Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 23, 2018) – NASCAR announced today the inductees who will comprise the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2019. The five-person group – the 10th since the inception of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010 – consists of Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Jeff Gordon, Roger Penske and Jack Roush. In addition, NASCAR announced that Jim Hunter earned the 2019 Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. The distinguished group will be honored during the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Feb. 1, 2019.

 

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met today in a closed session at the Charlotte Convention Center to debate and vote upon the 20 nominees for the induction class of 2019 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award.

 

The Class of 2019 was determined by votes cast by the Voting Panel, including representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders, a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com and, for the fifth year, the reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion (Martin Truex Jr.). In all, 57 votes were cast, with two additional Voting Panel members recused from voting as potential nominees for induction (Ricky Rudd and Waddell Wilson). The accounting firm of EY presided over the tabulation of the votes.

MORE: Gordon highlights class | Photos of all nominees | Career highlights

Voting was as follows: Jeff Gordon (96%), Jack Roush (70%), Roger Penske (68%), Davey Allison (63%) and Alan Kulwicki (46%).

 

The next top vote-getters were Buddy Baker, Hershel McGriff and Waddell Wilson.

 

Results for the NASCAR.com Fan Vote, in alphabetical order, were Davey Allison, Buddy Baker, Harry Gant, Jeff Gordon and Alan Kulwicki.

 

The five inductees came from a group of 20 nominees that included, in addition to the five inductees chosen: Buddy Baker, Red Farmer, Ray Fox, Harry Gant, Joe Gibbs, John Holman, Harry Hyde, Bobby Labonte, Hershel McGriff, Ralph Moody, Larry Phillips, Ricky Rudd, Kirk Shelmerdine, Mike Stefanik and Waddell Wilson.

 

Nominees for the Landmark Award included Janet Guthrie, Barney Hall, Alvin Hawkins, Hunter and Ralph Seagraves.

 

The Class of 2019 Induction Weekend is set for Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, through Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The official Induction Ceremony will take place on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. The Class of 2019 marks the 10th class and a total of 50 legends inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. To celebrate the momentous occasion, new events and special programs have been added throughout the extended weekend.

 

Tickets to Induction Ceremony events begin at $75 per person (plus tax and applicable service fees). Tickets go on sale on Saturday, June 9, 2018, at 10 a.m. ET. A special pre-sale will be available to NASCAR Hall of Fame members Wednesday, May 30, 2018, through Friday, June 8, 2018. To learn about becoming a NASCAR Hall of Fame member, visit nascarhall.com/membership. For additional details about the Class of 2019 Induction Weekend schedule and ticket packages, visit nascarhall.com/inductees/induction-ceremony.

 

Class of 2019 Inductees:

Davey Allison

Davey Allison was born with speed. The son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison grew up more interested in football, but could not escape the racing bug, following his father into the family profession. The younger Allison honed his skills at local Alabama tracks, getting his big break in 1987, taking over for legendary driver Cale Yarborough in Ranier-Lundy’s Ford Thunderbird. Allison spent no time continuing the family’s legacy, compiling two wins, five poles and nine top fives in his full-season debut to capture 1987 premier series rookie of the year. Allison won 19 races and 14 poles, including the 1992 Daytona 500, before his tragic death in a helicopter accident in 1993.

Jeff Gordon

Blessed with once-in-a-generation talent and charisma, Jeff Gordon helped take NASCAR from a regional sport to the mainstream. Gordon took NASCAR by storm in the 1990s, becoming the youngest driver in the modern era to win a premier series title as a 24-year-old in 1995. He went on to win three more championships (1997, ’98, 2001). In 1998, Gordon led the Rainbow Warriors – named for his colorful No. 24 Chevrolet – to a modern era-record 13 wins. Overall, he won 93 races, which ranks third on the all-time wins list. Gordon is a three-time Daytona 500 champion and won the Brickyard 400 a record five times.

Alan Kulwicki

Noted Wisconsin short-track racer Alan Kulwicki moved to Charlotte in 1984 with nothing but a pickup truck, a self-built race car and the hopes of competing in NASCAR’s highest series. He had no sponsor and a limited budget. Kulwicki burst onto the scene as the 1986 NASCAR Rookie of the Year with his self-owned AK Racing team. Throughout his career, Kulwicki received lucrative offers from powerhouse race teams, but insisted on racing for himself. That determination eventually led to his first of five career victories at Phoenix in 1988. His signature season was his championship-winning 1992 campaign, where Kulwicki overcame a 278-point deficit with six races remaining to capture the NASCAR premier series title.  Kulwicki never got the chance to defend his title, dying in a plane crash in 1993.

