Posted on by George Winkler

Editor’s note: NASCAR.com continues its countdown of team previews for the Monster Energy Series season, ranked in order of best finish in last year’s owner standings. Today’s feature: Chip Ganassi Racing and drivers Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson.

Chip Ganassi Racing

Manufacturer: Chevrolet

Engine: Hendrick Engines

Drivers: Kurt Busch, No. 1; Kyle Larson, No. 42

Crew chiefs: No. 1: Matt McCall; No. 42: Chad Johnston

2018 standings: Kyle Larson finished ninth in the driver standings and the No. 42 car was also ninth in the owner standings. Jamie McMurray was 20th in the driver standings and the No. 1 car was also 20th in the owner standings. In his final season for Stewart-Haas Racing, Kurt Busch was seventh in the driver standings and the No. 41 car was seventh in the owner standings.

What’s new: McMurray’s run as a full-time driver is over after nine straight seasons with Chip Ganassi in which he compiled four wins in the Monster Energy Series and qualified for the playoffs five times. McMurray will compete in this season’s Daytona 500 for Spire Motorsports, in partnership with CGR, driving the No. 40 Chevrolet in what could be his final race in the Monster Energy Series. Enter Busch, the 2004 premier series champion who spent the past five seasons with Stewart-Haas Racing, where he compiled six wins and made the playoffs five times with a high finish of seventh in the standings (2016, 2018).

Outlook: Busch brings a championship pedigree, veteran savvy and perhaps a dash of edginess that could be just what the team needs to get Larson back on the right track. Larson compiled four wins in 2017 and has the talent to be among the championship contenders, but he didn’t crack the win column in 2018. With Busch and Larson able to lean on each other for information it would not be surprising to see both cars in the playoffs come September. Both drivers have shown the ability to make a deep playoff run, but the next step is to break into the Championship 4.

DRIVERS
Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Chevrolet: Busch had six wins, including the 2017 Daytona 500, in his five seasons with SHR, re-establishing himself as a championship contender. He comes to CGR for at least one season, but the future beyond that is open-ended. With perhaps a short window of opportunity, Busch will need to get up to speed quickly with crew chief Matt McCall and adjust to his new team’s surroundings, including switching manufacturers from Ford to Chevrolet. Partnering with Larson, Busch sounds open to taking on a mentoring role if it means a better performance overall for CGR.

“Larson can be bigger. He can be better,” Busch said. “And I see something in him. And that’s part of the draw of why I came here. There are plenty of reasons, but that’s one of those things on the side. It’s not a trophy. It’s not a win. But I would feel a sense of accomplishment by helping him out.”

Kyle Larson, No. 42 Credit One Bank Chevrolet: Larson appeared primed to make the jump to Championship 4 regular after enjoying a breakout season in 2017 when he won four times and finished eighth in the standings. Although he did not win last season, Larson still managed to compile a career-best 12.6 average finish. That was due in large part to six second-place finishes where for one reason or another Larson couldn’t break through to Victory Lane. It’s easy to see that if Larson finds a way to finish races better that he could be right back where he was two years ago, which is to say on par with the Big 3 and in the thick of the championship hunt. And with Larson’s strong history at Homestead, if he manages to get there someday as part of the Championship 4, he’ll be a good bet to win it all.

TEAM PREVIEWS
• Jan. 22: Assorted teams
• Jan. 23: Richard Petty Motorsports
• Jan. 24: Germain Racing
• Jan. 25: Leavine Family Racing
• Jan 28: Front Row Motorsports
• Jan. 29: JTG Daugherty Racing
• Jan. 30: Wood Brothers Racing
• Jan. 31: Roush Fenway Racing
• Feb. 1: Richard Childress Racing
• Feb. 4: Chip Ganasssi Racing
• Feb. 5: Hendrick Motorsports
• Feb. 6: Joe Gibbs Racing
• Feb. 7: Stewart-Haas Racing
• Feb. 8: Team Penske

Posted on by Staff Report

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Ty Gibbs scored an emotional victory at Myrtle Beach Speedway on Saturday with his grandfather, Coach Joe Gibbs, in attendance.

Gibbs took the lead from Will Burns on lap 116 and held off a late race challenge from reigning Myrtle Beach Speedway track champion Justin Milliken in the closing laps to score the victory. The win, his biggest to date, came less than one month after J.D. Gibbs, who had been the bedrock of Joe Gibbs Racing for years, passed away.

“I have a great group of guys who did a great job today talking me through the race and everything,” Ty Gibbs told Race22.com in victory lane after the race. “It just means a lot to get this win. This is for J.D. too. He‘s up there, he‘s probably smiling too on some type of racetrack up there. This means a lot. I had a blast up there and my guys did a great job.”

