Five legends inducted into NASCAR Hall of Fame in Class of 2020

Posted on January 31, 2020January 31, 2020 by Reid Spencer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In an emotional ceremony Friday night at the Charlotte Convention Center, two champion drivers at NASCAR’s highest level; the owner who fielded cars for both of them; one of the hardest chargers in the history of the sport; and the crew chief/engine builder who guided that driver to victory in the 1980 Daytona 500 all took their places in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Ushered into the Hall were three-time NASCAR Cup champion Tony Stewart, 2000 champion Bobby Labonte, five-time champion car owner Joe Gibbs, 19-time Cup winner and beloved broadcaster Buddy Baker and 19-time race-winning crew chief Waddell Wilson.

Introduced by driver Corey LaJoie, Wilson was the first member of the class of 2020 to be inducted.

The fourth crew chief ushered into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Wilson turned wrenches for a wide array of NASCAR stars, including Baker and fellow NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip and Benny Parsons.

In his second start with Baker, and his second start as a crew chief at NASCAR’s highest level in 1980, Wilson guided Baker first to the Daytona 500 pole and then to the race win. Baker led 143 of the 200 laps and took the checkered flag under caution ahead of Allison, the only other driver on the lead lap.

WATCH: Wilson gets first win with Baker

Eleven years later, Wilson got his final victory as a crew chief in the spring race at Darlington with driver Ricky Rudd.

“Well, I have plenty of stories about races and individuals that I could share with you all, but I don’t want to tell my stories,” said Wilson, who was inducted by daughter Lisa Hawkins and sons Gregg and Freddie Wilson. “What I want to do is to thank all of the people that helped me throughout the years.

“I have been blessed to work with some of the best and most talented people in NASCAR, and I will always be grateful.”

Known as NASCAR’s “Gentle Giant,” Baker was the second member of the class of 2020 to be enshrined, with sister Susie Baker accepting the induction for her brother, who passed away in 2015. With a heart and passion for the sport commensurate with his 6-foot-6 frame, Baker ran his first race at Columbia (S.C.) Speedway in 1959 and his last at Talladega in 1992.

In between, he won 19 times in NASCAR’s premier series, the first victory coming in the fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1967. Baker had a predilection for the big races on the larger tracks, and numbers among his wins the 1970 Southern 500 at Darlington, the 1972 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte and the 1980 Daytona 500.

Baker went to Victory Lane four times at Talladega, NASCAR’s largest oval, and swept both races there in 1975. The Gentle Giant was especially adept at qualifying, as his 38 poles attest. He is credited with mentoring Ryan Newman, currently foremost among active Cup drivers with 51 poles.

Appropriately, it was Newman who introduced the late driver, who was also known as “Leadfoot.”

“The only thing faster than his wit was his speed in a race car,” Newman said of the man whose 177.602 mph speed record for the Daytona 500 still stands. “…Once he got out front, no one was getting by him.”

Joe Gibbs, the third member of the Class of 2020 to enter the Hall, capped more than two decades of excellence with his fifth Cup championship in 2019, courtesy of driver Kyle Busch. The victory of the No. 18 Toyota in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway was the second for the elite driver, and it completed a season in which Joe Gibbs Racing drivers won a record 19 of 36 points races.

Gibbs’ induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame also had a bittersweet aspect, since it came barely more than a year after the death of his son, J.D. Gibbs, who was integral in building JGR’s success as president of the organization. J.D. Gibbs passed away on Jan. 11, 2019.

J.D.’s brother, Coy Gibbs, performed the induction honors, after an introduction by JGR drivers Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin—and a video appearance by former President George W. Bush. Gibbs, who coached the NFL Washington Redskins to three Super Bowl wins, is the first person to be inducted into both the NFL Hall of Fame (1996) and the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“Whatever he puts his mind to, he achieves it, whether it’s winning the Super Bowl, Daytona 500, NASCAR Championship or just being a great family member,” Hamlin said of the man known simply as “Coach.” “I’m proud to have raced my entire career for a man I’ve looked up to my entire life.”

All told, Gibbs has accumulated 176 Cup victories as a car owner—third behind the 268 of Petty Enterprises and the 256 of NASCAR Hall of Fame owner Rick Hendrick—and fielded the cars for Labonte’s championship in 2000 and for two of Stewart’s three titles, in 2002 and 2005.

