Seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is now the owner of a dog, Charlie Meatball. You may have seen him on social media. He is scruffy and great.
NASCAR.com managed to land the first official interview with Charlie. See below. All profanity has been edited out.
Watch here: https://youtu.be/shyVgiyC-aA
Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) has renewed its partnership with Smithfield Foods, Inc., maintaining Smithfield’s status as the lead brand on the No. 10 Ford Mustang driven by Aric Almirola in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Smithfield, the leading provider of high-quality pork products, joined SHR in 2018, along with Almirola. The 35-year-old from Tampa, Florida, has represented Smithfield since 2012, his first full season in the elite NASCAR Cup Series. The 2020 season will mark Almirola’s ninth full season in the NASCAR Cup Series and third with SHR. Almirola has made the NASCAR Playoffs in each of his two seasons with SHR.
“The Smithfield brand has enjoyed great success with Aric Almirola and Stewart-Haas Racing,” said Michael Merritt, Senior Marketing Director for Smithfield Foods. “It’s a true partnership that performs on the racetrack, with retailers and our consumers. Aric resonates well with them because he’s genuine and, overall, a great ambassador for the company. He has worked incredibly hard to get to where he is today and we’ve been a part of that journey for nearly a decade, and the payoff from all that hard work has been amplified by Stewart-Haas Racing.”
RELATED: More on Silly Season
Almirola had a career year in 2018 with four top-five and 17 top-10 finishes, highlighted by a victory Oct. 14 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Almirola qualified for the NASCAR Playoffs for the second time in his career and advanced into the Round of 8, just missing the Championship 4 cutoff. He ended the season fifth in the championship standings to earn the best points finish of his career.
“I said when I first came to Stewart-Haas Racing that this is the opportunity every driver wants, and I’m obviously very proud to have it continue,” said Almirola, who in less than two seasons at SHR has scored more top-10 finishes (27) than in his five previous seasons (2013-2017) combined. “Our relationship with Smithfield is strong. From the customers, to the retailers and all of the employees, we take a tremendous amount of pride in representing the Smithfield brand. They’re our biggest supporters and it’s what drives us every time we hit the race track.”
Almirola has won races in each of NASCAR’s top-three national touring series. He has two NASCAR Cup Series victories, three NASCAR Xfinity Series wins and two NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series triumphs.
“Aric is one of the most focused and determined drivers I’ve ever met, and he’s got the skills to match,” said Tony Stewart, who co-owns SHR with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas. “He’s taken the opportunity here at SHR and seized it. Keeping him as the driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang was a priority and we’re very happy to have it continue.”
Those wanting to see how Almirola and the No. 10 Smithfield team operate can do so by subscribing to Beyond the 10 on YouTube. Episodes showcase behind-the-scenes footage of Almirola at the track, with his family and what a day in the life of a racer, husband and father looks like. Click here to subscribe and view the latest episode.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 9, 2019) — Following more than two years of development from concept to reality, NASCAR’s Next Gen car hit the track for the first time for a two-day test at Richmond Raceway.
The much-anticipated car, which is slated to debut at the 2021 Daytona 500, will honor stock car racing’s roots with bodies that resemble their street versions while incorporating new vehicle technology and innovation.
“This is an important milestone for the Next Gen car and the future of stock car racing,” said John Probst, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Innovation and Racing Development. “There are so many new systems on the car from the front to the back that our main goal with this test was to log laps and put miles on them. The test has met – and even exceeded – our expectations, and we are well on our way to developing the final iteration of the car.”
Austin Dillon was behind the wheel of the car, which was assembled by Richard Childress Racing in collaboration with NASCAR.
“I really enjoyed driving the car,” Dillon said. “I like the way that it looks, you can see the finished product down the road. The OEMs can make the body look really good, like a street car that you see on the road today. When it comes together and they all get their cars on the track, we’re going to have something to work with that also looks really good.”
The car is one of two prototypes currently built. The other was assembled by NASCAR and was tested in the wind tunnel for the first time on Oct. 1. That car is scheduled to make its second trip to the wind tunnel later this week. Another on-track test is anticipated before the year concludes.
“We have a very comprehensive test plan,” Probst said. “We will be doing extensive wind tunnel testing to ensure liftoff speeds are appropriate before moving to larger tracks. As we move into 2020, we will begin testing on intermediate tracks, superspeedways and road courses.”
While many components on the current versions of the car will remain, some major elements – including each OEMs body design – are still in development.
Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Hooters Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, displayed a unique all-pink paint scheme in the October playoff race at Dover International Speedway in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, raising awareness and funding for breast cancer research.
RELATED: Full Talladega Schedule
For nearly two decades, Hooters has actively supported the fight against breast cancer, raising over $5.8 million in funds since 2002 through the Give a Hoot fundraising platform and the Kelly Jo Dowd Breast Cancer Research Fund — a fund established to honor Kelly Jo Dowd, an original and influential Hooters Girl who courageously battled breast cancer for five years before passing in May of 2007.
Hooters, a dedicated sponsor of Elliott, worked closely with the Hendrick Motorsports team to design a paint scheme and fundraising campaign that highlights the importance of supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the quest for a cure. This year’s goal is to raise $1 million for the cause.
“Hooters has put a lot of effort into changing the paint scheme for the Dover race in October and doing everything they can to show support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” Elliott said. “They are definitely doing their part with the Give A Hoot program — which is nice to see.”
The Give A Hoot fundraising program supports breast cancer research by engineering various initiatives that benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research and other recipients. Elliott’s pink racing gear from the Dover event will be auctioned off on Oct. 14 to fans with proceeds benefiting partnering organizations and efforts. Follow @Hooters on Twitter to find out more about the auction, which includes as an item to bid on a trip for two to a 2020 Hooters-sponsored NASCAR race.
Replicas of the specially produced pink No. 9 merchandise can be purchased at Hooters.com and ChaseElliott.com, with a portion of those proceeds donated by Hooters and Elliott for the cause.
For more information about the Hooters #GiveAHoot fundraising campaign or to donate online, visit hooters.com/give.
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 continues with a Sunday afternoon showdown in the 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway (2 p.m. ET on NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). (UPDATE: The race will resume in Stage 2 on Monday at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.)
RELATED: Talladega schedule | Memorable wrecks at Talladega
TRACK DETAILS
Talladega Superspeedway hosted its inaugural race on September 14, 1969, as Richard Brickhouse led 33 laps on his way to his first and only career win in the Grand National Series.
Claiming the title of NASCAR’s biggest and fastest track, Talladega is a 2.66-mile tri-oval with 33 degrees of banking in Turns 1 and 2, 33 degrees of banking in Turns 3 and 4, 16 degrees of banking in the tri-oval and 3 degrees of banking at the start-finish line.
Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske have combined to win eight of the last 10 races at the track.
RULES PACKAGE
The race at Talladega will feature the 2019 rules package with aero ducts and a tapered-spacer engine generating a targeted 550 horsepower.
Each team will have two sets of Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials for practice, one set for qualifying and seven sets for the 500-mile race (six race sets plus a set transferred from qualifying or practice).
Unlike its fellow superspeedway, Daytona International Speedway, Talladega features a more abrasive surface that increases wear on tires that affects team strategies throughout the race.
“While we will see some pit strategy at Talladega, it is a track that actually wears tires a bit, especially when compared to Daytona,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “Depending on where teams are running and who they are working with, they can take four tires, or two, or fuel only to gain some track position.”
STATS
– Team Penske has won four of the last five Talladega elimination format playoff races, with Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano each winning a pair.
– The longest green flag stretch to ever end a Talladega playoff race was eight laps.
– Kurt Busch has the most laps led at Talladega without a win in Monster Energy Series history (266).
– Among all-time drivers, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. holds the second-best average finish at Talladega at 11.83 (minimum three starts).
– Three of the four playoff drivers currently outside a transfer spot have one or more wins at Talladega: Joey Logano (three), Clint Bowyer (two) and Chase Elliott (one)
Source: Racing Insights
LIVE COVERAGE
The second race in the Round of 12 will air live Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on NBC and streamed on the NBC Sports App. Listen in to live radio coverage provided by MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Also, follow along on NASCAR.com for live Lap-by-Lap coverage, the live leaderboard, Drive (featuring in-car cameras) and RaceView (subscription: in-car audio, stats, more). Be sure to set your lineup in Fantasy Live and make your picks in the Props Challenge.
2018 RACE WINNER
With then-teammate Kurt Busch running out of fuel on the final lap of overtime, Aric Almirola powered his No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford to the front of the pack, taking home the checkered flag and securing his spot the Round of 8.
ACTIVE TALLADEGA WINNERS
Brad Keselowski (five); Joey Logano (three); Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson (two wins each); Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, David Ragan, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Aric Almirola, Chase Elliott (one win each).
