Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 16, 2019) – As NASCAR® and its fans prepare to celebrate 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race weekend in Charlotte, N.C., the industry will welcome today the newest class of interns selected to the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program (NDIP).

Twenty-eight undergraduate and graduate students from universities across the country will begin orientation today in Charlotte and participate in a motorsports tour that will include Charlotte Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the other racing venues in and around the city.

On Saturday, May 18, the new intern class will experience the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race (8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90) live from Charlotte Motor Speedway as NASCAR’s brightest stars compete for $1 million in prize money.

“For many, the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program provides an introduction to motorsports as well as valuable, hands-on experience in an industry rich with opportunity,” said Paula Miller, NASCAR senior vice president and chief human resources officer. “As we welcome each new class, we’re reminded of the many careers launched by this program and the positive impact our graduates continue to have on the sport.”

One of the premier internships in sports, NDIP offers college students from diverse backgrounds a unique and practical experience in the motorsports industry. More than 400 students and several industry partners have participated in NDIP since its inception in 2000.

Twenty-four former interns are currently employed in the NASCAR industry. The list includes Jusan Hamilton, who in 2017 became the first African American to serve as race director for a NASCAR national series event. In addition to his race director responsibilities, Hamilton oversees the NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver and pit crew development programs.

Brandon Thompson, a 15-year NASCAR industry veteran, completed NDIP internships in 2003 and 2004 in between semesters at Clark Atlanta University. Thompson now runs the Touring Series for NASCAR as managing director.

Katherine Lee, another NDIP alum, works on the events team at NASCAR and organizes high-profile events such as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards and NASCAR Fuel for Business events. In 2017, Dejah Gilliam was a communications intern at NASCAR and now, as a full-time member of the team, supports industry initiatives across several teams and tracks.

Maryland native Kenneth Lee was part of last year’s NDIP class, and following his internship was hired as an associate producer for Motor Racing Network (MRN) in Concord, N.C. As part of orientation on Friday, Lee will give the new interns a tour of MRN studios.

The 2019 NDIP class will have roles at NASCAR and program partners across the industry which include International Speedway Corporation (ISC), Toyota, MRN and several tracks and teams.

Throughout the program, interns will interact with industry professionals at an array of networking events and lunch-and-learns led by NASCAR executives. The interns will also have access to mentors and NDIP alumni currently working at the sanctioning body and partner organizations.

NDIP is open to sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate-level college students and offers hands-on experience with one of the top sports industries in the country. The internship provides opportunities to multicultural students from all majors with a minimum grade point average of 3.0.

The 2019 NASCAR Diversity Internship Program class includes:

Name Department University
Rocco Babun NASCAR Partnership Marketing Elon University
Evelis Casey Watkins Glen International Loyola University Maryland
Gerald Donaldson NASCAR Graphic Design Clemson University
Carlos Fernandez NASCAR Finance University of Vermont
Aditya Baban Ghawre NASCAR Research & Development North Carolina State University
Dontre Graves Rev Racing Jackson State University
Wesley Hopkins Roush Fenway Racing University of Connecticut
John Huger Jr. ISC Partnership Marketing & Sales Bethune-Cookman University
MaKenzie Johnson Toyota Claflin University
Suzi Lee NASCAR Licensing California State University, Fullerton
Lawrence McMillion II Richmond Raceway Virginia State University
Jordan Mitchell NASCAR Driver Marketing University of Tulsa
Sean Montgomery NASCAR Digital Content Georgia College
Kylee Morgan Richard Childress Racing University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Seth Myers ISC Legal Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University
Julia Nowicki ISC Digital Communications Syracuse University
Monon Rahman NASCAR Research & Development University of Kentucky
Lukens Rivil NASCAR Legal Florida A&M University College of Law
Savanna Samuels NASCAR International Broadcasting Howard University
Justin Sifford NASCAR Technical Inspection NASCAR Technical Institute
Isabella Sisneros Daytona International Speedway Arizona State University
Jai Hyun So NASCAR Analytics & Insights University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Cora Taft ISC Sales Academy Georgetown University
Avery Oliver The NASCAR Foundation Rhodes College
Charles Tsao Michigan International Speedway University of Michigan
Tanvee Wakankar NASCAR Digital Media University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Mia Williams NASCAR Communications Towson University
Lucia Zapata NASCAR Growth Segments University of Central Florida
Posted on by Staff Report

Trackside Live is back, and this time it’s at Charlotte Motor Speedway for All-Star weekend!

