Posted on by Zack Albert

RICHMOND, Va. — Chip Ganassi Racing made changes to the pit-crew lineup for its two-car operation ahead of this weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway.

“In the whole offseason, we built around trying to build what we thought was our best group,” said Matt McCall, crew chief of the Ganassi No. 1 Chevrolet for Kurt Busch. “Everybody’s still new that everybody had a chance to be different players, so that’s where we’re at right now. Just moving a couple different people around and see how it works out.”

Bryan Jacobsen moves to front tire-changing duties for the Ganassi No. 42 Chevrolet driven by Kyle Larson. He served last week in that role for the No. 00 Chevrolet of StarCom Racing, which has a developmental pit-crew partnership with Ganassi. Jacobsen replaces Steve Price, who takes Jacobsen’s place on the StarCom No. 00 driven by Landon Cassill.

RELATED: CGR team page | Kurt Busch driver page

On the No. 1 Ganassi Chevy driven by Kurt Busch, Daniel Kincaid replaces Ken Pozega as front tire changer. Cory Baldwin, who was with the Front Row Motorsports No. 34 pit crew last week at Bristol, will change rear tires for the No. 1 this weekend. Pozega is on this weekend’s roster for Front Row’s No. 34, listed as the rear-tire changer. He is also listed as a member for the backup pit crew for both Ganassi entries.

“I don’t know for how long, if it’ll be permanent or whatever,” Larson said after qualifying 14th Friday. “I think it’s good to spice things up and try something different. I feel like our pit stops have lacked the last couple years, so just searching to try to get our stops better and hopefully it’ll help our races out a little bit.”

McCall indicated that Chip Ganassi Racing was fortunate to have the luxury of a deep bench for its pit crew personnel, but that the changes put in place this weekend were by no means permanent. He also told NASCAR.com that no single issue stood out as the impetus for the pit crew shake-up.

“No, and the guys we’ve changed, I would say the odds of them getting back on the team are still there,” McCall said. “I think it’s going to be a moving target for a while if we can find the right combination. Some of it is purely related to overall averages. It’s not been one thing or the other, like, ‘oh, we’ve left this lug loose five times.’ It’s none of that. It’s just more or less trying to find some consistency.”

RELATED: Dive into the 2019 stats

Consistency is also the quest for the No. 1 team in Busch Pole Qualifying. Busch has found solid results in his first year with the Ganassi organization, with six top-10 finishes in the first eight races this season. But he’s had to achieve those results coming from far back in the starting grid. Busch’s average finish of 8.6 is third-best in the series, but his average start of 20.1 equals the largest disparity between the two numbers among Cup Series regulars.

McCall says there’s no single factor there, either.

“For the most part, we’ve come off the truck close, we’ve practiced OK, but when qualifying rolls around, we’ve not been anywhere close to where anyone can drive it,” McCall said. “So it’s not been good. … It’s building a notebook, for sure. That’s the biggest thing. Then there’s things that he’s looking for that are different for qualifying than what we’re accustomed to giving him, so once we get that built up, I think it’ll be a little more straightforward hopefully.”

In addition to building a wealth of notes and information, McCall has also been finding chemistry in his first season paired with Busch, whose fiery personality often comes through on the team communications.

“It’s been fun, man,” McCall said. “The intensity level is high, which is good. I think that’s what it takes to have a chance to win races. His mentality is the same as mine. I like the edge side, that he gets really pissed off at me because I think there’s a little bit of drive there that makes you try to make sure you’re not missing some details.”

Posted on by Team Release

RICHMOND, Va. — Toco Warranty Corp., a new generation of vehicle service contracts (VSC) with pay-as- you-go monthly plans, has partnered with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series by serving as a four-race primary sponsor of driver Clint Bowyer and the No. 14 team.

Augmenting this sponsorship is Toco Warranty’s association with Tony Stewart Racing (TSR), where it will be the co-primary sponsor of 10-time and reigning World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion Donny Schatz and an associate sponsor of Stewart, who is slated to compete in more than 90 winged sprint car races this year.

