Posted on by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Ross Chastain tells an honest and surreal story of realizing his first victory in one of NASCAR’s major series — a dominating win in last Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

He said he and his friends stayed at the Vegas track as the skies darkened. After all the media obligations and a debriefing with the Chip Ganassi Racing team he competed for at Las Vegas, Chastain ventured back to Victory Lane to cherish this first. He signed autographs for some of the track crew working into the night to set up for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race the next day, then he returned to his hotel and grabbed a quick dinner before bed.

RELATED: Chastain showcased in our Xfinity Series regular-season superlatives

“I woke up Sunday before my alarm went off and was just kinda waking up when 20 or 30 seconds later I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, we won yesterday,’  Chastain recalled. “It hit me. I sat up out of the bed, like ‘Holy cow, we did it.’ Just waking up knowing that. That was cool.”

Even better, however, is that Chastain gets another great shot at winning in this week’s Xfinity Series Playoffs opener, Friday’s Go Bowling 250 at Richmond Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The 25-year old Floridian will make his third and final scheduled start for Chip Ganassi Racing in the No. 42 DC Solar Chevrolet this season then finish out the Playoffs with his South Carolina-based JD Motorsports team in the No. 4 Chevrolet.

It’s the first time Chastain has qualified for the Xfinity Series Playoffs, and with his victory last week at Vegas, he starts his championship run ranked sixth — 29 points behind five-time race winner and regular season champion Justin Allgaier. Before the Vegas race, he was ranked 11th of the 12 drivers. Eight competitors advance to the next round.

Although Chastain has immediately made good on his first two opportunities with Ganassi — leading 90 laps at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway before an accident — he has been adamant in sharing the positivity with his JD Motorsports team. Team owners Johnny Davis and Gary Keller were among the first in Vegas’ Victory Lane to congratulate him and enjoy the exclamation mark-type day.

Chastain’s previous career-best outing in the Xfinity Series was a fourth place at Iowa – something he did both this spring and last year driving for JD Motorsports. He has three top-fives in 132 races. His seven top-10s in 2018 is already double the top-10 output in any of his previous three years of full-time series competition.

MORE: Get to know the 2018 Xfinity Series Playoff drivers

And as exciting as the Ganassi opportunity has been for Chastain, he is adamant that his goal is always to win, no matter the car, no matter the expectation.

“I just want to run and be competitive in every race, whatever that means, get the most out of the car I can,” Chastain said. “I still don’t feel like I’ve gotten everything out of the Ganassi car. It’s just such a different animal than what I’ve ever done — all the limits pushed and what they expect the driver to push; pit road entry and exit, my input on wheels and pedals. It’s so aggressive compared to the No. 4 car.”

In fact, this is the first season Chastain says his smaller-budgeted JD Motorsports team has been able to bring a bonafide back-up to the track each week. And he concedes, maybe having to be so careful with equipment both helped and hindered him. Being told to push the limits while in the Ganassi driver’s seat was a new experience compared to the more careful manner he has driven his other car – always negotiating the car’s fine line between potential and peril.

“It’s a tough balance because both cars call for different things on track and on pit road,” Chastain said. “It’s tough to balance for sure.”

But a chance that he is so grateful to have. So grateful, in fact, he isn’t drawing a paycheck for his Ganassi work but instead hoping his performance may lead to other opportunities down the road. It’s a throwback employment lesson to earlier decades in NASCAR competition and by the look of things, a good bet for Chastain.

He’s certainly been given a unique platform to show his skills from the notoriously tough Darlington circuit, to the Las Vegas 1.5-miler to this week at the 0.75-mile Richmond track where his previous best is 15th back in 2015.

RECAP: Ross Chastain’s victory at Las Vegas

You can hear the excitement and passion listening to Chastain talk about his positive twist of fate. He remains so loyal to his full-time JD Motorsports team, he wanted a photo of both the Ganassi car and his JDM car together at Vegas.

“Carpe diem” – seize the day – hasn’t just been an expression to Chastain, it’s how he’s lived his life of late.

“They expect a lot,” Chastain said of Chip Ganassi Racing. “They expect to win and to run good in practice and qualifying and I’ve been the weak link in a lot of ways, but luckily by the time of the race, I’ve gotten it turned around.”

He paused, “But the races have went well.”

