After seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso swapped rides at Bahrain International Circuit on Monday, Kasey Kahne offered an idea of his own while responding to a question posted by SiriusXM NASCAR Radio host Pete Pistone.
Kahne owns a World of Outlaws sprint car team and said he wants to give Johnson and fellow Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott a chance to climb into the seat.
Chip Ganassi Racing No. 1 team crew chief Matt McCall traded in the pit box for a late model on Sunday night, winning the Late Model Stock Cars Thanksgiving Classic at Southern National Motorsports Park.
After getting caught up in a multi-car incident toward the midway point of the 200-lap event, McCall worked his way up from the rear of the field, passing Deac McCaskill with three laps to go to take the victory in the 18th annual event at the Lucama, North Carolina, track.
“Win, win, win, win, that’s the mentality,” McCall said after the race, according to a Short Track Scene report. “It doesn’t matter if I only race once a year, I’m still coming to win. That was the whole objective. It’s fun, especially when you don’t get to race much and I’m trying to keep a streak of winning a race a year for a long time so that’s really when I show back up one time, try to keep that streak going because it’s my only opportunity to do that.”
The win was McCall’s second consecutive Thanksgiving Classic triumph. McCall is a veteran in the Late Model Stock Car ranks, working his way up to compete in a handful of NASCAR Xfinity Series, Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series events from 2003 through 2013. McCall became a full-time crew chief in 2015.
McCall has served as Jamie McMurray’s crew chief for the past four seasons, but the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway was reportedly the pairing’s final race together as the Associated Press reported in September that McMurray would not return to the seat in 2019. As the future for McMurray and the vacant No. 1 car seat remains unknown, Ganassi did tell the AP in September that McMurray has been offered an administrative role at CGR, as well as a contract to drive in the 2019 Daytona 500.
Jimmie Johnson and Fernando Alonso participated in a motorsports cultural exchange Monday, swapping rides at Bahrain International Circuit.
Johnson, a seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, got behind the wheel of Alonso’s McLaren for his first drive of a Formula 1 car. Alonso, a two-time champ on the grand prix circuit, piloted Johnson’s No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on the 3.363-mile course.
Johnson turned 28 laps in Alonso’s McLaren, reporting through social media his amazement with the responsiveness and G-forces produced by Formula 1 cars. Both drivers’ names were represented on each car.
The braking point is so late in @F1, it’s insane. The G Forces from hitting the brakes so hard actually make your eyes lose focus and vision go blurry :flushed: Unreal feeling #JJxALO
Johnson and his family attended the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend as guests of Alonso and the McLaren team. He watched Alonso finish 11th in his final Formula 1 event as he retired from full-time driving after 17 years in the sport. Reigning F1 champ Lewis Hamilton won the race.
Johnson drove a 2013 F1 model from McLaren, which attached a makeshift windscreen to help the airflow around Johnson’s helmet after a test run.
“I got my helmet more under control, and then it was really my eyes trying to find their way far enough ahead and far enough around the turns,” Johnson told ESPN. “At the end, I really quit focusing on the braking markers themselves and was able to look at the apex and had an idea of when to hit the brakes and was putting together some good laps. It was fun.”
“It was impressive,” Alonso told ESPN of Johnson’s effort. “I think he was really gaining time every run he was doing, and sometimes you put new tyres on these cars for the very first time and you are not able to extract the grip because you miss a little bit the braking point here and there, or maybe you don’t maximize the grip available. But he was able to guess this extra grip that the new tires is giving to you and extract that grip into lap time, so I was very impressed with that.”
Johnson said earlier this month that the idea for an international ride swap emerged after the two champions met at NASCAR Media Day in the offseason. Alonso was in Charlotte, North Carolina, for media opportunities on his way to IMSA’s Rolex 24 endurance race at Daytona. Their conversation there set the wheels in motion for Monday’s exchange.