Gibbs also has been a prolific winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with his drivers having won 165 races and two driver championships, with Kyle Busch in 2009 and Daniel Suarez 2016.

“We had 17 people our first year,” Gibbs recalled of his initial—and successful—plea for sponsorship to Norm Miller of Interstate Batteries. “At that point, JGR was born. I was so nervous coming from football over to racing. How were we going to be accepted, the family, everybody?

“I just want to say big thanks to everybody here. The NASCAR family—just unreal. I want to say to the France family: thanks for your guidance, leadership and the way you accepted us. The fans, the fellow competitors, all you guys … that meant so much to us as we took off in racing.

“The problem was, you’ve got to win.”

That’s exactly what Gibbs did. After a barren inaugural season in 1992, he fielded the race-winning car for Dale Jarrett in the 1993 season-opening Daytona 500.

WATCH: Gibbs’ first win comes in 1993 Daytona 500

Current Roush Fenway Racing driver Chris Buescher introduced Labonte, a fellow Texan.

Labonte, the fourth member of the 2020 class inducted Friday night, follows his brother, Terry Labonte, into the NASCAR Hall of Fame—becoming part of the second “brother act” to earn that distinction, the first being Glen and Leonard Wood. Years earlier, with his Cup championship in 2000, Labonte became the first driver to win titles in what is now the NASCAR Xfinity Series (1991, with his family team) and in NASCAR’s premier division.

Labonte won 21 Cup races and 26 poles during a career that spanned 26 years. His most prolific period came in the 1999 and 2000 seasons, when he collected nine of his 21 victories. During his championship season, Labonte took the checkered flag in the vaunted Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Labonte developed an obvious fondness for Atlanta Motor Speedway, where the claimed six of his 21 wins.

PHOTOS: Bobby Labonte through the years

Terry Labonte, a member of the class of 2016, inducted his brother.

“To be inducted along with legends, to be added to the Hall with the previous inductees and to be a part of NASCAR, I’m very, very grateful,” Bobby Labonte said. “From as early as I can remember, there were two things I did as a kid. I raced quarter midgets in South Texas, and I watched my brother race.

“I idolized him. So, after all these years, I stand before you, following in my brother’s footsteps. I’m even wearing the same tie he wore on his induction night.”

Stewart’s long-time hero, A.J. Foyt, provided an introductory video, citing Stewart’s accomplishments in a wide variety of racing disciplines, but concluding with the statement, “But you know, Tony, you could never beat me.”

Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick followed with an introduction from the stage.

Stewart, Friday night’s final inductee, earned two of his three NASCAR Cup titles with Gibbs before embarking on a partnership with Gene Haas to form Stewart-Haas Racing in 2009. In 2011, Stewart won five of 10 Playoff races, including the season finale at Homestead, to claim his final championship in a tiebreaker over Carl Edwards.

The quick-witted Stewart retired from full-time Cup racing in 2016 after winning his 49th and final event at Sonoma Raceway that same year. As a co-owner with Haas, he fielded Harvick’s championship-winning car in 2014. Since its inception, Stewart-Haas has accumulated 55 Cup wins and 53 poles.

Stewart said he felt honored to be one of such a small number to become a NASCAR Hall of Fame member.

“I’m not old … or, at least, I don’t feel like I’m old,” said Stewart, who was inducted by Haas. “I’m still racing. In fact, I’m racing now more than I ever have in the past. And in my mind, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is there to honor the completion of one’s career…

“But in the eight months since being nominated to this year’s class, I’ve come to appreciate what an honor it is. I’m one of just 55 people to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. And, considering that NASCAR has been around for more than 70 years, I think that’s pretty much nuts for me to be here. It truly is an elite group, and it’s incredibly humbling to be a part of it.”

Edsel Ford II, great-grandson of Henry Ford and current board member of the Ford Motor Company, received the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR from NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France and Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors of NASCAR Lesa France Kennedy.

At the NASCAR Hall of Fame dinner that preceded the induction ceremony, long-time broadcaster Dick Berggren was honored with the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence.