Roger Penske

A true captain of industry, Roger Penske has steered one of the most successful motorsports ships in the sport’s history. Penske, who celebrated his 50th anniversary in racing in 2016, reached a major milestone and collected a prestigious award during the golden anniversary season. That year, he reached 100 wins in NASCAR’s premier series and capped off the season by receiving the Bill France Award of Excellence. Penske won the premier series championship in 2012 with driver Brad Keselowski, and owns two Daytona 500 wins with Ryan Newman in 2008 and Joey Logano in 2015. And from 2013-15, Penske tied a record with three consecutive owner championship in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Off the track, Penske likewise makes an indelible mark. He built the two-mile Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California in 1996, and previously owned Michigan International Speedway.

Jack Roush

Once a Michigan-based drag racing owner and enthusiast, Jack Roush made his best motorsports decision when he turned south in 1988 to start a NASCAR team. Since beginning Roush Racing (now known as Roush Fenway Racing), the graduate-level mathematician turned engineering entrepreneur has won a record 325 races across NASCAR’s three national series. Overall, Roush boasts five NASCAR national series owner championships, while his drivers have won an additional three driver championships. Roush has displayed a prowess for discovering and developing talent. He helped Matt Kenseth (2003) and Kurt Busch (2004) grow into premier series champions and also jumpstarted the careers of Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle.

 

Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR:

 

Jim Hunter

Throughout his career, Jim Hunter left an indelible mark on NASCAR and those associated with the sport.  His wit and wisdom helped guide NASCAR’s growth during portions of six decades as a company executive, track president, public relations professional and journalist. Hunter broke into the motorsports business as a member of the media in the 1950s. He worked as the sports editor of the Columbia Record, was an award-winning reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and columnist for Stock Car Racing magazine. He moved to the public relations side of the business with Dodge in the 1960s before serving as public relations director at Darlington Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway. In 1993, he became president of Darlington Raceway and corporate vice president of the International Speedway Corporation. He remained at Darlington until 2001 when he accepted an offer from Bill France Jr. to return to NASCAR to lead an expanded public relations effort aimed at responding to the needs of burgeoning media coverage.

Posted on by Zack Albert

Editor’s note: NASCAR.com’s Zack Albert is among the 60 voting members — including the fan vote — casting ballots to elect the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019. This year marks his first time participating in Voting Day. Here, he reveals the reasoning behind the five choices on his ballot, a handful of honorable mentions and his pick for the Landmark Award.

Class of 2019 Selections:

Jeff Gordon — The four-time champion could waltz into enshrinement based on the stellar statistics alone. But beyond the 93 wins, records and accomplishments, Gordon had a reach that extended beyond the sport’s bubble, a charisma that made him a star on many stages. Absolute slam-dunk first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Davey Allison — It’s hard to measure Allison’s impact solely on statistics, but in his brief time driving at the premier-series level, he rose into a beloved fan favorite and one of the sport’s most talented. Joining his longtime team owner, 2018 inductee Robert Yates, seems overdue, even in just his second year on the ballot.

RELATED: Jeff Gordon leads powerhouse 2019 class | Hall of Fame Class of 2019 through the years

Alan Kulwicki — The story of Kulwicki’s stunning Cinderella journey to the 1992 championship as a driver-owner remains a dramatic piece of NASCAR lore. That legacy should be more than enough to offset and overcome the statistical gap (five career wins) that’s kept him from an earlier induction.

Roger Penske — The selections get harder with a thicket of deserving team owners among the 20 nominees. But give a salute here to The Captain, who has made an enormous footprint in all of motorsport, as a winning team owner, businessman and speedway mogul.

Buddy Baker — The last pick was the toughest, with strong consideration given to Jack Roush and Waddell Wilson among the decorated field of nominees. The nod, however, goes to Baker and his flat-out career that included 19 wins, twice as many pole positions, a Daytona 500 crown, and a claim to fame of being the first to cross the 200-mph threshold on a closed course.

Landmark Award

Jim Hunter — Another exceedingly difficult choice from a worthy field of five, but the vote goes to Hunter, whose wide-ranging career spanned the roles of journalist, marketing expert, track president and NASCAR executive, touching many lives throughout the sport.

