2020 season preview: Team Penske

Posted on February 5, 2020February 9, 2020 by RJ Kraft

Editor’s note: Today’s Team Penske 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

TEAM PENSKE
Manufacturer: Ford
Engine: Roush Yates Engines
Drivers: Brad Keselowski (No. 2); Ryan Blaney (No. 12); Joey Logano (No. 22)
Crew chiefs: Jeremy Bullins (No. 2); Todd Gordon (No. 12); Paul Wolfe (No. 22)

What’s new: The biggest change at Penske is the crew chief shuffle that was announced last month that sees Bullins moving from Blaney to Keselowski, Gordon moving from Logano to Blaney and Wolfe moving from Keselowski to Logano. The road and pit crews will follow their crew chiefs from the 2019 season.

Team strength: When it comes to style of racing, the team strength is at superspeedways. All three drivers are always in the mix for wins in those races. Even though the organization shuffled the crew chiefs around, continuity still exists at Penske as the organization has had the same three drivers and crew chiefs since Blaney came over to drive the third car at the start of the 2018 season. There’s value in having people that are simply used to working with each other.

The Action Network Best Bet: I love the pairing of Joey Logano and crew chief Paul Wolfe this season. Logano is already plenty fast and Wolfe is arguably the smartest in the garage when it comes to in-race strategy. I expect Wolfe to take chances getting Logano out front late in races, and the 2018 champ has plenty of talent to take advantage. In addition, Logano was the best driver last season at the three superspeedway races using the current Daytona 500 package, making him my early favorite to win The Great American Race. He’s also the race favorite in Vegas, so I have yet to pull the trigger on a Logano bet for Daytona. – PJ Walsh

Racing Insights Number to Know: Team Penske is the only organization that has not had a full-time car go winless in a season since 2012. The organization has not had less than four wins in a season in the last six years. – Racing Insights

Quotable: “Last year was a good year for us but it wasn’t great. Penske has made a number of changes to all the teams because good isn’t good enough I think I’ve heard my boss say. We want to win the championship. We didn’t have a car in the final four and that’s unacceptable to us. Our goal is to win a lot of races and championships. We are going to push really hard for that. I believe we have the lineups to get Team Penske another championship.” — Brad Keselowski

Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 2 Ford

2019 Stats: Three wins, 13 top fives, 19 top 10s, 12.9 average finish and 1,085 laps led.

2020 Championship Odds: 12-1

Fantasy Live Five: Martinsville, Chicago, Las Vegas, Darlington, Pocono

Outlook: Keselowski enters the 2020 season riding a nine-year streak with at least one victory in each season. For the third time in four years, the 2012 champion was eliminated in the Round of 12. Keselowski should extend his consecutive seasons with a win mark and make the playoffs. The big question is how well will Keselowski and Bullins mesh after the driver and Wolfe were able to strategize their way to some big wins. The Keselowski-Bullins duo combined for 14 wins in the Xfinity ranks together.

Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Ford

2019 Stats: One win, 11 top fives, 18 top 10s, 13.7 average finish and 422 laps led.

2020 Championship Odds: 20-1

Fantasy Live Five: Las Vegas, Chicago, Martinsville, Texas, Pocono

Outlook: Blaney is coming off a season that saw him finish a career-best sixth in the final standings and post career-bests in top fives, top 10s and average finish. If YRB can harness his late-season consistency over the course of the regular season, look out. The 26-year-old seems primed for a multi-win season under the steady hand of veteran crew chief Gordon, who guided Logano to five multi-win campaigns and three Championship 4 appearances in seven seasons. Blaney is ready to take the next step and Gordon is just the man to lead him there.

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Ford

2019 Stats: Two wins, 12 top fives, 21 top 10s, 10.8 average finish and 899 laps led.

2020 Championship Odds: 10-1

Fantasy Live Five: Auto Club, Las Vegas, Miami, Richmond, Michigan

Outlook: Logano comes into the 2020 season having finished outside the top six in the standings once in the past six seasons. Despite strong success with crew chief Gordon, Logano will now have Wolfe atop the box and the combo of Wolfe’s strategy and Logano’s moxie and aggression should be lethal on opposing drivers. “Sliced Bread” is in the prime of his career and is a threat to win at nearly every track. Expect a multi-win season and a deep playoff run for him in his first season with his new crew chief.

