was the first professional sports league to suspend its 2020 schedule due to the COVID-19 outbreak on March 12. NASCAR followed suit on March 13, eventually postponing eight regular-season races overall.

Seven weeks have passed since those first dominos fell, and the world continues to carefully navigate its way through this pandemic.

On Thursday, NASCAR announced it’ll restart its season mid-May, the first professional sports league that will return to action.

RELATED: Official NASCAR statement | Details of return to racing | FAQ about 2020 season

“It’s a big factor in terms of getting it right,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR’s executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “We realize up front it’s a huge responsibility for us as a sport. But I’m also confident in the group we’ve gathered to put this plan together. Our entire industry has come together to believe in the plan we’ve put together.

“We’re certainly going to learn as we go. But the process we put in place I think gives the industry the confidence that we can be first, we can do this in Darlington.”

The first event on the revised NASCAR schedule is set for May 17 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. The Cup Series will race first, followed by two more events on May 19-20 — split between the Xfinity Series and Cup Series.

NASCAR will then go to Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina. The Cup Series will compete May 24 and 27. The Xfinity Series and Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series will have their own events May 25 and 26, respectively.

It adds up to seven races in 11 days.

“Events are going to look different than they have in the past,” said John Bobo, vice president of racing operations. “The way we travel to the event, the way we enter the event, move about in the event, the way we leave an event is going to be different.”

For starters, there will be no fans in attendance.

NASCAR will allow only essential personnel, who will still be required to social distance. Team rosters are being limited to 16 people, which includes the driver.

Everyone at the race track will then be regularly evaluated by temperature and symptom checks. NASCAR has chosen not to test people specifically for COVID-19.

“Really,” Bobo said, “those tests should be targeted for people most in need.”

These rules and restrictions — among many other precautions — were developed with help from public health officials, medical experts and local, state and federal officials.

NASCAR’s top priority is keeping everybody safe within the industry and in the communities it’ll visit. There’s a reason Darlington and Charlotte were chosen — they’re both driving distance from race shops in North Carolina. Travel means will continue to be taken into consideration as the sport further edits its season schedule.

“We know we have to work together as an industry to keep our own folks safe, to keep each community safe,” Bobo said. “But it is the discipline and the safety culture of NASCAR. We’re the organization that puts cars on the track four days a week at 200 miles an hour. We think it’s that same discipline and eye towards safety that everybody in our industry has that is going to help us execute on this.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Editor’s note: With NASCAR returning to Darlington Raceway for two Cup Series races in May, NASCAR historian Ken Martin compiled a history of racing at Darlington in the springtime.

The Southern 500 has been a NASCAR Labor Day tradition since 1950, but Cup Series racing in the springtime at Darlington dates back to 1952 when Dick Rathmann won a 100-mile event on May 10. Following that event, there was a five-year gap for spring races.

In May 1957, the NASCAR Convertible series competed at Darlington for the first time and would hold three races in 1957, 1958 & 1959. Not to detract from the Southern 500 tradition, it was called the Rebel 300. Hall of Fame drivers Fireball Roberts (2) and Curtis Turner were race winners.

With the closing of the Convertible series following the 1959 season, in 1960, the Rebel 300 continued as a Grand National (Cup Series) event, although the cars that raced were convertibles. Track president Bob Colvin wanted to keep the Southern 500 intact, allowing only convertibles from 1960-62. This was the single race on the Cup circuit for convertibles during that period.

RELATED: Best Darlington stripes through the years | All-time team for all eras at Darlington

The hardtops raced in 1963 and held a place on the schedule in spring until 2014. In 1967 the length of the race was extended to 400 miles; in 1973, it was extended to a 500-mile event. In 1994 the spring race was shortened back to 400 miles.

In 1970 ABC Sports and NASCAR entered into an agreement that allowed the network to join five events “live in progress.” One of the first broadcasts under that arrangement came at Darlington May 9, 1970. Shortly after joining the live event, Richard Petty suffered one of the worst crashes of his career, careening into the pit wall on the front stretch. NASCAR veteran announcer Bob Montgomery reported from the infield care center, while Ned Jarrett and Jim McKay provided updates from the booth. It was a stunning moment to see the sport’s most prominent star in such an accident.

RELATED: NASCAR returns May 17 at Darlington Raceway | FAQs about NASCAR’s return

When the fall Labor Day event was taken from Darlington following the 2005 season, racing in the spring in April or May became the only event for the next 10 years.

In 2015 the Southern 500 returned to Labor Day weekend and continues to this day.