Tuesday, November 27
4 p.m., Glory Road: David Pearson and the 1968 Rebel 400, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (re-air)
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
On MRN
7 p.m.: NASCAR Live (with host Mike Bagley)
Wednesday, November 28
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
Thursday, November 29
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Features — Part 2, FS1
8 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
9 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Award Show, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
11 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Award Show, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (re-air)
On MRN
1 p.m.: Throwback Thursday — 1974 Old Dominion 500
7 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Award Show coverage
Friday, November 30
1 a.m., NASCAR The Decades: The 1990s, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (re-air)
1:30 a.m., NASCAR The Decades: The 1990s, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (re-air)
2 a.m., NASCAR The Decades: The 1980s, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (re-air)
Chase Briscoe had a memorable Thanksgiving weekend, as the NASCAR driver got engaged to girlfriend Marissa Cooper.
Well two big things happen today, I am now a proud dog dad to Ricky B and more importantly asked my best friend to marry me! It’s been a good day. pic.twitter.com/TQBMGbEahs
Briscoe had an eventful 2018 season, making 17 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and one start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He was one of three drivers to pilot the No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford and he made a handful of starts in the No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagl-DenBeste Racing Ford — one of those was a win at the Charlotte road course. The 23-year-old won his lone Truck Series start of the season at Eldora in July.
The finality of crowning three champions in Miami is starting to settle, pumpkin pies are going in the oven and the weather is getting downright cold.
It’s Thanksgiving season, and we have plenty to be thankful for. Here’s our list for the editorial team members of NASCAR.com following a memorable 2018 season.
We are thankful for …
• The local and regional levels of NASCAR, including the weekend warriors who form the backbone of stock-car racing. Warm Saturday nights under the lights at Bowman Gray Stadium bring back all the nostalgic emotions. — Zack Albert
• The crew members in the garage. These men and women spend the majority of their year traveling around the country to different race tracks, dedicating their lives to racing and its betterment. Thank you for your hard work, perseverance and friendly attitudes — we couldn’t make it happen without all of you. — Jessica Ruffin
• Margin of victories that read “.000.” — Brad Norman
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
• The courage to try the Charlotte Roval in the playoffs. It was a risk to try something new like that, but it turned out to be one of the more interesting events of the season, and the finish was phenomenal. — George Winkler
• That the 2019 Daytona 500 is less than 90 days away! — Chase Wilhelm
• The energy, excitement, enthusiasm and passion Dale Earnhardt Jr. shares for the sport in the NBC booth and on his own platforms. His insight and knowledge add so much to telecasts, and it’s great to still have him involved in a big way as a commentator and Xfinity Series team owner. — RJ Kraft
• Teams, tracks and those at the NASCAR R&D Center for their consistent pursuit of safety advances. It’s a moving target, but one that remains a primary focus. — Zack Albert
• NASCAR Fantasy Live. The new fantasy game on NASCAR.com was a blast to play and provided plenty of online interaction with NASCAR fans. On a personal note, the joy of beating contributor (and friend to NASCAR.com) Steve Letarte in both leagues was an added — and fun — bonus. — RJ Kraft
• The NASCAR family. From top to bottom, from drivers to fans to employees, this sport has felt like a collective family since I walked in the door. That’s not something to be overlooked, but instead something I’ll be thinking about during my second, fourth and fifth helpings of Thanksgiving stuffing. – Pat DeCola
• Kyle Larson running the high line. It takes courage, instincts … and guts. Sounds like the very foundation of NASCAR itself. — Brad Norman
• Being able to witness the dynasty of Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus in my lifetime. Seven championships (including five consecutive) and 81 race victories — achievements that will be nearly impossible for another driver/crew chief pairing to reach anytime soon, if ever. I can’t wait to see how a fresh start plays out for both of them next year. — Chase Wilhelm
• NASCAR’s rising stars. They challenge the veterans, take chances on the race track and, perhaps best of all, bring new groups of people to love racing. I can’t wait to see more young drivers build a name for themselves in 2019. — Jessica Ruffin
Even though the NASCAR off-season is still just hours old, you can’t take the racer out of Bubba Wallace, who streamed two hours of iRacing on Monday night. The now-no-longer-Cup-rookie raced everything from super late models to Formula 1 cars, including Camping World Truck Series-style trucks at Martinsville — a combination in which he’s won twice in the real thing.
And, in fact, Amanda posted a faster time than Wallace at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Somebody get her a developmental driving deal.
