Posted on by Zack Albert

For Chase Elliott, the timing to expand the reach of his charitable foundation was well-synced.

Elliott’s philanthropic efforts have already given a boost to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, a pediatric hospital in his home state of Georgia. Now in this season of Memorial Day remembrance and the recent re-launch of the annual NASCAR Salutes initiative, the 23-year-old driver is doing his part to support two more good causes connected to U.S. military members.

RELATED: NASCAR pays homage to military heroes

The Chase Elliott Foundation announced Monday a partnership with apparel maker Untuckit to sell commemorative, American-made shirts featuring Elliott’s No. 9 as a trim detail. Both parties have planned donations in conjunction with the shirt’s release, benefitting the VFW Help a Hero Scholarship and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.

“Centered around Memorial Day this weekend, we thought it was a good time to do that,” Elliott says. “They’ve been a great partner and their support to the VFW Help a Hero Scholarship and then the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which is also the fund that’s on our car when NAPA does their patriotic scheme, has been pretty cool. So it’s really just a good time of year to do it, a fitting weekend and the program that came together with them made it all fit.”

Elliott’s contribution to the cause is part of the build-up to this Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 (6 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), a key moment in the weeklong NASCAR Salutes program. The longest event of the Monster Energy Series season includes vivid pre-race pageantry with a military theme at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but it also provides an appreciation — something the NASCAR industry has warmly embraced.

“The whole sport, I feel like for years has done a great job trying to recognize the heroes amongst the country,” Elliott said. “This weekend has been huge in showing that. I don’t know that you could ever say thanks enough, but it’s a great weekend to continue that tradition. I look forward to being a small part of a great weekend.”

Elliott launched his foundation in March 2017. The organization’s signature promotion thus far has been the “Desi9n to Drive” program each year at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where patients at nearby Children’s Healthcare provide colorful designs on driving shoes for Elliott and his Hendrick Motorsports teammates. Auctions of the race-worn shoes have helped raise funds for the hospital.

“To me, I feel like the rewarding side of that has been being able to have some of the kids who are going through a rough time in their lives out to the race track in Atlanta, to get them and their families to come to an event just to get their mind off whatever they have going on,” Elliott says, reflecting on the foundation’s two-plus years in existence. “That’s probably the biggest thing we can do is just try to create a weekend or a day that they can come and enjoy it away from the hospital. Like I say, it’s a small piece, but if you brighten their day at all, it’s a bit of a win.”

PHOTOS: Chase Elliott’s rise up the NASCAR ladder

The days have been brighter for the Hendrick operation recently, with Elliott’s Talladega triumph last month providing a centerpiece moment. Elliott has led laps in bunches in six of the last seven races, but his teammates are also riding the modest gains — most notably teammate Alex Bowman, who has finished second in three consecutive events as he seeks his first career victory.

Elliott’s history in the Coca-Cola 600 has been an up-and-down tale, but the recent upturn in performance has also prompted a renewed confidence.

“It’s been encouraging to be more relevant the past few weeks, and just being able to battle for the lead has been a lot of fun,” Elliott says. “That obviously, you’d much rather be battling for the lead than battling for 10th or 15th. It’s not always going to work out for you, but just being up front has been nice and racing with those guys that are the ones to beat is always a good thing. Hopefully we can stay there and be amongst them.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Rich with history and talent, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is the sport’s most exclusive club and highest honor.

On Wednesday, the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel will meet to select the 2020 Class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame as they will join 50 other members in taking the next step of their legendary careers.

Media and the public are invited to join members of the Voting Panel, NASCAR legends and other fans in the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Great Hall for the official announcement on May 22 at 5 p.m. ET. The announcement will also be broadcast live on NASCAR.com.

Prior to the announcement, tune in to NASCAR.com at 4:45 p.m. ET for interviews with NASCAR drivers and Hall of Fame voters, then stay tuned for analysis and interviews following the announcement at 5 p.m. NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon will lead off the show at 4:45, so don’t miss it.