Posted on by Pat DeCola

You see the number ’24’ and instantly think of this no-brainer, first-ballot Hall of Famer.

After all, he owned the 1990s, helping to usher his sport into the mainstream, newfound digital age while carrying a certain degree of coolness everywhere he went.

Not to mention he could hit a baseball into the upper deck at any stadium he walked into with a swing so pretty you’d buy a ticket just to get a peek at batting practice.

No, not Jeff Gordon — but Ken Griffey Jr.

Following the four-time champion Gordon’s near-unanimous election to NASCAR Hall of Fame on Wednesday evening, the two long-time pals are both now the highest vote-getters of any inductee in their respective sport’s history.

RELATED: Gordon headlines 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame class

Griffey had been seen as one of the most likely players to receive 100 percent of the vote when called upon for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Class of 2016 inductee fell just short, receiving 437 of 440 votes — 99.32 percent. Gordon, of course, also fell just short, receiving 96 percent of the vote.

And the similarities between them don’t stop there.

The rainbow paint scheme and fire suit. The backward hat. From a strictly visual standpoint, each of these two athletes had their iconic “look” that was unprecedented at the time, and has been unmatched since.

For even the most fringe of sports fans, if you didn’t pay attention to a lick of stock car racing or baseball — you knew damn well who Jeff Gordon and Ken Griffey Jr. were.

And it’s because — despite the prime of their careers coming in an age of physical newspapers, magazines and dial-up internet — they managed to break through the ceiling of stardom within their sport to where they became a fixture of American pop culture.

A quick glance at their IMDB pages reveals a whopping 156 credits combined, and on some of the most-watched programming of the era. Gordon hosted Saturday Night Live, appeared on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, showed up on Arli$$ and Spin City — the list goes on. Griffey’s resume includes a lineup of Arli$$ as well, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Little Big League, Summer Catch (hey, remember Freddie Prinze Jr.?) and even The Simpsons.

MORE: Jeff Gordon — the driver who brought NASCAR mainstream

Along with the TV and film credits — if you’d taken a casual perusal around the aisles of your local Blockbuster back in the day (hey, remember Blockbuster?), there’s a great chance you would’ve spotted their mugs. Gordon and Griffey both graced the covers of multiple video game franchises, from NASCAR 98 and Jeff Gordon XS Racing to Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball and Ken Griffey Jr.’s Slugfest.

They even shared a soft-drink sponsor, and you may recall being greeted by life-sized, cardboard cutouts of them as you entered your local supermarket, as I do.

They even shared a foursome with Tiger Woods back in 1997, participating in the golf legend’s Tiger & Friends match at Isleworth Country Club (along with Chris O’Donnell, remember him?)

You get the gist by now.  

Their careers have followed eerily-similar trajectories all the way down to Wednesday, when their Hall of Fame voting percentages were nearly identical — but equally incredible.

RELATED: All of Gordon’s 93 wins in the Monster Energy Series

The eeriness continued even after both had retired. Having just been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame weeks earlier, Griffey Jr. was named the honorary starter for the 2016 Daytona 500. The first car to pass under the flag stand as the home run legend waved the green flag for the Great American Race?

The No. 24 Chevrolet.

“I got a chance to play golf (in 1997) with a certain race car number, driver No. 24,” Griffey said at the time, according to FOX Sports. “I’m really superstitious about certain things. He’s no longer racing, but I hear he’s in the building so I’m going to definitely go visit him, but waving the green flag, 24 will be the first car coming by, which is pretty cool, too.”

With Gordon’s induction to the NASCAR Hall of Fame set to take place next January ahead of the 2019 season, perhaps we’ll see Griffey Jr. there to see his friend honored on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

After all, Gordon made sure to give the longtime Seattle Mariners center fielder props following his induction, appearing on the jumbotron at Safeco Field with fellow No. 24 and likely future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant.

“Hey Ken, Jeff Gordon here. Been a long time, man. We’ve been friends for quite awhile and I’ve gotta say — it’s a big debate of who represented that 24 the best. Was it Kobe? Was it me? Was it you? That’s a debate that I think will go on forever and all I can say is I’m really proud to be your friend and I’m really proud of what you’ve done on the field and off the field.”

While neither was able to come up with the golden goose of a unanimous, 100 percent of a Hall of Fame election there’s only one number that matters to two of the all-time greats and it’s the one that will bind them together forever — 24.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the least surprising racing story of 2018, four-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Wednesday in his first year of eligibility.