Trackside Live will host one show this weekend on Saturday, May 18, from pit road at the start-finish line. Don’t miss it. If you’re not in the area, don’t worry — the show will be streaming live on NASCAR.com at 2:30 p.m. ET.

If you’re not able to be there in person, bookmark this page so you can still watch.

RELATED: Watch Trackside this entire year

Driver Q&As and games will be part of the fun to get fans pumped up for the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race later on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Hosts Jose Castillo and Amy Long will welcome drivers Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Daniel Suarez and Clint Bowyer — and really, who knows what Bowyer will say? WWE superstar R-Truth also be there live to take questions.

Posted on by Staff Report

Martin Truex Jr. and Joey Logano are forever linked from the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship battle that saw Logano edge out Truex for the title at Miami as well as give Truex the ol’ bump-and-run at Martinsville to lock into the Championship 4.

Joey Logano Martin Truex Jr.
Jodie Valade | Special to NASCAR.com

At Wednesday night’s Catwalk for a Cause, an event co-founded by Truex and longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver gifted Logano the NASCAR champion’s journal — a tradition that up until November of 2017 had been largely unknown.

RELATED: Johnson reveals little known champion’s tradition

In a 2017 Instagram post during Champion’s Week, Jimmie Johnson revealed the tradition that he started at the suggestion of NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton. Johnson gave it to Truex after the New Jersey native won the 2017 championship. The thought being the outbound champion writes a letter to the newest champion and hands it off at Champion’s Week.

Since that first entry in 2011, the journal has been held by Tony Stewart, Brad Keselowski, Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Johnson again, Truex and now Logano.

While there may have been a bit of a delay, the journal is now in the Team Penske driver’s hands — given to him at an event that brings the NASCAR community together for a special night for a special cause.

This year’s Catwalk for a Cause is the 10th anniversary of the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation’s signature event. Funds raised will support cancer initiatives at Atrium Health and Novant Health in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as driving awareness, boosting advocacy, and generating financial support for underfunded cancer research initiatives specific to ovarian and childhood cancers.

PHOTOS: Catwalk kickoff with drivers, kids at Rescue Ranch

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team have had plenty of options at their disposal, but choosing the correct ones have been a tall task 12 races into the 2019 season.

While a sixth-place finish at Kansas Speedway served as Johnson’s fifth top-10 finish of the year, Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman have clicked off strong results as Johnson and William Byron have struggled a bit more than their counterparts.

“We have great flexibility at Hendrick to change cars and build cars in different ways,” Johnson told a group of reporters following his Coca-Cola 600 paint scheme unveil at the Hendrick Motorsports campus Tuesday afternoon. “At times we’ve found ourselves very close together. I think there are some areas where our cars are closer together than they’ve ever been, especially from a body standpoint.”

RELATED: Johnson’s patriotic Coca-Cola 600 paint scheme | Shop for Johnson’s scheme

Johnson expressed that team owner Rick Hendrick goes out of his way to ensure all four teams follow an “open book” policy. But with so many different setup versions to work with under the Hendrick roof, more has actually been less for the 48 team.

“Everybody has access to all the sim components — everything,” Johnson said. “… We’re building our mouse trap and there are options along every part of building that mouse trap that you can take different options and different things. I believe some of those options, we just haven’t chosen the right ones that’s lead to where we are right now. Our teammates have hit their stride and are looking really good, so we need to head that way.”

Heading into Saturday night’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway (8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the non-points event gives the four-time All-Star Race winner and crew chief Kevin Meendering a chance to reset, with the hopes of finding a balance that will launch them into a positive direction as pivotal summer races approach.

PHOTOS: See every All-Star Race winner

“Looking at the All-Star Race, we’ve made some changes to be a little bit wiser,” said Johnson.

But the winds of change have been more like gale-force gusts, blowing the 48 team in every direction. Known for his incredible forbearance in the heat of the moment, Johnson is running out of both time and patience for everything to smooth out.

“Over my career, I’ve been able to be patient and let things work themselves out,” Johnson said. “There are two factors that are leading to my impatience now. One is I haven’t won in a couple years. Two is I don’t know what I’m going to be doing in a couple years. My contract is up in 2020 and I’ll have to evaluate what I’ll want to do after that.”