For Ty Gibbs, who was teamed up with Barry Nelson and the Nelson Motorsports racing team, the victory gives him plenty of confidence heading into the CARS Response Energy Tour season.

“It means a lot,” Gibbs said. “It means I get to keep my job. It gives me some confidence to win the first race of the season. First race win for Joe Gibbs Racing this year. It means a lot too to win here at one of the hardest tracks. Now we get to go to one of the easier tracks and go stomp them. It was fun racing next to Justin [Milliken] too.”

The victory was equally emotional for Joe Gibbs, former Washington Redskins head coach and the owner of the Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR team.

“It means a lot to our family and to Ty,” Coach Gibbs told Race22.com. “Really appreciate it. If everybody out there can go to JDGibbsLegacy.com and watch our service from last Friday with J.D., we lost J.D. on January 11th, so we‘re asking everybody to do that. Huge day for Ty and the whole Gibbs family. It‘s a big deal for us.”

Coach Gibbs talked briefly about the impact J.D. had at Joe Gibbs Racing and now feels Ty could be destined to carry on the Gibbs family legacy in NASCAR.

“J.D. really pulled our race team,” Coach Gibbs remarked. “He spent 27 years there. We want to do everything we can to continue racing. It looks like Ty will be the one grandson that will want to race for us. That‘s exciting for us, for the whole family. We appreciate everyone here today. First race out of the box is a big deal for us so we really appreciate it.”

The victory was Ty Gibbs‘ third career win.

Justin Milliken, who also raced a Nelson Motorsports car, came home in third after challenging Gibbs late. Under the circumstances, Milliken was perfectly fine with a third-place finish.

“For those guys to do what they did and offer me a car and put me in the race, I was just going to race them clean,” Milliken said. “I didn‘t have anything to race with at the end. I knew that. My strategy was just to fall to the back and make some hay at the end. We were able to do that and found ourselves in second. I knew going into one that we didn‘t have a winning car so I wanted to do what I could to try to help the team get a win. It was a great weekend. Ty drove a great race.”

Ryan Millington finished in second after passing Milliken on the last lap. Bradley McCaskill finished fourth while Jacob Heafner rounded out the top-five.

Race22 Gibbs Myrtlebeach 190202

Results
1. Ty Gibbs; 2. Ryan Millington; 3. Justin Milliken; 4. Bradley McCaskill; 5. Jacob Heafner; 6. Brody Pope; 7. Luke Sorrow; 8. Mike Darne; 9. Jason York; 10. Peyton Sellers.
11. Sam Yarbrough; 12. Corey Heim; 13. Layne Riggs; 14. Austin Somero; 15. Will Burns; 16. Bob Saville; 17. David Roberts; 18. Brian Vause; 19. Chris Throckmorton; 20. Cameron Bowen.
21. Dillon Houser; 22. Jerry Miracle; 23. Austin McDaniel; 24. Angela Ruch; 25. Matt Cox; 26. Jamie Weatherford; 27. Chad McCumbee; 28. Brian Mundy; 29. Justin Hicks; 30. Lucas Williams.
31. Ed Williams; 32. Melvin Langley; 33. Matthew Linker; 34. Stuart Ricks.

Posted on by Staff Report

Which channels have NASCAR programming this week? We answer that and give you the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET.

MORE: Get the NBC Sports App | How to find FS1 | Get FOX Sports Go | How to find NBCSN

Monday, Feb. 4
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1/FOX Sports GO
7 p.m., NASCAR Race Classic: The 1998 Daytona 500, FS1/FOX Sports GO (re-air)

Tuesday, Feb. 5
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1/FOX Sports GO

On MRN
7 p.m., NASCAR Live

Wednesday, Feb. 6
3 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1/FOX Sports GO (re-air)
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1/FOX Sports GO

Thursday, Feb. 7
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1/FOX Sports GO

Friday, Feb. 8
1 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1/FOX Sports GO (re-air)

Saturday, Feb. 9
8:30 a.m., The Perfect Storm: The 1979 Daytona 500, FS1/FOX Sports GO
9:30 a.m., Untold Stories: Daytona, FS1/FOX Sports GO
10:30 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash practice, FS1/FOX Sports GO (Canada: TSN2)
Noon: NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FS1/FOX Sports GO
1 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 qualifying practice, FS1/FOX Sports GO (Canada: TSN App)
2 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FS1/FOX Sports GO
3 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 qualifying final practice, FS1/FOX Sports GO (Canada: TSN App)
4 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FS1/FOX Sports GO
11 p.m., NASCAR The Decades: The 1990s, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (re-air)
11:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Classic: 1998 Daytona 500, FS1/FOX Sports GO (re-air)

On MRN
10:30 a.m., Advance Auto Parts Clash practice
1 p.m., Daytona 500 qualifying practice
3 p.m., Daytona 500 qualifying final practice

Sunday, Feb. 10
Noon: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 qualifying, FOX/FOX Sports GO (Canada: TSN1, 4, 5)
2 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: Daytona, FS1/FOX Sports GO
3 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash, FS1/FOX Sports GO (Canada: TSN4, 5)
10 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash, FS2/FOX Sports GO (re-air)
Midnight, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 qualifying, FS1/FOX Sports GO (re-air)

On MRN
Noon, Daytona 500 qualifying
2 p.m., Advance Auto Parts Clash coverage

Posted on by Staff Report

Business is about to pick up in a big way.

With the offseason officially in the rear-view mirror, New Smyrna Speedway is set to host the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing beginning on Friday night. The nine nights of racing action will mark the 53rd running of the prestigious event, and all of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing (Feb. 8-9 & Feb. 11-16) will once again air via a live stream on FansChoice.TV.

Even though the World Series serves as the kick-off for many race teams, and fans, alike, it isn’t the first time cars will hit the track this year. In January, as part of a revamped Red Eye 50/50 at New Smyrna, Ryan Moore (Super Late Model) and former NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series champion Mike Skinner (Pro Late Model) opened their season in Victory Lane. Moore is among multiple drivers already entered for the World Series with plenty of momentum on his side.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

The contingent of SLM drivers includes some top talent from across the country. Bubba Pollard, one of the top short-track drivers who is known for winning marquee events, will run the full week driving for track local legend David Rogers, who is injured and can’t compete. Pollard is joined by upcoming star Sam Mayer, who surprised many in 2018, racing to top five finishes in nearly all events during the World Series. He is going back looking for a breakthrough performance to leap towards a championship driving for Wimmer Motorsports.

470x600 Wj4i6u2kmac3x484455Five-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series West winner Derek Kraus, defending USAC Midget champion Logan Seavey and former K&N Pro Series East winner Spencer Davis are also on the star-studded list.

The World Series culminates with the Orange Blossom Super Late Model 100 on Saturday, Feb. 16.

Over the past few years, the World Series has served as a precursor for young talent ascending to the big stage. NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series champion Christopher Bell picked up his first NASCAR Super Late Model win in his debut at New Smyrna in 2015. Last year, Gander Outdoor Truck competitor Harrison Burton visited Victory Lane, and Stephen Nasse picked up his elusive first World Series SLM crown. The eventual champion in the last eight years won his first and only title at the half-mile, showing that a new champion could be in store.

WORLD SERIES OF ASPHALT STOCK CAR RACING CHAMPIONS

Tour Type Modified teams will take to the track for the first time on Monday, with five nights of action headlined by two special events on Wednesday (John Blewett Memorial 76) and Friday (Richie Evans 100). Defending World Series champion Matt Hirschman is heading back looking for his second straight crown, while Cup Series driver Ryan Preece, who won three straight titles before Hirschman took him down last season, will run the first three nights of the week. With Preece not running the entire week and focusing his efforts on his Monster Energy Cup Series effort in the Daytona 500, it leaves the door wide-open for someone new to challenge Hirschman for the top, but you might not have to look far.

Five-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby is heading back to New Smyrna looking to get his team back into championship form and is looking to score his first World Series crown. Coby also brings a stout lineup of Whelen Modified Tour drivers following closely behind him. Jimmy Blewett, Timmy Solomito, Calvin Carroll, Dave Sapienza, Tommy Catalano and Patrick Emerling are among those entered. Chuck Hossfeld, the 2012 World Series champion, is also returning.

World Series of Asphalt: DAILY SCHEDULES | EVENT PAGE

The Pro Late Models, Florida Modifieds, American Auto Sportsman, Pro Truck, Super Stock, Mod Minis and Bombers are all scheduled to compete throughout the week, creating an impressive racing card. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will headline the entire week as they open their season on Sunday, with the running of the New Smyrna 175.

RACE FACTS

RACE World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing
PLACE New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway
DATE Friday, Feb. 8 to Saturday, Feb. 16
TIME 7:30 p.m. ET
TELEVISION FansChoice.tv (Live Stream) (Feb. 8-9 & Feb. 11-16)
TRACK LAYOUT Half-mile high-banked oval
EVENT SCHEDULE Feature racing begins at 7:30 p.m. ET each night
TWITTER @newsmyrnaspdway, @NASCARHomeTrack
HASHTAG #NSSWorldSeries

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: A two-lap time trial style qualifying will be in place throughout the week. Once a driver has taken the green flag the first time by, the time is official. Any division that doesn’t have qualifying scheduled for a specific night will invert from the previous nights finish. The determination of the qualifying order is done at the pit office by a draw each day. Each night, a fan will draw a number for the invert, ranging from 0-2-4-6-8. Cars must go through pre-qualifying technical inspection and proceed directly to the corresponding qualifying number on the outer (or inner) pit wall. Once a car is through technical inspection, the only item that can be checked is air pressure. Once a car has been on the track, two crew members may go to the car when it returns to check air pressure and stagger, without jacking up the car. No other adjustments may be made prior to the green flag for the race.

The tires a team qualifies on must be the tires a team races on that night. During any impound events teams may not change a tire unless it is flat and approved by an official. Tires will be released from the impound area to teams prior to qualifying. No tire softening or altering agents will be permitted throughout the duration of the week.

A drivers meeting will take place each day, and all drivers are required to attend.

Throughout the week, Super Late Model teams will compete in five 35-lap feature races, one 50-lap event and a 100-lap finale, the Orange Blossom 100. The Pro Late Models will compete in six 35-lap feature events and a 100-lap finale, the Zach Donatti Memorial. The Tour Type Modifieds may enter for technical inspection on Sunday February 11, but will begin racing on Monday. The Tour Modifieds will compete in two 35-lap events, one 50-lap feature and two special events — the 76-lap John Blewett III Memorial on Wednesday and the Richie Evans Memorial 100 on championship Friday night. Practice for the Super Late Models, Sportsman, Pro Late Models and Modifieds is available on Thursday, February 7 from 1-7 p.m.

A cumulative points system will be used to determine the champion of the week in each class. The winner of each event will score 50 points, with the second-place finisher scoring 48, third scoring 46, etc., two points down per position throughout the field.

Pit road speed for the entirety of the week is 35 MPH. Anyone who elects to pit must stay single file behind the pace car under caution and then enter pit road. Any cars that pit must restart at the tail end of the field. No cars may pass the pace car at any time. No weaving on pit road will be tolerated.

At the end of each event, the top three finishes must go to the frontstretch. No crew members may touch or work on the car unless they are directed to do so by officials. Following the post-race media, all three cars must proceed to the technical inspection shed and the driver must drive the car to the scales.

MEDIA CENTER

Race22.com: Ty Gibbs Scores Emotional Victory at Myrtle Beach

TheFourthTurn.com: Joe Gibbs’ Grandson, Ty Gibbs, Wins The Icebreaker at Myrtle Beach

Speed51.com: Showtime Ready To Head South to Smyrna With New Team | Speedweeks Surprise: Coby Racing Full Week at Smyrna

New Smyrna Speedway: Bubba Pollard To Sub For David Rogers During World Series | Loris Hezemans in action during Speedweeks 2019 at New Smyrna

RaceDayCT: Kyle Benjamin To Drive For LFR on Whelen Modified Tour | Thompson Speedway Announces Division Rules, Purse Structure 

NASCAR.com: Trevor Huddleston To Drive For Sunrise Ford Racing in 2019 | Jagger Jones Joins Sunrise Ford For 2019

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Posted on by Steve Luvender

Editor’s note: Visit eNASCAR.com for full coverage.

The 2019 season marks significant changes to the eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series. Not only will the series prize pool increase tenfold, reaching six-digit figures for its 10th season, the star power is raised with the arrival of real-world NASCAR teams and professional eSports teams.

On Wednesday, the 12 new virtual-car-owning teams, including familiar NASCAR outfits JR Motorsports, Wood Brothers Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, JTG Daugherty Racing and Roush Fenway Racing, drafted two drivers each from the pool of 40 eligible drivers.

The 40 eligible racers qualified for the series through their iRacing performance — either through finishing top-20 in 2018 PEAK Series standings, or by graduating to the series through placing in the top-20 in the iRacing Pro qualifier Series.

Draft results were announced Friday.

Legendary NASCAR team Wood Brothers Racing landed the first pick. Four-time and defending series champion Ray Alfalla was chosen first — he’ll pilot the No. 21 Ford in the 2019 season.

Each driver drafted for a team will represent their organization through an officially designed car in 2019, along with receiving an additional $500 cash bonus from iRacing. The remaining undrafted drivers will continue to participate in the series as free agents.

Here are the full draft results:

Round 1

Team Driver
Wood Brothers Racing Ray Alfalla
Flipside Tactics Michael Luza
JR Motorsports Michael Conti
G2 Esports Keegan Leahy
Joe Gibbs Racing Bobby Zalenski
Williams Esports Matt Bussa
Burton Kligerman Esports Logan Clampitt
JTG Daugherty Racing Nick Ottinger
Clint Bowyer Racing Nickolas Shelton
Roush Fenway Racing Zack Novak
Richmond Raceway Esports Jimmy Mullis
Renegades Corey Vincent

Round 2

Team Driver
Renegades Garrett Lowe
Richmond Raceway Esports Malik Ray
Roush Fenway Racing Michael Guest
Clint Bowyer Racing Casey Kirwan
JTG Daugherty Racing Christian Challiner
Burton Kligerman Esports Ashton Crowder
Williams Esports Brian Schoenburg
Joe Gibbs Racing Jake Nichols
G2 Esports Jarl Teien
JR Motorsports Brad Davies
Flipside Tactics Timmy Hill
Wood Brothers Racing Chris Overland

Watch the full draft:

 

The eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series kicks off its 2019 season Feb. 12 at Daytona. The series, which features virtual replicas of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series cars on 18 real-world NASCAR tracks, culminates in a four-race playoffs, crowning a champion Oct. 8.

Each round of the eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series will be broadcast live Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on eNASCAR.com and on the iRacing eSports Network.

Posted on by Jessica Ruffin

LAS VEGAS — The game of chess requires thoughtful decisions, the weighing of risk versus reward and most of all, strategy.

Likewise, strategy is what drivers and teams may need more of during the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season with the new rules package, which 14 drivers tested on Thursday and Friday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“It’s a lot more of a mental game,” Kyle Busch said. “… It’s going to be a lot more chess match, thinking, how you’re going to make moves and how daring you’ll be making some of those moves and how hard of a time the guy you’re trying to pass is going to give you back and suck you around or spin your or whatever it might be.”

He wasn’t the only one who compared the rules package to a chess match; drivers had plenty to unpack during the two-day show, as they navigated the new package that impacted the front splitter, rear spoiler and horsepower among other changes.

RELATED: Inside the new rules package

One of the most crucial elements of the test were the drafting sessions that the drivers participated in each day to see how the cars would handle bunched up with one another. The sessions produced several three-wide — and sometimes four-wide — runs, an atypical sight for an intermediate track like Las Vegas.

“I thought we got pretty aggressive,” Austin Dillon, who was also one of the drivers testing, said on Thursday after his first draft run. “I was three-wide a couple times off of Turn 2 and that’s good. We can see what the package can do and I’m sure a lot of guys are like, whoa, we gotta change our direction because some guys were really good, some guys weren’t, some guys were OK.

“I think a collaborative effort is great, so that’s good for our sport.”

Dillon also spoke of the side-by-side battles, something that NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell pinpointed last year as an area NASCAR wanted to amplify with the 2019 rules package.

“… The side-by-side battle was pretty intense and it created three-wide,” he said. “I think you’ll see a lot of three-wide this year to clear someone. Because if a guy is slower and a guy goes under him and can’t pass him for a lap, the next guy gets a huge run from that bubble and can create a three-wide pass down low. So, I think there’s draft studies that will continue to go on from each team to figure out where to place their car to make the best pass.

“It’s definitely going to be hard. But you’re going to see passing; it’s going to be more passing than we have in the last couple years I feel like. … You’ll be able to make moves, I believe.”

RELATED: Watch teams in drafting practice at Las Vegas

The two-day test served as the industry’s first real glimpse at the package, which will come into play at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Feb. 24 (the season-opening Daytona 500 will still use traditional restrictor plates). Vice President of Innovation and Racing Development John Probst, who was part of NASCAR’s two-year collaborative process in designing the package, was clear that although they were pleased with the testing results, they’re not “declaring any kind of victory.”

“We feel like all the big places are in place here, we’re encouraged by what we saw on the track,” he told NASCAR.com on its live stream from Las Vegas on Thursday. “By no means, we’ve all done this long enough we’re not going to sit here and declare victory. We know we gotta keep working, these teams gotta keep massaging this package. And we just gotta kinda stay with them to make sure that we put on some really exciting races for the fans next year.”

Excitement on the track was one of NASCAR’s goals with the 2019 package, particularly from a fan perspective.

“It’s really one voice that matters and that’s the fans …” test participant Clint Bowyer said on Thursday. “That’s the voice that we’re all working for, no different than it’s always been. Any business that’s a sporting event, whether it’s a football game, basketball, baseball, NASCAR, doesn’t matter what it is; it’s all about the interaction and the fans showing up and enjoying what they see.

“The entertainment value of our sport’s always been great. And this is a step obviously to try to make it even better.”

But even entertainment value shouldn’t inhibit the most important part of racing: the competition. As drivers and industry personnel continue to work through the package throughout the season, that’s a key component for Probst.

“We’re trying to make it as competitive as we can from the top to the bottom,” Probst said. “I think the one thing we know that’s important out of this is we’re not trying to create some artificial level of competition. I think you’re still going to see, the good guys are going to go out and win, compete for wins. And that’s kind of the way we wanted it to be and that’s probably the way it should be.

“We want to have entertainment but we want to keep the competition in it as well.”

MORE: Scenes from the Las Vegas test

Posted on by Zack Albert

Jeff Gordon always did make a connection with the fans. Plenty of people were drawn to his brightly colored No. 24 racer, his Madison Avenue charm and his clear-cut talent for driving a car at speed.

Gordon took the time to connect with the fans one more time in his sentimental speech Friday night as he joined the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s multi-faceted Class of 2019. His long list of people to thank included family, car owners and all of his crew chiefs, but he reserved a segment of his time — as he usually did at the race track — for the fans.

RELATED: Hall of Fame induction scenes

“I thought it was very important, and I love that they invite the fans to this event,” Gordon said after his 10-minute address. “I didn’t hear enough of them throughout the night and I wanted to hear from them. I knew I was going to acknowledge them, but I wanted to interact with them a bit. It was great to hear that reception from them.”

The cheers, and Gordon’s heart-tugging reception, put a fitting bow on a night where the 10th class of inductees joined together in a celebration of stock-car racing history and their part in it. Davey Allison and Alan Kulwicki, two drivers whose careers were tragically curtailed in their prime, joined two dominating team owners in Roger Penske and Jack Roush, plus Gordon — a figure whose career transcended racing and turned him into a national household name.

For the first time in the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s existence, the group of five all competed against each other, albeit for a brief, overlapping window that spanned the 1992 season finale and the first five events of the ’93 NASCAR season. That cherished season-ender at Atlanta Motor Speedway in ’92 served as connective tissue for several Hall of Fame ties, crowning an unlikely champion in Kulwicki over Allison, bringing Gordon onto NASCAR’s big stage for his debut and bidding farewell to Richard Petty in his final race.

The enshrinement of Roush and Penske brought together a wide-ranging array of motorsports figures to fete their team owners. Among those celebrating Roush’s induction and his career as an innovator and master wrench were Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth — enough driving savvy to reprise a power-packed roster from the organization’s heyday.

“I’m trying to remember a night that’s been as emotional as tonight,” Roush said. “… It was a history lesson as well as a chance to renew old friendships.”

Penske’s recognition reunited a who’s who of his drivers past and present, with reigning Monster Energy Series champ Joey Logano in a group with reigning Indy 500 champ Will Power. Those current stars mixed with the famous names of Rick Mears, Helio Castroneves and Juan Pablo Montoya, all tied to the legendary owner and businessman primarily known as “The Captain,” but also nicknamed — as his son Greg revealed at his induction — by his grandchildren as “Mr. Fun.”

Neither owner plans on quitting anytime soon, both gearing up for the coming season with multi-car efforts in NASCAR’s top series. And neither legend whose lives were cut short in the 1990s will be forgotten. Neither will Gordon, as his enduring bond with the Rainbow Warrior faithful continues.

Early on in his NASCAR career, Gordon said he learned lessons from his friendly rival Dale Earnhardt in building those relationships with the fans in the stands. Winning races started to sway the support to his side. His engaging manner sealed the deal.

“A fan base like that gets you to experience a little bit of what it’s like to be a rock star,” Gordon said.

Gordon’s fans responded Friday night, offering a power-ballad salute befitting one of the sport’s rock virtuosos.

RELATED: Rick Hendrick welcomes Gordon to the Hall of Fame

Posted on by Reid Spencer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Three legendary drivers and two of stock car racing’s most influential owners were honored with well-deserved induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Friday night.

In one distinct way, the 10th Hall of Fame class is unique. Either as owners or drivers, all five members of the class competed against each other at some points in their careers.

Four-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon headlines a 2019 class that includes two drivers whose careers — and tragic loss of life — are inextricably intertwined. Alan Kulwicki, the last privateer to win a Cup championship, and Davey Allison, both played key roles in the 1992 title race, before both passed away the following year as the result of aviation accidents.

The Hall also welcomed reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion owner Roger Penske, as well as Jack Roush, whose drivers won back-to-back Cup titles in 2003 (the last year of the season-long scoring system) and 2004 (the first year of the postseason Playoffs).

After an introduction from fellow California Cup driver Kyle Larson, team owner Rick Hendrick, along with Gordon’s son Leo and daughter Ella, presented the final induction honors of the night for the newly inducted Hall of Famer, who won 93 Cup races, third most all-time.

MORE: Hendrick welcomes Gordon to Hall | Gordon on ring: ‘Dang, that’s cool!’

“What a special evening,” Gordon said. “So honored to be here surrounded by friends, family, fans and many people that have worked very hard behind the scenes for me over the years. Thank you!

“I was told I have about eight minutes to give my speech. I’m not exactly sure if it’s going to take six, 12 or what, but, honestly, no amount of time would be enough to thank everyone who helped me get here to this stage tonight.”

Gordon then proceeded to thank those who played key parts in his storied career, from Hendrick to three-time champion crew chief Ray Evernham to stepfather John Bickford to his wife Ingrid and his children.

“Raising a family is similar to racing – some days you’re hanging in the back, hanging on tight, holding on and hoping a caution falls at any second,” Gordon said. “Other days you’re pulling into Victory Lane celebrating and proud as you can be.