Hall Of Fame
The 2019 Hall of Fame ceremony was one for the books. | Getty Images

MORE HALL OF FAME CONTENT

  • Every member of the Hall of Fame | See the list
  • NASCAR Hall of Famers’ rides you may have forgotten | See them

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REST OF THE BALLOT

The NASCAR Hall of Fame opened May 11, 2010, and is an interactive entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The 150,000-square-foot facility includes artifacts, exhibits and a 278-person theater. Learn more here about the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

• Class of 2010: Dale Earnhardt, Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Junior Johnson, Richard Petty
• Class of 2011: Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, David Pearson, Lee Petty
• Class of 2012: Richie Evans, Dale Inman, Darrell Waltrip, Glen Wood, Cale Yarborough
• Class of 2013: Buck Baker, Cotton Owens, Herb Thomas, Rusty Wallace, Leonard Wood
• Class of 2014: Jack Ingram, Tim Flock, Dale Jarrett, Maurice Petty, Fireball Roberts
• Class of 2015: Bill Elliott, Fred Lorenzen, Wendell Scott, Joe Weatherly, Rex White
• Class of 2016: Jerry Cook, Bobby Isaac, Terry Labonte, Bruton O. Smith, Curtis Turner
• Class of 2017: Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Mark Martin, Raymond Parks, Benny Parsons
• Class of 2018: Red Byron, Ray Evernham, Ron Hornaday Jr., Ken Squier, Robert Yates
• Class of 2019: Jeff Gordon, Jack Roush, Roger Penske, Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki

Posted on by Staff Report

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 21, 2019) – Beginning Memorial Day weekend and running through Independence Day weekend, the NASCAR industry will honor United States Armed Forces heroes and their families as part of NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola – an industry-wide expression of respect, appreciation and reverence for those who have served the nation both past and present.

For the fifth straight year, NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola kicks off with the return of 600 Miles of Remembrance during Sunday’s 60th annual Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) – the nation’s largest Memorial Day weekend celebration.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™ race cars will bear the name of a fallen service member on the windshield during the race in honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“NASCAR has always taken immense pride in honoring the military men and women who’ve bravely served our nation,” said Steve Phelps, NASCAR president. “Each year, NASCAR Salutes unites our industry to celebrate these heroes and their families and recognize them for the sacrifices made to preserve our freedoms.”

Coca-Cola, the “Official Fan Refreshment of NASCAR®,” returns as the presenting sponsor of NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola to honor the U.S. Armed Forces each week with efforts focused on Remembrance, Family, Future and Patriotism. For example, at the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR and Coca-Cola, alongside Chef Robert Irvine, will host a race-day brunch for Gold Star Families in remembrance of those who served our country.

Along with the USO, Coca-Cola will honor military spouses and their families across the different military branches at Pocono Raceway and Michigan International Speedway. Then at Sonoma Raceway and Chicagoland Speedway, an at-track experience with Troops to the Track Hosted by Coca-Cola will showcase how the industry and its partners support military members in transition to civilian life.

“Our partnership with NASCAR is incredibly important to our system,” said John Mount, Vice President, Marketing Assets & Activation, Coca-Cola North America. “The NASCAR Salutes program and Coca-Cola 600 is a special way to spend Memorial Day as we honor our heroes, and remember our fallen military members.”

On Sunday, Charlotte Motor Speedway will host more than 5,000 active military members, veterans and their families at the Coca-Cola 600 to commemorate Memorial Day weekend. A pre-race Salute to the Troops will incorporate all five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces in connection with the U.S. Department of Defense’s #KnowYourMil initiative.

A number of fallen service members who will be honored during 600 Miles of Remembrance have special connections to NASCAR race teams, including Army National Guard Sergeant First Class David Moore and Army Specialist William Jefferies. Both men served in the U.S. Armed Forces with Brian Burns, lead engineer for the No. 37 JTG-Daugherty Racing Chevrolet driven by Chris Buescher. Buescher and his teammate Ryan Preece will carry the names of SFC Moore and SPC Jefferies on their car windshields during the Coca-Cola 600.

Family members of many fallen service members will attend the Coca-Cola 600 and be honored during 600 Miles of Remembrance as well. Fans can learn more about the fallen heroes honored during 600 Miles of Remembrance by viewing a special gallery available on NASCAR.com/Salutes.