RELATED: See every Johnson win in the top series

If Johnson wants any kind of shot at breaking into Victory Lane and giving himself a fighting chance at a record eighth championship, he realizes crunch time is approaching as the season continues to fly by quickly.

“We haven’t been in contention to win a race yet this year,” said Johnson. “We’ve got to fix that. Then if I’m not in contention to win a race, there’s no chance of winning a championship. For me right now, this middle portion of the season is key for me to get things where they need to be so we can ultimately win races and win a championship.”

Bouncing back and forth between aggression and conservatism, Johnson has displayed glimmers of speed, but the total package is still to be determined. Johnson earned the pole and finished fifth at Texas, but it’s been a mixed bag since then.

“We keep changing and changing and changing, then we go to Texas and all four cars qualify one through four,” Johnson said. “So after that, it’s like let’s be aggressive, let’s continue to be aggressive. Then you get burned a couple weeks, then you’re like, OK, where is that fine line really at?

“I don’t have a clear answer, but ultimately in order for us to win and compete for another championship, that process has to clean up some.”

Through the ups and downs, the team might have hit on something at Kansas. The car unloaded off the hauler down on speed, but they were able to rally throughout the weekend for his second-highest finish of the year.

“I have to give Kevin a ton of credit, amongst my displeasure in the car, he made some killer decisions,” Johnson said. “We are awesome on pit road. Those guys rallied around, and we had a great second half of the race and finished sixth.

Starting with the Coca-Cola 600, a race Johnson has won on four occasions, and beyond, the time is now to make something happen.

“We know what’s making speed within our company, but we just need to figure out how to put those pieces into our car with our philosophies.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Jimmy Blewett grew up at Wall Stadium Speedway.

The third-mile, banked oval in New Jersey is where he found himself as a kid on Saturday night watching races, where he scored his first career win behind the wheel and where he notched his first championship.

Saturday, Blewett has a home-game on his hands when the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to the historic oval for the first time in 12 years for the running of the Jersey Shore 150.

RELATED: Jersey Shore 150 Entry List

“I’m about five miles from the track, it’s so close to home for me, and a majority of the people you see there on a Saturday night are the people you see in everyday life, at places like the local deli or the local NAPA Auto Parts,” Blewett said. “Like Doug Coby and Keith Rocco at Stafford (Motor Speedway), it’s things like this that give you the feeling of home. When you go to Wall on a Saturday and see kids with red, white and blue No. 76 shirts, there for you, and the comments on the computer during the week, the energy that everyone shows me makes it my home.”

The home track feel is certainly going to be something Blewett will take personally Saturday. In his storied career at the oval, Blewett has more than 70 wins in competition in various different race cars, including Modifieds, where he’s won multiple championships.

Winning his first championship in just his second season of racing there got a ball rolling that hasn’t slowed down since.

“When I first started racing, there were always comments made that if you could run at places like Wall or Riverhead Raceway, you could make it anywhere, and I always took that personally. My brother used to tell me all the time that it was harder to win at Wall than it was 99 percent of the other tracks, and if I could win at Wall, I’d be able to go anywhere and win,” Blewett said. “I started my career at Wall and I wanted to be the best I could be and prove myself before hopefully venturing out and winning a few tour races. My brother and I both were able to do that. You have to crawl before you walk, winning at your home track before you move on towards something else.”

RACING-REFERENCE: Previous Whelen Modified Tour races at Wall Stadium | Whelen Modified Tour drivers‘ career stats at Wall Stadium

Not only does he have plenty of experience driving during the Saturday night weekly program, Blewett also is one of just six drivers on the entry list who have previous competition at Wall in Whelen Modified Tour action. The series ran three races at the oval between 2003 and 2007, and the Blewett family name won two of them. Jimmy’s brother John won the inaugural event, while Jimmy grabbed the checkered flag himself in 2007 in the most recent stop.

“The setup in my car for Saturday is right out of my brother’s notebook, and some people might think I am crazy, but it is one of those tracks. I’ve won 95 percent of my races with just about the same setup and I’m going back there with it,” Blewett said. “The Tour tire might be a bit different than we run there weekly, but I feel like I’m going to be ahead of the majority of the drivers out of the gate. Hopefully knowing the track and the setup will put me towards the top. There are going to be some guys that do unload and they are going to be fast. Danny Bohn is another guy who knows the track, Doug Coby runs really well there, Justin Bonsignore… there are going to be a number of guys who are going to be really fast right off the trailer.”

