Posted on by Team Release

DGR-Crosley announced today that Tyler Ankrum will drive the team’s No. 17 Toyota Tundra next season in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Due to age restrictions, Ankrum will miss the first three races of the season before turning 18 on March 6. He will make his 2019 debut at Martinsville Speedway and is slated to run the remainder of the season as a contender for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.

The 17-year-old San Bernardino, California, native made his Truck Series debut earlier this year with DGR-Crosley at Martinsville Speedway where he earned an 18th-place finish. Additionally, Ankrum raced at ISM Raceway in Phoenix, where he consistently ran inside the top five and scored a career-best sixth-place finish. In his two Truck Series starts, Ankrum completed every lap and averaged a 12th-place finish.

 In 2018, Ankrum competed full-time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East where he was crowned champion in his rookie season. He became only the sixth driver in the series history to win a Championship and Rookie of Year honors in the same year. During the 14-race season, Ankrum captured four wins, nine top-five and 12 top-10 finishes.

 RELATED: Ankrum knows history of K&N East champs

 “I’m really happy that Tyler is continuing his career with us at DGR-Crosley,” said team co-owner David Gilliland. “We started working with him when he was racing Late Model Stock cars a few years ago, and obviously he had a phenomenal season with us this year in the K&N East with four wins and a championship. It’s really special to watch him grow and develop as a driver. Tyler has proven that he knows how to win, and we’re excited to take the next step with him.”

 Ankrum, who has found a home in DGR-Crosley, is looking forward to continuing the relationship going forward.

 “Honestly, this is a dream come true,” said Ankrum. “It’s crazy to think that something I’ve been a fan of for so long, I’m now going to be a part of it. It’s even more special that I get to stay at DGR-Crosley and progress within their organization. Everyone on our team collaborates really well together, and there’s not a single person there that I don’t enjoy being around and learning from. Being surrounded by a group of people that I’m comfortable with will help in the transition and learning curve of moving up to the Truck Series. I’m really thankful for this opportunity, thankful to David for believing in me and especially grateful for all those that have supported me throughout my entire career.”

Ankrum and the No. 17 team will have two returning partners in Modern Meat Co. and May’s Brands. Additionally, Fred’s and Vivo will jump on board to sponsor Ankrum in select races throughout the 2019 season.

Posted on by Staff Report

Ford Performance made a grand introduction of its 2019 Mustang with a drifting-themed video of the car getting a workout at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano helped to put the specially equipped Mustang through its paces. Vaughn Gittin Jr. from the drifting realm joined in the video shoot, too.

RELATED: Scenes from the Ford Mustang introduction

The infield portion of the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course was a perfect setting for the first full look of next year’s car in the Monster Energy Series. Watch the full video below.

The Mustang has a long history in racing. Its first race was in 1964, when it was a surprise winner of the Tour de France Automobile, a 10-day, 4,000-mile suffer fest. The Mustang has also competed in SCCA, Trans-Am, IMSA, NHRA, Formula Drift and NASCAR Xfinity (since 2011). But it has never competed at NASCAR’s highest level. That will change next year when it debuts in the Daytona 500 on Feb. 17, 2019.

The Cup-level Mustang is the result of collaboration between NASCAR, Ford performance and design teams and NASCAR teams that field entries for the famed blue oval. Designers and engineers worked hard to create a car that will be both competitive and remain true to its heritage.

Posted on by Staff Report

A Daytona doubleheader looms again two months from now, and the drivers populating the second portion of the Feb. 10 on-track action — the 2019 Advance Auto Parts Clash preseason race — are now known.

Daytona and NASCAR officials announced Thursday the 20 eligible drivers for the annual event, and the manner in which they qualified. The Clash, a 75-lap race with a competition caution at Lap 25, is preceded by Busch Pole Award Qualifying for the 61st running of the Daytona 500.

“There’s no better way to start the season,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “The close, door-to-door action you see in the Advance Auto Parts Clash is a precursor to the intense competition you’ll see in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series throughout 2019.”

