Posted on by Team Release

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Jan. 8, 2019) – Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announced today that Auto-Owners Insurance has signed a multi-year agreement to serve as a primary sponsor of Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 19 Toyota Camry in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Auto-Owners Insurance, one of the nation’s largest insurers writing more than five million policies, joins JGR after a successful three-year partnership with Truex that has resulted in victories each season. Truex will pilot the No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry in eight races this season with the first coming at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 7.

RELATED: Bass Pro Shops continues partnership with Truex 

“Auto-Owners has been an incredible partner for a long time,” said Truex. “It means a lot to me for them to join us in the move to Joe Gibbs Racing this year. Auto-Owners has been very supportive as both a sponsor of our racing program and also the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation. We’ve had great success the past few years and we’re looking forward to continuing that this season as well.”

Auto-Owners is based in Lansing, Mich. and offers multiple lines of insurance, including life, home, auto and business to customers in 26 states. In addition to supporting Truex on the track, the company has also become a key partner supporting the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation through multiple initiatives such as “Ride With Martin,” a fundraising program started by Auto-Owners that allows company associates to have their names placed on the hood of Truex’s race car in exchange for a donation to the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation.

“To us, Martin is more than just an awesome driver and spokesperson for Auto-Owners, he has truly become a dear friend to our team,” said Mary Pierce, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Auto-Owners Insurance. “We are excited to have the opportunity to continue our partnership with Martin and look forward to working with Joe Gibbs Racing and the No. 19 team as we root Martin on to another championship.”

Posted on by Zack Albert

Brad Keselowski will have a new spotter in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series next season as Coleman Pressley will join the No. 2 Ford team.

The personnel move was first revealed Friday in a newsletter to Keselowski’s fans and confirmed by a Team Penske representative Monday. Pressley replaces Keselowski’s longtime spotter Joey Meier, who announced last November that his tenure atop the spotter’s stand had ended after the 2018 season.

RELATED: On the move in 2019

Pressley served as the spotter for the JTG Daugherty Racing No. 47 team and driver AJ Allmendinger last season. The 30-year-old North Carolina native is the son of former Monster Energy Series driver Robert Pressley.

The younger Pressley has 12 Xfinity Series starts as a driver to his credit and was the 2010 champion of the former UARA-Stars Late Model Series. His most recent NASCAR competition behind the wheel was nine races in the K&N Pro Series East from 2011-13.

Meier was instrumental as a guiding voice from the spotters’ stand for several of Keselowski’s biggest triumphs, especially at superspeedways. He first became Keselowski’s spotter in 2006.

Posted on by NASCAR.com

Name: Jennifer
Current City: Lake Worth, Florida
Member since: 2015

Getting to know Jennifer

​Q. How did you first become interested in NASCAR? 

“I grew up with NASCAR on the TV every Sunday.  My dad and me would go to races at Daytona together and I have great memories of that.”

What is your favorite part of NASCAR? 

“That’s tough to answer, I love lots of things about it! I love that’s it’s a family sport, something I grew up attending with my parents and now we can share it with our son.  I think my favorite thing would be seeing the good that the drivers do off the track.  So many have amazing foundations and charities and is a really cool thing!”

Who are your favorite drivers? 

“Ryan Reed, because he’s a Type 1 like my son and they’d get along great! Joey Logano, I admire everything he does with his foundation and letting kids be part of the crew.”

Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?

Place to watch a race: “I like to be close to pits, you can see and hear more of the action!”

Sponsor: “Lilly Diabetes; my son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2012, just a day after we took him to his first Cup race.  I was thrilled to find out about Ryan’s Reed shortly after and then am excited Lilly is doing this as it helps with awareness!”

Race-day tradition: “We love to see how many drivers we can meet and get autographs from.  My son has had some great success and it puts a huge smile on his face every time!”

​FROM ALL OF US AT NASCAR, WE THANK JENNIFER FOR HER CONTINUED SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM HER IN 2019!

