Posted on by NASCAR.com

Name: Alexandra
Current City: Denver, Colorado
Member Since: 2015
Getting to know Alexandra:
​
Q.​ How did you first become interested in NASCAR? 

“In 2006, my parents piled me and my sister into the back of our Trailblazer and took us to the drive-in theater to see the Pixar flick, Cars. I fell in love right there with racing. The sights, the sounds, the thrill … it was all so beautiful to my 11-year-old self! To say I became obsessed with Lightning McQueen would be an understatement. Then, in 2007, my dad was channel surfing and happened upon the Daytona 500. I was captivated. Could real-life racing really be as exciting as the movie Cars? Turns out it was even better. That race ended with a battle between Harvick and Martin for the win and a massive wreck on the last lap. Needless to say, I was a goner for NASCAR at this point. I decided to watch the next race, and then the next and the next and… well, here I am 11 years later, a racing and automotive fanatic. NASCAR literally set the course of my life.”

Q. What is your favorite NASCAR memory?

“I live in Colorado, so going to a race is a rare treat for me. The first race I ever attended was the Phoenix night race in the spring of 2009. My dad and I flew out in time for Friday (then Sprint Cup) practice. I could hardly wait to bust into the track and experience the unfiltered sound of the engines for real. I remember dancing around like a giddy puppy, unsure of what to do with myself as we neared the racetrack itself. As we ascended the stairs to the track, my dad said, ‘Are you ready for your first taste of NASCAR?’ No sooner were the words out of his mouth did the No. 88 of Dale Jr. rip past. (He was my driver at the time.)”

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

Drivers: “Martin Truex Jr. and Chase Elliott.”

Memorabilia: “I have a friend who used to be on a pit crew. He got me a lug nut off Dale Jr.’s winning Phoenix car from 2015. It’s on a necklace and yes I do wear it.”

Q. What are some of your hobbies? 

“I’ve been an avid horseback rider for most of my life, so I’m on a horse as much as I can be. I like to draw (race cars mostly), and I’m working on a science fiction novel centered around racing because I have been gifted with a talent and passion for writing. I’m currently learning everything I can about restoring classic cars because I have a 1977 Trans Am in my garage waiting to be fixed up. My friends know not to bug me at night because I’m usually buried deep in the Xbox. (It’s usually a racing game. Go figure.)”

​FROM ALL OF US AT NASCAR, WE THANK ALEXANDRA FOR HER CONTINUED SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM HER IN 2019!

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

Posted on by Terrin Waack

Upon first, second and – heck – even third glance, it looks like Kyle Busch should be leading the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship point standings.

The driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota is tied for most victories (four), owns the most stage wins (eight) and has led the most laps (1,015). He’s down for 818 points overall, and that’s good for second place.

Joey Logano, holding the No. 1 spot after 21 races in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford, boasts 824 points. The series’ reigning champion has won two races (Martin Truex Jr. is the one who matches Busch) and seven stages. He has led 609 laps.

RELATED: Complete look at championship standings

Points decide the standings and are determined by race and stage results. The winner of a race is awarded 40 points, second then gets 35, third gets 34, fourth gets 33 and so on through the entire field. Only the top 10 stage finishers collect additional points, with the winner earning 10 and each person after receiving one less.

Busch, who’s averaging a 7.2 finish this season, has 642 points from race outcomes. Logano’s 9.4 average finish has brought him 588 points. The barometer is skewed 54 points in Busch’s favor here.

Where Logano makes up ground is stage points. He leads all his competitors with 226, whereas Busch comes in at 176. That brings Busch to his current 818 mark when added up. Logano comes to 814, cutting Busch’s advantage down to just four points.

Here’s what ultimately pushes Logano ahead of Busch: Logano won the Gander RV Duel 2 at Daytona International Speedway before the season officially started with the Daytona 500. The makeshift victory gave him 10 points straight from the get-go. Add that to the previous number and – lo and behold – Logano is at his current 824 total.