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 February 5, 2020February 5, 2020 by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 5, 2020) – NASCAR and iRacing announced today the longest-running eNASCAR iRacing esports series will return for its 11th season on Feb. 11 with a new entitlement sponsor, increased prize pool to more than $300,000 and the return of live telecasts on NBCSN.

NASCAR Premier Partner Coca-Cola will refresh the officially sanctioned esports racing series in a multi-year entitlement partnership. The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series enhances Coca-Cola’s deep-rooted history in NASCAR and new position as a NASCAR Cup Series Premier Partner.

“The audience surge and growth our eNASCAR platforms experienced in 2019 was the result of the most talented gamers delivering some of the best weeknight racing,” said Tim Clark, senior vice president and chief digital officer, NASCAR. “The momentum heading into this eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series season will continue with unprecedented collaboration across the industry and help usher in the next generation of race fans.”

RELATED: Full eNASCAR coverage

After a successful television debut in 2019, the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series will return to NBCSN this season for six races during the series’ Playoffs. The series debuted on NBCSN last summer with a pair of All-Star exhibition races and was followed by the first-ever eNASCAR championship telecast on NBCSN’s NASCAR America that saw Zack Novak earn his first eNASCAR title by holding off Keegan Leahy in a thrilling battle at the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series competition and race broadcasts showcase some of the toughest racers and creates new entry points for motorsports fans,” said Tony Gardner, president, iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations. “With an increased prize pool to more than $300,000, the 2020 season is shaping up to be an epic contest between the best iRacers in the world.”

The prize pool for the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series tripled to more than $300,000, making it one of the richest payouts in esports racing competition. The 2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Champion will be awarded the highest payout in series history — $100,000. New for 2020, the 40 drivers and 20 teams competing in the series will earn cash prizes throughout the season.

“eNASCAR presents a unique opportunity for Coca-Cola to engage with consumers through some of the best esports competition that exists today,” said Chris Bigda, Director Sports Marketing and Activation — Motorsports, The Coca-Cola Company. “Through our new position as a NASCAR Premier Partner we’re exploring innovative ways to activate across the sport. This series allows us to connect with race fans, identify new talent and ultimately, celebrate champions with refreshing ice-cold Coca-Cola.”

THROWBACK: Novak wins historic title

NASCAR and professional esports teams will return for 2020 competition, including new teams established by NASCAR Cup Series drivers William Byron, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson. The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series free agency selection took place over the offseason with preparations underway for the season kickoff at the virtual Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 11 at 9 p.m. ET on Facebook, Twitch, YouTube and eNASCAR.com.

More details on the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, including the full season schedule and team rosters are slated to be released next week on eNASCAR.com and iRacing.com. For more information on iRacing and special membership offers, visit iRacing.com.

Posted on February 4, 2020February 4, 2020 by

No.	Driver	Sponsor	Make	Organization
1	Kurt Busch	Monster Energy	Chevrolet	Chip Ganassi Racing
2	Brad Keselowski	MoneyLion	Ford	Team Penske
3	Austin Dillon	Symbicort/RigUp	Chevrolet	Richard Childress Racing
4	Kevin Harvick	Busch Light #PIT4BUSCH	Ford	Stewart-Haas Racing
6	Ryan Newman	Koch Industries	Ford	Roush Fenway Racing
9	Chase Elliott	Mountain Dew Zero Sugar	Chevrolet	Hendrick Motorsports
10	Aric Almirola	Pure Farmland	Ford	Stewart-Haas Racing
11	Denny Hamlin	FedEx Express	Toyota	Joe Gibbs Racing
12	Ryan Blaney	Menards / Peak	Ford	Team Penske
14	Clint Bowyer	Mobil 1	Ford	Stewart-Haas Racing
18	Kyle Busch	M&M’s	Toyota	Joe Gibbs Racing
19	Martin Truex Jr.	Bass Pro Shops	Toyota	Joe Gibbs Racing
20	Erik Jones	Sports Clips	Toyota	Joe Gibbs Racing
22	Joey Logano	Shell Pennzoil	Ford	Team Penske
24	William Byron	Liberty University	Chevrolet	Hendrick Motorsports
42	Kyle Larson	AdventHealth	Chevrolet	Chip Ganassi Racing
48	Jimmie Johnson	Ally	Chevrolet	Hendrick Motorsports
88	Alex Bowman	Valvoline	Chevrolet	Hendrick Motorsports

Posted on February 4, 2020February 4, 2020 by Official NASCAR Release

(Los Angeles and Charlotte) – MotorTrend Group, a Discovery company, and NASCAR announced today a new partnership to create NASCAR ALL IN: BATTLE FOR DAYTONA, a bold new sports documentary series chronicling the commitment, struggles and sacrifices of drivers, their teams and families in the chase for greatness at the biggest race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series™ season, the DAYTONA 500^®. The all-new, limited series produced by NASCAR Productions will world premiere every Monday beginning Monday, Feb. 10, 2020, on the MotorTrend App, the only subscription streaming service dedicated entirely to the motoring world.