The May 12, 2014 race won by Kevin Harvick was the last Darlington race in the spring.

SIGNIFICANT SPRING MOMENTS AT DARLINGTON

  • 2003: The finish between Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch remains tied at the closest finish in Cup history.
  • 1979: An epic battle between Darrell Waltrip, Richard Petty, and Donnie Allison over the final five laps of the race found lead changes on every lap. The competition between “Jaws” and “The King” was seen as a changing of the guard in the sport.
  • 1970: Richard Petty’s spectacular crash captured live on ABC.
  • 1968: David Pearson wins for the first time at his home-state track. He remains the all-time win leader at Darlington with 10 wins.
  • 1987: Dale Earnhardt passes Bill Elliott in the final corner of the last lap to win, while Elliott runs out of gas.
  • 1988: Hard luck campaigner Lake Speed captures his first and only career win. He expresses raw emotion in Victory Lane.
  • 1961: This race marked the arrival of Fred Lorenzen as a superstar. Lorenzen battled Curtis Turner over the final laps in a bumper-banging duel.
Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 30, 2020) – NASCAR today announced it will return to racing on May 17, which will kick off a slate of races that includes seven events in three series at two race tracks – Darlington Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series will each host its first on-track event since mid-March.

The NASCAR Cup Series will return to Darlington Raceway on Sunday, May 17, with a 400-mile event scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, live on FOX, FOX Deportes, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

RELATED: Darlington, Charlotte to host seven events in 11 days | History of springtime racing at Darlington

What follows is a unique schedule that includes midweek races in primetime and a NASCAR crown jewel – the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway – in its traditional Memorial Day Weekend home for the 60th consecutive season.

The opening slate of races is as follows:

DATE TRACK SERIES DISTANCE NETWORK START (ET)
Sun., May 17 Darlington Cup 400 miles FOX 3:30 p.m.
Tue., May 19 Darlington Xfinity 200 miles FS1 8 p.m.
Wed., May 20 Darlington Cup 500 km FS1 7:30 p.m.
Sun., May 24 Charlotte Cup 600 miles FOX 6 p.m.
Mon., May 25 Charlotte Xfinity 300 miles FS1 7:30 p.m.
Tue., May 26 Charlotte Gander 200 miles FS1 8 p.m.
Wed., May 27 Charlotte Cup 500 km FS1 8 p.m.

Each of NASCAR’s return events will be run without fans in attendance. Further schedule adjustments will be announced in the future.

“NASCAR and its teams are eager and excited to return to racing, and have great respect for the responsibility that comes with a return to competition,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “NASCAR will return in an environment that will ensure the safety of our competitors, officials and all those in the local community. We thank local, state and federal officials and medical experts, as well as everyone in the industry, for the unprecedented support in our return to racing, and we look forward to joining our passionate fans in watching cars return to the track.”

“We are excited to welcome back the FOX NASCAR season to our airwaves to provide a return to live sports, a move toward normalcy and a much-needed distraction during these unprecedented times,” said Mark Silverman, President, National Networks, FOX Sports. “While we are thrilled to return to the race track, the health and safety of our employees and all race participants is our top priority.  We will continue working in lockstep with our partners at NASCAR and the race tracks to follow all national and local health guidelines.”

MORE: FAQ on NASCAR’s return to racing for the 2020 season

Following thorough collaboration with public health officials, medical experts and state and federal officials, NASCAR has implemented a comprehensive health and safety plan. In accordance with CDC, OSHA and state and local government recommendations, nearly every aspect of how the event is conducted will be significantly modified, including:

  • One-day shows;
  • Mandated use of personal protective equipment throughout the event;
  • Health screenings for all individuals prior to entering the facility, while inside the facility and exiting the facility;
  • Social distancing protocols throughout the event;
  • Strict limits on the number of individuals who are granted access into each facility

As NASCAR works towards the execution of these events, the sanctioning body will continue to work with state and local authorities based on trends and local restrictions.

In-race competition procedures remain largely unchanged, though NASCAR will eliminate practice for all events during this opening return slate, as well as qualifying for all events except the Coca-Cola 600.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR announced Thursday the schedule for the first set of races throughout May in the sport’s return after the COVID-19 outbreak. Below are answers to some potential questions.

RELATED: NASCAR sets return to racing | Darlington to restart season on May 17

Is it safe for racing to resume?
NASCAR is working closely with health experts and government officials to ensure best practices and has a plan in place to minimize any risks associated with the virus.