—

Joey Logano vs. Kyle Busch: Battle through 21 races

Category Joey Logano Kyle Busch
Rank 1 2
Overall Points 824 818
Race Points 588 642
Stage Points 226 176
Wins 2 4
Stage Wins 7 8
Top 5s 9 11
Top 10s 14 18
Stage 1 Top 10s 18 13
Stage 2 Top 10s 15 14
Laps Led 609 1,015
Average Stage 1 Finish 5.5 9
Average Stage 2 Finish 8.3 9.1
Average Finish 9.4 7.2

—

There are five races left in the regular season, starting with a trip to Watkins Glen International this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Both Logano and Busch are locked into the NASCAR Playoffs, which will begin Sept. 15 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, thanks to their respective victories. The regular-season crown, given to the driver with the most points, is still up for grabs.

RELATED: Playoff outlook | Watkins Glen schedule

Right now, the six-point difference after 21 races between Logano and Busch is the tightest battle in the sport’s elimination era (2014-present) and second closest in the modern era (1972-present). Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth had five points separating them in the 2012 season. There was no Regular Season Champion at that time, though. The honor was introduced in 2017.

Truex took home the inaugural award and then went on to win the ultimate title at Homestead-Miami Speedway later that season. Busch was actually last year’s regular-season titleholder and later finished fourth in the final standings.

Since the playoff system was implemented in 2004, there have been four instances among three drivers where the standings leader at this point ended up winning the end-of-season championship. Obviously, there was Truex. Jimmie Johnson also did so in 2006 and 2013, with Tony Stewart pulling if off in 2005.

The No. 2 driver has won the championship once: Johnson in 2009.

Logano (2018) and Busch (2015) each have one title.

—

Playoff Era: Points through 21 races

Season Leader (final rank) Second (final rank) Behind Leader
2019 Joey Logano Kyle Busch 6
2018 *Kyle Busch (4) Kevin Harvick (3) 48
2017 *Martin Truex Jr. (1) Kyle Larson (8) 85
2016 Kevin Harvick (8) Brad Keselowski (12) 22
2015 Kevin Harvick (2) Joey Logano (6) 46
2014 Jeff Gordon (6) Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8) 17
2013 Jimmie Johnson (1) Clint Bowyer (7) 77
2012 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (12) Matt Kenseth (7) 5
2011 Carl Edwards (2) Jimmie Johnson (6) 9
2010 Kevin Harvick (3) Jeff Gordon (9) 189
2009 Tony Stewart (6) Jimmie Johnson (1) 197
2008 Kyle Busch (10) Dale Earnhardt Jr. (12) 176
2007 Jeff Gordon (2) Denny Hamlin (12) 366
2006 Jimmie Johnson (1) Matt Kenseth (2) 107
2005 Tony Stewart (1) Jimmie Johnson (5) 75
2004 Jimmie Johnson (2) Jeff Gordon (3) 97

*Regular Season Champion; Note: The points system was simplified to a 43-1 format with a one-point per finishing position in 2011; the system was further revamped with the advent of stages in 2017.

Posted on by Staff Report

William Byron helped unveil his retro No. 24 paint scheme Thursday, channeling Tom Cruise in a Days of Thunder-inspired video reveal ahead of next month’s throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway.

RELATED: Buy tickets to Darlington
Byron ‘Days of Thunder’ gear

The retro No. 24 Chevrolet poster with Days of Thunder design for Darlington Raceway.
Harris Lue | NASCAR Creative Design

Byron and crew chief Chad Knaus co-starred in the short video, pulling the wraps off a green and yellow City Chevrolet/Hendrick Autoguard sponsored No. 24 Chevy. The 21-year-old driver will use the throwback design in the Bojangles’ Southern 500 on Sept. 1 (6 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM).

Byron and Knaus borrowed lines from the opening scenes of the 1990 drama with a Hendrick-prepared car that was used in filming as a backdrop. Tom Cruise starred as aspiring driver Cole Trickle opposite Robert Duvall as crew chief Harry Hogge in the movie.