RELATED: SHR team page | Clint Bowyer driver page

“Toco Warranty is all about helping people take care of their cars quickly and efficiently, and nowhere is speed and efficiency more prominent than in racing,” said Nota Berger, CEO, Toco Warranty. “We’ve found great partners in Stewart-Haas Racing and Tony Stewart Racing and strong, relatable personalities in Clint Bowyer, Donny Schatz and Tony Stewart to increase recognition for our simple and affordable vehicle service contracts. They’ll help showcase our practical and straightforward plans which clearly outline what is and isn’t covered while requiring no major up-front investment or long-term contract.”

Toco Warranty will debut with SHR during the April 26-28 race weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Bowyer and the No. 14 will then carry Toco branding for the NASCAR All-Star Race May 17-18 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and again June 29-30 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois and Sept. 13-15 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Toco Warranty will be an associate sponsor at all other NASCAR races.

“If there’s anyone who knows the importance of a good car, it’s me,” said Bowyer, who joined SHR in 2017 and owns 10 NASCAR Cup Series victories. “Our cars are our jobs, so we understand the investment fans make in their cars to go to work and come to our races. We can’t afford downtime and neither can they. A vehicle service contract from Toco Warranty provides peace of mind and gets folks back on the road fast. We’re in a business built on speed and trust, and those are the same principles that have made Toco Warranty a great choice for anyone who owns a car.”

Consumers demand affordable monthly payments and Toco Warranty offers an easy online experience via its website, www.TocoWarranty.com. It is where customers can review their vehicle service contract, manage online payments and access dedicated customer concierge services.

Communicating this message to anyone who owns a used car or is in the market for a used car is a key component of Toco Warranty’s partnership with SHR and TSR. SHR has won two NASCAR Cup Series championships and one NASCAR Xfinity Series title while TSR has earned nine World of Outlaws championships. Becoming involved with two title-winning teams at the pinnacle of North American motorsports is why SHR and TSR align so well with Toco Warranty.

“Motorsports is about cars – those on the racetrack and those in the acres of parking lots available to fans that typically drive two hours to a race,” Berger said. “Cars are a necessity for one’s recreation and for their work, but an unexpected repair can negatively impact both. Toco Warranty protects customers from unexpected expenses, allowing them to work hard and play hard without sacrifice.”

“We’re obviously very pleased to welcome Toco Warranty to SHR and TSR,” said Stewart, the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion who formed TSR back in 2001 and co-owns SHR with industrialist Gene Haas. “Clint Bowyer and Donny Schatz are great racecar drivers with strong and compelling personalities who can deliver for Toco Warranty on and off the track.”

Posted on by Jordan Bianchi

When Christopher Bell took the checkered flag in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend it signified more than just him winning for the second time this season or accumulating valuable playoff points. Because Bell was the highest finisher among four eligible drivers as part of the Dash 4 Cash program, he also earned an additional perk in the form of a $100,000 bonus.

“Cardboard checks are my favorite trophies,” Bell said. “I’ve got a couple of them from the dirt races, but none of them say a hundred grand so that’s pretty cool.”

RELATED: Xfinity preview: Richmond | Dash 4 Cash format explained

Bell can double up that bonus Friday night at Richmond, with the ToyotaCare 250 — the second of four Dash 4 Cash races this season. He will be competing against Tyler Reddick, Cole Custer and Chase Briscoe to win the $100,000 prize, with the best finish among them collecting the six-figure payday.

Reddick and Briscoe were also eligible at Bristol, but neither had anything for Bell over the final stretch that featured a 32-lap green-flag run to the finish. It was Bell’s second win of the season, with Reddick finishing second in the race, Custer third and Briscoe fourth.

Bell would seem to again have the advantage Friday night. Not only is the Joe Gibbs Racing driver the defending race winner, he also won the Playoff race at Richmond last fall. If Bell’s No. 20 Toyota is anywhere close to how strong it was in either race, it could be a long evening for the competition.

“I love going to Richmond,” Bell said. “For whatever reason, it fits our cars and our cars are really, really fast there. … Obviously, winning both the races there gives me a lot of confidence.

“I’m liking the way this Dash 4 Cash deal works. If you run well, you’re able to continue on.”