“It’s been pretty surreal. It’s exciting to think we go to Richmond with another shot to win and that’s all I can ask for.”

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

CONCORD, N.C. – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers Jimmie Johnson and Chris Buescher and NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Kaz Grala teamed up with dozens of breast cancer survivors Thursday morning for Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Paint The Wall Pink event.

The drivers were joined by former Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams and FOX NASCAR reporter Hermie Sadler to help paint the pit wall pink alongside the survivors in observance of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

RELATED: Scenes from Paint The Wall Pink at Charlotte

“The survivors are so inspiring,” Johnson told NASCAR.com. “To hear the stories and know how profound they are and how much they impact the whole audience, you wish the whole world could hear these stories.”

Johnson, a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina “Live Fearless” brand ambassador, spoke to those in attendance and listened to personal accounts from survivors about their courageous fights. The seven-time champion will also wear pink gloves while driving the the No. 48 Chevrolet throughout the month of October to raise awareness.

Jimmie Johnson writes a note to those affected by breast cancer during the Paint The Wall Pink event at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson composes a note of support for those affected by breast cancer. Photo: Chase Wilhelm | NASCAR Digital Media

“To be a part of this message, especially as a man surrounded by all these lady survivors and all this pink, I hope that I could help shed some light on it and help bring more awareness to it,” Johnson said.

The event hits home for Buescher, as his wife Emma’s aunt, Barbara Lanier Kiser, is a seven-year breast cancer survivor.

“Just a really neat event,” Buescher said, sporting pink paint on his left cheek thanks to his wife. “Cool to hear the stories and see everyone come out here to raise awareness on our home turf. I actually brought some family out this time. …To come out here and be a part of this, I think it means a lot to them, as well.”

Kiser went through four surgeries, six months of chemotherapy and two months of radiation before she could officially say she was cancer-free. She had a 40 percent chance to live five years, but she has be able to beat all odds to attend the event for a second time.

“I feel so blessed,” Kiser said. “It still brings tears to my eyes because I know what all these ladies have went through. Every story is different. I’m just so thankful to the God above that I’m here. …I can’t wait to see next Sunday that pink wall.”

The annual event works in conjunction with the upcoming Xfinity Series Drive for the Cure 200 presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina on Sept. 29 (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the first time the series will hit Charlotte’s new 2.28-mile road course.

That leads up to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400 on Sept. 30 (2 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the Round of 16 finale which serves as the first of three playoff elimination races.

Posted on by Sponsored Content

Speed, coverage and control are critical elements of NASCAR team communications on race day, as drivers, crew chiefs and spotters explain in the first of a video series, “Xfinity Presents: Technology that Defines NASCAR.”

“It starts with the driver and him relaying what the car is doing so we can hone in on where we’re deficient and make changes to make the car go quicker,” says champion crew chief Adam Stevens, who has five wins with Kyle Busch and the No. 18 Joe Gibbs racing team this season.

The spotter is the key that puts the puzzle together during the race, Stevens continues.

The speed of that communication among drivers, crew chiefs and spotters is critical. The information flows quickly and must have a controlled approach for peak efficiency.

“I just think everything has evolved, right? Communication in general,” Stewart-Haas Racing driver Clint Bowyer says.

Bowyer’s spotter, Brett Griffin, illustrates that by explaining he now wears four radios, tracking NASCAR communications, talking with Bowyer and Crew Chief Mike Bugarewicz, communicating with Bugarewicz only, and listening to himself.

When the communication comes together, awesome pit stops, awesome passes and awesome performances come together for victories.

Change the way you WiFi with Xfinity xFi. Xfinity xFi gives you the speed, coverage and control you need for the ultimate in-home WiFi experience. Xfinity. The Future of Awesome.

Posted on by Staff Report

Steve Phelps knows the list well, as do most folks with even a passing knowledge of NASCAR’s history. As far as “short lists” go, this one is just about as exclusive as it gets, and today NASCAR announced Phelps as the newest member of that club — one that now is just five deep.

NASCAR today named Steve Phelps its President, an honor that left the lifelong fan at a loss for words.

“I don’t even know how to describe it,” Phelps said after a thoughtful pause. “I mean this sincerely: What an incredible honor it is to be President of NASCAR.”

Phelps joins only four other individuals who have held the title of NASCAR President since the sport’s inception in 1948: Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Mike Helton and Brent Dewar.