MORE: Darlington paint schemes

Posted on by Staff Report

As NASCAR’s Silly Season ramps up and the summer winds down, at least one driver knows where he’ll be racing for the next two seasons.

Making an appearance on NASCAR America’s Motor Mouths segment on NBCSN, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. announced that he’s got a contract with Roush Fenway Racing through the 2021 Cup Series season.

Stenhouse has one top-five and two top-10 finishes for an average finish of 19.3 in 2019, his seventh Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season driving the No. 17 Ford.

The two-time Xfinity Series champion has only ever raced for car owner Jack Roush at the national series level, compiling a total of 10 wins.

MORE: Stenhouse Jr. career stats

Posted on by Staff Report

There are five qualifying races for the Eldora main event. The lineups for each qualifying race were determined by speeds from Wednesday’s two practice sessions. The top five trucks based on the combined practice speeds will start on the pole position for their respective qualifying races.

The qualifying races begin Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Each race is 10 laps, and five trucks from each qualifying race will transfer to the feature. Those that don’t advance to the feature will race in the Last Chance Race later Thursday evening.

Caution laps do not count toward that 10-lap total. Pit road will remain closed during caution laps and there will be a free pass throughout. There will be no overtime and if the leader received the white flag at the start/finish line under green conditions but the yellow flag is displayed, the race will not be restarted.

RELATED: Eldora 101 — everything you need to know for the dirt derby

Qualifying Race 1 lineup

Starting spot Truck # Driver
1 27 Chase Briscoe
2 13 Johnny Sauter
3 44 Jeffrey Abbey
4 18 Harrison Burton
5 22 Austin Wayne Self
6 8 Colt Gilliam
7 10 Jennifer Jo Cobb

Qualifying Race 2 lineup

Starting spot Truck # Driver
1 88 Matt Crafton
2 02 Tyler Dippel
3 51 Christian Eckes
4 45 Ross Chastain
5 17 Tyler Ankrum
6 20 Landon Huffman
7 74 Darwin Peters Jr.

Qualifying Race 3 lineup

Starting spot Truck # Driver
1 24 Brett Moffitt
2 4 Todd Gilliland
3 33 Mike Marlar
4 03 Jake Griffin
5 3 Carson Hocevar
6 32 Devin Dodson

Qualifying Race 4 lineup

Starting spot Truck # Driver
1 52 Stewart Friesen
2 99 Ben Rhodes
3 80 Justin Shipley
4 16 Austin Hill
5 38 Mark Smith
6 6 Norm Benning

Qualifying Race 5 lineup

Starting spot Truck # Driver
1 2 Sheldon Creed
2 54 Kyle Strickler
3 98 Grant Enfinger
4 12 Gus Dean
5 34 Mason Massey IV
6 08 Tim Ward
Posted on by Holly Cain

Depending on their racing background and certainly their ability to adapt quickly, NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series drivers show up in Rossburg, Ohio this week ready to test their skills on NASCAR champion Tony Stewart’s challenging half-mile Eldora Speedway dirt track – a venue that will likely help decide the 2019 championship field.

With only two races remaining to set the eight-driver playoff, Thursday night’s Eldora Dirt Derby (9 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) is not only hugely popular for its one-of-a-kind challenge on the schedule, but it may be especially influential on the drivers’ NASCAR championship dreams.

Five drivers have already assured themselves of a shot at the title by earning trophies this year – including last week’s Pocono Raceway winner Ross Chastain, who has three wins, defending series champion Brett Moffitt, who has won twice and a race-winning trio that includes former series champ Johnny Sauter and talented young newcomers Austin Hill and Tyler Ankrum.

RELATED: Everything to know about Eldora — format, how field is set and more

That leaves three positions to be decided and a pair of win-and-you’re-in automatic berths available should a new driver win this week at Eldora or next week at Michigan.