Look for Jennifer on the Official NASCAR Fan Council page on NASCAR.COM.

Posted on by @KESELOWSKI

The 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs field was comprised of a variety of drivers; from former recent champions like Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch to rising stars like Chase Elliott and Erik Jones. It even had some resurgent names such as Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola.

There were also a few notable names that didn’t make the cut in 2018 — but those drivers could be primed to break through for a championship run in 2019. NASCAR.com’s Jessica Ruffin and Pat DeCola break down which driver who missed the playoffs last year is most likely to advance in 2019.

RELATED: Final 2018 NASCAR Playoffs standings

RUFFIN: After his first Busch Pole Award and runner-up finish at Pocono Raceway on July 29 that left him hovering around the top 16, Daniel Suarez looked poised to sneak into the NASCAR Playoffs with a breakthrough first win. While that didn’t pan out last year, the 2019 season could be monumental for the 27-year-old driver. He’s moving to pilot the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford this season, which means he’ll have a new team/organization — which was one of the most dominant in 2018 — and manufacturer come Daytona.

MORE: Suarez lands with SHR | See the new No. 41 driver through the years

Most importantly, he’ll inherit three new teammates — Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola — all of whom won and made the playoffs in 2018. Change is good for a driver like Suarez because he enjoys pressure and always desires to learn from his peers — remember the running joke about him calling Kyle Busch every week when he first arrived at Joe Gibbs Racing? I believe he’ll use the momentum from a fresh start, advice from his teammates and power from dominant SHR equipment to break into the NASCAR Playoffs in 2019.

DECOLA: You know, this might not wind up being much of a debate, because I totally agree with you — Daniel Suarez will make the playoffs, for many of the reasons you mentioned. But there’s no rule that only one driver who missed last year’s postseason will make it in 2019. That’s right; I’m saying that two drivers who fell out of contention at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after Race 26 last year will make the playoffs field in 2019.

The other is William Byron.

Looking at the Sunoco Rookie of the Year’s 2018 stats, a 23rd-place standings finish and just four top 10s don’t exactly scream “breakout,” but dig a little deeper. It was his first Monster Energy Series season — at the ripe age of 20 — and it happened to coincide with the biggest dip in performance that Hendrick Motorsports as a whole has seen since at least the turn of the century (if not ever). Chevrolet also introduced a new car last year in the Camaro ZL1 that appeared to have a significant learning curve as teams with Chevy backing all needed some time to find the speed necessary to win. This is all to say that Byron, HMS and Chevy will likely have some of these issues ironed out for ’19, which will only help to clear a path to sustained performance for the talented sophomore.

Oh, and then there’s that other thing — his crew chief is now seven-time championship winner Chad Knaus, who never missed the playoffs with Jimmie Johnson. We don’t know yet just how Knaus’ veteran presence will impact Byron positively, we just know it will. At least one race win — and the playoff bid that comes along with it — appears to be in the cards for Byron in 2019, and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see him battling with Suarez come playoff time.

MORE: Knaus to serve as crew chief for Byron, No. 24 in 2019

Posted on by IMSA Wire Service

Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, there was another – albeit unofficial – track record. In the 15-minute IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Daytona Prototype international (DPi) qualifying session for Rolex 24 At Daytona garage and pit selections, Oliver Jarvis drove the No. 77 Mazda Team Joest Mazda RT24-P to a lap of one minute, 33.398 seconds (137.212 mph).

 

Jarvis’ lap was more than half a second quicker than the 26-year-old track record of 1:33.875 (136.521 mph) set by PJ Jones in the No. 98 Toyota Eagle MKIII. If he – or anybody else – does it again or goes even quicker in Rolex 24 qualifying on Thursday, Jan. 24, they’ll go into the record books officially. Get your tickets now.

 

“The car was an absolute joy to drive,” Jarvis said. “We ran it full qualy spec. I don’t think many of our competitors can say the same, but in that low-fuel configuration, it felt incredible. You could really push the car to the limits and it’s what us drivers live for, that feeling of getting everything out of the car.”