Posted on January 31, 2020January 31, 2020 by Staff Report

Name: Anna
Current City: Colton, CA
Member Since: 2017

Getting to know ANNA:

Q. How did you first become interested in NASCAR?

“I grew up around cars as a kid. My father was an auto body mechanic for several years and took my brothers and myself to our local racetrack at Orange show speedway in San Bernardino, California. This is where my love for auto racing was born and carried on through the years as I began watching NASCAR.

In 1997, I had my son Christopher. That was the year Jeff Gordon won the inaugural Auto Club 400. Amazingly, Chris became a fan of the sport and of Jeff Gordon at the age of only 2 years old. To this day, he’s still a fan and we’ve gone as a family to Auto Club speedway eight years in a row now. I’d say it’s become a family tradition, and it’s all thanks to my Dad, his love of cars, and the sport of racing.”

Q. What is your favorite part about NASCAR?

“I like the sport as a whole, the excitement of the competitiveness between the teams and the drivers. I believe this is truly the best sport out there. It has a real sense of family, within the crews, the teams, the drivers, and the fans as well. Aside from the competition, we can all come together as one family within the racing community. And where else can a fan have a voice within the sport and have their opinions be heard.”

Q: Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?

Driver: “Joey Logano.”
Track: “Auto Club Speedway.”
OEM: “Ford.”

Q. What are some of your Raceday Traditions?

“First things first, we fire up the grill. We cook up some delicious food. Before the race starts, we go around and we each make our predictions. For example, which lap will bring out the first caution or who will cause it. We even sometimes try and guess the reason for the caution. It’s always fun to see which of us can predict the outcomes. Raceday is always about good food, family fun, and good ol’ racing.”

Q. What are some of your Hobbies?

“I love drawing, music, and reading about NASCAR news.”

FROM ALL OF US AT NASCAR, WE THANK ANNA FOR HER CONTINUED SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM HER IN 2020! Look for Anna on the Official NASCAR Fan Council page on NASCAR.COM.

Posted on January 31, 2020February 9, 2020 by Sean Montgomery

Editor’s note: Today’s Roush Fenway Racing preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the NASCAR Cup Series season, ranked in order of best finish in last year’s owner standings.

MORE: Changes to know for the 2020 season

ROUSH FENWAY RACING
Manufacturer: Ford
Engine: Roush Yates
Drivers: Ryan Newman, Chris Buescher
Crew chiefs: Scott Graves (Newman), Luke Lambert (Buescher)

What’s new: Buescher’s return to the Roush Fenway organization brings a fresh start for the 27-year-old driver in an organization with an upward trend after Newman’s playoff berth in 2019. Buescher will pilot the No. 17 Ford Mustang replacing Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who spent all seven of his full-time Cup seasons to date at Roush. Lambert comes over to Roush after spending eight Cup seasons atop the pit box for Richard Childress Racing – he worked with Newman there for five of those seasons.

Team strength: Both Newman and Buescher posted sub-20 average finishes last season, with Buescher’s 17.8 average being the lowest of his career. These two drivers always seem to get the most out of their stuff and finish races as both drivers combined to only not be running at the finish of all but five races last season. Newman finished outside the top 10 only once at superspeedway tracks in 2019.

Racing Insights Number to Know: 17. Roush Fenway Racing had 17 top-10 finishes in 2019, the organization’s most in a season since 2014.

The Action Network Best Bet: I think the market is vastly underrating Chris Buescher in the Daytona 500. Buescher is being priced based as if he’s still driving for JTG Daugherty, while the move to Roush Fenway’s No. 17 car, previously driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., provides a significant upgrade in superspeedway equipment. In fact, Chris Buescher was my first bet for the 2020 Daytona 500. – PJ Walsh

RYAN NEWMAN, No. 6 Ford:
2019 Stats: Three top fives, 14 top 10s; 14.6 average finish
2020 Championship Odds: 100-1
Fantasy Live Five: Talladega, Richmond, Indianapolis, Daytona, Bristol

Outlook: In his 18th full-time Cup Series season, Newman secured enough points to put the No. 6 car in the NASCAR Playoffs for the first time since 2006. He and crew chief Scott Graves proved to be a solid pairing and their chemistry will likely blossom even more throughout the 2020 season. The duo should be serious playoff contenders again this season – and if Newman can find Victory Lane, they can certainly make a run beyond the Round of 16.