MORE: Buy tickets for Daytona

The Clash field is comprised of drivers who were 2018 Busch Pole Award winners, former Clash winners who competed full-time in 2018, former Daytona 500 winners who competed full-time in 2018, former Daytona 500 pole winners who competed full-time in 2018 and drivers who qualified for the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

“It’s a tremendous day of racing for our fans,” said Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile in a track release. “Having Daytona 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger followed by the Advance Auto Parts Clash makes for a sweet first Sunday of Speedweeks and will have fans fully tuned up for the 61st running of the ‘Great American Race’ on Feb. 17.”

Eligible drivers for The Clash are:

2018 Busch Pole Award Winners (13)

• Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Paul Menard, Daniel Suarez and Martin Truex Jr.

Former Daytona 500 Champions (2)

• Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman 

Former Daytona 500 Busch Pole Award Winners (2)

• Austin Dillon, Jimmie Johnson

2018 Playoff Drivers (3)

• Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer, Brad Keselowski

Posted on by RJ Kraft

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The sting of a disappointing fourth-place finish in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series standings still sticks with Johnny Sauter and is etched in his comments weeks after the end of the season.

“Honestly, it was the hardest couple of weeks I’ve had after a season like that,” Sauter said Saturday night at the Xfinity and Truck Series Awards at the Charlotte Convention Center. “I felt really good about what we were doing going there (Miami) and then to have it unfold like that, it was very, very tough.

“Week, two weeks after that … it just sucks. You have a season like that, you want to capitalize on it and we didn’t. All in all, it was a great year but without the championship, it kind of leaves a little void.”

The 2018 campaign was a career-best for the 2016 series champion. Sauter set career-high numbers in wins (six) and laps led (585). He also was the series’ Regular Season Champion. A dominating win in the Round of 6 opener at Martinsville locked him into the Championship 4.

From there though, Sauter had one top 10 in the season’s final three races and finished 12th — lowest among the Championship 4 in the season-ending, title-deciding Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

RELATED: Champions honored in Charlotte | See every Truck Series champion

“Statistically, it was a great year,” Sauter said. “The wins and all that — and again there are numerous guys that would love to have the opportunity to win six races, so I’m not going to hang our head on that.

“It’s one thing to get beat for a championship but I felt like we really struggled at Homestead and that’s the toughest part. It’s one thing like last year you go down and finish third. ‘Oh well, it wasn’t your night.’ This year, it was tough to have the season that we did and ultimately struggle like we did.”

Sauter will have a new teammate in Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender and 2018 ARCA Racing Series champion Sheldon Creed in 2019, with Justin Haley moving up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing. The organization also has a technical alliance with Halmar Friesen Racing and driver Stewart Friesen.

“I’ve been in position at GMS as kind of the old guy and I get to work with the rookies, so it’s cool,” Sauter said. “Sheldon (Creed) has shown speed early so I look for him to have a pretty good year obviously. Friesen is coming back and obviously he’s been with us for a year and half now, so it’s going to be fun.

“I feel like all three of us are capable guys and I look for us to be competing against each other for wins not only against the competition but amongst ourselves at GMS.”

Posted on by Brad Norman

Championship 4 driver Justin Haley was left with the bitter taste of unfinished business after finishing third in the final NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series standings in 2018, even amid three wins and 18 top-10 finishes.

Looking forward to 2019, Haley was glowing at the awards banquet in Charlotte, North Carolina. Haley will climb into the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro, the team announced Dec. 1.

“I really wasn’t looking at the time,” Haley said about his initial talks with Kaulig Racing. “But it’s really fallen into place and I’m really happy with Kaulig. I’m excited to be in another Chevrolet; it’s what I’ve done my whole life. Hopefully we can jump in where Ryan (Truex) left off and have a really good season.”