 

In LMP2 qualifying, Gabriel Aubry posted the fastest time in the No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA at 1:35.930 (133.591 mph). The Roar was Aubry’s first exposure to the high banks of Daytona International Speedway and this weekend was just the Frenchman’s second visit to the United States.

 

Magnussen, Corvette take advantage of perfect tow to qualify first in GTLM at the Roar

For the second consecutive WeatherTech Championship GT Le Mans (GTLM) class qualifying session, Jan Magnussen led the way. The now two-time and defending GTLM co-champion led the 15-minute session with a best lap of 1:42.651 (124.844 mph) in the No. 3 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R.

 

The Danish racer remarked, after Sunday’s session to set garage and pit selections for Rolex 24 race week, that the Corvette team employed the same strategy it used to put Magnussen and the No. 3 Corvette on the pole for the 2018 Rolex 24 At Daytona. Today’s lap was one tenth of a second quicker than Magnussen’s pole-winning time of 1:42.779.

 

“We did exactly the same as we did last year where we agreed who was going to tow who,” Magnussen explained. “It was me again like in race qualifying last year. That gave us a good top-speed advantage in that session. Olly (Gavin) did a fantastic job placing himself at the right distance out of Turn 6 [in the No. 4 Corvette] so I could take full advantage of the tow down to the Bus Stop and then go by him at start/finish to get the fastest lap.

 

“We did the exact same thing at the Roar and the race last year, so I don’t really know why everyone else isn’t doing the exact same thing. But it seems we’re the only one doing it at the moment, and it’s working out really well for us.”

 

Billy Johnson enjoying return IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge paddock

IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge 2016 Grand Sport (GS) class champion Billy Johnson was back to the series paddock this weekend with Multimatic Motorsports’ No. 22 Ford Mustang GT4. After a two-year hiatus, his return was prompted by the change in his FIA driver rating from Platinum to Gold, as Platinum-rated drivers are not eligible to compete in the support series.

 

“It’s great to be back,” said Johnson. “I’ve always followed the racing here in the now Michelin Pilot Challenge. The racing has always been great, a lot of fun, a lot of great drivers and teams. I’ve kind of built my career in this series, so it’s meant a lot to me going from the ST class up to the GS class and then winning the championship in 2016. This platform has given me many opportunities in NASCAR and prototypes and to race the Ford GT at Le Mans. I feel like I’m coming home back here at Daytona in the GS GT4 class cars.”

 

While he assisted in developing the Ford Mustang GT4, Johnson has yet to compete in the car, which he’ll race full-time in the 2019 British GT Championship. However, in the four-hour BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona on Friday, Jan. 25, he’ll share the steering wheel with two drivers from Ford’s Driver Development Program, Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe. Ty Majeski and Cole Custer, also part of the program, will race in the No. 15 Ford Mustang GT4 with Scott Maxwell.

 

“I’ve worked with all four of those guys in many different capacities to help them on road courses,” said Johnson. “In NASCAR, I’ve spotted for them and coached them, so it’s great to be in a car with them competing. They’re all very talented, great drivers and it’s just a lot of fun to be here.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Young’s Motorsports announced Monday that Spencer Boyd will drive the team’s No. 20 Chevrolet full-time in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series this season.

The organization released the news in conjunction with Boyd’s announcement on social media, showing him touring the organization’s Mooresville, North Carolina, shop.

MORE: On the move for 2019

Boyd, 23, competed full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series last year in team owner Bobby Dotter’s No. 76 Chevrolet. The Missouri native has six career Truck Series starts, most recently entering three races on the 2017 slate.

“This is an amazing opportunity for me with a team that is committed to running up front,” Boyd said in a release provided by the organization. “I learned a ton in my first full-time season in the Xfinity Series last year and the Youngs have given me the opportunity to build on that this year. For me and my career, it’s about continuing to gain experience and performing better, so that’s what we’re going to do in 2019.”