CHRIS BUESCHER, No. 17 Ford:

Chris Graythen | Getty Images

2019 Stats: Four top 10s, 28 top 20s; highest finish – sixth at Charlotte Motor Speedway
2020 Championship Odds: 300-1
Fantasy Live Five: Daytona, Kansas, Sonoma, Darlington, Watkins Glen

Outlook: Upgraded equipment and an accomplished running mate in the garage brings new energy for Chris Buescher and the No. 17 team. With only four top 10s a season ago, the transition to Roush Fenway should provide an increase in performance and make him a sneaky bet to win his first Cup Series race since 2016. While his best overall odds to win might be at superspeedways, all four of his top 10s last season came at 1.5-mile tracks – so look for him to be a more consistent player week in and week out.

NASCAR.com 2020 team previews schedule

Jan. 20: Teams outside the top 30
Jan. 21: Go Fas Racing
Jan. 22: Front Row Motorsports
Jan. 23: Richard Petty Motorsports
Jan. 24: Germain Racing
Jan. 27: Leavine Family Racing
Jan. 28: Richard Childress Racing
Jan. 29: JTG Daugherty Racing
Jan. 30: Wood Brothers Racing
Jan. 31: Roush Fenway Racing
Feb. 3: Hendrick Motorsports
Feb. 4: Chip Ganassi Racing
Feb. 5: Team Penske
Feb. 6: Stewart-Haas Racing
Feb. 7: Joe Gibbs Racing

Posted on January 31, 2020January 31, 2020 by Holly Cain

The news hit hard Thursday afternoon. In a week when NASCAR will be celebrating its newest Hall of Fame class, it must also say goodbye to one of its most cherished competitors, John Andretti.

Andretti, 56, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, died of colon cancer on Thursday. But it is the way he lived and the way he ultimately helped others live that will be remembered most about this great racing talent. He won races for legends on legendary race tracks and made a name for himself as one of the most versatile competitors in the sport.

And he was always, one of the “nice guys” — a pleasure to speak with, to share a laugh with, to marvel at.

Andretti Autosport, which is run by John’s cousin Michael Andretti, released a statement Thursday afternoon: “It is with the heaviest of hearts we share that John Andretti has today lost his battle with cancer. John was a loving husband and father, a devoted son and a trusted cousin. He was a philanthropist, an advocate for the sport, a dedicated teammate, a driven competitor and most importantly, a dear friend.”

Andretti is survived by his wife Nancy and children Jarrett, Olivia and Amelia.

The son of Aldo Andretti, Mario Andretti’s twin brother, John Andretti was a master of the “competition” — any car, any venue — at a time most modern-day drivers were beginning to focus their competitive efforts in only one form of racing.

In 1989 Andretti won the Rolex 24 at Daytona co-driving with sports car greats Bob Wollek and Derek Bell and a decade later — won a six-hour IMSA race at Watkins Glen International in 2001 teaming with NASCAR star Kyle Petty.

He won the 1991 IndyCar season-opener at Australia. And in 1993, he advanced to the Top Fuel dragster semifinals in his very first National Hot Rod Association race — marking his debut by beating drag racing legend Joe Amato in the opening round.

In 1994, Andretti became the first driver to attempt the “Memorial Day Double” — competing in both the Indy 500 and Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. He finished 10th at Indy but his car suffered a mechanical problem in the NASCAR half of “The Double” and he did not finish the Charlotte race.

However, better times were ahead. He won two of NASCAR’s premier Cup Series races in a 10-year full-time Cup career, fittingly driving for a pair of NASCAR Hall of Famers. His 1997 July win at Daytona International Speedway came for Cale Yarborough. Andretti was driving for Richard Petty in his 1999 win at Martinsville Speedway.

And, it is noteworthy to add, Andretti had all this racing success while also managing to earn a Business Management four-year college degree from Moravian College in his native Pennsylvania.

As his many accomplishments display, Andretti was versatile, driven, and ready for a challenge. But he went about things with a calm spirit. In interviews with the media he was funny, always smiling yet exceedingly humble about his resume. He never wore his diverse successes on his sleeve. And he always, always loved talking about his children.

Andretti made his family’s racing dynasty proud, contributing in ways unique and robust.

His uncle, legendary champion Mario Andretti issued a statement on Twitter Thursday, “Rest In Peace #JohnAndretti. The best godfather. Your passion for Motorsport was admirable. Always the good ones we lose too soon. #checkit4andretti”

NASCAR President Steve Phelps also shared the sentiment of the NASCAR industry: “John Andretti embodied the spirit of a champion and inspired an entire fan base through his courageous battle with cancer. He was a fierce competitor throughout his life, and we are saddened by his passing. The entire NASCAR family extends its deepest condolences and prayers to John’s family.”

As much as Andretti’s passing will be noted within the motorsports industry — in all the genres he competed in and beyond — and by the fans who cheered his versatility and talent on track; his life will also be duly noted by the people whose lives he saved, too.

When he was diagnosed with late stage colon cancer in 2017, Andretti was not necessarily prepared to be so open about his health situation. However, he quickly discovered that he had a rare, far-reaching platform. He knew he could reach people and encourage them to get life-saving colonoscopies. He knew that he could affect a change in how people maintained their health.

Even as he began the aggressive and painful treatment and dealt with the emotions of a cancer diagnosis, Andretti remained adamant about saving others.

“I love people telling me that they’re going to get a colonoscopy, which I never thought that would ever be in my vocabulary,” Andretti said with a laugh, addressing reporters in May, 2017 shortly after sharing his diagnosis and beginning his quest to help save others.

His talent behind the wheel made him an example in auto racing. His commitment to making a difference has made him an example in life.

A longtime supporter of the Riley Hospital for Children, Andretti had seen plenty of illness and suffering. And he also saw the upside of treatment and learned the impact of being proactive. That became his mission. It was something he had power to affect.

Teams put stickers on their race cars throughout the last two seasons — “#checkitforandretti.”

Andretti came to the 2019 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and in the minutes before the drivers meeting was to start, a long line of people walked over to greet him. The handshakes were hearty and the hugs were tight. The smile never left his face. He was upbeat and truly enjoying the time in that setting. The reverence toward him was real and deserved.

It was important.

John Andretti was a “life example”– mastering the of art of showing grace under pressure and perhaps more importantly, he knew how to show grace when there was no pressure. It was just the right way to be.

For racers and for all of us. There is no finer legacy.

Thank you John.

Posted on January 30, 2020January 31, 2020 by Staff Report

The NASCAR Hall of Fame will welcome its 11th group of inductees Friday night as the Class of 2020 takes its moment in the spotlight on Induction Weekend.

The enshrinement of Buddy Baker, Joe Gibbs, Bobby Labonte, Tony Stewart and Waddell Wilson will expand the list of NASCAR Hall of Famers to 55. The gala event in Uptown Charlotte is sure to be full of remembrances, vibrant stories and tributes to Hall of Fame legends.

With stock-car racing’s greats ready to converge at NASCAR’s shrine, here’s a glance at the Hall of Fame activities, tune-in information and this year’s coverage of the 2020 class.

RELATED: Hall of Fame merch

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Schedule, tune-in info
(All events at Charlotte Convention Center or NASCAR Hall of Fame; all times ET)

FRIDAY

2 p.m.: Squier-Hall Exhibit unveiling for 2020 honoree Dick Berggren
3:30 p.m.: Landmark Award Plaque unveiling for 2020 honoree Edsel Ford II
4 p.m.: Red Carpet (Watch live on NASCAR.com at 4:30 p.m.)
6 p.m.: Induction Dinner
8 p.m.: NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2020 Induction Ceremony; Buy tickets (NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

SATURDAY

As a treat for attendees, the NASCAR Hall will also open its doors Saturday for several special events for members and non-members: autograph sessions, storytelling, ceremonies and a first look at the Hall of Honor for this year’s class. More information on Saturday’s events can be found here.

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CLASS OF 2020

Buddy Baker

NASCAR’s “Gentle Giant” left a legacy of speed, setting records as a fearless driver at the sport’s biggest tracks. Baker won the 1980 Daytona 500 (at a record 177.602 mph) among his 19 premier-series victories and enjoyed a successful second career as a broadcaster in both TV and radio.