But Gordon certainly wasn’t the only worthy choice for the Class of 2019. Team owner Jack Roush, a brilliant innovator who has racked up victories and championships across a broad spectrum of motorsports, will join Gordon when the stellar class is officially ushered into the Hall on February 1, 2019.

RELATED: Photos of the inductees | Career highlights

Team owner Roger Penske, who fostered the Hall of Fame career of driver Rusty Wallace and won his first championship in NASCAR’s top division in 2012 with driver Brad Keselowski, will accompany his fellow Ford team owner into the Hall.

Davey Allison, winner of 19 Cup races and one of the brightest stars in the sport before he succumbed to injuries suffered in a helicopter crash at Talladega in 1993, joined his father, Bobby Allison, as a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Alan Kulwicki, whose life was cut short by a plane crash in 1993 less than five months after he became the last driver to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship as a “privateer,” was the fifth member of the Class of 2019 introduced by NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France.

If ever there was a “lock” for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Gordon fills that role. Winner of 93 Cup points races—third all-time behind Richard Petty (200) and David Pearson (105) and ahead of Darrell Waltrip (84), Bobby Allison (84), Cale Yarborough (83) and Jimmie Johnson (83)—Gordon drove the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for 797 consecutive races from his debut in 1992 until he bowed out of the ride at the end of the 2015 season.

Now an analyst for FOX Sports, Gordon won four Cup championships, behind only Petty, Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Sr., who share the series record with seven each. Gordon won three Daytona 500s, four straight Southern 500s and a record five Brickyard 400s in his remarkable career.

“Man, I’m on cloud nine,” Gordon said during a televised interview after the announcement.

RELATED: Official press release | Gordon’s reaction to Hall’s call

He follows his long-time crew chief Ray Evernham and team owner Rick Hendrick into the Hall.

“The significance of being there when Rick was inducted and being a part of it earlier this year with Ray, that’s when it really started to sink in with me about how special it would be,” said Gordon, who was named on a record 96 percent of ballots. “They dedicated their whole lives (to racing), and that’s the thing I see as a common thread of anybody that goes into the Hall of Fame.

“They sacrificed everything for racing and for NASCAR, and it became their life. To be honored by going into the Hall of Fame makes it all worthwhile and makes it very, very special.”

Roush, who was named on 70 percent of ballots, started his career in drag racing and sports cars but gravitated to NASCAR racing in 1988. An owner with a keen eye for talent, Roush supported the careers of such luminaries as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle.

“When we got started, I was just hoping I could stay in the sport for a while,” said Roush, who won Cup championships in 2003 with Kenseth and 2004 with Busch. “I can’t imagine that my name is up there with the 45 people that have already been inducted, with the things that they’ve accomplished.

“It’s rarefied air, and I’ve got to take a while to think about what it all means to me.”

In addition to the 2012 Cup championship, Team Penske has won the 2010 NASCAR Xfinity Series title and four of the last five Xfinity Series owners championships. In addition to his NASCAR accomplishments, Penske has won the Indianapolis 500 16 times as an owner.

“There were many great candidates,” Penske said in a SiriusXM NASCAR Radio interview after the announcement. “This is my day, and I’ll never forget it.”

MORE: Gordon and Griffey Jr. stand out as Hall of Fame royalty

Wallace was delighted for his former boss.

“I don’t know of anyone that has accomplished as much across all levels of motorsports as Roger Penske,” Wallace said. “I don’t know of anyone in motorsports that is as respected among all levels of racing and business as Roger.

“He’s my personal mentor and my personal hero. He has helped me immeasurably, both in racing and in business. I can’t say enough about Roger — he’s just an all-around fantastic person.”

Penske was named on 68 percent of the ballots submitted by Voting Panel members.

Davey and Bobby Allison, the only father/son combination to finish 1-2 in the Daytona 500, are the second father/son duo to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, joining Ned and Dale Jarrett.

“It’s was a great feeling of happiness, of weakness and everything,” Bobby Allison said of the moment when France announced his son’s name. “I just had to bend over and get a hold of myself. It was really good news.”

PHOTOS: Top career moments for Class of 2019 selectees

Davey Allison received 63 percent of the vote from panel members.

Kulwicki, who was named on 46 percent of ballots, rallied from a 278-point deficit to win the 1992 series title, edging Bill Elliott by 10 points — then the closest margin in Cup history — after a thrilling season finale at Atlanta in which Davey Allison also had a shot at the championship.