Three drivers currently hold a playoff pass in the championship standings. Last year’s Eldora runner-up finisher Grant Enfinger has led the points following 11 of the 14 races to date, including the last nine consecutively. Although he is winless on the season, the steady Enfinger holds a sizable 34-point cushion atop the championship and stands to earn a 15-point bonus for winning the regular season title. Mathematically speaking, Enfinger could lock up the regular-season title at Eldora. If he leaves Thursday’s race with a 61-point lead over second, he clinches.

Next poised to make the playoff field on points is Matt Crafton, who is second to his ThorSport Racing teammate Enfinger among those drivers without a season win. He is the 2017 Eldora race winner and finished fourth last year at the track. He has top-10 finishes in all six Eldora races and a victory on Thursday would snap a 49-race winless streak.

The two-time series champ Crafton jumped ahead of Stewart Friesen in the points standings following a sixth-place run at Pocono last week while Friesen crashed early and finished last (32nd). Crafton now holds a 16-point advantage over Friesen, who comes to Eldora a perennial favorite on the dirt half-miler.

It’s the kind of racing the Canadian has done all his career. Friesen finished 28th. He was runner-up to Crafton in 2017 despite leading the most laps in the race (93 of 150). Last year, he started fifth and finished third. 

A disappointing run at Pocono last week, however, has dropped Friesen into the most vulnerable position among those without a win. He holds only a slim 13-point lead over rookie Harrison Burton for that last playoff transfer position. Should a new winner claim Thursday night’s trophy, a maximum of two drivers would advance to the playoff on points earned. Should another new driver win at Michigan next week, that would mean only one driver advances solely on points gained.

RELATED: Burton gains, while Friesen slips after Pocono

Defending Eldora race winner Chase Briscoe – who earned his second NASCAR Xfinity Series victory last weekend at Iowa Speedway – will be trying to become the first driver in the race’s seven-race history to win multiple Eldora truck races. He’ll be driving a fifth ThorSport Racing Ford in his truck series season debut this weekend. Last year’s Eldora victory came in the only Gander Outdoors Truck Series race Briscoe entered.

Posted on by Staff Report

Erik Jones is riding a rail that could take him all the way to Victory Lane at Watkins Glen International this weekend. Jones comes into Sunday’s race (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) with three straight top-three finishes. Plus, he has finished in the top 10 in each of his two career starts at the New York road course.

But Jones will need to get past his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr., among others, in order to get that elusive win and lock into the playoffs. That’s because Truex has won three of the past five road-course races in the Monster Energy Series, including the one at Sonoma Raceway a little more than a month ago.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect in the GoBowling at The Glen on Sunday:

RELATED: Paint schemes for Watkins Glen | Full schedule for Watkins Glen

TRACK DETAILS

Watkins Glen International is a 2.45-mile road course with seven turns with a variety of banking in the turns, ranging from 6 to 10 degrees. The length of the frontstretch is 2,150 feet, and the backstretch is 2,400 feet. The track width varies from 36′ to 48′ wide, and there is an elevation change of 115 feet.

Sunday’s race will consist of three stages with Stage 1 and Stage 2 both scheduled for 20 laps and the final stage scheduled for 50 laps for a total of 90 laps (220.5 miles).

RULES PACKAGE

Watkins Glen will feature the 2019 rules package for road courses, and that means no aero ducts and a tapered-spacer engine expected to reach 750 horsepower.

For tires, the Goodyear Eagle Road Course Radials will be used, and each team will get three sets for practice, one set for qualifying and five sets for the race (four race sets plus one set transferred from practice or qualifying).

Watkins Glen is a faster and less technical road course than Sonoma Raceway, so this week’s race will require a different tire setup. Because of all the speed at Watkins Glen, the tread compound used will be more heat resistant.

Goodyear will also bring its wet weather radials for use at Watkins Glen should NASCAR decide that conditions warrant. Each team is allowed up to three sets of “wets” for practice/qualifying and up to three sets for the race.