RELATED: Drivers on the move in 2019 | Awards red carpet photos 

Haley said he did have an offer from GMS Racing to move to the team’s No. 23 car in Xfinity after piloting the No. 24 Truck Series Chevrolet for two seasons, but the 19-year-old driver already had signed a multi-year Xfinity Series deal with Kaulig Racing and honored that. It was announced last week that John Hunter Nemechek will drive the No. 23 for GMS in the Xfinity ranks.

The 2018 season was Haley’s second full-time Truck Series season when his first win came at Gateway Motorsports Park in June. He added a second victory at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park to open the playoffs and his third came at Texas Motor Speedway during the playoffs.

Haley is excited about competing with a stout Xfinity rookie class in 2019 that includes Nemechek and fellow Championship 4 driver Noah Gragson, who is moving up with JR Motorsports. Haley says competing in Xfinity cars actually suits his driving style a little better.

“I have to unlearn some bad habits from trucks,” Haley said with a laugh. “They have such amazing grip that you can just kind of bully them and put them where you want.

“I ran really well in my ARCA days, and obviously they’re very similar to the Xfinity cars. The starts I had in the Xfinity Series this year went pretty well. I think I’m going to perform in that series a lot better and hopefully will progress better.”

Kaulig’s driver in 2018, Ryan Truex, scored one top five and 11 top 10s in the No. 11 Camaro in 2018. Kaulig Racing has yet to score its first victory in three years in the Xfinity Series; Blake Koch drove for the team for two years before Truex.

“They were a new team just two years ago,” Haley said, noting 2019 is a growth opportunity both for himself and Kaulig. “I like the direction they’re heading and there’s no reason we can’t win next season.”

Posted on by Staff Report

FOX Sports officials confirmed Wednesday that Jamie McMurray has joined its NASCAR broadcast team as an analyst for the 2019 season.

McMurray, 42, will make the transition to the studio for the network’s “NASCAR RaceDay” pre-race coverage and the “NASCAR Race Hub” midweek news show. The move was first reported by SportsBusiness Journal.

McMurray was replaced Dec. 4 as the driver of the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 1 Chevrolet. He has seven victories in 16-plus seasons competing in NASCAR’s top division, including a win in the 2010 Daytona 500.

Kurt Busch will pilot the No. 1 in 2019.

MORE: Silly Season breakdown  | Ganassi envisions new role in McMurray’s future

McMurray dabbled in broadcasting this fall with appearances on Race Hub in late October and early November. He also provided guest analysis in the booth for a pair of Xfinity Series events for FOX Sports the last two seasons.

Jamie Mcmurray Fox Sports 2 2
FOX Sports

“As my driving career got closer to the end, I thought about doing TV but wasn’t sure until I did a couple of NASCAR Race Hub shows at the end of this year,” McMurray said in a release provided by the network. “I really enjoyed it more than I expected. It’s a whole new world, but that’s what I am most excited about – the new challenge and discomfort that comes with doing something completely out of my element.”

In the news release, the network described the transition to broadcasting as McMurray’s “next full-time ride.” Still left to be determined is McMurray’s future role with team owner Chip Ganassi’s organization.

During a Dec. 4 teleconference, Ganassi indicated he hoped McMurray would remain with his team and that his plans would be firmed up in the coming weeks. According to a September report by The Associated Press, Ganassi has offered McMurray a final Monster Energy Series start in the 2019 Daytona 500 and a potential managerial position at CGR.

“There’s a good possibility that I could be in the Daytona 500 for most likely my last race of my career, or at least the foreseeable future,” McMurray said Wednesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “As of right now, it’s not done yet. But I think there’s a really good chance you’ll see that happen.”

FOX Sports indicated in the news release that an announcement for the full lineup for its 2019 NASCAR broadcasting team is forthcoming. The network announced in October that new, state-of-the-art technology will bring a new dimension to its studio set in Charlotte, North Carolina. The innovations are set to debut in February.

Posted on by Team Release

DETROIT, Mich. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. will find himself in a very familiar place at the 2019 Daytona 500: at the front of the pack.