The organization indicated that Andrew Abbott would return as crew chief of the No. 20 Chevrolet. Young’s Motorsports expanded to two full-time NGOTS teams last season with Austin Hill as full-time driver of the No. 02 and a total of 10 drivers sharing the No. 20 seat.

NASCAR Next prospect Tanner Thorson drove the No. 20 in 10 races, with Tate Fogleman (three races), Max Tullman (two races) and Austin Dillon, Michel Disdier, Daniel Hemric, Scott Lagasse Jr., Bubba Wallace, Reid Wilson and Tyler Young (one race each) rounding out the 2018 roster.

Young’s indicated that more announcements for the organization’s 2019 partnerships were still to come.

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — A clean slate and second big-time opportunity lies ahead for Daniel Suarez heading into his third full-time season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Following four years with Joe Gibbs Racing — a relationship that saw him win a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and make a rapid move to the Monster Energy Series after Carl Edwards’ retirement — Suarez will face the task of learning a new organization, team and manufacturer with Stewart-Haas Racing. The team announced Monday that Suarez will drive the No. 41 this year.

Known for its old-school racing culture, SHR is a whole new world to learn before the 27-year-old driver even turns a lap in the new No. 41 Ford Mustang.

RELATED: Suarez through the years

But Suarez feels his racing background aligns with that of team owner Tony Stewart and new teammates Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick, all of whom have reputations for being hard-nosed racers.

“That’s something I really like because the way I have become a race car driver was from hard work and working with old cars,” Suarez told NASCAR.com. ” … I got into this sport with my father, he was my mechanic and I was the driver and we were working together, and we didn’t have the budget or the money to buy an organization to help us. I feel like that’s something that fits very good with the background of Kevin, Tony and these guys.”

Despite the new elements with his move, Suarez said he already feels accepted at Stewart-Haas Racing.

“Honestly, it’s only been a couple months of being in close contact with everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing, but I really feel like home already,” Suarez said. “These guys have made me feel like I’m at home.”

RELATED: Other drivers on move

From cycling with Almirola to asking Harvick for advice during his Xfinity days, Suarez earned the respect of his new teammates before the move was even made official — which will make the transition into a new ride even more seamless.

“When you do that, share something other than racing, you talk about many different things,” Suarez said. “Clint, every time I get to talk to him, it’s always about something funny. I feel like it’s gonna be great. I feel like I have a funny personality as well. So, I’m really looking forward to having fun with those guys, racing up front and helping each other.”

Suarez feels he and Stewart have more commonalities than one might think. Both were bred under Joe Gibbs’ leadership style at the beginning of their careers. Suarez also feels he shares a similar personality trait with Stewart, which has potential to cultivate into a powerful driver-owner relationship for years to come.

“You know, something I really like about Tony is that he’s a very straight-forward guy and what you see is what you get,” Suarez said. “I’m like that as well. So I feel like, to have the support of someone like him, I know he won’t hesitate to say anything to me and I know it’s to be a better race car driver and better person.”

MORE: Key players in Silly Season

Said Stewart, offering his endorsement in a statement provided by the team: “In each series Daniel has raced in, he’s advanced quickly from rookie to race winner. In four years, he went from the K&N Series to the NASCAR Cup Series. In between, he won an Xfinity Series championship, and he did it all while learning a new language and a new culture. He’s dedicated, he’s talented and we’re proud to have him as a key part of our race team.”

Posted on by Zack Albert

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — It’s been a little easier for Daniel Suarez to keep a secret this offseason, with winter vacations and trips back to his home country of Mexico providing a welcome distraction. Detaching from social media and keeping his distance from the NASCAR rumor mill have been an additional help.

The wraps came off one of the final pieces to the 2019 Monster Energy Series driver roster Monday with Stewart-Haas Racing announcing that Suarez would join the organization in the No. 41 Ford for 2019. The official news comes as a special gift to mark a personal milestone — Suarez’s 27th birthday.