Among the other NASCAR Salutes events and activities are the following:

  • Throughout the platform, fans can follow the NASCAR Salutes conversation on social media using #NASCARSalutes.
  • This weekend, NASCAR together with Honor and Remember, Inc., will display specially prepared Honor and Remember flags representing those who have died in service to our country from each of the 50 United States throughout the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series garage at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  • Mack Trucks, the “Official Hauler of NASCAR®,” will adorn NASCAR Salutes colors on its flagship NASCAR hauler and lead all hauler parades during the six-week program. This year’s Mack Anthem scheme was chosen by fans through a social media vote and will be unveiled leading up to the Coca-Cola 600.
  • During Saturday’s Alsco 300, NASCAR Xfinity Series™ drivers will display red, white and blue Xfinity windshield decals on their race cars.
  • For the 10th year in a row, Goodyear will transform its NASCAR race tires by replacing its iconic “Eagle” sidewall design with “Honor and Remember,” in recognition of the organization that worked closely with the industry for 600 Miles of Remembrance to honor military lives lost while serving.
  • Sunoco is also working with Honor and Remember on a double flagging moment where a stationary Honor and Remember flag will wave next to the checkered flag at the Coca-Cola 600 and Alsco 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  • Toyota will honor fallen service members on its Toyota pace and grand marshal vehicles during the Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Toyota will also host military members at its Toyota Owners Hub during the Coca-Cola 600. Through its partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Hire our Heroes, Toyota will include “Hire our Heroes” within Toyota PitPass for military veterans and spouses, which assists with resume writing, social media training and connects with employers looking to hire veterans.
  • Mars, the “Official Chocolate of NASCAR®,” is highlighting its red, white and blue limited edition M&Ms with a paint scheme for Coca-Cola 600 reigning winner Kyle Busch. The paint scheme was unveiled at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in front of the parents of fallen Army Sergeant Dale Griffin, who will be honored by Busch during 600 Miles of Remembrance.
  • During the broadcast of the Coca-Cola 600, FOX will display the name of every U.S. Armed Forces member who lost his or her life since last year’s Memorial Day weekend race as part of a special tribute titled “FOX Sports Remembers,” an initiative begun in 2009. FOX’s scroll will begin running during its pre-race show at 5:30 p.m. ET.
  • This Sunday, NASCAR drivers will discuss 600 Miles of Remembrance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90) during a special military tribute show airing at 1 p.m. ET. The Dialed In Salute to the Troops special, hosted by Claire B. Lang, will feature interviews with several drivers as well as service members from different branches of the military.
  • At Pocono Raceway, NASCAR Salutes is joining forces with the USO Military Spouse Network to create a VIP race day experience for USO spouses representing all branches of the military.
  • With Coca-Cola at Michigan International Speedway, fans will receive the opportunity to thank military spouses for their support, which will be featured at USO locations across the country.
  • At Sonoma Raceway and Chicagoland Speedway, in celebration of 10 years of NASCAR Troops to the Track Hosted by Coca-Cola, active and veteran military members will shadow industry members to learn how the sport, its partners and Coca-Cola support military members in transition to civilian life.
  • During the Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway, Comcast will work with NASCAR and teams to replace its Xfinity branding with active military units and installations on all NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers’ windshield headers to commemorate Independence Day weekend.
  • During the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, in celebration of the NASCAR Salutes finale, Publix in partnership with Coca-Cola, will bring its “Race Day Salute” to the track midway for fans and military alike.
  • AMR, the “Official Emergency Medical Services Partner of NASCAR®,” will include NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola branding on its AMR Safety Trucks and honor a group of first responders with VIP race day experiences during the platform window.
  • Sugarlands Shine, the “Official Moonshine of NASCAR®,” is accepting nominations for deserving armed forces, first responders and veterans throughout the NASCAR Salutes window for a VIP trip to this fall’s Sugarlands Shine 250 at Talladega Superspeedway. Submit a nomination today at moonshare.org.

Tickets to NASCAR national series events are available at NASCAR.com/tickets.

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.

Sunday is the best day of the year in motorsports, with F1’s Monaco Grand Prix, the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 back-to-back-to-back.

I’ve spent many Memorial Day weekends at Charlotte Motor Speedway throughout the years, so this race has provided many great memories. While I don’t get to attend as often as I used to, it’s still an event I very much look forward to.

And after a couple of very fun races, I’m excited to see how this plays out. Without further ado, here are my NASCAR Props Challenge picks for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600.

1. Will Alex Bowman be the highest finishing Hendrick driver?

I didn’t need to look up any stats before answering “no,” but here’s some data just in case.

Excluding Atlanta Motor Speedway due to its excessive tire wear, there have been three races run at 1.5-mile race tracks this season: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway. In those three races, Bowman’s average running position of 13.3 is the worst of the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers.

Pick: No

2. Three of the last five Coca-Cola 600 winners have won from the pole? Will Sunday’s winner start from the front row?

Through 12 races this season, not a single race winner started on the front row. Considering this year’s aero package is dramatically different from those run in recent years, this is another easy “no” for me.