Earnhardt Jr., a two-time Daytona 500 winner, will drive the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado pace truck to lead the field to green for the 61st running of the ‘Great American Race.’ This is the first time the Daytona 500 will be paced by a pickup truck.

“I’ve had a lot of fun and a lot of success at Daytona over the years, and now I can’t wait to get out on that track in a Silverado,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Away from the track I’ve driven Chevy trucks all my life, and I’m excited to have this unique experience of pacing the Daytona 500 with the Silverado.”

RELATED: See 2019 race start times

In addition to winning the ‘Great American Race’ in 2004 and 2014, Earnhardt Jr. was a two-time winner of the July race at Daytona, overall scoring four wins, 13 top five and 19 top 10s in 36 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career starts at Daytona International Speedway (DIS). Earnhardt Jr. was voted the sport’s Most Popular Driver for 15 consecutive years.

A rendering of the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado Daytona 500 pace truck.
Chevrolet

“Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the perfect choice to pace the race because of his enthusiasm for the sport, his long history with Chevrolet and his love of trucks,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “It’ll be exciting to have Dale lead the field to green in the strongest, most-advanced Silverado ever.”

The Silverado pace truck is powered by a production 6.2L V-8 engine that is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It delivers 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque.

Chevrolet has paced the Daytona 500 field 12 times, seven with Camaro and five with Corvette.

Posted on by Steve Luvender

Matt Di-Big-One

During the NASCAR offseason, friends of Joe Gibbs Racing satisfy their racing fix using iRacing for an online winter series. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Matt DiBenedetto, newly signed to now-JGR-affiliate Leavine Family Racing, made a start in the series at Talladega Monday night.

It did not go well.

Talladega typically means the “Big One” and it’s certainly the case on iRacing, too. On the opening lap of the race, a major crash swallowed up dozens of competitors, including DiBenedetto.

Iracing Jgr Big One

Life comes at you fast.

Majeski’s Snowball Derby Prep

No way for drivers to prepare for the Snowball Derby? Not so fast, according to Ty Majeski.

The advance prep must have worked for Majeski, who finished second behind Noah Gragson in one of the biggest short track events of the year.


Roval Revolution

The most recent quarterly build for iRacing included the public release of the laser-scanned Charlotte road course, previously only available for testing to real-life drivers who used iRacing to log laps on the simulation before the race in September.

Camping World Truck Series driver Robby Lyons shared his initial Roval attempt — and, well, let’s just be thankful for pixel-based tire barriers instead of their real-life car-mangling equivalents.

Look out for those turtles.

 

Day-to-Night Time is the Right Time

The long-awaited day-to-night time-of-day transition was also featured in iRacing’s latest update, allowing track conditions and visuals to change over time.

It’s another step toward the ultimate simulation experience.

NASCAR PEAK ANTIFREEZE iRACING SERIES UPDATE

What would you do if four-time champ Ray Alfalla — the undisputed GOAT — joined your session in iRacing? The Internet had some answers.

 


Too soon, Bobby?

IRACING PAINT SCHEMES OF THE WEEK

Stephane Parent wasted no time re-creating Alex Bowman’s 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series ride for iRacing.

The NASCAR offseason means it’s time to test for the upcoming season. Cory H Harts made an iRacing test car that mimics real-life barebones pre-decal-shop testing cars.

 

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

How good are NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series drivers? Well, watch Logan Clampitt execute a flawless pass for the lead — one-handed, sipping a drink.

Now, that takes talent. Way to stay quenched.

Posted on by RJ Kraft

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When his move to Richard Childress Racing for the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series season was announced on Halloween, Tyler Reddick was in the midst of the Xfinity Series Playoffs but not the champion.

That hardware came about three weeks later with the 22-year-old’s impressive run against the wall in the final stage of the Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The title gave Reddick’s 2018 organization – JR Motorsports – its third driver championship in the series in five years.