The winner of the ToyotaCare 250, plus the next three highest-finishing Xfinity Series championship-contending drivers, earn eligibility for the next Dash 4 Cash race at Talladega Superspeedway on April 27.

Posted on by Staff Report

Wayne Butler came up just short of winning a rookie of the year award in the super late model division at Coos Bay Speedway last season. Despite finishing as the highest ranking rookie, he missed out on the award by just a couple of points.

And while Butler said he was a little bummed to not take home the honor, getting that close is not bad for a 58-year-old.

“I would have been the oldest rookie standing up there on the stage, believe me,” Butler said with a laugh.

Thirty-nine years ago, Butler, fresh out of high school, ran one season on an asphalt track in a hobby stock car, but the fisherman gave up on racing afterwards. It wasn’t until seven years ago when the chance to buy a car from his son-in-law provided him the opportunity to get behind the wheel again.

“One weekend they closed the track and I got to go up there and race on a dirt track, and that was the funnest thing I ever did,” he said. “And I always wanted to get back into it, and about six years ago my son-in-law had bought a car and he had run it a little bit and it was a little more than he wanted to do so he asked me if I would be interested in it so I thought, ‘You know what, if I don’t do it now I never will.’”

Butler stepped into the Division II sportsman late model series at Coos Bay Speedway, a 0.387-mile dirt oval in Coos County, Oregon, the only NASCAR-sanctioned track in the state. The first season for him was about shaking off the rust and learning the car, but in the next five years he won two track championships and finished second three times.

Coos Bay Speedway | Facebook | Twitter

The biggest change Butler said he’s seen from his first season racing nearly four decades ago and his latest jump into the sport is the technology. The science has improved, and the equipment is better, while also requiring a lot more upkeep.

Racing against much younger teenagers was no problem for Butler, though. He said it proved to him and others that he could still race and be successful.

“That’s been a lot of fun because the first year out there one of the young fellas I was racing against was 15 years old. He was very fast, a very good racer,” Butler said. “Being out of it for 35 years, I was pretty rusty and it was funny because my father told me, ‘You know what the problem is? You’re old, your reflexes are slow.’ And immediately that just made me blow up. So the next year I took second and then won the championship two years in a row, so that did away with his reflexes being slow theory.”

When Butler isn’t in the car on the dirt, he’s on a boat in the ocean. He has a charter fishing business in the summer that takes him out with other fishers seven days a week. He’s on the water every morning by 6 a.m., even on Sundays after a late race on Saturday nights.

During the race season, Butler will typically have his car loaded up on Friday, fish on Saturday morning, get everything on his boat packed up, come home in the afternoon and head to the track, staying there sometimes until 10 or 11 p.m., all to wake up the next morning and get on the water again.

It’s tiring, but absolutely worth it to him.

“It can be a little bit tiring, but I have so much fun with the racing,” he said. “I fish all winter long. I commercial fish some in the winter, so I spend most of my life on the ocean, but you know what, when I get in the race car and get to get on the track I have a grin on my face it makes my face hurt. I have a ball doing it and it’s just a lot of fun.”

Wayne Butler

Last year, Butler took his sportsman car into the super late model series at Coos Bay for part of the season, running both races a night. And despite having a car that was nearly 1,000 pounds heavier than his competition, he still finished fourth in the late model division standings.

Now, he’ll run late model races with a true late model car. And not just any car, the one that won a track championship at Coos Bay last season. While Butler expects the field to be very competitive at Coos Bay this year, he’s ready for another new opportunity.

“One of the things we’re seeing this year, in the last two years the car count is starting to increase,” he said. “The competition level is going to be very, very good this year. I think part of the reason is we are the only NASCAR sanctioned track in the state, but now we have some of the champions from other tracks around the state are going to come and compete here this year. So the competition level is really going to be very, very good this year.”

The Rookie of the Year presented by Jostens at each track is presented to a first-year Division I license holder; the winner is decided by overall NASCAR points – not necessarily track points — for the driver’s best 18 finishes.

While he won’t have a chance at rookie of the year this season, his mind is set on bigger goals.