Viewers will receive exclusive, inside access to NASCAR Cup Series drivers’ preparation for the DAYTONA 500 from the vantage point of the athletes, their race teams and families with one goal in mind — taking the checkered flag at the iconic Daytona International Speedway. Beginning Monday, Feb. 10, 2020 on the MotorTrend App, NASCAR ALL IN: BATTLE FOR DAYTONA will go off the track in near real-time for an emotional, behind-the-scenes look at the highs and lows of real-life NASCAR racing for drivers including: Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick of Richard Childress Racing and Corey LaJoie of Go Fas Racing.

“MotorTrend is pushing the boundaries of storytelling,” said Alex Wellen, global president and general manager, MotorTrend Group. “Our first sports documentary series is an intimate look at the ‘humans under the helmet’ as they push the limits professionally and sacrifice personally for a victory at this year’s DAYTONA 500. Working with NASCAR, this series will give our fans a never-before-seen look at the Great American Race.”

“Together with MotorTrend, NASCAR is thrilled to showcase the biggest spectacle in racing – the DAYTONA 500 – through the unique lens of the drivers and their race teams,” said Tim Clark, chief digital officer, NASCAR. “The journey leading up to the DAYTONA 500 is one filled with emotion, drama and intensity, all to be captured by NASCAR Productions and delivered straight to race fans on the MotorTrend app.”

The MotorTrend App offers nearly 8,000 episodes and roughly 4,000 hours of world-leading automotive series and specials including the most complete collection of classic TOP GEAR (200+ episodes and specials spanning seasons one thru 25), the upcoming all-new TOP GEAR AMERICA and every season of WHEELER DEALERS, ROADKILL, FAST N’ LOUD, OVERHAULIN’, BITCHIN’ RIDES, the upcoming reality competition spin-off series BITCHIN’ BOOT CAMP and many more. The MotorTrend App is available for Prime Video customers in the U.S. on Prime Video Channels and on Amazon FireTV in addition to other media players and streaming devices including Apple TV, Roku, Google Chromecast and on the web, as well as across iPhone, iPad, and Android mobile devices.

NASCAR ALL IN: BATTLE FOR DAYTONA is produced for MotorTrend Group by NASCAR Productions. Tim Clark, Tally Hair and Matt Summers are the executive producers for NASCAR. For MotorTrend Group, David Lee is executive producer and Mike Suggett is head of programming and development. Alex Wellen is global president and general manager for MotorTrend Group.

Posted on February 4, 2020February 4, 2020 by Jonathan Merryman

The 2003 Daytona 500 was the perfect storm for driver Michael Waltrip.

With 95 laps to go in the 200-lap event at Daytona International Speedway, Jimmie Johnson took the green flag as the leader with Waltrip just behind him. Waltrip, however, had a secret weapon — his teammate and superspeedway ace, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

At the time Earnhardt Jr. was a lap down in 38th place, nowhere close to being in a spot to contend for a win. With some help from a mid-race caution after Mike Skinner’s tire went down, though, the game changed.

At that time, lead-lap cars restarted single file in the outside lane and lapped cars lined up at the bottom of the track. Earnhardt Jr. was the first car on the inside row, and once the green dropped, Waltrip followed his Dale Earnhardt Incorporated teammate to the bottom and made the pass on Johnson for the lead.

Later that lap, the defending Daytona 500 champion Ward Burton wrecked coming off of Turn 4 forcing NASCAR to throw the yellow flag. On Lap 109 the rain came, resulting in Michael Waltrip’s second career victory in The Great American Race.

WATCH: Ward Burton takes advantage of Marlin’s penalty for 2002 Daytona 500 win

Relive Waltrip’s win in the rain-shorted Daytona 500 from 2003 in this week’s NASCAR Full Race Replay.