“It’s been a really exciting time for me. It’s been a little bit hard as well,” Suarez said of his offseason state of limbo. “A lot of people ask me those questions and I’ve been trying to avoid those answers, but I’m very excited that finally the word is going to be out and I’m going to be able to be more relaxed and more comfortable without feeling like I’m hiding something.

“I’m just really excited to be a part of Stewart-Haas Racing, a great organization. So far, everybody here has been making me feel at home.”

RELATED: Suarez through the years

Suarez replaces Kurt Busch, who departed in December for Chip Ganassi Racing after five years with SHR. The third-year driver joins an experienced bunch that includes former champ Kevin Harvick and veterans Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola.

Crew chief Billy Scott will return to the No. 41 team, marking his fourth season atop the pit box for the organization. Sponsorship will be shared by returning backer Haas Automation and by Arris, a telecommunications equipment company that also supported Suarez in his first two seasons in NASCAR’s top division.

The move also places Suarez firmly in the Ford camp after a long-running association with Toyota, which nurtured his development as he climbed the stock-car ladder. Suarez’s growth included a place in the NASCAR Next youth initiative, the 2016 Xfinity Series championship and an eventual spot as a Monster Energy Series regular, spending the last two seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 team.

RELATED: Other drivers on move

“It is different, for sure,” Suarez said of this year’s shift in manufacturer support. “If you look at it, I had a long career with Toyota, pretty much my entire career in NASCAR — not just in the U.S., but in Mexico. They were nothing but great to me. Great people, great company and I have nothing bad to say about them. They were nothing but great to me all the time, 100 percent. But you know, sometimes you have to make a change and things work out differently. … I made great friends over there, and we’re still friends. Now, I’m extremely excited to be part of the Ford family.”

Suarez missed the NASCAR Playoffs the last two seasons, and though his average finish and other stats dipped in 2018, he improved his output in other areas with three top-five finishes and his first Busch Pole Award.

His new scenario places him with a team that’s fresh from a dominant campaign where all four of its drivers visited Victory Lane at least once last season, a performance bar that raises the expectations for the organization’s newest member.

“There is pressure for sure, but I like that,” Suarez said. “That’s where I live. If I wasn’t good under pressure, I don’t feel like I would be a race car driver. I just love that and I know that I’m going (with) if not the best, one of the best teams right now and I’m really looking forward to that challenge. I feel like the 41 group is extremely good. Billy and the rest of the guys, they’ve been nothing but great to me so far. They have made me feel at home in just these weeks of working together, so really looking forward to working with these guys, to learn from them and to put the 41 Ford Mustang racing up front.”

MORE: Key players in Silly Season

Suarez says he’s made efforts to get better acquainted with his new group, meeting Scott and the rest of the No. 41 crew for lunch last week and finding his way around the new shop. He anticipates chemistry to build quickly with Scott, whose technical know-how and calming demeanor helped to guide Danica Patrick (2016-17) and Busch (2018) in recent years.

Scott’s first trip to Victory Lane came last year at Bristol Motor Speedway’s annual night race with Busch, who also rocketed to a series-best five pole positions last season. Now he’ll work to forge a bond with Suarez, who says he won’t be bashful when it comes to learning the ropes in his new digs.

“I’m never shy to ask anything and I’m not a quiet guy, either, and I feel like he’s the same,” Suarez says. “The communication is going to be good back and forth. He’s a very good crew chief. He has shown that in the last couple of years. I’m really looking forward to learning from him and the rest of the group and to work hard to put the 41 car up front and hopefully put the car contending for victories, playoffs and who know what else. I feel like we’re going to start setting our goals as we go, but for sure, the expectations at least on my side, they’re high.”

The career transition also places Suarez behind the wheel of Ford’s new model for the 2019 Monster Energy Series — the Mustang. The model replaces the venerable Fusion, which won 19 of 36 races in its farewell season.