Pick: No

3. O/U 52.5 points for Kyle Busch

Since NASCAR introduced stage racing, 2.5 drivers have averaged more than 52.5 points in the Coca-Cola 600. I really want to take the over for Busch here, but that’s too much to ask in a race that’s so hard on equipment.

Pick: Under

4. With a third stage added in Sunday’s race, which driver will finish higher in more stages? Martin Truex Jr. or Kevin Harvick?

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 Staff Report

Jacob Goede’s racing career at Elko Speedway can be broken up into two stints.

The first five years, beginning in 2002, saw him finish second in the late model division points twice, and third once. After taking some time away from the track to travel across the country to race, Goede returned to Elko in 2014.

In the five years since, he’s won five straight championships in the track’s top series.

Goede will begin the season this weekend at Elko, a 0.375-mile semi-banked oval in Elko, Minnesota. And while he has seen incredible success at his home track the last half-decade, he’s still racing for more.

Elko Speedway| Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

“I always want to be better, and I know we can be too,” Goede said. “I know there’s always room to improve.”

Jacob Goede

Goede’s competitive edge on the track started when he was 7 years old and began racing quarter midgets. He did that until he was 15 and made the switch to late models, a car he spent a full summer just practicing on before getting into a real race.

While the late model veteran said he spent some time also playing baseball growing up, racing has always been his passion, and his dad made sure he and his two younger brothers knew the hard work that went into being successful in the sport.

“My dad got us into it, but at the same time he didn’t make it super easy,” Goede said. “If we wanted to race we had to work on the car, whether that meant just cleaning it or whatever. You had to show some interest otherwise were weren’t going to continue doing it. That was huge for me and my brothers… and I think that just carried over. If you want to do something you’ve got to work at it. It’s not just going to be handed to you. That’s how I grew up and that’s how I still feel.”

After taking time away from his home state to travel the country racing, Goede returned home after getting married in 2011 and welcoming his first daughter in 2012. Now married with three kids, getting to race closer to home is easier, plus it helps, he said, that his whole family can be there to see him get behind the wheel every weekend.

While he said he still travels to race occasionally, it’s not as fun for him if his family can’t be there to watch and cheer him on.

Winning at Elko hasn’t come easy for Goede, but with each win and championship comes more confidence. And with confidence comes the drive to keep competing and finding victory lane.

“Honestly, it was hardest to win the first one,” he said. “I’d been close my first three years or so… We ran really good but couldn’t actually win the championship, so finally in 2014 when we won the first one, it was a trying season but I guess we made it happen.

“After that I think just the confidence of having won one before and then two, I think the biggest thing is just having confidence and continuing to work on it too. You always want to be better. That’s probably most of it, just continuing to try and improve, and then the biggest thing I think is just the mindset and the confidence that you get with the experience.”

Goede enjoys going to the track every week and knowing his car will be the one to beat, even if that does come with added pressure – “But it drives me, it continues to drive me to want to be better as well,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how good the season was before, I want to improve come the next year. I won I think nine features last year, so this year I want to win 10 or 12.”

Jacob Goede

There aren’t any real goals Goede has written down that he goes into every season wanting to accomplish, but there is one long term goal he’s going for. He’s been told the record for most track championships by a single driver at Elko Speedway is nine.

He was also told by fellow competitors that that record will likely never be broken.

He’d like to prove them wrong.

“That’s a little bit of driving motivation right there to keep going,” he said. “I guess that’s probably my biggest goal. Might as well try to win 10 and put my name at the top.”

Goede will begin the season at Elko this Saturday, with sponsors Suburban Chevrolet and GM Performance Parts, his wife’s business called Baby Gowdy – “without her support I obviously couldn’t be doing this” – Getz Trucking, Motor Racing Products, Murgic Racing Engines, and Big Johnson Tires.

He’s been on the track at La Crosse Speedway in Wisconsin a few times this season to get warmed up for 2019 so he can shake the rust off and be ready to go as his run for No. 6 begins.

Goede and his team made improvements on this year’s car, and so far those seem to be working. He’s ready to put them to the test this weekend.

“I guess always wanting to be better. I want to keep winning championships,” he said. “I appreciate what NASCAR does. We’ve gone to the banquet every year. They make it fun and I don’t know, I just want to keep going I guess and maybe see how many we can win. Eventually it’s going to come to an end but I’m going to try to enjoy it while I can and see how many we can win. I still want to do some super late model stuff, but for right now this fits well with us.