Posted on February 4, 2020February 9, 2020 by Pat DeCola

Editor’s note: Today’s Chip Ganassi 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

CHIP GANASSI RACING
Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Engine: Hendrick Engines
Drivers: Kurt Busch (No. 1), Kyle Larson (No. 42)
Crew chiefs: Matt McCall (No. 1), Chad Johnston (No. 42)

What’s new: CGR is one of what seems like just a few Cup Series teams that kept its driver-crew chief lineups in place for all of its cars. Looking to build off a strong 2019, that consistency should continue to pay off. What is new, however, is a bit of leadership change with 74-year-old Felix Sabates retiring from the sport. The longtime motorsports owner and visionary had been a partner at CGR since 2001, and it’ll be interesting to see if anything changes after such a longtime stalwart of the organization steps aside.

Team strength: The pure talent of its drivers. One could argue top-to-bottom CGR has the best natural wheelmen — admittedly a title that is a little easier to attain with a two-car stable — in the sport. As long as Busch and Larson have equipment that can allow them to be competitive with the top tier teams, the combination has the ability to muscle out wins on any track, any time.

Racing Insights Number to Know: Last year was the first season both CGR cars won since 2010 and marked a rebound season after going winless in 2018. Busch hopes to extend both his six-season streak with at least one win and his six-season streak of making the playoffs. Both drivers ended winless streaks of 30 or more races (Busch 30 races, Larson 75 races) in 2019. Larson hopes to extend his four-season streak of making the playoffs.

The Action Network Best Bet: Kyle Larson excels at high tire-wear intermediates and concrete surfaces, and the revamped 2020 Cup Series schedule offers Auto Club Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway all within the first eight races. Larson should be priced among the favorites in those races, but is still worth a wager if his odds are longer than the big three of Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. – PJ Walsh

KURT BUSCH
2019 Stats: 1 win, 6 top fives, 18 top 10s, 13.1 average finish and 212 laps led
2020 Championship Odds: 40-1
Fantasy Live Five: Bristol, Sonoma, Kentucky, Atlanta, Texas

Outlook: Busch surprised a lot of people in 2019. After inheriting a ride Jamie McMurray failed to put in the playoffs on a consistent basis, Busch entered the season thought of as a fringe playoff contender. At certain points throughout 2019, however, the 2004 series champion appeared revitalized and in the mix for his second career title. It didn’t pan out, but it does offer much more optimism for 2020 — and beyond, as the 41-year-old signed a multi-year extension in November.

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

KYLE LARSON
2019 Stats: 1 win, 8 top fives, 17 top 10s, 15.1 average finish and 529 laps led.
2020 Championship Odds: 10-1
Fantasy Live Five: Miami, Dover, Bristol, Darlington, Chicagoland

Outlook: Larson truly is an enigma. The talent is there, it’s evident and yet sometimes fleeting. With just one win through his first three years in the Cup Series, it appeared the phenom was breaking out in 2017, amassing four wins and a Round of 8 appearance. He followed that with a winless 2018 before getting hot late last season and starting to showcase his talent a little more. With things on the rise as a whole at CGR and a double-down on performance overall for Chevrolet after a couple of lacking seasons, Larson looks destined to start the prime of his career in 2020. We could very well be looking at the decade of “Yung Money” upon us.

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

NASCAR.com 2020 team previews schedule

Posted on February 4, 2020February 4, 2020 by Official NASCAR Release

STAMFORD, Conn. and DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR®, ARCA, and NBC Sports announced broadcast coverage for select 2020 grassroots racing events across TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold and NBCSN, including events in the ARCA Menards Series™ East and West (formerly the K&N Pro Series), NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour™ and the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, which kicks off this Friday at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway.

All eight races of the ARCA Menards Series East will air live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold, beginning with the season-opening Skips Western Outfitters 175 on Monday, Feb. 10 at New Smyrna Speedway. NBCSN will provide tape-delayed coverage of entire ARCA Menards Series East season, with the Skips Western Outfitters 175 airing Friday, Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. ET.

SUBSCRIBE: TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold

The ARCA Menards Series East season opener is part of the 54th annual World Series of Asphalt from New Smyrna Speedway, which features nine consecutive nights of racing from Feb. 7-15. TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold will provide live coverage of the entire World Series of Asphalt, which also includes NASCAR Weekly Racing Series highlighted by super late models, pro late model, and tour-type Modifieds.

TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold will also provide live coverage of the entire ARCA Menards Series West season, which kicks off Thursday, Feb. 20 with the Star Nursery 150 from the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. NBCSN will provide coverage on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. ET, along with coverage of the entire 10-race ARCA Menards Series West slate.

The full 17-race NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour™ will also air live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold, with NBCSN providing coverage of 14 races. The 2020 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour begins Saturday, March 21 at Virginia’s South Boston Speedway, with NBCSN coverage airing Monday, March 30 at 6 p.m. ET.

Fans can watch ARCA Menards Series East and West, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, and World Series of Asphalt coverage as part of the TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold NASCAR Roots package for $2.99/month or $19.99 annually. The TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold All-Access Pass, which includes NASCAR Roots plus IMSA and American Flat Track, for $4.99/month or $44.99/year.

TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold allows users to cast streamed content on a connected device via NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, letting fans experience racing action on their preferred hardware, including big-screen environments. TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold is available on desktop web browsers and via the NBC Sports app on iOS and Android phones and tablets, Apple TV (Gen 4), Roku, Amazon Fire TV, AndroidTV, Xfinity X1, Xfinity Flex and Chromecast devices connected via HDMI.

2020 ARCA Menards Series East Schedule

Date	Location	TrackPass Coverage	NBCSN Coverage	Time
Mon, Feb. 10	New Smyrna Speedway	Live – 7:40 p.m.	Fri., Feb. 14	1:00 p.m.
Sat., March 14	Five Flags Speedway	Live – 8:00 p.m.	Mon., March 23	6:00 p.m.
Sat., April 4	Bristol Motor Speedway	Live – 4:00 p.m.	Thurs., April 9	4:00 p.m.
Sat., May 2	Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway	Live – 9:00 p.m.	Thurs., May 7	6:00 p.m.
Sat., May 16	Toledo Speedway	Live – 7:00 p.m.	Thurs., May 21	3:00 p.m.
Sat., July 25	Berlin Raceway	Live – 8;00 p.m.	Thurs., Aug. 13	6:00 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 21	Dover International Speedway	Live – 5:00 p.m.	Thurs., Aug. 27	1:00 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 12	New Hampshire Motor Speedway	Live – 2:30 p.m.	Thurs., Sept. 17	6:00 p.m.

2020 ARCA Menards Series West Schedule

Date	Location	TrackPass Coverage	NBCSN Coverage	Time
Thurs., Feb. 20	The Bullring at LVMS	Live – 11:00 p.m.	Tues., Feb. 25	6:00 p.m.
Sat., March 28	Irwindale Speedway	Live – 10:00 p.m.	Thurs., April 2	6:00 p.m.
Sat., May 16	Douglas County Speedway	Live – 10:55 p.m.	Thurs., May 21	4:00 p.m.
Sat., June 6	Colorado National Speedway	Live – 10:30 p.m.	Wed., June 10	6:00 p.m.
Sat., June 13	Sonoma Raceway	Live – 4:45 p.m.	Thurs., June 18	6:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 8	Evergreen Speedway	Live – 9:30 p.m.	Thurs., Aug. 20	6:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 29	Meridian Speedway	Live – 10:30 p.m.	Sat., Sept. 5	12:00 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 10	All American Speedway	Live – 9:45 p.m.	Thurs., Oct. 15	7:00 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 24	Kern County Raceway Park	Live – 11:30 p.m.	Fri. Oct. 30	3:00 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 7	Phoenix Raceway	Live – 9:15 p.m.	Thurs., Nov. 12	6:00 p.m.