Bell Prepares for Miami
Noted iRacer Christopher Bell turned some laps at Homestead-Miami Speedway in iRacing ahead of Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series finale, where he raced for the series championship.
Got a big weekend coming up.. time to turn some laps on @iRacing to get all prepped up for @HomesteadMiami 🏁
Unfortunately for Bell, his hopes of a title ended prematurely after tire damage sent his Toyota down pit road late in the race — but he looked like a true contender before the bad luck.
Major(s) Milestone
TJ Majors, who became a NASCAR spotter after teaming up with Dale Earnhardt Jr. while sim racing, happens to be the voice iRacers hear in their speakers when running virtual races. Yes, he’s a spotter in iRacing as well as in real life.
Majors, who frequents iRacing, earned a special designation Sunday: NASCAR champion spotter. In his first season working with Joey Logano following Dale Jr.’s retirement, Majors called Logano to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
So, iRacers, rest assured knowing the voice guiding your car around iRacing is that of a champion spotter.
Phelps Talks iRacing
NASCAR President Steve Phelps sat down with NASCAR.com’s Jonathan Merryman to talk eSports and its role in the future of NASCAR.
NASCAR PEAK ANTIFREEZE iRACING SERIES UPDATE
2018 NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series champion Ray Alfalla received his fourth championship trophy at Homestead-Miami Speedway during Ford Championship Weekend. Let’s hope he still has room in his trophy case.
And, hey, Clint Bowyer showed up!
.@rayalfalla was honored on stage at Homestead over the weekend for winning the 2018 #NPAiS Championship.
Kevin Harvick’s sponsor Busch Beer was so confident Harvick and his Stewart-Haas Racing team would win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Sunday, they made a bet: if Harvick didn’t get the job done, Busch would see to it that this “v lit” Millennial-oriented paint scheme would become reality for a race during the 2019 season.
Old guys will rule again at Homestead. In fact, Busch is so confident that Harvick will win that if he doesn’t, we’ll give millennials the v lit paint scheme they always wanted in a race next year. Don’t @ us. pic.twitter.com/uZ63oc8wa2
The best part of all? Busch’s paint scheme concept has made its way into iRacing, thanks to painter Jarrett Liebert. Yes, now you can turn virtual laps racing the “Millennial Machine” — maybe you’ll even make it to Bubba Wallace’s Twitch stream.
All season long, Joey Logano heard non-stop talk of the Big 3 — that triumvirate of Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. that dominated the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and won a combined 20 races.
Two days after capturing his first Monster Energy Series title as the only outsider among the Championship 4, Logano declared there is a new Big 3 in NASCAR.
The No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing team was hit with a safety infraction for not having a lug nut properly installed in post-race inspection for the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, NASCAR announced Monday.
Crew chief John Klausmeier was fined $10,000.
Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10, finished ninth in the championship race.
Mobil 1 motor oil and lubricants improve performance. On and off the track.
Fully dedicated to the pursuit of automotive and racing excellence, the Mobil 1 brand is granting a team the Mobil 1 Performance Award for each race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season for the most positions gained during a race. The gains can come via passes on the track: the high side, the low side or splitting the middle in 3-wide racing.
The tested and proven on-track results of Mobil 1 products help improve the efficiency of cars with lower friction engine and gear oils to reach top speed quickly at lower engine temperatures, maximizing fuel mileage and horsepower, all of which give drivers the tools to make the passes that thrill fans and earn trophies.
Gains can also come in the pits, where five athletes go over the wall in an effort to quickly perform services and adjustments that make cars even better.
Restarts are great opportunities to gain positions, and Mobil 1 motor oil reduces rolling resistance, which contributes to increased acceleration on restarts and allows the car to reach top speed.
Positions lost do not detract from positions gained. And in the event of a tie during a race, the highest-finishing driver will win the Mobil 1 Performance Award.
At the end of the year, the team that gains the most spots over the season will earn the cumulative Mobil 1 Performance Award, which will be presented during the Champion’s Week festivities in Las Vegas. If a tie occurs in that facet of the contest, the team that ranks highest in Monster Energy Series Championship Points will win.
Keep up from Daytona to Homestead with the Mobil 1 Performance Award winner each week:
