Posted on by NASCAR Official Release

Leaders from across the sports industry gathered at Daytona International Speedway this week to discuss the industry’s efforts to advance diversity and inclusion as part of the 2019 Sports Diversity & Inclusion Symposium.

Each year, the event serves as a forum for sports executives and diversity and inclusion practitioners to discuss, evaluate and create tangible solutions that drive greater diversity and inclusion in today’s sports culture. The symposium includes prominent leaders from major, minor and amateur sports organizations and features panel sessions, networking opportunities and open discussions for the two-day event.

RELATED: Latest news in NASCAR Drive for Diversity

Since 2012, NASCAR has been a founding member of the Diversity & Inclusion Sports Consortium alongside major U.S. sports leagues and other sports organizations. This year, led by its Multicultural Development department, NASCAR hosted the group’s annual symposium for the first time.

“Serving as host for the 2019 Sports Diversity and Inclusion Symposium was an honor,” said Dawn Harris, senior director of multicultural development at NASCAR. “The opportunity to convene thought leaders to discuss diversity and inclusion and its impact across the industry as related to innovation and growth was relevant and timely. I appreciate each of our forty panelists and moderators who gave their time and expertise to advance this important topic.”

NASCAR President Steve Phelps joined senior leaders from the PGA Tour, PGA of America, LPGA, USTA and Minor League Baseball on Wednesday for a panel discussion on league efforts to reach diverse fans and other communities and foster inclusive environments for employees.

Jusan Hamilton, in his first full year as series director for NASCAR’s Esports series, shared his perspective on leveraging Esports to connect with diverse audiences next to ESPN’s Katie Barnes and Major League Soccer’s Bion West. Daytona International Speedway president Chip Wile hosted lunch on Tuesday and addressed the symposium attendees alongside Erin Pellegrino of the Ross Institute in Sports for Equality (RISE).

Additional speakers included David Steward, founder and chairman of World Wide Technology, title sponsor of WWT Raceway at Gateway; Dr. Richard Lapchick, director of the Institute for Sport & Social Justice; Julia Landauer, driver in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series; and TJ Adeshola, head of U.S. sports partnerships at Twitter.

Participating members of the Diversity & Inclusion Sports Consortium include: ESPN, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, National Basketball Association, National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Football League, National Hockey League, Professional Golfers’ Association of America, PGA Tour, Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality, United States Olympic Committee, United States Tennis Association and You Can Play.

Posted on by @nascarcasm

People Of The Internet,

I confess that I spend the majority of my time posting really awful tweets that contain nary a morsel of truth. However, I come to you today with an amazing giveaway, and I am, for once, not lying.

The good folks at iRacing (The amazingly accurate virtual racing platform that can eventually get you a full-time job driving a legendary car at Hendrick Motorsports if your name is William) have given me an amazing VIP Package valued at $2,200 that I am to hand out to one very lucky winner. This package includes a 2-year subscription and 2,000 credits. It’s insane. You want this.

RELATED: NASCAR x Esports

How am I going to hand this out?

By asking you, the denizens of iRacing, to flex your respective creative muscles and design the single-most atrocious, butt-ugly paint scheme you can come up with.

That’s right, we’re having an Ugly Paint Scheme Contest, and the winner cashes in huge.

Maybe you’ve already designed a scheme so ugly that the mere sight of it would turn a man to stone. Or perhaps you have envisioned a harrowing and repulsive design that you’ve kept in the dark recesses of your mind, and you’ve been waiting for the right moment to unleash it. That time is now. Throw the switch and bring your monster to life.

So here’s how it’s gonna go down.

  • Design your hideous creation. The manifestation of the ugliness is up to you, but please, nothing profane. Those will immediately be disqualified.
  • Post your creation to Twitter using the hashtag #CasmUglySchemeContest by Friday, October 11, 2019 . You MUST use the hashtag, so that we can find the schemes.
  • The winner will be chosen by an esteemed panel of myself, and a couple other people, I dunno. The winner will be notified on Twitter, and will then provide us with a name and email address.
  • The best schemes will inevitably be placed into a gallery that we’ll share on NASCAR.com, because that’d be some sweet content, right?

So that’s the how-to. Crack open your preferred iRacing scheme-painting program and bring out the ugly. Happy painting!

— @NASCARCASM

Posted on by Staff Report

Ally Financial has extended its full-season sponsorship of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet by three more years, prolonging an agreement that was initially signed less than a year ago through the 2023 season.

The initial sponsorship between Ally and Hendrick Motorsports was set for two years through 2020, but Ally Financial wasted little time in more than doubling that length after nearly 12 months together.

The agreement virtually guarantees seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will finish his full-time NASCAR career with Ally as his primary sponsor. The team stated in a press release that Johnson, who is signed with Hendrick Motorsports through 2020, will announce his plans at a later date.

PHOTOS: Jimmie Johnson through the years

“The energy Ally has brought to the No. 48 team, Hendrick Motorsports and the sport of NASCAR is contagious,” Johnson said in a team release. “They have embraced our fans, activated their program in unique ways and supported me at every turn, from racing my No. 48 car every week to running the Boston Marathon. It’s a true bond – not just a business transaction. We care about each other’s success. I’m proud to be associated with Ally and can’t wait to see what they do in the future.”

The initial deal between the two was announced on Oct. 28, 2018. Since then, Ally has been involved in all levels of the No. 48 team, from supporting Johnson’s memorable 26.2-mile run in the legendary Boston Marathon, to taking part in NASCAR Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway, giving the No. 48 a fresh coat of paint that resembled “Butch” – a 1990 Chevy Thunder Sportside that Johnson drove in the Baja 1000 Trophy Truck division for a handful of races in 1995.

Just last week, Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports and Ally hosted an event called Fueling Futures, a half-day event at the team shop geared toward area high school students interested in learning more about career opportunities in motorsports.

“Our first year with Jimmie and the team at Hendrick Motorsports has been phenomenal,” said Andrea Brimmer, Ally’s chief marketing and public relations officer. “Jimmie’s the ultimate competitor, and Ally is proud to support him and the rest of the No. 48 team. We are thrilled to extend our contract and build on the incredible momentum we’ve established. This sponsorship goes way beyond just putting our logo on the car. It’s built on our shared values for doing right in the communities we race in, while growing our brand with passionate, new audiences. We look forward to many more exciting laps together.”

RELATED: See all of Jimmie’s wins

Johnson has three top-five finishes and 10 top 10s entering this weekend’s race at Dover International Speedway, where he’s won a NASCAR record 11 Cup Series races. Despite not qualifying for the NASCAR Playoffs this year, the No. 48 has found plenty of speed in recent weeks.

Cliff Daniels was named the new No. 48 crew chief in July, and he and Johnson have developed a quick chemistry.

“Ally’s values are our values,” team owner Rick Hendrick said in a team release. “Working with integrity, being accountable to one another, and leading in both the workplace and in our communities are all core beliefs that we share. This is a tremendous relationship on many levels, and to see it have success and grow so quickly is truly meaningful. Jimmie sets the standard and is a wonderful representative for Ally. Today is a great day for all of us.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

Expect this week’s Use Your Melon Drive Sober 200 (Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Dover International Speedway to be a highly pivotal moment in the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs as it’s the final race in the Round of 12 to settle which eight drivers move onward to settle the season championship.

RELATED: Full schedule for Dover | Xfinity entry list

Points leader Christopher Bell is the only full-time Xfinity Series driver to earn a playoff win so far (at Richmond, Va., two weeks ago), and that gives him an automatic ticket to the next round of the playoffs. The bad news for his competition is that Bell has also won the last two races at Dover, Del. He beat fellow championship contenders Justin Allgaier in May and Cole Custer in this race last October.

Going into Saturday’s opening round cutoff race, Bell, Custer, Austin Cindric, Allgaier, Chase Briscoe, Noah Gragson and Michael Annett are ranked among the top eight in the standings. Annett holds an 11-point edge over ninth-place John Hunter Nemechek and 10th-place Brandon Jones. Only the top-eight ranked drivers after Saturday’s race remain championship eligible in the next three-race playoff round at tracks in Kansas, Texas and ISM Raceway near Phoenix.

MORE: Xfinity Series standings

Both drivers closest to the cutoff line – Nemechek and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Brandon Jones – have solid records at Dover. Nemechek has a pair of top-10 finishes in three starts and is coming off a career best eighth place in May. Jones, 22, has seven starts – starting on pole in May 2018 and earning three top 10s. His best work is a sixth place last year.