“The competition is tough at Elko. It’s not just a gimme, that’s for sure. We’ve got to be on our game, and that’s kind of what drives me to keep going. I want to continue to win and it’s not easy, but someone’s got to win, and it might as well be me.”

Elko Speedway will open the season this Saturday with Eve of Destruction, featuring NASCAR racing from late models, Thunder Cars, and Legends, beginning at 6 p.m.

Elko Speedway 2019 calendar

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — For the third consecutive year, NASCAR Productions scored a victory at the Sports Emmy Awards, recognized in the Outstanding Post-Produced Audio/Sound category during Monday’s awards ceremony in New York.

The Sports Emmy was awarded for NASCAR Productions’ work on “Feeling Speed,” a special documentary episode of FS1’s studio show “NASCAR Race Hub” — the long-running weekday series recapping the day’s NASCAR news.

The documentary received top honors for its innovative use of sound to showcase how deaf NASCAR fans experience a race. The film follows 40 members of the Deaf NASCAR Fans group during the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race, exploring the science of sound and how the event is perceived through the other four senses.

“NASCAR Productions and FOX Sports continue to push the envelope of technical innovation and storytelling, so it’s rewarding to see ‘Feeling Speed’ recognized for its creative use of sound,” said Tally Hair, NASCAR Productions managing director and executive producer. “We’re so grateful for the work of senior audio mixer Ben Potts, the audio team and everyone who worked on this project for bringing to life such a unique and inspirational story on NASCAR Race Hub.”

Last night’s ceremony also recognized the sport’s broadcast partners FOX and NBC in several categories, including NASCAR on FOX for Outstanding Live Event Audio/Sound, a category it has won every year since 2006 and 17 of the last 18 years. View the full list of winners here.

Presented annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the Sports Emmy Awards recognize outstanding achievement in sports television coverage. Nominations were announced in 41 categories, and winners were honored on Monday night at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York.

In April, NASCAR Productions was presented with a Technology & Engineering Emmy Award. The prestigious honor was awarded in the category of Large-Scale “At Home” Production for Live Sports.

Watch more from NASCAR Productions and FOX by tuning in this Sunday for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, live at 6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.

Posted on by Staff Report

For the first time in 12 years, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour teams unloaded at Wall Stadium Speedway on Saturday.

Early on in the fifth race of the season, it looked like hometown favorite Andrew Krause was going to be the story of the night, as he took the lead for the early stages. Then, it was five-time series champion Doug Coby who was in control for the middle stages.

But a flurry of cautions and crashes in the second half of the race resulted in a battle to the finish between a rising star and a polished veteran.

All of that, and more, in the Whelen Modified Tour Rapid Rewind from Wall Stadium.

RAPID REWIND: Race Recap | Race Results | Championship Standings 

Woody Pitkat Gets Back To Victory Lane

After a chaotic final laps, it was a familiar face rolling into Victory Lane in Saturday‘s Jersey Shore 150.

Stafford, Connecticut, driver Woody Pitkat may have started deep in the field, and may have had some damage all around his No. 82 Horton Avenue Materials Chevrolet, but it didn‘t matter when the checkered flag went in the air and he was in at the front of the field.

The win broke a dry spell for Pitkat dating back to the 2015 season, where he picked up a victory driving for Buzz Chew, in what was the final season behind the wheel of the No. 88 for the veteran. From there, Pitkat has swapped teams, driven for five different car owners, and been searching to get back to the point.

To say the least, it had been a difficult ride for the 39-year-old before Saturday’s victory turned his mojo around.

“I‘ve been down on myself, the way we‘ve been running ever since the No. 88 ride, just trying to get back there. That proved to me and everyone else that I could run for top fives and contend for the championship, and that‘s where I want to get back at,” Pitkat said.

“I was pretty emotional in that car today during practice. I told the crew I was because it was frustrating. You know you can run better than that. I just never give up. That‘s how I‘ve been my whole life. You just try to do the best you can with what you have and keep making it better and better.”

Pitkat’s quest to return to Victory Lane was certainly one of those never give up efforts. He wasn’t in contention at the front of the pack for much of the race, and he was just fine with that.

“The biggest thing was trying to get lap 100, we‘ve struggled with the right-rear we start the races with,” Pitkat said. “We talked about what we needed to do at the break and we talked about fixing the toe because I had knocked it out. Our crew chief made a couple of really good calls. We tried to go back out there and keep the wheels on it. I was just trying to ride at the beginning.”