Former NASCAR executive and newsman Jim Hunter received the 2019 Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Known for his rapier wit and wise counsel, Hunter was instrumental in guiding the careers of an abundance of current and former NASCAR stars.

After his days as sports editor of the Columbia (S.C.) Record, Hunter served as public relations director for both Darlington Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway. He was later named president at Darlington and corporate vice president of International Speedway Corporation, before returning to NASCAR to lead the sport’s PR initiatives.

Posted on by Jessica Ruffin

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Eunice Eckard wears a delicate chain around her neck that holds a small, round emblem with a gold star on it. She wears it every day — except when she “had an X-Ray one time” — and even keeps it on to sleep.

It’s important to keep it close, because the gold star represents her son, United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Chris Eckard, who was killed on Feb. 20, 2010 while conducting EOD operations in Afghanistan.

“When Chris went into the military, his first deployment was a … blue star,” Eckard said, also wearing a picture of her son on her shirt. “And we hung the blue star flag in my living room window. This started back probably the first war – if a family member shipped out, they put up a blue star. And after how many (deployments they were) gone, that’s how many stars you hung up.

“Well, I had one. If they don’t come home (from deployment), you take the blue down, put up a gold. And that’s what this is. I’m a gold star mom.”

GySgt Eckard’s name will adorn the windshield of Brad Keselowski’s No. 2 Team Penske Ford in this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 (Sunday, May 27, 6 p.m., FOX). As part of the NASCAR Salutes program, every Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver will have the name of a fallen serviceman on their car windshields. The connection with the No. 2 team and the Eckard family is one that is personal, however; the team’s chassis fabricator Casey Mahoney grew up with GySgt Eckard in nearby Hickory, North Carolina and came to Keselowski with the idea to honor his childhood best friend in a special way.

The No. 2 driver, who has long served as a strong military supporter, immediately was on board.

“This program has existed here for a number of years in NASCAR for the Coke 600 where we get to honor the fallen soldiers,” Keselowski told NASCAR.com. “But it means more to us and it just hits a little bit harder when there’s a personal connection and the personal connection inside Team Penske with family and friends runs deep for that family …

“I’ve always loved the military, I like the discipline, just the ethics. I like, obviously, the freedoms that they enable and I always thought if I didn’t make it in racing, it was something I wanted to do. I’m thankful I made it in racing because I’m not sure I’d be very good at it. I (want) to show my respects to those who have gone out there and choose to serve and even furthermore, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving.”

Keselowski met Eunice Eckard and her other son Chad Eckard at the Mooresville, North Carolina-based Team Penske shop on Wednesday morning. He visited with the duo before giving them a full shop tour, showing them the chassis and machine shops and telling them about the different race cars on the shop floor.

He also presented them with a No. 2 team shirt, which the Eckards said will be the first NASCAR item in a room in Eunice Eckard’s house that honors her son. A carport-turned-sunroom is now “Chris’ room.” It’s where his family keeps his framed dress blues, flags, a Carolina Panthers helmet honoring him and it’s where GySgt Eckard’s young children can look at photos of their father.

“I think he’d be proud of things that we’ve been able to do to keep his name alive,” Chad Eckard said. “Not only just for Chris or mom and I, but I hope that by keeping his name alive, when his children get old enough, they’ll be able to see how great their father was.”

The chance to honor a member of the armed forces and his family is special for Keselowski. He hosts military families at the track, works with the armed forces through his military-focused Checkered Flag Foundation and even holds an American flag while doing his winning burnouts.

Honoring the GySgt Eckard is a small gesture to give back to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, he said.

“When you hear the stories and you talk to the family, all you can think about is you wish you could fix it, you wish you could change the way things went, but you can’t,” Keselowski said. “So all you can really do is honor and remember and we get that privilege and honor to do that this weekend with Coke 600 with this (NASCAR) Salutes program.”

For Mahoney, his own team honoring his best friend in a public fashion is special. Mahoney and GySgt Eckard were staples at each others’ houses often growing up and each served as the best man in each other’s wedding. Eunice Eckard called him her “adopted son” and Mahoney referred to her as his “second mom.”

Marriage and children made their visits less frequent, but no less meaningful, he said.

“The minute we get back together, it’s like you never miss a day,” he said. “That’s just the kind of friends we were. Chris was just the kind of guy, he did everything 100 percent.”