This season, Blewett has teamed with Joe Bertuccio and the Gershow Motorsports team driving the No. 21 Chevrolet, with his sights set on the championship. It will be the first time since 2016 that Blewett runs the entire slate — and in the early going — it looks like the combination is working well.

RACING-REFERENCE: 2019 Stats For Jimmy Blewett

He finished third at both Myrtle Beach Speedway and South Boston Speedway to open the season, and even though he finished 10th at Thompson and 15th last time on the track at Stafford, Blewett feels like the team is poised for winning success.

“It’s actually been pretty easy, Joe and his guys are really easy to work with. They understand each other and I understand them. We struggled both at Thompson and Stafford, but at the end of the day, no one gave up and we kept working as hard as we could. I broke a brake line getting into turn one at Stafford and we spun off turn two before they put a quick fix on it before we went back out and salvaged a top 15. It just seemed like nothing we could do that day was right, but you are definitely going to have those days in racing,” Blewett said. “We all realize it is going to take a lot to beat guys like Doug Coby and Justin Bonsignore. These guys are racing these tracks for the last five years straight and I’ve only been on and off. We are just going to keep doing the best we can and with the attitude these guys have, we are going to get better. As long as you struggle and learn from the mistakes moving forward, you are going to be close to the top.”

Even though Blewett was planning to pass on the weekly slate at Wall this year and take some time tearing up the dirt, he ended up back running the Modified weekly after parts for his dirt car didn’t come in when expected. That added experience on the track over the last few weeks could give him even more of an advantage.

“Every time I go to Wall Stadium, if I don’t win, all I hear is people asking me why I didn’t win. Majority of the people don’t get that you don’t win every race you get into,” Blewett said. “But it’s always been my home. It’s one of those things where people are already saying they should just hand me the trophy, but it isn’t near that easy. Guys like Coby, former champion Ron Silk, Dave Sapienza, who won the Turkey Derby last year… they are rolling there thinking to themselves that they are going to win it. As a driver, every time you pull in the gate you better think you can win this race. There is a lot of pressure on me.”

Out of everyone that will be in the grandstands cheering for Blewett on Saturday, his grandfather stands out as the one he will likely hear from the most when the race is over, whether he’s celebrating with the checkered flag or not.

“My whole life, all I ever wanted to do was to go to the races with my family,” Blewett said. “When I started, all I wanted to do was win one race, and prove to my grandfather that I could win just that one race. He was tough on us, and still is, but in a good way. Here I am, second on the all-time wins list at my home track and I’m a few wins away from 150 wins in my career. Everything that came after proving to him that I could do it, it’s just gravy for me.”

NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR JERSEY SHORE 150 NEWS & NOTES:

  • Saturday’s fifth race of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season marks the first in a stretch of three races in 18 days at three distinct race tracks. Wall’s high-banks and tight corners begin the stretch, followed by a return to Massachusetts on June 1 and another historic third-mile — Seekonk Speedway, another ‘bullring’ style track that puts drivers up on the edge of their seats. On Wednesday, June 5, the series returns to the .625-mile high-banked Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, where speeds diving off into the corner are some of the highest of all of the tracks drivers visit.
  • Danny Bohn makes his return to NASCAR Modified action driving the No. 1 Chevrolet for Eddie Harvey. Bohn is a former four-time winner on the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, where he found a knack for Caraway Speedway and Bowman Gray Stadium, splitting his four wins between the two North Carolina tracks. Bohn drove two races on the unified Whelen Modified Tour for Frank Fleming in 2017, finishing a best of eighth.
  • Doug Coby enters Wall leading the championship standings following the first quarter of the season. Coby has two wins in the first four events, including last time on the track at his home track, where he scored his fourth career NAPA Spring Sizzler win. Coby leads by 17 points over Patrick Emerling and 20 over South Boston Speedway winner and former series champion Ron Silk.

Mh 2368

Posted on by Staff Report

Martin Truex Jr. has unveiled his throwback paint scheme for this year’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

The former Southern 500 winner and driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota showed off a die-cast of his scheme in this week’s edition of the “Dale Jr. Download,” before tweeting it out Wednesday. The black and yellow livery pays tribute to both the show’s host and a longtime sponsor.