MORE: Official NASCAR release

The post comes following — and in the midst of — a lifelong love affair with the sport. Phelps’ first NASCAR experience came at the age of 5, when he attended Catamount Speedway in his home state of Vermont. The track, then owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Ken Squier, sparked a passion for racing that continues to the present day.

“I want fans to know that I love NASCAR. It’s in my blood,” said Phelps, who joined the company in 2005. “For our fans, we will work tirelessly to fulfill the promise of what NASCAR racing is — and that’s the best motorsport product on the planet. It’s our job to continue to fine-tune it and give you more of what you want — close, competitive, side-by-side racing.”

Phelps’ intimate knowledge of the on-track competition has given him unique insight into what is necessary to move the sport forward. As a major proponent of the creation of such groups as the Driver Council, Phelps looks at the communal aspect of NASCAR as the key to its future success.

“A day does not go by where I’m not speaking with a driver or team owner or race track,” Phelps said. “Collaboration amongst those groups and NASCAR is so important, and why I’m so excited about the future. Our competitors care so much. That passion is why I’m eager to continue the great work everyone in the sport has done to move it forward.””

Prior to his ascension to President, Phelps held a variety of senior leadership positions in NASCAR, including Chief Marketing Officer, and most recently, Chief Operating Officer. Throughout his tenure, Phelps has played significant roles in negotiating major partnerships with Coca-Cola, Monster Energy, Comcast and Camping World, among others.

To Phelps, landmark deals with major companies are made for one reason: NASCAR has the most passionate fans in all of sports.

“Brands come to NASCAR because of the size and loyalty of our fan base,” Phelps said. “From a business standpoint, it is the single best thing about NASCAR. We have more Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies partnering with us than anyone, and that’s because of our great fans.”

It also is why Phelps has placed a high priority on growing the sport’s ability to engage with those fans through dynamic content.

Phelps spearheaded the effort to reacquire NASCAR’s digital rights in 2013, which led to record growth in the digital, video and social media space – all aimed at stronger engagement with fans.

“From our drivers, our teams, our race cars, there’s no other sport like it, and our fans recognize that,” Phelps said. “We need to tell those stories, and give the fans an experience they deserve through rich, engaging content.”

Now stepping into the role of President, Phelps will look to continue the collaboration that he has helped shepherd, especially in recent years.

“We are at a vital point in the sport’s history,” Phelps said. “The decisions that we’re going to make over the next 12-18 months are important for this sport, and we need to make sure we’re collectively making the right decisions. It’ll be important to get everyone’s point of view. Everyone plays a role, and that’s what makes NASCAR great. It is a community. It is a family.”

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 20, 2018) – NASCAR today announced that Steve Phelps has been named NASCAR President, effective October 1, 2018. Brent Dewar has elected to step down and will remain with the company through the end of the 2018 racing season, transitioning to a senior consulting and advisory role in 2019.

Phelps will assume the duties held by Dewar and will report to Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. As President, Phelps will have responsibility over all competition and business operations for the sanctioning body.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Steve Phelps as our leader,” France said. “His passion for NASCAR and proven ability to work with our partners has been unparalleled over the years. We thank Brent for his service and leadership to our sport. His energy and vision have been of tremendous benefit to our employees and our industry.”

Joining NASCAR in 2005, Phelps has played a key role in significant initiatives, such as negotiating key partnership agreements with Coca-Cola, Monster Energy, Comcast and Camping World, the acquisition of NASCAR’s digital and social rights and leading industry collaborative efforts such as the Industry Action Plan and industry-wide marketing platforms. Phelps brings more than three decades of experience to the role, including senior leadership roles at the National Football League and Wasserman.

“As a life-long fan of NASCAR, the opportunity to provide league-wide leadership is something I am looking forward to,” Phelps said. “I am confident that the strong team of leaders here at NASCAR and across the industry will accelerate the necessary changes to grow the sport and engage our passionate fans.”

Dewar joined NASCAR in 2013, serving as Chief Operating Officer and later as NASCAR President. “It has been a privilege to serve this sport these past five years,” said Dewar. “NASCAR is a close-knit family and I have been blessed to be part of a great team and industry, working collaboratively to deliver great racing for our fans. I look forward to continuing to work with the industry and the France family.”