Joe Gibbs

Already a Hall of Famer in professional football, Joe Gibbs brought his coaching expertise to a successful transition to NASCAR team owner. He has savored 176 big-league wins (among 10 drivers) and five Cup Series championships since breaking into the sport in 1992. Joe Gibbs Racing has also celebrated five Xfinity Series titles.

Bobby Labonte

One of this year’s direct links to Gibbs, Bobby Labonte became the first driver to win both an Xfinity (1991) and Cup Series championship (2000). The native Texan wrapped up his long career in the sport with 21 Cup Series wins that included triumphs in the Coca-Cola 600, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500.

Tony Stewart

The driver known as “Smoke” broke into NASCAR’s top series in 1999, claiming Rookie of the Year honors with a three-win campaign. Three Cup Series championships and a total of 49 victories later, Stewart continues as an elite team co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, which he started in 2009.

Waddell Wilson

Many NASCAR Hall of Famers found their source of speed from the mastery of Waddell Wilson, who carved out a niche as an engine builder and crew chief. He won three Daytona 500s — two with Cale Yarborough (1983-84) and one with Buddy Baker (1980) — among his scores of wins in NASCAR’s top series.

Posted on January 30, 2020January 30, 2020 by Alex Weaver

CONCORD, N.C. — Whether or not it’s a bold prediction in your book, it has been said that William Byron is on the cusp of getting his first career NASCAR Cup Series win and 2020 will be the year that he makes it to Victory Lane. A common thought from drivers on production days this week in Charlotte was that Byron is one of the most underrated drivers in the garage.

Those sound like high expectations for the 22-year-old. With high expectations comes high pressure to meet those and succeed.

Finishing 2019 with a strong Round of 12 playoff run and five top-five finishes for the season, Byron knows the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team has loftier goals for 2020.

“There’s plenty of weekends to win all year long,” Byron said on Thursday at team headquarters. “The only way I’ve seen guys win is be consistently good. We have to be consistently good week in and week out to have a chance.”

When asked if he felt like 2019 was a disappointment, Byron said, “Honestly, last year I don’t feel like we had the ammo to go out and win.”

His crew chief, Chad Knaus, welcomes the idea of building a successful environment for the “underrated” driver.

“If we stick to the fundamentals and we build the best team we possibly can, the results are going to show up.” Knaus said.

Knaus has been to Victory Lane 81 times with Jimmie Johnson but has yet to experience that with Byron.

“The pressure people put on a driver to win is a real thing,” Knaus said. “We know that we’re putting ourselves in position to go out there and win. But as you grow, you can’t make the win the destination point. If you create that mindset, it does become a huge load to bear.”

It may be high expectations fueling the driver, or everything finally clicking for Byron and the No. 24 team, but whatever the cause he already feels better about how far the team has come.

“It’s going to be a sum of all the parts, I guess,” Byron said. “So, I feel like the sum of all our parts are a lot better than they were at the start of last year. If we’re consistent, then there’s going to be a day soon where it all lines up for us.”

So, is his competition right? Is Byron the most underrated driver in the garage?

It’s time to find out.

Posted on January 30, 2020January 30, 2020 by Zack Albert

John Andretti, a longtime competitor in NASCAR, IndyCar and sports-car racing, died Thursday. He was 56.

The Andretti Autosport team confirmed his passing after a long battle with colon cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2017.

“We will forever carry with us John’s genuine spirit of helping others first and himself second,” a statement from the Andretti team read in part.

“John Andretti embodied the spirit of a champion and inspired an entire fan base through his courageous battle with cancer,” NASCAR President Steve Phelps said in a statement. “He was a fierce competitor throughout his life, and we are saddened by his passing. The entire NASCAR family extends its deepest condolences and prayers to John’s family.”

Andretti won twice in 393 starts in NASCAR’s top division from 1993-2010, both victories coming with NASCAR Hall of Famers as his team owners. He prevailed in July 1997 at Daytona International Speedway for Cale Yarborough Motorsports, then won again two years later in car owner Richard Petty’s No. 43 at Martinsville Speedway.

PHOTOS: Drivers of the No. 43 in NASCAR history

John Andrew Andretti was born into one of the nation’s most accomplished racing families. He was the son of Aldo Andretti, the twin brother of Mario Andretti, who is the only driver to win the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500 and the Formula One driver’s championship. His cousins — Michael, Jeff and Marco — also have significant racing pedigrees.

John Andretti made 12 Indianapolis 500 starts (1988-94, 2007-11) recording a best finish of fifth in 1991. His IndyCar career overlapped with his time in NASCAR, most memorably in 1994 when he became the first to run the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the same day.

Andretti started and finished 10th at Indianapolis, then flew to Charlotte to start the Billy Hagan-owned No. 14 in NASCAR’s longest race. He finished 36th after a broken crankshaft sidelined him 180 laps short of the 400-lap distance. Only three other drivers have attempted the double since: Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon and Kurt Busch.

Andretti made his final NASCAR start with Front Row Motorsports in 2010. In addition to his Cup Series tenure, he also made 43 combined starts in Xfinity and Gander RV & Outdoors Trucks Series competition.

Andretti ended his career with a bevy of highlights from different motorsports disciplines. He was part of the winning Porsche team in the 1989 Rolex 24 at Daytona, and also secured a CART Series victory in 1991 at Surfers Paradise, Australia.

RELATED: NASCAR drivers in the Rolex 24

Andretti revealed a diagnosis with Stage 4 colon cancer in April 2017. He described the peaks and valleys of treatment as a “chemocoaster” and disclosed that the disease had returned and spread last May. Even in the face of adversity, Andretti made a point to raise awareness for routine check-ups during his updates, using the hashtag #CheckIt4Andretti to spread the message.

“I’m an Andretti. I already beat the age I should have lived to,” Andretti said last May in an interview with The Indianapolis Star. “Growing up when you’re a little bit wild in a race car, I think everybody in our family’s always heard this: ‘You’re not going to live to see 20.’ Then it was, ‘You’re not going to live see 25, then 30.’ But here I am. Still going. Our family’s already been through plenty of trials, and we’re still here. To get taken down by this, well, I’m going to go out giving it the strongest fight I can give it.”

Posted on January 30, 2020January 31, 2020 by Terrin Waack

CONCORD, N.C. — It’s more than a hashtag. It’s a mindset.

And Jimmie Johnson has altered both.

Just weeks before the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off at Daytona International Speedway, the seven-time champion scratched his original #Chasing8 tagline and replaced it with #OneFinalTime on social media. Johnson, who announced he will retire from full-time racing at the conclusion of this year’s schedule, realized he doesn’t want to put the weight of securing a record eighth championship on himself or his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team. Because that’s not what this season – his final season – is about.

SHOP: Jimmie Johnson gear

“My ultimate goal this year, and I think what happened through the self-awareness of the offseason, is just about being present,” Johnson said Thursday at the Hendrick Motorsports complex. “I’m going to get in that car, and I’m going to give it 100 percent as I always do. Who knows what the outcome is going to be? We’re going to lay it all on the line and go. I’m not chasing it. I’m going to try to be present and just be me.”

He’s “Seven-Time,” the only driver tied with NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for most championships. He’s a competitor with 83 wins in the sport’s premier league. He’s the veteran after 18 years and change of top-rank experience.

All of those numbers can still be bettered, regardless of the words posted on social media.

“It’s more of the mindset that goes with that hashtag,” Johnson said. “Ultimately, it doesn’t change things much. … I’m out there to win an eighth championship. This is about winning races, making the playoffs and trying to be in the final four.”

None of which happened in 2019.

Johnson failed to make the NASCAR Playoffs for the first time in his career. It was his second straight winless year after 16 consecutive seasons with at least two victories. Ranking 18th in the final standings then marked his worst points finish since he began full-time competition in 2002.

The pressure got to Johnson, which is exactly what he wants to avoid in 2020. Stay in the moment and out of his head.

Crew chief Cliff Daniels, who took over the No. 48 pit box midway through last season, can already see the mental switch, and the hashtag was just changed Wednesday. The explanation makes sense. Johnson is going back to, well, being Johnson.

“Since he’s been a kid, he can show up and drive anything – literally from a dirt bike to a mountain bike to any type of race car – just from the seat of his pants and be phenomenal,” Daniels said. “He’s never really worried about chasing a statistic or a competitor or anything like that. So, I think that was a pretty powerful moment for him to get back in his old mindset where maybe more recently he was chasing a statistic or a competitor or something.”

That can happen when retirement rumors prematurely swirl and results aren’t showing up on the track.

Can’t change the past, though. What matters now: #OneFinalTime is coming at the right time.

“In my own head, I’m not done yet,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to get to a point where I’m pissed off going to the track and I don’t want to be there. I want to give 100 percent, and I know I can do that in 2020.”

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Jonathan Merryman

The 2002 Daytona 500 is remembered for a few things; most famously Sterling Marlin exiting his car during a red flag and physically pulling on the fender to alleviate a tire rub.

The damage to Marlin’s car happened on the previous restart after Marlin started second behind Jeff Gordon and a wreck broke out mid-pack. While racing back to the yellow flag, Marlin went low on Gordon, who blocked, and Marlin won the race back to the flag by a nose over Ward Burton. The following red flag is where it got interesting.

During the break, Marlin can be seen getting out of his car (around 3:09 of the video) and pulling the fender of his No. 40 Silver Bullet Dodge away from the right front Goodyear tire. Per NASCAR rules, teams are not allowed to work on the car under the red flag so Marlin was penalized for the infraction. That handed the lead to Ward Burton.

Burton went on to win his first Daytona 500 and the fourth race of his career. He went on to win a second race in 2002 at New Hampshire.

Catch all the action from the 2002 Daytona 500 in this week’s NASCAR Full Race Replay.

Posted on January 30, 2020January 30, 2020 by RJ Kraft

Matt DiBenedetto doesn’t mince words when he talks about his opportunity to drive the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

“It’s the best opportunity I’ve ever had in my racing life,” DiBenedetto said on Monday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “It took everybody, every team, every step of the way that let me grind it out and keep advancing my career. This opportunity driving for the Wood Brothers is obviously amazing — an unbelievable family and their alliance with Team Penske.”

The 28-year-old California native experienced quite the “roller coaster of emotions” over roughly a four-week stretch last summer when he learned he would not be returning to the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing team for the 2020 season. The weekend after that news was announced, he captivated the NASCAR world with a runner-up finish at the Bristol Night Race that saw him lose the race lead to Denny Hamlin with 12 laps to go. And then several weeks later, DiBenedetto was chosen to drive the No. 21 — with the retiring Paul Menard’s suggestion helping pave the path.

The storied Wood Brothers organization has been sitting on 99 wins since Ryan Blaney’s win at Pocono in 2017. Blaney spent three seasons driving for the team prior to his move over to Team Penske for the 2018 season. His advice to DiBenedetto was pretty straightforward.

“They’re just great guys,” Blaney said of his previous team. “I said to have fun. I had so much fun driving for the Wood Brothers. Eddie and Len are great people. Leonard’s obviously amazing. It was a pleasure to get to know Glen for the few years that I was there. It’s just a great group that they got working over there.

“… The Wood Brothers are very laid back people. Obviously, they love racing. They wouldn’t be in it this long if they didn’t love racing. That’s all they know. That’s all they do. There’s no pressure. There’s no pressure to go prove yourself. He’s going to do a great job. He showed this last year in the 95 car how great he can be.”

DiBenedetto fired off strong out of the gate at Daytona Speedweeks last year. He finished fourth in the first Duel race before leading the most laps in the 2019 Daytona 500 – 49 – before a late wreck ended his day.

His solid close to the 2019 season only emphasizes his growth, as he earned all three of his top fives, all seven of his top 10s and 12 of his 13 top 15s in the final 21 races of the season. Those results along with the backing of a Team Penske alliance at Wood Brothers Racing have made him a trendy pick to make the playoffs.

“That’s the goal; to go win races. Plural. Make the playoffs,” DiBenedetto said. “You got to check off one box at a time but I know we have the people, the team, pit crew, all these guys to be able to do it.

“I’m confident in not only myself but this whole group to go out and, as I always say, turn a lot of heads. That’s what I’ve had to do every step of the way and with this group, that’s going to be no problem.”