In 2019, Reddick will look to be the first Xfinity champion to successfully defend his title since Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2012. He will also look to be the seventh driver in the series to do so – Sam Ard (’83-84), Larry Pearson (’86-87), Randy LaJoie (’96-97), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (’98-99), Martin Truex Jr. (’04-05) and Stenhouse (’11-12) – are the others.

The difference for Reddick is he will be doing it with a new team. For the California native, the move to RCR was simply about what he felt was putting himself in a better position for the future.

RELATED: Key players in Silly Season | Reddick honored as Xfinity Series champ

“JR Motorsports has a really good Xfinity car program but the goal one day is to hopefully run in the (Monster Energy NASCAR) Cup Series,” Reddick said following Saturday night’s Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet at the Charlotte Convention Center.

“It seemed like there was a clearer path – it’s a very difficult path to get there anyway. With Ryan (Newman) stepping out and Daniel (Hemric) moving in, RCR has the capability if they wanted to, to run more cars than they currently are. I’m not saying they are going to. It just seemed like a good option to possibly pursue and that’s what we are going to try and do.”

JR Motorsports does not have a Monster Energy Series program of its own, but has clear ties to Hendrick Motorsports given that one of JRM’s owners is Rick Hendrick. JRM has been a pipeline for Hendrick in recent years with drivers – (Chase Elliott and William Byron) – and crew chiefs (Greg Ives, Kevin Meendering) alike.

On the other side, RCR does currently field two Cup cars for Austin Dillon and Hemric. As recently as the 2017 season, the organization fielded three cars in the sport’s top series.

With the next level clearly at the forefront of his mind, Reddick seemed to indicate that there is the potential for a few starts there in 2019.

“Hopefully, next year we get to run a couple Cup races,” Reddick said. “We’ll just see how it goes.”

RELATED: Reddick’s champion celebration at Universal Studios

Reddick’s Xfinity Series car number at RCR has not yet been announced and additional teammates are not yet known since both of RCR’s full-time drivers from 2018 — Hemric (RCR) and Matt Tifft (Front Row Motosports) — are both moving up the Monster Energy Series in 2019.

Earnhardt Jr., his championship car owner and a co-owner of JRM, came away from 2018 impressed with Reddick.

“With each race, he handled his business,” Earnhardt said. “He was aggressive and did everything he needed to do. Just really impressed with him. Looking forward to seeing what he can do next year at RCR. It’s going to be fun to race against him.”

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR officials released start times Tuesday for the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

The most notable shift involves the playoffs opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which will be a nighttime, primetime event next year. The 2019 slate for NASCAR’s top division features few other changes, save for a handful of 30- or 60-minute variations from the previous year’s schedule.

“Moving the start time for the September race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is fitting because it will deliver a better experience for our fans attending the race, and kick off the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in primetime,” said Steve Herbst, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Broadcasting and Production. “Each race weekend, including Las Vegas, is unique, and we work collaboratively with broadcast partners, teams and tracks to ensure the ideal timing is selected for our events.”

MORE: Full 2019 schedule

The 1.5-mile Las Vegas track served as a September opener to the 10-race postseason for the first time in 2018. The daytime race began at 3 p.m. ET (noon local time) and brought with it hot late-summer temperatures. The race starting at 4 p.m. local time puts Vegas in a similar category as the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 in events that start under the sun and end under the lights.

Other notes from the 2019 start times:

• Green flag times for next year’s Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway are unchanged. Daytona 500 qualifying will be scheduled on the same day (Feb. 10) as The Clash invitational for the second straight year. The season-opening stretch will culminate with the Feb. 17 Daytona 500, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.

• The March 31 event at Texas Motor Speedway will start one hour later in 2019, moving from a 2 p.m. ET start to 3 p.m. ET. The race also moves to FOX.

• The start time for New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s July 22 event will fire off one hour later, moving from 2 p.m. ET to 3 p.m. ET.

• Martinsville Speedway’s Oct. 28 race in the postseason shifts a half-hour later to a 3 p.m. ET start, which should mean a longer stretch of racing under the lights near the finish.