STATS

— Martin Truex Jr. has won three of the last five road-course races in the Monster Energy Series. In the other two races in that span, he finished second and then was leading the race on the final lap before Jimmie Johnson spun him in 2018 at the Charlotte road course.

— Chase Elliott became the youngest road-course winner at 22 years, eight months and eight days old last year with his victory at Watkins Glen. He also joined his Hall of Fame father Bill on a list of drivers who captured their first Monster Energy Series win on a road course.

— There have been no repeat winners over the past seven races at Watkins Glen, so Sunday stands a chance of providing a new winner and more playoff story lines.

— At 3.5, Daniel Suarez is second to Buck Baker in best average finish at Watkins Glen all-time (minimum two starts). Erik Jones is the only other active driver in the top 10 with an average finish of 7.5.

Source: Racing Insights

LIVE COVERAGE

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will have a busier-than-usual Saturday with two practices and qualifying all on the same day. First practice kicks off at 10:35 a.m. ET, with final practice at 1:05 p.m. and Busch Pole Qualifying set for 6:40 p.m. The race is on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. NBCSN, NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio are your spots to follow along. In addition, the NASCAR Mobile App and NASCAR.com will feature live leaderboards, in-car cameras and more for your viewing pleasure.

2018 RACE WINNER

Chase Elliott broke through for his first-ever win in the Monster Energy Series, setting off the famed siren at the Dawsonville Pool Room. Elliott led a race-high 52 laps in his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, crossing the finish line 7.56 seconds ahead of Martin Truex Jr. in second place. Elliott went on to win at Dover and Kansas during the 2018 NASCAR Playoffs and carries four victories in NASCAR’s top series into this weekend’s race.

ACTIVE WATKINS GLEN WINNERS

Kyle Busch (2), Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Chase Elliott (1).

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

Imagine going from behind the scenes to center spotlight in the span of a morning.

That’s exactly what happened Monday to Cliff Daniels, walking into the Hendrick Motorsports shop as a No. 48 race engineer and ending the day as the new crew chief for seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.

Daniels will be taking a seat atop the pit box that’s hotter than a driver’s cockpit during the dog days of summer, tasked with the goal of getting his driver into the 16-driver NASCAR Playoffs. Johnson has never missed the playoffs since its implementation in 2004. When sharing a pedestal with the likes of Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, the thought of a Johnson-less playoffs is unfathomable.

But sitting 17th in the points standings, 12 points behind the cutline heading into Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen International (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) with five races to go in the regular season, that is potential reality. The ship needs redirecting now, and Johnson knows Daniels is the guy to make it happen.

“The depth of our communication and the details of how I drive the car, what I’m looking for, the sensations — we could just cover a lot of territory in three minutes,” Johnson said. “Didn’t have to explain or get into any other details. Like we have that foundation built and it’s just very easy to not even talk, just show my hands use my body motion.”

RELATED: Johnson: ‘We have to act now’

Daniels has been part of the organization since Johnson’s 2016 championship-winning season, moving from race engineer to a role in Hendrick’s competition systems group. He resumed the position on the team beginning at Sonoma Raceway, and the magic rekindled quickly between the pair.

“I’ve even heard and watched people say that you don’t need to talk to communicate,” Johnson said. “We are in a much, much better place to do that (than) I ever imagined. That’s what stood out starting in Sonoma and I was like, ‘OK, I can see this.’ Each week it’s just gotten deeper and deeper.”

Said Daniels: “The way we have been able to communicate so clearly and so quickly is his body language, which tells a big story. It’s so cool to see and experience, and it takes time to learn that.”

Johnson thinks the communication level he and Daniels share is a major key that will make this transition happen more smoothly, giving them a greater probability for success.

“Especially in pro sports, but I think in life, the relationship piece is what’s kind of that spark or secret sauce that makes things work,” Johnson said. “That spark was so apparent in Sonoma, and it’s only been getting stronger since.”