He still remembers the day he got the call that his best friend had been killed overseas: “I could feel the color just drain out of me. I was just kind of numb …” he said.

“I feel really blessed to be able to be a small part to be honor Chris in this way. To just be able to honor him in a small way but at the same time get him a lot of exposure to who he was and the kind of person he was is a really big deal to me.”

The idea of the No. 2 Ford going to Victory Lane Sunday with GySgt Eckard’s name on it would trigger emotions that Chad Eckard “can’t even begin to describe.

“Having Chris’ name in the Winner’s Circle in such an honorable fashion in front of national audience, it just doesn’t get any bigger,” he said. “I don’t know if I’d be crying tears of happy or tears of, I don’t know.”

Posted on by Pat DeCola

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — With NASCAR Salutes ramping up this weekend to coincide with the Coca-Cola 600 and “600 Miles of Remembrance,” Denny Hamlin unveiled his patriotic paint scheme on Wednesday morning that will help close out the 2018 running of the program in July at Daytona International Speedway.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver pulled the cover off his No. 11 FedEx Cares Toyota at the team’s headquarters in Huntersville, North Carolina, alongside volunteers from Team Rubicon, which is also on the car and is an organization that unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams. The organization currently has teams working to help revive communities in Puerto Rico, Texas, Montana, California and more after last year’s natural disasters.

“I think it’s a dual win to support an organization like them,” Hamlin said. “Not only (is Team Rubicon) helping the people that need help, whatever the disaster may be, but they’re also helping veterans that are done serving their country maybe overseas or here and now helping people within the community on a volunteer basis.

“That’s a great thing that they’re doing and I couldn’t be prouder to support them in Daytona. NASCAR Salutes is always a big program that NASCAR runs every year and this’ll be a great patriotic paint scheme that I’ll be looking forward to bringing to Victory Lane.”

NASCAR Salutes will be in full swing with the upcoming events at Charlotte Motor Speedway over Memorial Day weekend, as the NASCAR industry will honor United States Armed Forces heroes and their families as part of the program, which is a collective expression of reverence, respect and gratitude for those who served and continue to defend America today. It will commence with “600 Miles of Remembrance” during Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 (6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the country’s largest Memorial Day weekend celebration.

RELATED: NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola returns

While Hamlin’s family ties to the armed forces are limited — he mentioned his great-grandfather was a servicemember — he realizes the importance of what the troops mean to the country and our safety, and why it’s crucial to give them the recognition they deserve.

“To me, I’ve always not taken it for granted that we live in a country like we do and it’s because of the work that people do behind the scenes that make us able to do what we do,” said Hamlin. “I like seeing so many military members around the race track and you see in the garage the American flag is everywhere and flown on every single hauler and it’s something that we appreciate in the NASCAR community.”

MORE: Patriotic paint schemes for Charlotte | Top at-track military photos

Be sure to tune in to the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday to see Hamlin’s new paint scheme race under the lights at Daytona in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 (July 7, 7 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on by Jason Lofing

Nick Shelton scored his first victory of the 2018 NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series, after edging ahead of Jarl Teien in Turn 4 on the final lap. The two battled side-by-side to the checkered flag with Shelton winning by just .007 seconds. The thrilling finish capped off a wild final 50 laps that saw seven crashes and the dominant cars finding trouble.

Matt Bussa came from dead last on the grid to finish third. Bobby Zalenski was fourth and Michael Guest picked up his second top-five result of the season with a fifth-place finish.

RELATED: Full 2018 iRacing schedule

Polesitter Christian Challiner led the first 13 laps, but Keegan Leahy surged ahead as he looked like one of the cars to beat for the second week in a row. The first 81 of 200 laps ran caution free allowing Leahy to build his lead.

When the first yellow flag flew on Lap 82, not only was Leahy’s lead erased but he lost the top spot in the pits as Logan Clampitt had a stellar stop and beat Leahy off of pit lane. Clampitt took advantage of the clean track out front and began to build a gap on the field as Ray Alfalla and Leahy fought for second.

As the run wore on, though, Alfalla started to cut into the lead. Leahy, who had also been closing on the leader, chose to pit on Lap 146. The early stop would have surely cycled Leahy to the lead, but a yellow flag on lap 150 trapped him a lap down and forced him to take the wave around to gain the lap back.