2020 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Schedule

Date	Location	TrackPass Coverage	NBCSN Coverage	Time
Sat., March 21	South Boston Speedway	Live – 2:45 p.m.	Mon., March 30	6:00 p.m.
Sun., April 5	Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park	Live – 3:45 p.m.	Thurs., April 9	3:00 p.m.
Sun., April 26	Stafford Motor Speedway	Live – 3:30 p.m.	TrackPass Exclusive
Fri., May 8	Martinsville Speedway	Live – 8:30 p.m.	Tues., May 12	4:00 p.m.
Sat., May 23	Jennerstown Speedway	Live – 8 p.m.	Thurs., May 28	6:00 p.m.
Sat., June 6	Seekonk Speedway	Live – 8 p.m.	Thurs., June 11	6:00 p.m.
Sat., June 20	Riverhead Raceway	Live – 8 p.m.	TrackPass Exclusive
Sat., July 11	Wall Stadium Speedway	Live – 8:30 p.m.	Wed., July 15	6:00 p.m.
Sat., July 18	New Hampshire Motor Speedway	Live – 5:45 p.m.	Tues., Aug. 11	6:00 p.m.
Fri. July 31	Iowa Speedway	Live – 7:30 p.m.	Wed., Aug. 19	6:00 p.m.
Fri. Aug. 7	Stafford Motor Speedway	Live – 9:15 p.m.	TrackPass Exclusive
Wed., Aug. 19	Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park	Live – 8 p.m.	Wed., Aug. 26	6:00 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 5	Oswego Speedway	Live – 7 p.m.	Thurs., Sept. 10	6:00 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 12	New Hampshire Motor Speedway	Live – 12:05 p.m.	Wed., Sept. 16	6:00 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 19	Riverhead Raceway	Live – 8 p.m.	Wed., Sept. 23	6:00 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 27	Stafford Motor Speedway	Live – 3:15 p.m.	Thurs., Oct. 1	6:00 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 11	Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park	Live – TBA	Thurs., Oct. 15	6:00 p.m.

All Times Eastern

Posted on February 4, 2020February 4, 2020 by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR and Cometic Gasket, Inc. announced today an expansion of their multi-year official partnership, designating the company the sponsor of the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series™ pole award. The Cometic Gasket Pole Award will be awarded to the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driver with the fastest qualifying time each week, starting on Friday, Feb. 14 at Daytona International Speedway.

“For years, Cometic Gasket has been a committed partner and has supported all levels of NASCAR racing,” said Scott Miller, senior vice president, competition, NASCAR. “Their expanded relationship to sponsor the Cometic Gasket Pole Award will enhance the value of the program and elevate their brand in our sport.”

Cometic Gasket’s relationship with NASCAR dates back nearly a decade when it became the “Official Gasket of NASCAR®.” In addition, the global leader and innovator in the engine marketplace began sponsoring a contingency program in the ARCA Menards Series™, then known as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, as well as sponsoring billboards in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series™. Today, Cometic Gasket is the preferred engine gasket supplier for a significant majority of teams in NASCAR’s three national series.

“Assuming the role as pole award sponsor in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series is a natural progression of our partnership,” said Bob Gorman, CEO & founder, Cometic Gasket. “As a longtime partner, we’ve seen the value of NASCAR, its competitors and brand-loyal fanbase. We’re excited to further integrate ourselves into the sport and amplify our presence at the national series level.”

Competitors will be eligible for the Cometic Gasket Pole Award by displaying a decal on the front fenders of their trucks. At the culmination of the season, the driver who has accumulated the most Cometic Gasket Pole Awards in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series will be awarded the season-ending Cometic Gasket Pole Award.

As a part of the expanded partnership, Cometic Gasket will continue to support grassroots racing, maintaining its designation as the “Official Gasket of the ARCA Menards Series®” as well as its billboard program in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series.

The 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series season kicks off with the NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM Radio.

Posted on February 3, 2020February 3, 2020 by Alex Weaver

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Premium Motorsports unveiled its Daytona 500 car and new sponsorship deal on Monday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame with Brennan Poole, driver of the No. 15 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Cup Series. Spartan Mosquito will serve as the primary sponsor for 17 races, including “The Great American Race.”

The Spartan Mosquito No. 15 will also display the R.E.D. (RememberEveryoneDeployed.org) organization. The R.E.D organization helps raise awareness of the hardships faced by troops that are currently deployed. R.E.D will use this sponsorship opportunity to expand its content and collaborate with Premium Motorsports and Poole throughout the season.

“The willingness to give back is the most important thing,” Poole said. “As a small team, every little bit of funding helps. But the special things throughout the season and bringing awareness to a great cause is what I’m most excited about.”

Premium and Poole will kick off the season by making their first attempt at the Daytona 500 on Feb. 16 at Daytona International Speedway. Poole’s custom R.E.D. Daytona 500 gloves will then be donated in a contest to benefit R.E.D.

Poole, 28, is excited to finally have his chance at a Daytona 500 run and knows the opportunity is one he will never forget.

“Being in the Daytona 500 is hard to put into words,” said Poole, a candidate for Sunoco Rookie of the Year in 2020. “It didn’t feel real until I saw the car for the first time. Now I have great partners to do it with. It’s my dream.”

Posted on February 3, 2020February 9, 2020 by Terrin Waack

Editor’s note: Today’s Hendrick Motorsports 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 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS Manufacturer: Chevrolet Engine: Hendrick Engines Drivers: Chase Elliott (No. 9), William Byron (No. 24), Jimmie Johnson (No. 48), Alex Bowman (No. 88) Crew chiefs: Alan Gustafson (No. 9), Chad Knaus (No. 24), Cliff Daniels (No. 48), Greg Ives (No. 88) What’s new: Nothing really, apart from the not-so minor detail the 2020 season will be Jimmie Johnson’s last as a full-time driver. That’ll surely motivate the No. 48 team at least. Also, there’s probably a fire lit within the organization as a whole considering not a single driver advanced into the Championship 4 last season. Can’t win a title if not in contention. Team strength: All but one Hendrick Motorsports driver (Jimmie Johnson) made the NASCAR Playoffs last season. HMS overall improved every major statistical category from 2018 to 2019, and its four wins extended the organization’s streak of at least three wins per season to 25 years straight. Ten poles also led all teams. The Action Network’s Best Bet: Most of the focus in 2020 will be Jimmie Johnson and his final full-time Cup Series season, but William Byron is the driver bettors should target. I expect to bet him early and often to start the year, especially if he’s priced similarly to last season. – PJ Walsh Racing Insights’ Number to Know: One. This is the one and only multi-car organization to have every driver/crew chief/spotter pairing return unchanged from 2019.

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CHASE ELLIOTT: No. 9 Chevrolet 2019 stats: 10th in final standings; three wins (Talladega-1, Watkins Glen, Roval), four poles, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s 2020 championship odds: 12-1 Fantasy Live picks: Watkins Glen, Michigan, Dover, Kansas, Martinsville Outlook: The Round of 8 really botched Chase Elliott’s championship hopes in 2019. He finished 36th at Martinsville Speedway, 32nd at Texas Motor Speedway and 39th at Phoenix Raceway to ultimately get booted from title competition. Elliott was one round – one win – away from making the Championship 4. If he can get back to the NASCAR Playoffs again in 2020, wouldn’t be crazy to see him make that last jump into the finale with a shot at the ultimate trophy. WILLIAM BYRON: No. 24 Chevrolet

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2019 stats: 11th in final standings; five poles, five top fives, 13 top 10s 2020 championship odds: 20-1 Fantasy Live picks: Pocono, Texas, Dover, Watkins Glen, Chicagoland Outlook: William Byron’s first career win is bound to happen in 2020. The third-year driver had two runner-up finishes in 2019 (Daytona International Speedway in the summer and Martinsville Speedway in the postseason), on top of three other top-five runs and 233 laps led overall. He knows how to steer his way to the front of the pack; it’s just a matter of staying there come checkered flag. If not, Byron pointed his way into last season’s NASCAR Playoffs and made it to the Round of 12 anyway.

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JIMMIE JOHNSON: No. 48 Chevrolet 2019 stats: 18th in final standings; one pole, three top fives, 12 top 10s 2020 championship odds: 40-1 Fantasy Live picks: Richmond, Charlotte, Dover, Chicagoland, Sonoma Outlook: Jimmie Johnson is ready for #OneFinalTime, as the seven-time champion will retire from full-time racing at the end of the 2020 season. As already noted, that’ll surely be a huge motivator to go out with a bang. Last year, though, ended in Johnson’s worst overall finish ever and marked the first time Johnson failed to make the NASCAR Playoffs in his career. He has to do at least better than that this year. Maybe a full season with Cliff Daniels, who replaced Kevin Meendering midway through last season, atop his pit box will help produce better results. ALEX BOWMAN: No. 88 Chevrolet

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2019 stats: 12th in final standings; one win (Chicagoland), seven top fives, 12 top 10s 2020 championship odds: 40-1 Fantasy Live picks: Chicagoland, Dover, Charlotte, Michigan, Kansas Outlook: Last season at Chicagoland Speedway, Alex Bowman scored his first career win and locked himself in the NASCAR Playoffs. Once there, he truly became known as someone who’s willing to fight for his spot in the postseason – take Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Roval elimination race for example, he barely advanced into the Round of 12 after an eventful day. His playoff chances ended that next three-race stretch, like the season before, but he improved his final rank four spots from 2018 to 2019. Could do even better in 2020 if he continues to better his statistical marks.

NASCAR.com 2020 team previews schedule