Why is NASCAR racing without fans?
NASCAR prides itself in being a fan-friendly sport. Fans drive everything NASCAR does, and NASCAR looks forward to the day when it can welcome fans back to the track. The decision to race without fans for these races is focused on the long-term health of the fans and the sport.

Does the May 17 race at Darlington Raceway replace the Southern 500 on Labor Day Weekend? Does it replace another previously scheduled race?
The Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend does not change. NASCAR currently is working through future schedule scenarios and will provide updates as soon as they are available.

RELATED: History of springtime racing at Darlington

Will the slate of races announced Thursday all be one-day shows?
Yes. This was decided after thorough collaboration with public health officials, medical experts and state and federal officials.

Will there be practice and qualifying?
There will be no practice sessions for any of the events announced Thursday. Qualifying will only take place for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Will this COVID-19 schedule cause NASCAR to change the playoff format and the tracks involved in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs?
There are no changes to the playoff schedule at this time, but the situation remains fluid. There are also no changes to the playoff format or structure.

What are the plans for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series?
Schedule adjustments for all NASCAR series remain in progress and will be announced at a later date. The plan remains to run a full schedule for all NASCAR series.

How is NASCAR working to maintain social distancing?
There are several measures being implemented, among them:

— Keeping workspaces separated unless absolutely necessary, and if a group of people works closely, that group will have little to no interaction with other groups.

— Haulers and race cars will have an open space between them — 6 feet minimum — and those spaces must remain clear.

— For Darlington, the Cup garage and motorcoach lot in Turn 3 will be the new “garage.”

— Twenty haulers will be in the traditional Cup garage; balance of the field will be in the motorcoach lot.

— Inspection of vehicles to correspond with the order teams enter the garage; as soon as a team enters, it would unload the car and proceed to inspection.

RELATED: Latest updates from NASCAR regarding coronavirus 

How did NASCAR determine the number of team personnel allowed at the track?
NASCAR worked closely with teams to determine that rosters will consist of 16 team members. That number includes the driver, owner, hauler driver, spotter and crew chief, among others.

Will crew members perform pit stops at these events?
Yes, live pit stops will be in play for these races.

Are the races at Darlington and Charlotte scheduled for those specific tracks because they are within driving distance of Charlotte-area shops?
Yes, although there were several factors involved. Primarily, NASCAR worked with local governments who have determined it was safe to return to racing in their state. These two tracks are within driving distance, so no competitors have to fly and the time spent in these communities is minimized.

What if a driver develops symptoms before the race and can’t participate? Will a backup driver be allowed, and what are the championship implications of that?
We’ve worked with the race teams to update the rulebook provisions for medical waivers to account for potential missed races due to COVID-19 infection.

Posted on by Brad Norman

NASCAR is scheduled to make its return to racing on Sunday, May 17, at Darlington Raceway with a NASCAR Cup Series race that will serve as the first of seven races over an 11-day span at two different race tracks throughout May, the sanctioning body announced Thursday.

The race at the historic South Carolina track will be held without fans in attendance and is slated to be NASCAR’s first on-track action in more than two months as the sport and world in general have been on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RELATED: FAQs for NASCAR’s return | Official NASCAR press release 

The May 17 race is a 400-miler, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, live on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. It also is the first of three races at the track, including a second Cup Series race held midweek under the lights three days later.

The May schedule also includes the crown jewel Coca-Cola 600 in its traditional Memorial Day Weekend home for the 60th consecutive season, plus midweek races in prime time.

Below are the races announced Thursday:

Date Series Venue Distance Network Start
Sun., May 17 Cup Series Darlington 400 miles FOX 3:30 p.m. ET
Tue., May 19 Xfinity Series Darlington 200 miles FS1 8 p.m. ET
Wed., May 20 Cup Series Darlington 500 km FS1 7:30 p.m. ET
Sun., May 24 Cup Series Charlotte 600 miles FOX 6 p.m. ET
Mon., May 25 Xfinity Series Charlotte 300 miles FS1 7:30 p.m. ET
Tue., May 26 Gander Trucks Charlotte 200 miles FS1 8 p.m. ET
Wed., May 27 Cup Series Charlotte 500 km FS1 8 p.m. ET

“NASCAR and its teams are eager and excited to return to racing, and have great respect for the responsibility that comes with a return to competition,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “NASCAR will return in an environment that will ensure the safety of our competitors, officials and all those in the local community. We thank local, state and federal officials and medical experts, as well as everyone in the industry, for the unprecedented support in our return to racing, and we look forward to joining our passionate fans in watching cars return to the track.”