When leaders got together on countless occasions in the final laps, although Pitkat certainly did sustain some damage to his No. 82, it was still running straight when he ended up second for the final restart in NASCAR overtime. Rising star and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Timmy Catalano was at the point for the restart, and once he took off, he quickly slowed, realizing he likely had fired earlier than NASCAR officials would have liked. In the end, it was Pitkat who rolled the top, and rolled to the win.

“I wasn‘t sure how it was going to work out, I know cautions usually breed cautions, but I didn‘t think it was going to be like that. My car owner Danny came over the radio and said we should just have the race red-checkered and take a second just before the final restart, and I told him there was no way, we were going to win the race, we had a really good car,” Pitkat said. “I struggled the first half of the race on restarts and I found something halfway through. I thought that I could beat him.”

The victory was the fourth career in Whelen Modified Tour competition for Pitkat, and his first at a track that wasn’t named Stafford Motor Speedway or New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Although it’s been a trying year, Pitkat did move to fifth in the championship standings with the win.

“If it wasn‘t for what happened with Ted (Christopher) passing, I don‘t think I‘d be in this car. To be able to put this car in Victory Lane knowing he has driven it before is a big honor for me,” he said. “I have a lot of memories with him.”

And even though Saturday’s victory meant a lot to him for a lot of reasons, maybe one of the highlights of the night was putting a past memory at the third-mile in the rear-view mirror.

“The first time I came here I actually hit the pit gate and when the race was red flagged Jimmy Blewett came running down to make sure I was okay,” Pitkat said. “Even Joey Logano, when I see him, he calls me Woody ‘Pit-gate’ every time. Hopefully he sees that I won at this place. It just hasn‘t sunk in yet.”

Blake Barney, Rob Summers Grab Podium Finishes

It was clear entering the Jersey Shore 150 that certain drivers had the home track advantage. Blake Barney, driving the famed No. 14, a car that had won multiple times at Wall over the last few decades, was at the front of the field again in the final stages Saturday.

This time, it was Barney, a 19-year-old rising star, who took the controls and piloted the car to a podium finish at his home track. He started racing Wall as part of their Sunday Series, and has recently also competed in a Modified at the third-mile. The second-place effort was the first career top five for the New Jersey native.

“I have to thank everyone for coming out and supporting us,” Barney said. “It was definitely wild. Some guys just didn’t have any patience out there. We were a lap down at some point, we cut a tire, and the front bumper is smashed in. I thought we were done. We always seem to race well and just be there at the end. The crew sticks with me through thick and thin. I’m so glad to get this run for them.”

Rob Summers was also celebrating a podium finish Saturday, but it wasn’t quite what he was looking for. Much like Barney, Summers survived the flurry of crashes at the end of the race with a mangled race car. In fact, just a few feet after he crossed the finish line, the car came to a rest and Summers needed the assistance of safety vehicles to get the car back to the paddock area.

“I’ve been racing a long time and I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like that. I spent more time in the air tonight than I did on the track,” Summers said. “We had a great car, and to finish third with no wheels left on the car, we’ve had a tough year. So it’s like a win for us.”

Flurry Of Second Half Trouble Mixes Up The Field

The first half of the Jersey Shore 150 may have had a few caution flags, but the second half truly became a battle of who could make it until the end with the wheels pointing straight. Justin Bonsignore started from the pole and led the first 31 laps, but after slight contact with Andrew Krause racing for the lead, Bonsignore lost positions and the uphill battle started for the defending series champion.

Krause was at the point from laps 32 to 65, then it was five-time series champion Doug Coby, who started sixth, taking control of the race at the front of the field. Coby led 44 laps until the field slowed for a controlled break during a caution on lap 102. During the break, teams were allowed to pit, change tires, and make adjustments to their cars. The order of running did not change while teams were down pit road.

That put Coby at the front for the restart, and Krause on the outside. It looked as though the two of them were going to battle for the trophy, but contact between both of them sent Coby and Krause both spinning on lap 139, ending both of their chances to win, while they spun in front of the field.

Just after, former series champion Ron Silk took command, looking to eat into Coby’s championship lead as the leader in the final circuits. But on the restart, Silk made contact with others and went spinning, ending his night, and many others nights. It was then a battle of attrition as Timmy Catalano and Pitkat lined up on the front row, with Pitkat eventually sliding by and taking the checkered flag.

Just nine of the 28 starters finished on the lead lap. Although he did finish 10th, Coby’s championship lead is 19 points over Ron Silk, and 30 over Jimmy Blewett.

Up Next

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour teams are off next weekend, before making a return to Seekonk Speedway in Massachusetts on Saturday, June 1, for the Seekonk 150.

Posted on by Staff Report

Daniel Suarez used social media to chime in on the Stage 2 ending of the Monster Energy Open that saw Richard Petty Motorsports’ Bubba Wallace speed to victory while the Stewart-Haas Racing driver’s No. 41 Ford was sent spinning through the infield.

“The truth is that only drivers will know how and why that happened,” Suarez said, in part. His full reaction is below.

Wallace and Suarez raced side-by-side for the final couple laps in Saturday’s second stage, with a transfer spot into the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race on the line. Wallace nosed ahead on the backstretch, then appeared to slide down the track to stall a major run that Suarez had built up to beat him to the start/finish line.

“I almost gave it back to (Suarez) coming off (Turn 4), so it was just good racing there,” Wallace told FS1. “You know Daniel and I are really close, so I hope there are no hard feelings. We know what is on the line and I would have expected the same thing.”

Posted on by Steve Luvender

Editor’s note: This story originally ran May 19. On  Aug. 6, Garrett Lowe earned his first career win in the eNASCAR Peak Antifreeze iRacing Series following a dramatic last lap. Watch that below, then learn more about Lowe with this previously published story.

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For most drivers, a successful career ends in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. For Garrett Lowe, it’s the place his racing career started.

At just 17 years old, Garrett Lowe is turning heads as a rookie in the eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series, but it wasn’t long ago he didn’t even have a computer of his own. Instead, he got his racing fix spending hours on the iRacing simulators at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In the short time since, he’s managed to reach the pinnacle of iRacing and also find success in real-world racing.

A birthday present from his father Rodney — a year’s membership to the NASCAR Hall of Fame — sparked the start to Lowe’s racing career. For the duration of an entire NASCAR season, the then-13-year-old started visiting the Hall’s simulators on a weekly basis with his dad with the goal of racing every single track on the NASCAR circuit.

RELATED: Complete eNASCAR coverage

It didn’t take long for Lowe’s hobby to grow into his passion, catching the eye of Hall of Fame staff, notably Jeff Addison, who oversees the Hall’s iRacing simulators.

“For his age, I could tell he was picking it up really quick,” said Addison. “It wasn’t long — it was like, good grief, I can hardly race the guy.”

Lowe’s skills also drew attention from NASCAR stars who regularly visited the iRacing simulators and competed against the teenager.

“I raced against Ty Dillon, and then I beat him,” Lowe said. “So, he asked for my autograph. That was pretty cool.”

Addison, an iRacing enthusiast himself, rose beyond his job duties as the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s AV Systems Manager to help the Lowes build Garrett’s computer.

“I went to their house and got it all set up and said, ‘OK, you’re on your own now.’ ”

RELATED: Latest iRacing Power Rankings

At home on his own, much like at the Hall of Fame, Lowe took to iRacing quickly, rising meteorically through the ranks, winning multiple series championships and setting records.

The 2018 iRacing season was unquestionably Garrett Lowe’s breakout year. He won iRacing’s Road to Pro championship, securing him a spot in the iRacing Pro Series — the elite series that promotes drivers to the best-of-the-best eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series field. Lowe placed an impressive fifth in the Pro Series standings, guaranteeing he’d graduate to the – ahem — peak of iRacing for the coming year.

Lowe also participated in the inaugural season of the eNASCAR Ignite Series, NASCAR’s iRacing-based esports series showcasing young talent. Lowe dominated much of the season and found himself the top-seeded driver heading into the championship race, but came up short of the title in the end.

“The experience was definitely cool. For me, my goal was to gain exposure in terms of the NASCAR community,” he said.

The 2019 season marked the culmination of all Lowe’s iRacing efforts, where he was selected in the second round of the PEAK iRacing Series draft by Team Renegades, a professional esports organization making its first foray into iRacing.

Drafting Lowe, a rookie, has paid dividends to Team Renegades so far in 2019. He opened the season with a top-10 finish at Daytona, then continued his solid run throughout the spring with three top fives in the last four races. He came just inches shy of winning at Talladega in a thriller of a finish.

Talladega Finish
Garrett Lowe (No. 28) nearly scored his first eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series race at Talladega Superspeedway April 23.

Heading into the PEAK iRacing Series race Tuesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway — Lowe’s home track — he’s marched up to fifth in series points, exceeding even his own expectations.

“I personally didn’t expect to run this well, really, for the majority of the season,” Lowe said. “My expectations at the beginning of the year were just to make top 20. Now, at the point we’re at, it’s more like, ‘Let’s make it to Homestead.'”

Charlotte Cup Turn4 Night Patriotic
Garrett Lowe’s patriotic paint scheme he’ll race for Team Renegades in the eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway May 21.

Lowe said working with teammates and building car setups was the biggest adjustment from transitioning racing the NASCAR Hall of Fame simulators to, ultimately, the PEAK iRacing Series.

“I think that’s become the main thing people tend to miss when it comes to just watching the series each week — they don’t really get a chance to see all the work that goes into it.”

Lowe’s time on iRacing has paid off in more than just success at the top level of esports; he’s used his skills to start racing in the real world, too, competing — and winning — in Bandolero cars and U.S. Legend cars. In fact, with no prior experience in any real car, Lowe won two of his first four races in Bandolero cars.

“It was kind of unfair,” he joked. “I showed up to the race track and I was the same speed as the kids who were racing for maybe a year or two and I was on my second and third week and I was beating them.

“People were like, ‘What do you come from?’ and I’m like, ‘Nothing, this is where I started.’ ”

In 2018, he claimed a championship at Charlotte Motor Speedway, winning the Winter Heat Championship in the Outlaw division.

His mission is to continue building his real-world racing resume and climb the ranks, the same way he did in just a few years of iRacing.

MORE: Full iRacing schedule

“I’d like to make it all the way to the top in NASCAR — both virtually and real — that’s kind of my goal. Even just Xfinity Series, that’s enough for me.”

Addison agrees Lowe has what it takes to succeed as a driver outside the virtual world. His advice to the 17-year-old? Keep doing what you’re doing.

“From what I’ve seen in the Bandolero and legend car, I think he’s got the talent,” he said. “Even right now with iRacing — with esports — keep running up front and your name’s gonna get known.

“I keep telling people here about him all the time, especially Winston (Kelley, Hall of Fame executive director). I certainly hope he wins the championship; you never know. He’s on his way.”

Posted on by Staff Report

WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — The wait was well worth it for Woody Pitkat.

The Stafford, Connecticut, native outlasted all other competitors in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour return to Wall Stadium Speedway on Saturday and took the checkered flag in the first event at the third-mile in 12 years.

It was the fourth career Whelen Modified Tour win for Pitkat, and his first in four years. It was also his first win driving for Danny Watts Racing in his 21st start with the team. Pitkat took over the ride after the passing of Ted Christopher in 2017.

RACING-REFERENCE: Jersey Shore 150 Race Results

“The biggest thing I told the guys today was that I wasn’t going to be over-aggressive,” Pitkat said. “I figured we wouldn’t qualify that great, but I knew I just needed to be there at the end. I was just trying to ride as much as I could. I really wasn’t sure how it was going to work out.”

The race didn’t look like it was going to fall into Pitkat’s lap until the final stages. Doug Coby took control of the race on lap 66 after starting sixth and led a race-high 72 laps. He was in control of the field on a restart on lap 138, and after contact with home town favorite Andrew Krause entering turn three, both of their chances ended. Krause, who was fastest in practice and 35 laps himself, was done for the night.

That handed the lead to former series champion Ron Silk, who looked as though he would score his second win of the young season driving for Kevin Stuart. But, a restart with just five laps remaining ended Silk’s chances as contact sent him spinning, in a wreck that collected many of the cars left on the track.

From there, the battle for Pitkat wasunderway. On a green-white-checkered restart in NASCAR overtime, Pitkat lined up to the outside of Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Timmy Catalano on the front row. At the green, he powered by to the lead and never looked back, as the No. 82 Horton Avenue Materials Chevrolet started smoking while the nerf-bar starting rubbing on the right-rear tire.

In the end, he made it around to the checkered flag at the top of the field.

In the late dash, rising star Blake Barney powered his way to a second-place finish, his career best effort in Whelen Modified Tour competition. Veteran Rob Summers was third, followed by Catalano and Dave Sapienza.

RACING-REFERENCE: Whelen Modified Tour Championship Standings

Eric Goodale was sixth, followed by Ken Heagy, Ron Silk, Tommy Catalano and Doug Coby.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to the track on Saturday, June 1, as the series makes a trip to Massachusetts and Seekonk Speedway.

Woodypitkat Wallwin Carshot 2019