The penultimate round of the eNASCAR Heat Pro League championship takes center stage at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Wednesday night – and if the inaugural season is any indication of what’s to come, the race is sure to be a barn burner.
Six teams remain alive in the Playoffs, but only four will advance to the championship finale at ISM Raceway on Oct. 23. Team Penske Esports holds a commanding lead atop the standings, but everything’s in play behind them as the other five teams are separated by just five points.
MORE: Full eNASCAR coverage
It’s safe to say Team Penske is the only team sleeping well at night as they enter Homestead with a 17-point advantage over the cut line. While it’s still mathematically possible for them to miss the finale, don’t count on it. Both of their drivers have been staples of consistency, and even if one falters, the other should be able to carry the team to ISM Raceway.
Entering Homestead with only a four-point cushion, the winningest team in the eNASCAR Heat Pro League faces pressure for the first time this season. The masked drivers at Stewart-Haas Gaming are coming off mediocre runs at Las Vegas and Kansas and must refocus to keep their title hopes alive. They have the speed to advance, but it will all come down to execution in Wednesday night’s showdown.
MORE: Highlights from last race
Bridesmaid no longer! JR Motorsports is catching fire at the right time and making a serious run at the championship. Tyler Dohar enters Homestead fresh off his first career victory and teammate Jason Keffer continues to build strong result after strong result. The team enters the cutoff race only one point to the good, but momentum is on its side. That could be enough to propel the drivers to the finale at ISM Raceway.
An up-and-down season has Roush Fenway Gaming on the ropes and in serious danger of being knocked out. An abysmal stretch through the Playoffs has relegated Jack’s esports squad to the fourth and final transfer spot – tied on points with Leavine Family Gaming. Both drivers proved they can win throughout the preseason and regular season races, but it’s now or never to find the right gear and get back on track.
Much like its MENCS counterpart, Leavine Family Gaming will not go away quietly. Josh Harbin aka ThAbEaR95 has scratched and clawed to keep the team’s playoff run alive – finishing no worse than second in the two previous races. However, the team enters Homestead below the cut line and Harbin will need serious help from teammate Nicholas Vroman if the team stands a chance at advancing.
The final team to advance to the Round of 6 is none other than Gibbs Gaming. The Toyota duo has led laps this season and battled for wins but have not slammed the door shut yet. While they only enter one point below the cut line, it’s time to make a statement. Go big or go home.
Who will advance and which two teams will be sent packing? It’s all at play for Wednesday night at 7:30 pm ET on eNASCAR.com.
The 2019 NASCAR Playoffs’ next stop in the Round of 12 is Talladega Superspeedway. The Monster Energy Series’ longest and fastest track has hosted a postseason race since the playoffs were formed for the 2004 season and into the elimination era in 2014. And none of the events lacked drama.
Four out of the last five Talladega playoff races ended in overtime. Three races featured a last-lap pass for the checkered flag. Two times the race winner eventually reached the Championship 4. One time the race ended under yellow.
RELATED: Full schedule for Talladega | Who’s favored at Talladega | How playoff picture looks
Here’s how all that broke down.
In 2014, Brad Keselowski won at Talladega, passing Ryan Newman for the lead on the final lap with a nice push from Matt Kenseth. The final run was two laps of green-flag racing in overtime.
Joey Logano was victorious in both 2015 and 2016. The first showing saw Logano lead the last eight laps (he led 20 on the day) and win under caution in overtime. The latter race had a longer leading run of 45 laps, which included a restart with two laps to go in overtime.
Keselowski then won again in 2017 in a similar fashion to his 2014 win. Once again, he won with a last-lap pass against Newman.
In 2018, Aric Almirola broke through at Talladega. He passed Kurt Busch on the final lap as Busch ran out of gas on the backstretch.
Each year, the winner just so happened to be a playoff driver. Logano in 2016 and Keselowski in 2017 were the only instances, though, where the winner went on to make the Championship 4. None of them won the series championship.
| Talladega | Winner | Eliminated | Final standings spot |
| Oct. 19, 2014 | Brad Keselowski*^ | Round of 8 | 5th |
| Oct. 25, 2015 | Joey Logano^ | Round of 8 | 6th |
| Oct. 23, 2015 | Joey Logano^ | Championship 4 | 2nd |
| Oct. 15, 2017 | Brad Keselowski* | Championship 4 | 4th |
| Oct. 14, 2018 | Aric Almirola*^ | Round of 8 | 5th |
Key: *last-lap pass to win … ^overtime
The fun doesn’t stop there.