Annett has only a pair of top-10 finishes in 15 Dover starts. His best is a third-place run in 2012. The JR Motorsports veteran was 10th at the track in May.

Among current drivers, only the two-time defending winner Bell and Allgaier (2018) have hoisted trophies at Dover. The veteran Allgaier has the most experience at the one-mile, high-banked concrete venue, nicknamed “The Monster Mile” for its tough reputation. He has that victory last year, seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 17 starts. The JR Motorsports driver is looking for his first win, however, since last season when he won five races. He is one of two drivers ranked among the playoff top eight – also rookie Noah Gragson – without a victory this season.

Bell, Custer and regular season champ Tyler Reddick – who announced this week he will join Bell in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2020 – have accounted for 18 wins through the first 28 races.

Posted on by Staff Report

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs begins the Round of 12 this weekend at Dover International Speedway with the Drydene 400 on Sunday afternoon (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The first race of the second round of the playoffs is on a 1-mile, high-banked track and sees Kyle Busch lead the standings by five points over fellow Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. as the round begins.

Here is the rest of the need-to-know information for Sunday’s race at the home of Miles the Monster.

RELATED: Dover schedule | Round of 12 reset | Fifty years of memories at Dover

TRACK DETAILS

Dover International Speedway hosted its first race on July 6, 1969 and the event was won by Richard Petty — who won three of the first four races there. Since 1971, the “Monster Mile” has held two races a year — typically one in the late spring and one in the fall.

The 1-mile track has 24 degrees of banking in all four turns as well as nine degrees of incline on the straightaways at the concrete oval. The straightaway length is 1,076 feet and measures 48 feet in width, while the turns measure 58 feet in width. Dover’s pit road measures 1,580 feet long and 47 feet wide. Jimmie Johnson has the most wins at the venue with 11 Cup wins.

RULES PACKAGE

The race at Dover will feature the 2019 rules package with no aero ducts and a tapered-spacer engine generating a targeted 750 horsepower.

Each team will have three sets of tires for practice, one set for qualifying and 10 sets for the 400-mile race — nine race sets plus one set transferred from qualifying or practice.

Steep banking at tracks such as Dover creates higher loads specifically on the right-front tire. Due to that, Goodyear will be working with teams to stress the importance of set-ups as well as air pressures on the right-front tire. Goodyear performed additional simulation work for this track to give teams the most current information on how air pressure affects both durability and performance.

“When we went to Bristol for the second time in 2019, we saw exactly how many gains these teams have made with this package since the first race there in the spring, and we expect the same at Dover this week,” Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing, said.  “Right-front durability at Dover is always on our radar because of the speeds and loads generated by these cars in the high-banked corners. … We certainly understand that in the teams’ efforts to gain as much grip as possible, being aggressive on air pressures is one of the tools they use.”

STATS

—Sunday’s race marks Dover 100th Cup race. It is the 10th track to host at least 100 races.

—The last 21 races at Dover were won by 10 different drivers—nine of which are all Cup champions. Defending race winner Chase Elliott is the lone non-champion to win in that span.

—Elliott holds the best average finish at Dover among all drivers — 4.43 in seven starts. Learn more about why Elliott is a favorite in the Round of 12 here.

—Kyle Larson’s eight top 10s at Dover are his most at any track.

—Kevin Harvick will make his 676th Cup start — matching Dale Earnhardt’s number of Cup starts. Dover is also the track where Harvick has led the most laps with SHR — 1298.

Source: Racing Insights

LIVE COVERAGE

This weekend’s race will air live Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and streamed on the NBC Sports App. Radio coverage can be found on 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

A year after giving up the lead to Kyle Busch with two to go, Chase Elliott wrote his own redemption song by staying out under a late caution to take the lead and then leading the final 11 laps for the win over Denny Hamlin. The victory locked him into the Round of 8 in the playoffs.

ACTIVE DOVER WINNERS

Jimmie Johnson (11 times); Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. (three wins each); Kevin Harvick (twice); Chase Elliott, Kurt Busch and Brad Keselowski (one win each)

Posted on by Terrin Waack

Hendrick Motorsports is sitting pretty heading into the Round of 12.

Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman are the sole drivers in the NASCAR Playoffs to place not only in the top 10, but the top five, at the next three tracks – Dover International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Kansas Speedway – earlier this season. Elliott actually won at Talladega, was fourth at Kansas and came in fifth at Dover. Bowman ended up second at each.

RELATED: Round of 12 reset | Full Dover schedule

Bowman’s claim to fame is the second-place average this year alone at the three venues. It’s the best mark among his postseason competition. The next closest is Elliott with his 3.3 average. Third drops out of the top five with Brad Keselowski averaging an 8.7 finish.

Reverse the order of impressiveness among the teammates: Elliott earned the most points out of the three events earlier this season with 156. Bowman was next on the list with 143. Again, Keselowski comes third with 108.

OK, but what about an overall look?

Elliott’s career average finishes at Dover and Talladega dominate the playoff-field charts. Through seven starts, he has managed to average a 4.4 finish at Dover and a 14.0 finish at Talladega. His 12.9 average finish at Kansas also looks good but isn’t the top mark when compared to others.

Bowman doesn’t have the nicest record at any of those tracks, averaging a 22.1 finish in eight Kansas starts, a 24.9 average finish in eight Talladega starts and a 25.6 average finish in seven Dover starts. But he also had a less straightforward career than Elliott, who has been with Hendrick Motorsports since joining the Cup Series full time in 2016.

From 2014-15, the first two years of his career, Bowman raced for BK Racing (2014) and Tommy Baldwin Racing (2015). He did 10 races part time for Hendrick Motorsports in 2016 (filling in while Dale Earnhardt Jr. was sidelined with a concussion), was absent from Cup Series competition in 2017 and then started competing full time with Hendrick in 2018.

DRIVERS’ PAGES: Bowman | Elliott

Pre-Hendrick Motorsports seasons saw average finishes worse than 30 – 32.6 in 2014 and 31.6 in 2015. Post-Hendrick numbers were much improved – average finish of 19.7 in 2016 and 17.0 in 2018. He’s at an average finish of 13.8 this year.

So, safe to say, Bowman’s career averages at Dover, Talladega and Kansas aren’t representative of what he’s capable of now.

All right, what about last season’s Round of 12?

The 2018 Round of 12 featured the same tracks 2019 will. Elliott won the opener at Dover and the eliminator at Kansas. Bowman was 28th and ninth, respectively, in those events. Elliott and Bowman then finished 31st and 33rd in order at Talladega.

Elliott’s wins automatically advanced him to the Round of 8, while Bowman was booted from the playoffs after finishing the three races 12th in the standings – 69 points below the cutline – after the Kansas elimination event and before the points reset.

One of the two Hendrick Motorsports drivers survived the Round of 12 last year. This season’s fight begins Sunday with the Drydene 400 (2:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Both look like they should be fine, but only time will tell.

Posted on by @nascarcasm

Greetings, and many thanks to all who sent in a submission for the ‘Casm Caption Contest, even those who sent really bad ones. The winners, of course, will receive free codes for the brand new NASCAR Heat 4 game for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. After much deliberation, the winners are as follows! Read on to see if you won or if you’re now very disappointed. Winners will be individually notified via Twitter direct message. Thanks for playing along!

RELATED: @nascarcasm contest details

THE PS4 WINNERS

https://twitter.com/Ian_Dolando/status/1177021181419016192?s=20

THE XBOX WINNERS

https://twitter.com/jj_sledge/status/1177195685856325632?s=20

https://twitter.com/ClutchandCoast/status/1177248714727071749?s=20

Posted on by PJ Walsh

The Action Network specializes in providing sports betting insights/analytics and is a content partner with NASCAR. Check out more NASCAR betting analysis here.

The first three races of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) playoffs are in the books, with Erik Jones, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman and Aric Almirola failing to advance to the Round of 12.

The postseason continues Sunday at Dover, where Martin Truex Jr. earned a victory back in May.

To make this week’s NASCAR Props Challenge picks, I’ll rely on betting odds to project expected driver performance, as well as race trends from the season’s previous race at Dover, which is the only event at the track using the current MENCS aero package.

1. Will a Hendrick Motorsports driver finish in the top four: Yes or No?

While Alex Bowman, William Byron and Jimmie Johnson can work their ways into the top four, Chase Elliott is the Hendrick driver with the best chance.

But “expecting” one of these drivers to crack the top four over Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., etc. is too rich for my blood.

Pick: No

2. O/U 7.5 playoff drivers finish in the top 10?

Eight current playoff drivers scored top 10s back in May. In addition, Erik Jones is the only non-playoff driver with better than 30-1 odds to win Sunday’s race, so I’m taking the over.

Pick: Over

3. Which playoff driver will finish higher: Denny Hamlin or Joey Logano?

At the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas, Hamlin’s 12-1 odds are slightly better than Logano’s 14-1.

Download the FREE Action Network app to finish reading this article and get the rest of PJ Walsh’s NASCAR Props Challenge Picks.

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 2, 2019) – NASCAR and ARCA announced today a new championship format for 2020 that will see the continuation of three historic regional championship series and the coronation of a new fourth champion, all under the ARCA Menards Series banner.

The series provide an integral development step for young drivers who aspire to move up to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series or NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series; as well as a highly-competitive professional level for short-track veterans.

They will also provide continuity to three of the longest running high-level regional stock car series in the United States.

The four championships will be:

• ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West will continue the traditions established by the Busch North Series (founded in 1987) and Pacific Coast Late Model Series/Winston West (1954) and currently competing as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West. The series will feature an annual schedule of six to eight races and crowning of separate regional champions.

• ARCA Menards Series – The 20-race ARCA Menards Series, founded in 1953, a mix of national-series combination events at venues such as Daytona International Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway, as well as short tracks like Madison International Speedway in Wisconsin and the Illinois and DuQuoin State Fairgrounds mile dirt tracks.

• ARCA Racing Series Showdown – Ten races within the larger ARCA Menards Series championship will feature the best of the three series coming together to crown a Showdown champion.

“We cannot be more excited about 2020,” said Brandon Thompson, Managing Director, NASCAR Touring Series. “Both NASCAR and ARCA have worked extremely hard over the last year to provide a rules package and schedule that will serve as the foundation for the preeminent series for racing at this level. It was important for us to move the series forward while creating an environment inclusive for both the current long-term owners and drivers in the series as well as aspiring competitors.”

“What first started as a friendship between Bill France Sr. and John Marcum nearly 70 years ago took a momentous step forward today,” said ARCA President Ron Drager. “The amount of history and tradition these series are bringing together to form four elite championships for drivers is an amazing testament to the strength of this sport.

“We are proud and honored to be able to bring the ARCA sanction to the East and West Series; and we are looking forward to working with the race teams, tracks, media partners, fans, and sponsors that have helped those series achieve their long term success.”

NASCAR also announced if an East, West or current ARCA Menards Series car owner has a car that meets the 2019 rulebook, there will be a rules package that will allow them to compete in 2020.

“We’re pleased that we’re able to extend our racing sponsorships to include the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West,” said Menards President & CEO John Menard.  “We hope that race fans throughout the country will further enjoy great racing action while also becoming familiar with the Menards brand by shopping at our home improvement stores located in the Midwest or at Menards.com”.

ARCA and MAVTV also announced today an extension of its telecast rights agreement for select ARCA Menards Series races. This important partnership, together with events covered by FOX Sports, ensures that all 20 ARCA Menards Series races will be available live to race fans, including the 10-race Showdown. NBCSN will continue to carry the ARCA Menards Series East and West as part of their extensive NASCAR coverage.

The 2020 ARCA Menards Series will officially begin on Saturday, Feb. 8 at Daytona with the Lucas Oil 200 Driven by General Tire. It will mark the 57th annual ARCA visit to Daytona.

The Showdown will take the green flag with ARCA’s inaugural visit to ISM Raceway on March 6 as part of the national series’ event weekend in Phoenix, while the West will kick off the Las Vegas weekend with a return to the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

West dates also include traditional events at Irwindale Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., and will crown its champion at ISM Raceway in November. The East will race at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, as well as Toledo Speedway, Watkins Glen International, and again be part New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s annual Full Throttle Fall Weekend. The East season will culminate with the championship race at Dover International Speedway.

In addition to Daytona and Charlotte, the ARCA Menards Series schedule will include Talladega Superspeedway, Michigan International Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway and Pocono Raceway, and finish the season at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 16.

The Showdown 10-race schedule features Salem Speedway, Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Minnesota’s Elko Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Iowa Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, and will crown its first Showdown champion at Memphis Motorsports Park on Sept. 26.

Complete schedules for all four championships will be announced shortly.

The slate of races across the country provide an opportunity for drivers to focus on their regional championships or expand their racing plans and chase bigger prizes.