“There’s a lot to say for consistency,” he said. “I’m going to be there. I’ve got a good car. I’ll give them a run for their money this year.”

Coos Bay will open the NASCAR season on Saturday with winged sprint cars, super late models, sportsman late models, street stocks, mini outlaws, hornets and jr. stingers.

Coos Bay Schedule

Posted on by Staff Report

Race teams at Riverhead Raceway are going to be greeted with some brand new pavement next month when the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season opens.

But the new pavement doesn’t cover the whole track.

Riverhead track owner Ed Partridge told NASCAR.com that they made the decision to pave the entire pit area and a certain section in turns 3 and 4 for this year.

RELATED: Riverhead Raceway Schedule

“Turns 3 and 4 were always patched up and had pieces of concrete, so it was always rough. We had a group come down, grind it like they do the roads, and we put two down lanes in the bottom and middle groove of brand new asphalt,” Partridge said. “It was pretty bumpy, but right now, they paved it and we drove over it and it does seem to have a little bit of a dip, but no bump. We are playing it by ear and seeing how it works out.”

The pit area was the beginning of the process for Partridge and his team, hoping to improve the quality of experience for race teams and fans both.

“Our pits were in need because it was breaking up; they needed it for the cars and the people just walking and almost twisting ankles. Every year we start to do some upgrades to the facility,” Partridge said. “We were asphalting the pits, we have the first coat down and we’re waiting on some better weather but we figured we would take a look at the track while we were at it. We have some demos and some enduros here during the summer, so we when we put asphalt down, sometimes the rims drag and it can pull it up. It’s a toss-up whether we want to pave through the whole track or not.”

For more than 30 years, Riverhead, a quarter-mile bullring on Long Island in New York, has also featured as least one race each year since the inception of the Whelen Modified Tour in 1985. This year, the series returns for two more visits on Saturday, July 6, and Saturday, September 7.

RELATED: NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Schedule

“The Tour shows have been action-packed, the last one was a rainy night, but the races here are really good. I’m not knocking any other tracks, but we have a bullring and we have a lot of action and a lot of passing going on,” Partridge said. “The last shows I remember here were really good shows. Everyone who comes through the pits says that they love the Whelen Modified Tour here.”

The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season opens on Saturday, May 4, and rolls through Saturday, September 28, but the racing won’t only take place on Saturday nights. Riverhead made the decision to place three Whelen All-American Series shows on Wednesday nights, and if there are any rainouts throughout the season on a Saturday, the entire racing will be card on the next Wednesday night.

RELATED: Riverhead Experiences Large Turnout For Inspection Day

“We only have so many days we can race at the track,” Partridge said. “A lot of different tracks run more than one night. Up at Seekonk Speedway, they run Friday and Saturday. If people want to race, they are going to come.”

For now, with just under a month to go before the first green flag, Partridge is busy making the sure the facility will be ready for action.

“We’re just trying to do some tire management as well to offset costs for the competitors this year,” Partridge said. “We’re looking forward to the season, and we’re just looking for some better weather. Last year was a killer with rain.”

RIVERHEAD, NY - SEPTEMBER 8: Timmy Solomito, driver of the #16 Starrett Ford, and Justin Bonsignore, driver of the #51 Phoenix Communications Inc. Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Miller Lite 200 at Riverhead Raceway on September 8, 2018 in Riverhead, New York. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR announced that Friday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying session at Richmond Raceway will see the first two rounds shortened from 10 minutes to five minutes. 

The first round will see all cars go out in group style for a lap or laps with the top 24 moving to Round 2. The top 12 from Round 2 move to the final round, which is also five minutes in length. 

MORE: Full Richmond schedule

This is not a permanent change to qualifying, as discussions are continuing to take place regarding the qualifying format for NASCAR’s top series. The format for NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying at Richmond is unchanged. 

The enhanced weekend schedule will see inspection take place Saturday afternoon and that will officially set the lineup for Saturday night’s Toyota Owners 400 (7:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). 

Posted on by Staff Report

Coulda, woulda, shoulda.

That seems to be an appropriate phrase to explain the way the last five races at Richmond Raceway have ended for Martin Truex Jr.