In each of those five races, the driver who actually led the most laps was not the one to ultimately win.
— 2014: Jimmie Johnson led 84 of 194 laps and finished 24th.
— 2015: Dale Earnhardt Jr. was out front for 61 of 196 laps and ended up second.
— 2016: Keselowski was first for 90 of 192 laps and didn’t finish due to an engine issue 144 laps in.
— 2017: Logano held the lead for 59 of 188 laps and crossed in fourth.
— 2018: Busch dominated for 108 of 193 laps and fell back to 14th when his No. 41 ran dry.
No one is safe at ‘Dega. While none of the previous turmoil involved crashes — even though a yellow fell within the last five laps of the last five races. The “Big One” is always looming.
Nevertheless, Sunday is the 1000Bulbs.com 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the second of three races in the Round of 12. Kansas Speedway is afterward as the eliminator race. Four drivers will be out from postseason contention, and the only one safe is Kyle Larson since he won the opener last week at Dover International Speedway.
“Everybody in this playoff field is going to be stressing next week at Talladega except for me, so that’s good,” Larson said. “You know, last time I was at Talladega, I was on my lid. And, I mean, I could still end up on my lid next week. But it’s not going to matter after this win.”
The Action Network specializes in providing sports betting insights/analytics and is a content partner with NASCAR. Check out more NASCAR betting analysis here.
Just like the shenanigans that take place on Talladega Boulevard, the on-track racing should be just as exciting during Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500.
At any moment, pack racing at Talladega Superspeedway means the field is just one bobble away from a massive wreck that can change the entire landscape of the event.
MORE: The Action Network covers NASCAR
For the 12 drivers still alive in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, this can be a scary prospect for those toward the top of standings, while also providing a glimmer of hope for those on the outside looking in.
And, of course, a win here will lock a driver into the Round of 8 that begins Oct. 27 at Martinsville Speedway.
Because the draft acts as an equalizer between NASCAR’s haves and have-nots, underfunded cars can often find themselves running in the top 10 late and contending with the sport’s elite.
Plus, the “Big One” is always lurking, which could also take out front-runners and open the door for a sleeper to steal a victory.
After scanning 1000Bulbs.com 500 odds from the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas, one long-shot driver immediately caught my eye as one to bet right now.
RELATED: Talladega weekend schedule
For those who have followed The Action Network since the start of season, you know how much I loved Michael McDowell for the Daytona 500. I bet him twice — once at 200-1 and again at 150-1 — and he didn’t disappoint, contending for a win before ultimately finishing fifth.
While the aero package the MENCS cars will run Sunday is different from that of the Daytona 500 in February, the racing has changed very little, so McDowell is someone I still very much like.
In fact, bettors simply looking at results from Talladega in April — which did use the current aero package — will be sorely misled.
McDowell finished dead last, but it was due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time, not performance. The driver of the No. 34 Ford qualified 12th and was running in the top 10 before getting caught up in this Lap 10 accident.
A number of contenders crash early at @TalladegaSuperS! 😱#GEICO500 | 📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/4yxUiavg3p
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 28, 2019
McDowell was simply minding his own business in the outside lane before getting collected in an accident that had nothing to do with him. This is just the nature of pack racing at Talladega, but also a key reason why long shots can contend more often.
At the time of writing, McDowell is 100-1 at Westgate, a great number for someone so capable at superspeedways. This doesn’t mean I expect him to win, and that’s of course included in this long-shot price.
However, should this race get dicey with playoff drivers getting too aggressive, McDowell could be one of the few left standing and racing for the win when the white flag waves.
NASCAR competition officials handed down penalties to Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 11 group Tuesday, docking the team for a lug-nut infraction after last weekend’s race at Dover International Speedway.
At-track officials discovered one lug nut not safely secured on the No. 11 Toyota after pole-starter Denny Hamlin finished fifth in Sunday’s Drydene 400 at the 1-mile track. Tuesday, officials fined No. 11 crew chief Chris Gabehart $10,000 for the safety violation.
RELATED: Official Dover results
Competition officials also issued an indefinite suspension to crew member Chad Emmons for a violation of NASCAR’s Substance Abuse Policy. Emmons most recently appeared on an official team roster as the fueler for Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 41 team for the Sept. 21 event at Richmond Raceway. He was also listed as a reserve jack man for SHR’s Xfinity Series teams and the primary jack man for SS Green Light Racing’s No. 08 team in the Xfinity Series.