NASCAR officials have collaborated with public health officials, medical experts and local, state and federal officials to create a comprehensive plan to ensure the health and safety of competitors and surrounding communities at the above events. All races will be strictly tailored, in every way, to follow specific guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Event procedures will be significantly modified in accordance with CDC, OSHA and state and local government recommendations — including hosting one-day shows at the above tracks, which are all within driving distance of North Carolina race shops to minimize travel and time spent in a community.

There will be no practice sessions for any event, and qualifying will only be held for the Coca-Cola 600.

Other adjustments include mandating the use of protective equipment, health screenings for all individuals before entering the facility and maintaining social distancing protocols throughout the event.

Of note, the May 17 race — and then the May 20 Cup Series race at Darlington — will not replace the scheduled Southern 500 on Labor Day Weekend, the opener of the NASCAR Playoffs. NASCAR intends to keep its 10-race postseason format and tracks involved unchanged, but the situation remains fluid.

No dates beyond May 27 have been announced, but NASCAR officials have said on multiple occasions that the sanctioning body intends to run a full 36-race NASCAR Cup Series slate in 2020.

Additional schedule updates specific to tracks that have had races postponed, and are not part of this new May schedule, will be revealed at a later date.

MORE: A special look at Darlington Raceway in the springtime

NASCAR’s most recent race of the 2020 season saw Joey Logano win his second event of the year at Phoenix Raceway on March 8, the fourth race weekend of the season.

The series was slated to visit Atlanta Motor Speedway the following weekend, but worldwide impact from the novel coronavirus led to NASCAR postponing the Atlanta weekend and the ensuing race weekend, scheduled to be at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In response to public health officials’ advice regarding the outbreak of coronavirus in the United States and abroad, ensuing races scheduled for Texas Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Richmond Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, Dover International Speedway and Martinsville Speedway later were postponed as well.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Ray Evernham is ready to take you back in time with some of the most iconic names in the sport. Now, all you have to do is log onto TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold, starting Wednesday, in order to get all 16 episodes of Evernham’s “Glory Road.”

Hear from legends like Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Bill Elliott, Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett — and more — as Evernham takes them on a ride to explore NASCAR’s historic tracks in a way that will nourish your grass-roots-racing soul.

Find out how NASCAR was done back in the day and how some of those same foundations are still true today in behind-the-scenes interviews told like only those who are closest to the action are able to convey.

For a limited time, TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold is free, perfect for a time when most of us are at home and looking for binge-watching options.

Find out more about TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold and start watching Glory Road today.

Posted on by Staff Report

Next up for the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is Dover International Speedway’s virtual Monster Mile for Sunday’s eNASCAR Finish Line 150. Hendrick Motorsports will try to make it four wins in a row after Alex Bowman was victorious last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway and William Byron won the previous two eNASCAR races at Richmond Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway.

While the younger Hendrick drivers continue to make gains on the virtual tracks, it’s the team’s elder statesman, Jimmie Johnson, who owns a record 11 wins at the concrete, 1-mile track in the NASCAR Cup Series.

RELATED: Alex Bowman wins at Talladega | Jeff Gordon involved in ‘Big One’

Coverage of Sunday’s eNASCAR Finish Line 150 will start at 1 p.m. ET on FOX (where available), FS1 and the FOX Sports App. This will be the sixth race in the inaugural Pro Invitational Series as iRacing continues to fill a void for on-track action due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The race procedures for this week’s event will be as follows: 150 laps, one reset, manual cautions and three attempts at a green-white-checkered finish. Qualifying will consist of two laps of single-car runs to set the initial grid, with the top 10 inverted. The top three finishers from Talladega (Bowman, Corey LaJoie and Ryan Preece) will be relegated to the back of the starting lineup. Green flag time is approximately 1:13 p.m. ET.

In addition to television coverage, you can also follow the race on our live leaderboard here. Please bookmark that page and come back Sunday.

While you’re waiting for the race to begin, be sure to log into the NASCAR Finish Line app and play for your chance to win $5,000. It’s free to play.

As in previous weeks, a Saturday Night Thunder program will precede Sunday’s race. The program will start at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday with a live stream at eNASCAR.com/live and NASCAR’s YouTube channel. The feature race will be 125 laps long and include drivers from other NASCAR national series and other NASCAR divisions competing in Xfinity Series cars.

Qualifying will consist of single-car runs and the field will be capped at 26 drivers. There will be four heat races that are 10 laps each to determine the starting grid for the main event.