Truex, the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, has had a rough go of things at the 0.75-mile short track. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has the most starts on a short track (80) without a win. His best finish on a short track is second (twice), most recently, at Martinsville’s fall race.

According to Racing Insights, on Sept. 22, 2018 at Richmond, Truex won both stages and led the most laps but finished third. After leading 163 laps, Truex suffered an uncontrolled tire penalty on Lap 202 from the lead. He had to start from the rear and was unable to make his way back to the top spot.

RELATED: Vegas odds for Richmond | Richmond 101: Everything you need to know

In the 2018 spring race at Richmond on April 21, Truex led the most laps of the race with 121. On the final pit stop with nine laps to go, his team had problems jacking the car and it resulted in a 14th-place finish.

On September 9, 2017, Truex, once again, led a race-high 198 laps. He was leading the race when a caution came out with two laps to go. He lost the race off pit road and then was involved in a wreck with the No. 11 of now-teammate Denny Hamlin. He finished 20th.

Interestingly enough, in 2017 at the spring Richmond race on April 30, Truex didn’t lead any laps and finished 10th. He had a commitment line penalty due to a clean-up truck.

On September 10, 2016, Truex led the most laps of the race (193) and ended up finishing third because of a slow stop and a speeding penalty. This race is when the streak began for Truex.

A win at Richmond has been in arm’s reach for Truex in the last five races but he hasn’t been able to make the trip to Victory Lane yet.

Will he be able to break the losing streak?

We’ll find out on Saturday under the lights for the Toyota Owners 400 (7:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR has announced the 2019 stage lengths for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series.

See the full list below.

NEWS: Monster Energy Series | Xfinity Series | Gander Outdoors Truck Series

(*)–indicates race is a playoff race

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
RACE STAGE 1 STAGE 2 FINAL STAGE
Daytona 60 120 200
Atlanta 85 170 325
Las Vegas 80 160 267
ISM (Phoenix) 75 150 312
Auto Club 60 120 200
Martinsville 130 260 500
Texas 85 170 334
Bristol 125 250 500
Richmond 100 200 400
Talladega 55 110 188
Dover 120 240 400
Kansas 80 160 267
Charlotte 100 200 (Stage 3: 300) 400
Pocono 50 100 160
Michigan 60 120 200
Sonoma 20 40 90
Chicagoland 80 160 267
Daytona-2 50 100 160
Kentucky 80 160 267
New Hampshire 75 150 301
Pocono-2 50 100 160
Watkins Glen 20 40 90
Michigan-2 60 120 200
Bristol-2 125 250 500
Darlington 100 200 367
Indianapolis 50 100 160
Las Vegas-2* 80 160 267
Richmond-2* 100 200 400
Charlotte-2* (road) 25 50 109
Dover-2* 120 240 400
Talladega-2* 55 110 188
Kansas-2* 80 160 267
Martinsville-2* 130 260 500
Texas-2* 85 170 334
ISM-2* (Phoenix) 75 150 312
Miami* 80 160 267

 

NASCAR Xfinity Series
RACE STAGE 1 STAGE 2 FINAL STAGE
Daytona 30 60 120
Atlanta 40 80 163
Las Vegas 45 90 200
ISM (Phoenix) 45 90 200
Auto Club 35 70 150
Texas 45 90 200
Bristol 85 170 300
Richmond 75 150 250
Talladega 25 50 113
Dover 45 90 200
Charlotte 45 90 200
Pocono 25 50 100
Michigan 30 60 125
Iowa 60 120 250
Chicagoland 45 90 200
Daytona-2 30 60 100
Kentucky 45 90 200
New Hampshire 45 90 200
Iowa-2 60 120 250
Watkins Glen 20 40 82
Mid-Ohio 20 40 75
Bristol-2 85 170 300
Road America 10 20 45
Darlington 45 90 147
Indianapolis 30 60 100
Las Vegas-2 45 90 200
Richmond-2* 75 150 250
Charlotte-2* (road) 20 40 67
Dover-2* 45 90 200
Kansas* 45 90 200
Texas-2* 45 90 200
ISM-2* (Phoenix) 45 90 200
Miami* 45 90 200