“I’m so thankful and lucky to have the love of my life and two amazing kids by my side every morning when we start our engines and every night when the checkered flag waves.”

First to be inducted was team owner Roush, one of the foremost innovators in stock car racing. Roush fielded Fords for Cup champions Matt Kenseth (2003) and Kurt Busch (2004), winning the first title under NASCAR’s new 10-race Playoff format.

In a career that has encompassed four decades, Roush has accumulated 137 victories in each of the Cup and Xfinity Series while nurturing the career of fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, a 40-time winner in NASCAR’s premier series.

It was Martin who presented Roush with his Hall of Fame ring, after an introduction by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who won back-to-back NASCAR Xfinity Series titles under the Roush Fenway Racing banner in 2011 and 2012.

MORE: Roush drivers from past, present salute ‘Cat in the Hat’; more photos

“When I announced my plan to start a NASCAR Cup team in January 1988, few, if any, knowledgeable fans and even fewer Cup team personnel would have given me favorable odds of surviving for more than three decades, as I stand before you tonight,” Roush said in his induction speech.

“Were it not for Mark Martin’s ambitions and commitment, and the timely advice and support of Banjo Matthews, Bobby Allison, Glen and Leonard Wood and counselor John Cassidy, I would not have survived long enough to have earned even a footnote in any chronicles of the sport.”

A fiercely competitive and singularly driven late model racer from Wisconsin, Kulwicki followed Roush into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Winner of the 1992 title in the most closely contested championship race before the debut of the Playoff format, Kulwicki overcame a 278-point deficit in the final six races of the season to beat Bill Elliott and Allison for the championship trophy.

True to his calculating, mathematical approach to racing, Kulwicki won the title by leading 103 laps to 102 for Elliott, the race winner, in the final race of the season at Atlanta. The five-point bonus for leading the most laps propelled Kulwicki to the crown.

Kenseth introduced Kulwicki, and long-time NASCAR team owner Felix Sabates accepted induction on Kulwicki’s behalf. Crew chief Paul Andrews, car chief Tony Gibson and hauler driver Peter Jellen were called to the stage to assist in the induction, with Sabates cajoling them to walk backwards in recognition of Kulwicki’s trademark “Polish victory lap.”

MORE: Kulwicki’s career in photos

“It’s a real pleasure and honor for me to be here tonight,” Sabates ad-libbed. “Alan Kulwicki was like family to me — and this is probably the closest I’ll get to the Hall of Fame stage.”

The winner of 19 Cup races, Allison was leading the championship standings by 30 points over Kulwicki entering the final race of the 1992 season but contact from Ernie Irvan early in the race ended his title hopes.

Nevertheless, Allison leaves a legacy on special talent that includes a second-place finish to his father and NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison in the 1988 Daytona 500 and a subsequent victory in the Great American Race in 1992.

“Although he was tragically lost too young, this bedrock of the Alabama Gang left an everlasting legacy,” driver Regan Smith said in his introduction of Allison. “He always dreamed of beating his father Bobby to the finish line because to be the best, you had to beat the best.

“Today he joins him in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.”

Davey’s son, Robbie Allison performed the induction honors, assisted by Davey’s wife, Liz Allison, and daughter, Krista Allison-Sheinfeld.

MORE: Liz Allison: ‘We can stop pinching ourselves’

Penske numbers Cup championships in 2012 (with Brad Keselowski) and 2018 (with Joey Logano) among his myriad accomplishments in motorsports. In addition to his record 17 Indianapolis 500 victories– the most recent with driver Will Power last year — Penske has amassed 111 victories at NASCAR’s highest level and another 68 wins in the Xfinity Series to go with four owner’s championships.

Penske’s three Cup drivers — Logano, Keselowski and Ryan Blaney — provided the introduction and son Greg Penske completed the induction of his father, with Greg Penske noting that his father known to the family as “Mr. Fun.”

“I guess tonight I won’t be Mr. Fun—I’ll be the Captain,” Penske quipped in his acceptance speech, referring to his other, more well-known moniker.

MORE: All of Penske’s Cup wins

“Racing has been a part of my life almost as long as I can remember. It is the common thread that is woven throughout all of our Penske businesses. Racing is simply who we are.

“The lessons we learn in racing help drive our success in business, and the exposure provided from NASCAR is a source of pride that builds our brand and our entire organization.”

Former NASCAR vice president of corporate communications Jim Hunter was named recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

NASCAR vice-chairman Mike Helton noted that Hunter, who lost his battle against cancer in 2010, was “known for his wit and wisdom. He had a warm style, but he was direct, and he motivated everyone he touched to be better.”

At the NASCAR Hall of Fame dinner that preceded the induction ceremonies, long-time NASCAR writer, broadcaster and author Steve Waid was recognized with the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence.