The Mustang’s graduation to the premier series level has been reason for anticipation within the Ford ranks as the circuit inches toward the Daytona 500 next month. But it’s also a motivating factor for Suarez, whose passion for classic cars has been well documented.

“I’m a car guy, so I’m extremely excited to drive a Ford Mustang,” Suarez said. “My dad’s first car actually was a Ford Mustang and I feel like it’s now a good excuse for myself to build one.”

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

THURSDAY, Jan. 10
On MRN
1 p.m.: Throwback Thursday: 1972 Miller High Life 500 from Ontario Motor Speedway

SATURDAY, Jan. 12
1 p.m.: Beyond the Wheel, FS2 (re-air)
2 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Features: Part 1, FS2 (re-air)
3 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive, FS2 (re-air)
4 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub: Season Recap, FS2 (re-air)

Posted on by Staff Report

Speeds continued to climb on the second day of the Roar Before the Rolex 24 At Daytona under Chamber of Commerce weather conditions in front of a huge crowd at Daytona International Speedway.

Jonathan Bomarito ended Saturday atop the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship time charts by the slimmest of margins, posting a best lap of 1 minute, 34.533 seconds in the No. 55 Mazda Team Joest RT24-P Daytona Prototype international (DPi). Bomarito’s time, which came under the bright lights of the 3.56-mile circuit Saturday night, was just one-thousandth of a second quicker than Renger van der Zande’s lap of 1:34.534 in the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R from the afternoon session.

Both laps were well under the current WeatherTech Championship track record of 1:36.083 set last year in Rolex 24 qualifying by van der Zande.

MORE: IMSA action begins at Daytona

Nicolas Lapierre owns the fastest LMP2 lap of the Roar so far with a 1:36.553 in the No. 81 Dragonspeed ORECA. Richard Westbrook is the fastest in GT Le Mans (GTLM) with a lap of 1:43.148 in the No. 67 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT and Trent Hindman tops GT Daytona (GTD) in the No. 86 Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 at 1:45.533. All three laps took place in the Saturday afternoon session.

Sunday’s activities at the Roar include two more WeatherTech Championship practice sessions, as well as pit lane and garage qualifying for the DPi, LMP2 and GTLM classes. There also will be two IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge practice sessions.

–  The all-female No. 57 Meyer-Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 team will have prime real estate to work with on Rolex 24 At Daytona weekend after Bia Figureido was the fastest qualifier in Saturday’s WeatherTech Championship qualifying session for GT Daytona (GTD) pit and garage allocations. Figureido, who was known as Ana Beatriz to U.S. fans when she raced IndyCar from 2010-13, posted a fastest time of 1:45.537 (121.430 mph).

She and the No. 57 car were second on the time charts at the end of the 15-minute session, but the session-leading No. 71 entry had all of its times disallowed as the Gold-rated Dominik Baumann drove the car during the session. IMSA rules require Silver- or Bronze-rated drivers only to participate in all GTD and LM2 qualifying sessions.

“I thought I was P2, but then with the disqualification, this is a very good position,” said Figureido, who will share the car in the Rolex 24 with Katherine Legge, Christina Nielsen and Simona De Silvestro. “It shows that we’re really competitive, so I’m really happy for everybody with our car.”

–   Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2004 champion Kurt Busch was an interested visitor to the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing pits at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday. Busch, who is joining Ganassi’s NASCAR Cup Series team in 2019, has raced twice in the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

He drove a Ford Multimatic Daytona Prototype along with fellow NASCAR drivers Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle and sports car ace Scott Maxwell in 2006, then drove a Pontiac Riley DP for Penske-Taylor Racing in the 2008 race, finishing third alongside co-drivers Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves.

“It’s been like a decade since I ran a prototype,” Busch said. “I live just down the road in Wellington, Florida, during the offseason. I saw a practice on the schedule, I love seeing cars, tires and burning fuel, so I’m here checking it out with the Ganassi team.”