RELATED: Darlington unveils throwback theme | Buy tickets

The scheme pulls from Truex Jr.’s first season of racing full time at the national series level, driving the No. 8 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet in what is now the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Chance2 Motorsports, a precursor to JR Motorsports. The 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion won six races that year and feels he owes his career to the support Earnhardt and Bass Pro Shops founder and CEO Johnny Morris offered him along the way.

“I was a little weird with this one at first because nobody throws back to something they drove. … But then I was like, this would be really cool because … so many things had to happen to get to where I’m at right now and this car was the first car, first real, sponsored car I had,” Truex said. “So for Johnny, for Dale … all the guys who made that deal happen, we’re throwing back to 2004.”

Posted on by Staff Report

This weekend is unlike any other of the season.  This is All-Star weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where eligible drivers will compete for the opportunity to win $1 million.

Here is everything you need to know for Saturday’s events at Charlotte.

RELATED: Full All-Star Weekend Schedule | Fan Vote now open

TRACK DETAILS

The 1.5-mile track has 24 degrees of banking in the corners and 5 degrees on the straightaways. The first All-Star Race took place in 1985, with Charlotte Motor Speedway hosting every All-Star Race since — except 1986, when the race was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

RACE FORMAT

In order to be eligible for the All-Star Race, a driver must have one or more of the following: Be a 2018/2019 winner in a points-paying race, a past All-Star Race winner, a past Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion or the Fan Vote winner. Drivers who did not qualify prior to the All-Star Race still have a shot of making the big show.

Three drivers can race their way in via the preceding Monster Energy Open. The Open will be broken up into three stages of 20, 20 and 10 laps. Each stage winner will move onto the All-Star Race with their shot to win $1 million.

MORE: Breaking down the package

The 2019 All-Star Race will consist of four stages — Stage 1 is 30 laps, Stage 2 is 20 laps, Stage 3 is 20 laps and Stage 4 is 15 laps (this being five laps longer than last year’s final stage). The race will not have a mandatory pit rule. Green- and yellow-flag laps will count in Stages 1-3, while only green-flag laps will count in the final stage. NASCAR Overtime rules will be in effect for Stages 1-3. For the final stage, if the race is restarted with less than two laps remaining, there will be unlimited attempts at a green-white- checkered finish under green-flag conditions.

RULES PACKAGE & PROCEDURE

Teams will use the 2019 rules package with a target horsepower of 550 with aero ducts, and will have a single-piece carbon fiber splitter/pan that will provide a more stable aero platform and create more consistent performance in traffic. Cars also will have a new radiator duct which exits through the hood and not into the engine compartment, which will create improved aerodynamic parity and reduce engine temperatures. These features may be incorporated into the new Generation-7 stock car that is slated to debut in 2021.

Single-car qualifying will be implemented this weekend, with the ever-popular no-speed-limit pit stops returning for All-Star Race qualifying.

The Goodyear tires for the All-Star Race will be the same tire compound from last year’s All-Star Race on the right side, and the same compound from Dover and Kansas this season on the left. Drivers will have four sets of tires at their disposal for the All-Star Race.

STATS

When it comes to the All-Star Race, Hendrick Motorsports comes out on top. Hendrick Motorsports is tops all-time in the following All-Star Race categories — eight overall All-Star wins, four Monster Energy Open wins, 108 All-Star starts, 21 different drivers eligible, 38 top fives, 60 top 10s and 711 laps. Of those eight wins, four were from driver Jimmie Johnson — which is the most event wins for any driver.

PHOTOS: Every winner, ever

Chase Elliott has the third-best career average finish at the All-Star Race among all drivers with at least two starts in the race at 6.0. Tim Richmond is tops in that category (4.0).

Stats courtesy of Racing Insights 

LIVE COVERAGE

The Monster Energy Open will air at 6 p.m. ET on FS1, and the All-Star Race will follow at 8 p.m. ET on FS1. Fans can also follow along on the live leaderboard on NASCAR.com, get in-car audio on RaceView and watch in-car cameras on NASCAR Drive.

RELATED: Six on-track events to be streamed on NASCAR.com

2018 RACE WINNER

Kevin Harvick took control from Kyle Larson late, then held off the field — specifically Daniel Suarez — in an overtime surge. Harvick led the final 11 laps and crossed the start/finish line .325 seconds ahead of Suarez for his second career All-Star Race win.

ACTIVE All-STAR WINNERS

DRIVER WINS
Jimmie Johnson 4
Kevin Harvick 2
Kurt Busch 1
Kyle Busch 1
Ryan Newman 1
Denny Hamlin 1
Joey Logano 1

 

Posted on by Team Release

CONCORD, N.C. (May 14, 2019) – In a shocking announcement from Roush Fenway Racing, NASCAR Cup driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has pledged to bring back his iconic ‘mullet’ haircut should he win the fan vote for this weekend’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“I know we are late to the game here, but I’ve decided to throw my name, and mane, into the race for the All-Star Fan vote,” said Stenhouse. “And when we win the vote, I’m going to bring back the mullet! Just remember a vote for me is not just a vote for the No. 17 team, but a vote for the greatest hair style of the 21st century.

“From the Mississippi Mudflap to the Kentucky Waterfall, to the Tennessee Top Hat and the North Carolina Neckwarmer, nothing says freedom like a mullet blowing unfettered in the wind and I can’t wait to restore it to its rightful place in the NASCAR garage.”

RELATED: Top 10 in Fan Vote

Stenhouse once sported one of the flashiest mullets in all of professional sports before parting ways with the free flowing masterpiece in May of 2015. Now the NASCAR Champion and two-time NASCAR Cup winner is ready to reunite with his old friend.

To vote for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and his mullet, visit www.nascar.com/fanvote and vote today. Fan are allowed to vote once a day and votes shared via Facebook and Twitter count double.

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jimmie Johnson unveiled a new-look patriotic paint scheme on the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet set to hit the track for the Coca-Cola 600 on May 26 (6 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion and his team will pay tribute to United States Army Sgt. Richard Donlan, who died in combat during the Vietnam War, as part of the 600 Miles of Remembrance tribute. Family members of Sgt. Donlan were on hand to help Johnson reveal the scheme decked in full camouflage.

Johnson played an integral part in designing the paint scheme for the crown jewel race with the help of sponsor Ally Financial. Ally also tasked Johnson with creating the new primary paint scheme on the No. 48 this season.

MORE: Buy this diecast

Jimmie Johnson Coca-Cola 600 paint scheme
Chase Wilhelm | NASCAR Digital Media

“Ally has been very interested in my buy-in, from creating the primary paint scheme to working through the process on this one,” Johnson said at Hendrick Motorsports on Tuesday. “There were a couple options and then we went the camo route and that direction. Their eagerness to have me involved with anything and everything with the race team is not like anything I’ve experienced before. It’s been a lot of fun.

“Also, a bit nerve-racking at times, especially when you’re responsible for a primary paint scheme. There’s been some sleepless nights worrying about all that.”

Along with the reveal, Johnson also assembled care packages for the USO of North Carolina, putting together snack packs, writing thank-you notes and folding flags for soldiers overseas.

Jimmie Johnson patriotic

All 40 Monster Energy Series drivers and teams will honor a fallen hero as the NASCAR Salutes portion of the season kicks off with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. NASCAR also will bring drivers down pit road following the end of Stage 2 for a moment of silence to honor those who have fought for our country’s freedom.

“Any moments like that to stop and think are important,” Johnson said. “I can only imagine how television will use that opportunity to honor those folks. Really use the night to say thank you, which is amazing.”

The entire Memorial Day weekend is an extra special one for Johnson, who had both grandfathers and his brother-in-law serve in the Armed Forces.

“It’s just such an honor,” Johnson added. “Times like this put it all in perspective. You meet family who’s associated with the fallen and you can only imagine what they’re going through and what they’ve been through.

“Then, you look through our industry and you see week in and week out the commitment we all have to the Armed Forces and the recognition that’s given. Then it all comes together for Memorial Day weekend and our sport just does an amazing job of being active and involved.”

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR fined the Nos. 2 and 77 teams in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series on Tuesday for having one lug nut not safe and secure following Saturday’s race at Kansas Speedway.

RELATED: Full race results

The respective crew chiefs, Paul Wolfe and Peter Sospenzo, were each fined $10,000.

Brad Keselowski drove the No. 2 Team Penske Ford to Victory Lane in the Digital Ally 400 at Kansas. Quin Houff finished 34th in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.