 

NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series
RACE STAGE 1 STAGE 2 FINAL STAGE
Daytona 20 40 100
Atlanta 40 80 130
Las Vegas 30 60 134
Martinsville 70 140 250
Texas 35 70 147
Dover 45 90 200
Kansas 40 80 167
Charlotte 30 60 134
Texas-2 40 80 167
Iowa 60 120 200
Gateway 35 70 160
Chicagoland 35 70 150
Kentucky 35 70 150
Pocono 15 30 60
Eldora 40 90 150
Michigan 20 40 100
Bristol* 55 110 200
Canadian Tire Motorsports Park* 20 40 64
Las Vegas* 30 60 134
Talladega* 20 40 94
Martinsville* 50 100 200
ISM* (Phoenix) 45 90 150
Miami* 30 60 134

 

Posted on by Reid Spencer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – As the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series opens its season under the most auspicious of circumstances, a new entrant is preparing to cross the pond to take part in the action.

In a deal announced on Tuesday, Myatt Snider, who earned Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series last season, will compete full-time in the ELITE 2 Division of the NWES, running for both the classification title and for the rookie trophy.

The season for both the ELITE 1 and ELITE 2 Divisions opens this weekend (April 13-14) in Valencia, Spain, where Snider will get the chance to test his road course skills behind the wheel of the No. 48 Racing Engineering Ford Mustang owned by Alfonso de Orleans-Borbon.

Snider will share the No. 48 car with Ander Vilarino, who returns after a three-year hiatus to seek his fourth NWES title in the ELITE 1 Division.

RELATED: Full Whelen Euro Series ELITE 2 schedule

“I’m going to Valencia with an open mind,” said the 24-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina, the son of NBC Sports pit reporter Marty Snider. “Despite having raced some road courses when I was a kid, I raced mostly on ovals after that, and going back to road courses is definitely cool. I’m going in with an open mind but of course I want to perform because I’m a competitive guy and I want to win.

“I am with a great team like Racing Engineering, and I will share the car with a multiple champion, so I think winning is definitely a realistic expectation. I just have to get into the right mindset and see what these cars are capable of.”

Snider is one of 14 rookies who will take the green flag in the ELITE 2 Division. By way of contrast, the ELITE 1 grid is a cavalcade of champions. Israeli driver Alon Day is going for his third straight title, but he’ll have plenty of competition from the likes of Vilarino and former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve, who is competing full-time for Go Fas Racing.

RELATED: Day celebrates Euro Series title after emotional season

In addition, the starting field at Valencia will include 2000 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte in a one-off appearance in the No. 70 Chevrolet, as well as Ruben Garcia Jr., who earned his spot in a driver swap program as NASCAR Peak Mexico Series champion.

Another full-time driver to watch is Frederic Gabillon, who has finished second in the ELITE 1 standings three times.

The Valencia field will feature a record 33 cars with 57 drivers from 20 different countries. In addition to the drivers mentioned above, 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Christophe Bouchut will take the green this weekend.

The ELITE 1 field has an enormous collective history of success in the division. Nine of the drivers have won at least one race in ELITE 1, and four others are former ELITE 2 winners.

Now in its 11th season, the NWES is the fastest growing series in Europe. With the addition of a seventh event in Most, Czech Republic, both divisions will feature 13 races this year. With a new tire supplier (General Tire), enhancements to the cars (tires, shocks and a new spoiler) and longer ELITE 1 races, the NWES likely will enjoy the most competitive season in its history.

The Racing Engineering team for which Snider will drive is new to the series this years, as is Team Bleekemolen, which boasts a successful history in touring cars. And though Snider will get a baptism by fire of sorts in the unpredictable ELITE 2 Division, he’s looking forward to the experience.

“I think it will be a lot of fun to race in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series,” Snider said. “It will be my first-ever chance to race in Europe, and that’s not an opportunity you get very often

“It is going to be an interesting change of pace, and it is a fantastic opportunity to take on this challenge with a such a top-level team as Racing Engineering. I’m really excited.”