With a foundation already built, Johnson now puts the focus on continuing to build his communication, a skill that has fluctuated in strength over recent years.

“I’ve questioned myself,” Johnson said. “Do I talk too much? Do I overanalyze things too much? Am I confusing the engineers, the crew chief with the level of sensitivity I have in the car? At one point, I thought that was the biggest strength that I had, but now is it flipped? Now am I focusing on the smaller details too much and not worrying about the big things?”

Does it sound like Johnson is guilty of being an overthinker? The correct answer is yes. Johnson would be the first one to admit that, too.

“I guess because I care,” Johnson said. “It’s always been … I don’t know if it’s a flaw … but at times it’s served me well and other times I get caught in my own head re-thinking things, too. … But I see the effort that my guys put in and I’ve got to match it. I want to match it. I love to lead by example and show them my dedication and focus and never leaving a stone unturned.

“I hope to get it back on that positive side where the overthinking is rewarding me instead of confusing me more.”

And for those who question Johnson’s desire amid a winless streak that has spanned over two seasons, let Daniels be the one to clarify that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“The fire that he has now is really just incredible,” Daniels said. “What we are seeing now really is the Jimmie Johnson that we all know and love. … He’s at the top of his game.”

To shine one more positive light into a driver-crew chief pairing that looks promising on paper, both Johnson and Daniels haven’t forgotten the lessons they were able to learn during their time with Chad Knaus.

“The level of professionalism I need to bring to the track, you’re only nervous if you’re not prepared, there’s a lot of sayings that (Knaus) taught us,” Johnson said. “I’ve been able to learn from that and Cliff has, too.”

Daniels actually plans on implementing many of the same ideals Knaus now brings to the table with William Byron and the No. 24 team.

“I learned so many valuable qualities for leading the team and standards and expectations that Chad had for the team,” Daniels said. “I would quite honestly be a fool if I didn’t employ that now.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Stafford Motor Speedway is known for a family atmosphere.

The Arute family has owned the Connecticut half-mile for more than four decades, and their name is no stranger to race fans. Some of them race, while some of them are in management, and some do both.

When the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to Stafford on Friday night, there is another family that will be at the track making a little bit of their own history. The Catalano’s, including Tommy, Timmy and Amy, will all attempt to compete together on the track in the Stafford 150.

It will be the first time in their Whelen Modified Tour run that all three of them hit the track at once. They have done it before on the Race of Champions Modified Tour, but, the experience of doing it on NASCAR’s highest Modified level is going to be special. Both Tommy and Timmy will be going wheel-to-wheel with their mother during the 10th race of the season.

“Both my husband and I used to race against each other, so we met at the race track,” Amy Catalano said. “I have about 25 years of it.”

The family is already off to a strong start this season before Amy even hits the track. She’s been running B-Modifieds in New York, and has made a habit of having success at places like Chemung Speedrome, Spencer Speedway and Lancaster Speedway over the years. Tommy is the defending Sunoco Rookie of the Year on the Whelen Modified Tour and has one pole and three top 10 finishes this season.

WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR RACE CENTER | STAFFORD 150 ENTRY LIST

Timmy, who is in his rookie season, earned his first career top-five at Wall Stadium Speedway in May. In total, there are five of the Catalano brothers. One of them runs B-Modifieds with Amy, another is going to be debuting a Super Stock in the near future, and one is in go-karts at just seven-years-old. He recently earned his first career win.

“Before I had all of the kids, it used to be a joke, but when I had the first four I said to people that I had four tire changes but I needed a spotter,” Amy said with a laugh. “It was never the joke that they were going to take over the racing and we were going to quit, but, I never anticipated they would all like it. They all have different personalities and they all deeply love the sport, whether it’s working on it or racing them. Every one of them was at the race track within a month of being born. The last one was born during the week and I raced that Friday night.”

Even though Tommy started on the Whelen Modified Tour in 2017, and took off last year winning the Rookie of the Year crown, Amy always had other plans until he started having success.