Here are the entry lists for Saturday Night Thunder and Sunday’s iRacing Pro Invitational Series at Dover (subject to changes):

Pro Invitational Series

No. Name Team
1 Kurt Busch Ganassi
2 Brad Keselowski Penske
3 Austin Dillon RCR
4 Kevin Harvick SHR
6 Ross Chastain Roush
8 Dale Earnhardt Jr Invitation
10 Aric Almirola SHR
11 Denny Hamlin JGR
12 Ryan Blaney Penske
13 Ty Dillon Germain
15 Brennan Poole Premium
17 Chris Buescher Roush
18 Kyle Busch JGR
19 Bobby Labonte Invitation
20 Erik Jones JGR
21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Bros.
22 Joey Logano Penske
24 William Byron HMS
31 Tyler Reddick RCR
32 Corey LaJoie GoFas
34 Michael McDowell Front Row
37 Ryan Preece JTG
38 John Hunter Nemechek Front Row
41 Cole Custer SHR
48 Jimmie Johnson HMS
49 Chad Finchum MBM
51 Garrett Smithley Invitation
52 JJ Yeley Rick Ware
53 Joey Gase Rick Ware
66 Timmy Hill Invitation
77 Parker Kligerman Invitation
78 Regan Smith Invitation
88 Alex Bowman HMS
89 Landon Cassill Invitation
95 Christopher Bell LFR
96 Daniel Suarez Gaunt Bros.

Saturday Night Thunder

Name Car No.
Alex Labbe 90
Angela Ruch OO
Anthony Alfredo 33
Austin Cindric 22
Bayley Currey 74
Blake Koch 57
Brandon Brown 68
Brett Moffitt 23
Chase Briscoe 98
Chase Cabre 4
Christian Eckes 81
CJ Mclaughlin 39
Derek Kraus 19
Donny Lia O7
Drew Dollar O15
Drew Herring 3
Elliott Sadler O99
Gus Dean 56
Jeb Burton 8
Jeffrey Earnhardt 50
Jesse Iwuji 36
Joe Graf Jr. 80
Josh Berry 88
Josh Bilicki 99
Josh Williams 92
Justin Allgaier 7
Justin Haley 11
Kaz Grala 29
Landon Huffman 75
Logan Seavey 67
Matt Mills 5
Michael Annett 1
Myatt Snider 93
Noah Gragson 9
Raphael Lessard O4
Ruben Garcia 27
Ryan Ellis 78
Ryan Truex 40
Ryan Vargas 51
Sam Mayer 21
Scott Stenzel 63
Sheldon Creed 74
Spencer Boyd 0 2
Stephen Leicht 25
Stewart Friesen 52
Thad Moffitt 46
Todd Gilliland 38
Tommy Joe Martins 44
Ty Majeski 45
Tyler Ankrum 26
Will Rodgers 55
Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR officials have granted Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman waivers for eligibility in the 2020 Cup Series playoffs.

The two drivers missed races at the start of the season but have been confirmed to compete full time once the racing schedule resumes after the coronavirus outbreak begins to subside. The waivers were announced Tuesday afternoon.

Playoff eligibility hinges on drivers competing in all 36 Cup Series races and maintaining at least a top-30 ranking in the points standings. The waiver removes the first of those two requirements. Drivers qualify for one of the 16 berths by either winning a regular-season race or being among the top points earners without a win.

RELATED: Cup Series points standings

Kenseth’s waiver comes one day after Chip Ganassi Racing announced his return to NASCAR’s top division as the new driver of its No. 42 Chevrolet. The former series champ replaces Kyle Larson, who was indefinitely suspended by NASCAR and dismissed by Ganassi after his use of a racial slur during an iRacing event April 12.

MORE: Kenseth back behind the wheel

Kenseth’s last Cup Series start came in 2018 and he began this year without a ride, but he and Ganassi indicated Monday he plans to finish the 2020 season in the No. 42.

Newman has been out of action since he was seriously injured in a final-lap crash at the Daytona 500 in February. He missed the last three Cup Series races before the coronavirus pandemic forced the sports world’s work stoppage.

MORE: Newman cleared, set to return

During an iRacing broadcast that aired Sunday on FOX Sports, Newman said he planned to return to the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford once the racing schedule resumes. NASCAR officials provided medical clearance the next day. Despite sitting out three races during his recovery, Newman ranks 29th in Cup Series points with his ninth-place finish at Daytona International Speedway.