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR penalized the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing team following Saturday’s Xfinity Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The vehicle failed pre-race inspection multiple times, violating Section 8.7.b of the NASCAR Rule Book. The No. 2 team has been deducted 10 driver points and 10 owner points.

No. 2 driver Matt Tifft finished 36th in Saturday’s Xfinity Series regular-season finale after being involved in an incident.

No Camping World Truck Series or Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams were penalized following their respective races at Las Vegas.

Posted on by Track Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – International Speedway Corporation (“ISC”) today announced the implementation of a comprehensive ticket and travel protection program with the ISC Weather Protection Program and TicketGuardian, both initiatives that will provide safeguards to guests when planning and attending NASCAR events.

The ISC Weather Protection Program applies to all paid grandstand tickets to NASCAR races at any ISC facility that are postponed and rescheduled to a different date due to inclement weather. Guests will now be able to exchange paid grandstand tickets that were not used on a rescheduled race date for a future NASCAR event at an ISC facility. The unused grandstand tickets may be exchanged for a same-series ticket of equal or lesser value based on event and seating location availability.

Guests with an unused grandstand ticket have 60 days to contact the ticket office at the ISC facility where the event was postponed. Eligible grandstand tickets may be exchanged for any future NASCAR race at an ISC facility within one year of the original event date or for the same race the following year, excluding the DAYTONA 500. Customers who have tickets to a postponed DAYTONA 500 event may exchange their tickets for a future DAYTONA 500 event; however, tickets from other Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series events may not be exchanged for a DAYTONA 500 ticket.

MORE: Buy tickets

“Race fans make significant investments to attend NASCAR races at our facilities,” stated Lesa France Kennedy, ISC Chief Executive Officer. “When inclement weather impacts the schedule, it can be frustrating. The ISC Weather Protection Program addresses that concern and provides an assurance to our guests that if they can’t attend the rescheduled event, they will have the opportunity to see another race at another ISC facility.”

In situations that keep fans from attending the races, TicketGuardian’s FanShield insurance technology will continue to provide fans a feeling of security when buying tickets in advance. With low-cost coverage, fans are protected from the burden of having to resell their ticket or losing their money altogether if they’re unable to attend the event. Customers instead can receive a refund despite the traditional status quo of events, tickets, and registrations being non-refundable.

Fans that attend NASCAR events at ISC facilities will now enjoy comprehensive coverage when planning and attending events.

For further details on the ISC Weather Protection Program, visit www.mispeedway.com/weather.

Posted on by Sponsored Content

NASCAR drivers, crew members and team employees are facing off at 5 p.m. ET Sept. 26 in the NASCAR Fitness Challenge Powered by Lilly Diabetes, and you can be part of the competition!

Teams will gather at the NASCAR Hall of Fame Plaza in a relay-style stationary bike race, competing for a $15,000 donation to the charity of their choice. CycleBar instructors will lead heats, and teams will rotate through four riders as they try to pedal farthest during the race.

Where do you come in? Support teams on social media. They get points when you like or comment on their posts tagged with the #NASCARFitChallenge hashtag. The team that wins the social media competition will win a $5,000 donation to its charity, so get your team started now! Then come to the NASCAR Hall of Fame to cheer on your favorite team.

Teams are training and posting on social media now:

Teams from Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Richard Childress Racing and Germain Racing, as well as NASCAR NEXT and NASCAR D4D will compete for their favorite charities.

Ryan Reed, driver of the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes Ford, participated in the 2017 event, and is helping get fans involved via Twitter for the 2018 fitness campaign.

 

 

Posted on by Team Release

PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 18, 2018) – Comcast today announced that this year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series champion will celebrate at Universal Orlando Resort™ on Tuesday, Nov. 27 in a series of activities that include fan meet-and-greets, a parade appearance and experiencing some of Universal’s most thrilling attractions, like Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion will take part in a full day of activities that will bring the world of NASCAR front-and-center for park guests, including:

• A fan meet-and-greet and autograph signing at the iconic Universal Orlando globe

• Taking on some of the park’s most thrilling attractions

• Serving as grand marshal in Universal’s Superstar Parade

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion will be crowned on Saturday, Nov. 17 after the Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. An elimination-style Playoffs format over the course of seven races will leave four drivers vying for the championship title in Miami. Fans can tune in to the action on NBCSN beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs kick off with the GoBowling 250 at Richmond Raceway on Friday, Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.