Posted on by FOX Release

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – FOX Sports embarks on its 19th season of NASCAR coverage at Daytona Speedweeks in February with unparalleled expertise broadcasting the DAYTONA 500 in front of and behind the camera.

DAYTONA 500
Led by veteran play-by-play announcer Mike Joy, broadcasting his 40th DAYTONA 500 for live television or radio, the FOX NASCAR on-air team brings a collective 200 years of experience covering the “Great American Race.” Joining Joy in the FOX NASCAR booth is the Hall of Fame duo of three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Darrell Waltrip, broadcasting his 16th DAYTONA 500, and four-time champion and 2019 Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Gordon, covering his fourth in the FOX Sports booth. Gordon is a three-time DAYTONA 500 champion, and Waltrip won the 1989 running.

Longtime race analyst and two-time DAYTONA 500-winning crew chief Larry McReynolds, back with FOX for his 16th Daytona Speedweeks as a broadcaster, continues to partner with Joy, Waltrip and Gordon, delivering unmatched insight from the brand-new state-of-the-art, multi-purpose virtual studio set housed in the FOX Sports studios in Charlotte.

FOX Sports’ pit road reporting team of Matt Yocum (19th DAYTONA 500), Jamie Little (fifth), Vince Welch (fifth) and Regan Smith (second) are poised to deliver behind-the-scenes stories from pit road, as well as up-to-the-minute updates as the race unfolds.

By McReynolds’ side in the virtual studio for DAYTONA 500 coverage is new network coverage cost Shannon Spake, covering her 13th DAYTONA 500, and analysts Ricky Craven and Bobby Labonte. Spake broadens her skill set in 2019, hosting FOX NASCAR’s coverage of all Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series races. She also anchors NASCAR RACEDAY, FOX Sports’ prerace show for the Cup Series, and NASCAR RACEDAY-XFINITY, its prerace show for the Xfinity Series.

Also in the Charlotte virtual studio for the DAYTONA 500 are FOX NASCAR analysts Ricky Craven and Bobby Labonte. Spake and FOX NASCAR host Adam Alexander anchor DAYTONA 500 Qualifying and The Clash at Daytona studio shows with analysts Michael Waltrip and Smith.

RELATED: Craven joins FOX Sports’ NASCAR coverage

Longtime FOX NASCAR host Chris Myers helps shoulder the load for Daytona 500 prerace programming for the 17th time, as do Alexander and analyst Michael Waltrip (eighth).

FOX NASCAR lead race producer Barry Landis, coordinating producer Richie Zyontz and director Artie Kempner return for their 16th DAYTONA 500 and 19th NASCAR season with FOX.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES & “Drivers Only” Broadcast
The NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to FOX Sports for the fifth consecutive season, with Alexander again handling play-by-play duties alongside analyst Michael Waltrip and a rotation of prominent Monster Energy Series drivers to be announced in the near future. At Daytona, defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano calls the Xfinity season opener with Alexander and Waltrip.

Little, Yocum and Smith cover stories and updates on pit road. Additionally, FOX Sports brings back its “Drivers Only” NASCAR Xfinity Series broadcast, with a driver lineup to be announced in the near future. Pam Miller returns as lead race producer for all NASCAR Xfinity Series events on FOX Sports, with Kempner directing.

NASCAR GANDER OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES
FOX Sports offers exclusive coverage of the entire NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series season for the 18th consecutive year with Welch on the call alongside analysts Phil Parsons and Michael Waltrip. Hermie Sadler, Alan Cavanna and Jamie Howe deliver pit reports from Daytona.

Kaitlyn Vincie steps up with a move from pit road to the prerace anchor chair, hosting NASCAR RACEDAY-NGOTS prior to each NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race race, alongside Jeff Hammond and two-time series champion Todd Bodine.

FOX NASCAR race producer Mark Smith returns for his eighth Truck Series season in 2019, while director Roger Vincent is back for his 12th.

A final announcement regarding the full NASCAR RACE HUB and NASCAR RACE HUB: WEEKEND EDITION on-air team, including additional new hires, is forthcoming next week.

FOX NASCAR has won 18 Sports Emmy Awards since its inaugural year of coverage in 2001, including four for Outstanding Live Sports Series, seven for Live Event Audio/Sound and five for Live Technical Team Remote.

Posted on by Staff Report

Want to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. drive again?

Junior advises you to come to Darlington Raceway on Aug. 31.

Earnhardt Jr. mentioned on Twitter that he will drive in the Xfinity Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 at Darlington.

 

Last year, in Earnhardt Jr.’s first full season of retirement from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, he drove JR Motorsports’ Richmond Raceway entry in the Xfinity Series. He finished fourth.

RELATED: Buy tickets for Darlington | JR Motorsports shuffles car numbers