RELATED: PIT BOX: Doug Coby Returns Home Looking To Pad Points Lead

“We started racing weekly and the very first time we chased a title, we had no idea, but someone told us we were going to win the NASCAR New York state title,” Amy recalled. “We never even looked at the points, but I lost it by three and the next year we accomplished it and won it. My goal was always to run the Whelen Modified Tour. Even when Tommy started, we were going to get our feet wet and I was ultimately hoping to run myself. But Tommy started doing so well, and Timmy started saying he wanted to do it, so I let them have it.”

Now, she’s kind of stuck in the middle of what might be a competitive race among the three on Friday night. Obviously the bragging rights are going to be high for whichever of them finishes ahead of the other.

“They started begging me a few weeks ago that they wanted me to fill out my dream, they told me I had to do it,” Amy said. “They even said they were going to sit out for me, but I told them we had come too far for that. They convinced me that I am going to like Stafford. Last year they convinced me to run a Valenti Modified Racing Series race at Thompson and we said if I finished top 10 I would run a Whelen Modified Tour race. I finished there, and they are holding my feet to the fire now.”

STAFFORD MOTOR SPEEDWAY | SEASON SCHEDULE | FRIDAY SCHEDULE

She also knows it’s going to be a major challenge, not only while hanging left turns on the historic Stafford half-mile, but in the pit area preparing the cars, and on pit road during the race.

“Even having two cars is a little bit stressful for us,” Amy said. “The problem for us is that we have a very small crew, with just three guys from up home. That’s really all we bring with us. We just try and get the rest of the crew from race-to-race. Stafford was strategically picked because it’s one tire per stop, and we won’t need five guys for each car over the wall.”

No matter what the results, it’s going to be a special night for the entire family. But one of the major parts of the experience is going to be the ride to, and from, the track. The family rides in the same hauler, with three cars all in one.

“A 15th to a 10th place finish would be as good as a win after being completely blind to the track, I’ve spotted there, but I haven’t turned a lap on the track myself yet,” Amy said.

“We used to have two double haulers, but we decided to sell all of it and get one so we could be together. We wanted to ride, talk, laugh, be disappointed — we wanted to through all of it together.”

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour News & Notes:

  • Ron Silk enters the Stafford 150 on a wave of momentum he’s hoping will earn him his second career Stafford victory. Silk is coming off a major triumph in the Eastern Propane & Oil 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where he took his Kevin Stuart Motorsports team to Victory Lane for the second time this season. In his last two Stafford starts, Silk has top-five finishes.
  • Former Riverhead Raceway Crate Modified champion Mike Rutkoski will attempt to make his second career Whelen Modified Tour start driving for Buzz Chew. Rutkoski finished 21st after qualifying ninth in his tour debut at Riverhead on July 6.
  • Stafford’s five NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions will also be in action. In the premiere SK Modified class, Todd Owen is the most recent event winner, and leads the championship standings by 44 points over defending champion and former Whelen Modified Tour regular Ronnie Williams.

Posted on by Staff Report

It isn’t quite clear which car or team Tyler Reddick, the defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, will drive for next season, but it is clear he is primed for a ride in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Currently driving the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet full time in the Xfinity Series with three victories to his name, team owner Richard Childress has high hopes for the young star … whether it’s with his team or another.

“He’s going to be a superstar. We hope to be able to keep him, but you know how this sport is,” Childress told reporters Tuesday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. ” … We want to keep him here if there’s any way. If not, I want to see him in a good situation.”

Reddick has made two Cup starts for RCR this year, and Childress has shed light on the fact the team would like to add more for him.

“That’s our goal right now is to try to put him in a Cup car,” Childress said. “That’s what he wants to do. That’s the reason he came to RCR because he knew we had Cup cars and Cup experience. He’ll win some Cup races if you put him in a Cup car. That’s where he wants to be, and I think he deserves it. He’s ready for Cup right now.”