Emmons must complete NASCAR’s Road to Recovery program to earn reinstatement.
From an action-packed season opener at Daytona to a finalist-clinching walk-off, Season 10 of the eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series has been one to remember. (Maybe it’s the $100,000 in prizes on the line — just a thought.) Before crowning a champion on national television Thursday, we’re counting down the best five moments of the season — and trust us, it was tough to pick just five.
And, yeah, we’ll probably have to add to this list following Thursday’s championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which airs live at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
RELATED: eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series championship finale to air on NBCSN
No. 5: Bobby Zalenski advances to Championship 4 with a clutch win at the Charlotte Roval
Heading into the Charlotte Roval — the last chance for a playoff driver to advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a win — Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Zalenski found himself mired eighth of eight in the playoff standings. His only hope was to win at the difficult 17-turn road course — and that’s exactly what he did, in dominant fashion, leading every single lap from the pole and solidifying himself as one of the four championship finalists.
Ice water in his veins! ❄️
Facing a must-win situation, @JoeGibbsRacing's @bobbyzalenski dominates at the ROVAL to lock himself into the PEAK @iRacing Series Championship 4. pic.twitter.com/QDkF6G9zIQ
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 25, 2019
No. 4: Blake Reynolds makes an impossible save at Las Vegas
You probably won’t see something like this again. After contact racing in a cluster at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Blake Reynolds’ car nearly hooked nose-first into the wall, until the now-championship-finalist Reynolds somehow regained control of the car and continued racing without further incident.
Shortly after, Team Dillon Esports joined the PEAK iRacing Series and drafted Reynolds. Probably no coincidence there.
No. 3: Eric J. Smith, an unlikely winner at Auto Club
Undrafted series rookie Eric J. Smith was probably not considered a favorite by most heading into an early-season race at Auto Club Speedway, but, following a last-lap spin up front, he bested the entire field — including series heavyweights Keegan Leahy and Bobby Zalenski — in the debut of iRacing’s new NASCAR-mimicking aero rules in a thrilling side-by-side finish.
When Car No. 51 took the checkered flag on the final lap, it was his first lap led in his PEAK iRacing Series career. Not a bad way to start.
No. 2: A wild finish at Talladega
At a track famous for its wild finishes, the PEAK iRacing Series’ visit to Talladega Superspeedway lived up to the hype. Nick Ottinger cruised past leader Brad Davies on the final stretch, while Garrett Lowe ducked to Davies’ inside. With slowed momentum and the finish line in sight, Davies’ JR Motorsports machine was swallowed up by faster cars behind, setting up for a wild pack of spinning cars for the race win. Ultimately, JTG Daugherty Motorsports claimed its first win in the PEAK iRacing Series with series veteran and superspeedway ace Nick Ottinger.
No. 1: Blake Reynolds and Garrett Lowe battle for the final transfer spot at the Charlotte Roval
With a shot at the Championship 4 (read: a $40,000 top prize) within sight, the final transfer spot came down to Blake Reynolds and rookie Garrett Lowe at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. Heading into the race, both drivers were tied for third in points — and, with Bobby Zalenski poised to snag one of the top-four spots for himself, it meant the higher finisher between Reynolds and Lowe would advance (of course, assuming second-place driver and fellow championship hopeful Michael Conti didn’t make up more points than the two).
For most of the race, the two drivers battled nose-to-tail, but action heated up in the closing laps as desperation grew. Reynolds and Lowe turned the play-it-safe, follow-the-leader battle into a side-by-side, crossover-over-crossover fight that lasted several laps.
Lowe’s hopes came to an end when his out-of-control car skidded through the final chicane on Lap 52 following contact with Reynolds, earning the No. 28 a time penalty that was insurmountable in the closing laps.
How many times can @evanposocco say "SIDE BY SIDE" in one lap?
@breynolds_66 and @GarrettLowe_6 battle for the final ticket to Homestead in an action packed lap of the @CLTMotorSpdwy #ROVAL! pic.twitter.com/FigKhFUz1W
— iRacing (@iRacing) September 26, 2019
Though Reynolds walked away with the better finish, advancing to the Championship 4, Garrett Lowe proved throughout his rookie-season effort he’s no slouch.
Honorable mention:
Catch the winner-takes-all finale for the eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series Thursday, October 10 on NBCSN at 5 p.m. ET.