The last 50 laps were quite chaotic with multiple crashes breaking the race into short sprints. Clampitt survived the first restart, but his race came undone on Lap 165 when another crash brought the leaders back to the pits for fresh tires. The leader overshot his pits and struggled to reverse, costing himself valuable time. In all, Clampitt lost 11 positions in the pits and would not challenge the leaders again.

Bobby Zalenski took advantage of Clampitt’s mistake and led the field to the restart. Zalenski would lead 11 laps before Shelton passed him to lead his first circuit on lap 178. With clean air in front, Shelton attempted to drive away from Alfalla, but another crash on Lap 181 turned the race upside down.

While the leaders headed to the pits for another change of tires, Adam Gilliland and Brian Schoenburg decided to stay out on old tires. Gilliand, the control car on the start, brought the field down deep into the restart zone which caused the field to stack up. The pack could not make it to Turn One before several cars, including Leahy and Clampitt, were spinning across the fronstretch.

Gilliland used the chaos to hold the lead, but his car was not fast enough to stay in front on the next restart as Teien timed the start and raced into the lead before yet another crash slowed the field.

Teien held the lead on the penultimate restart, which saw Gilliland and Schoenburg meet their demise. The race came down to a two-lap shootout with Teien getting a near-perfect restart to jump out front over Shelton. However, Shelton had the quicker car and by the time the duo took the white flag, Shelton was right on the leader’s bumper. Shelton made his move in Turn one, but could not complete the pass. He was still alongside Teien entering Turn three, giving him the preferred bottom groove. Giving it all his car had, Shelton got a great run through the middle of the corner, edged ahead, and won by inches.

The crazy finish concluded the first half of the 2018 PANiS regular season with Alfalla holding a 39-point lead over Leahy despite being involved in a crash during the last quarter of the race. Zalenski is third, Shelton surged to fourth and Matt Bussa rounds out the top five, knocking Ryan Luza to sixth after the defending series champion missed his second straight race.

With seven races remaining until the playoffs, the series heads to Michigan International Speedway for Week 8. Just a few short weeks ago, it appeared Luza and Alfalla were the only two with a realistic shot at the title.  However, Luza has seemingly disappeared and Alfalla has looked vulnerable in recent races, with Leahy and Clampitt both having more speed at times. Will the trend continue? Or can Alfalla get back to victory lane at Michigan?

Posted on by Staff Report

It’s Voting Day for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2019, and coverage on NASCAR.com already has begun. You can get up to speed on today with our one-stop shop here, or scroll through photos of the 45 members already in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

The debate and voting begin this afternoon, prior to the official unveil at 5:30 p.m. ET on NASCAR.com.

BOOKMARK: Hall of Fame pre-show

Before that class is unveiled, though, NASCAR.com will host a pre-voting show beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET. The event will be streamed on NASCAR.com, and also on our YouTube and Twitter channels.

Hosts Jonathan Merryman and Kim Coon will tackle the most pressing questions facing voters this year, and we’ll talk to some of the voters themselves before they cast their ballots.

Bookmark this link and come back to start Voting Day off right.

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 22, 2018) — NASCAR® and Rev Racing today announced 13 college athletes from across the country who will compete as tire changers, carriers and jackmen in the third annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity National Pit Crew Combine in Concord, N.C., on Friday, May 25.

This year’s combine competitors include college football, basketball, tennis and track and field athletes looking to transition to a professional career in NASCAR. Each will put their pit crew skills to the test and be evaluated based on a series of fitness, agility and crew member drills and competitions at the NASCAR Research & Development Center.

Top-performing participants will receive invitations to join the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development program and train as pit crew members with Rev Racing beginning later this year. More than 50 graduates of the program are currently working in the NASCAR industry and 25 are pitting in the sport’s top series, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™.

“To look across our national series, it’s clear that NASCAR Drive for Diversity has become an unquestioned leader in the recruitment and development of professional pit crew members,” said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR senior manager, racing operations and event management. “Each year, the national combine helps us identify top talent and athletes with the drive and ability to one day compete as full-time crew members in NASCAR.”

As part of the program’s scouting process, NASCAR and Rev Racing hosted spring tryouts for college athletes at Alcorn State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Virginia State University and Winston-Salem State University.

The athletes invited to Friday’s combine will take part in a four-hour skills competition led by Phil Horton, Rev Racing director of athletic performance.

“Rev Racing’s recruiting efforts at colleges and universities across the country have resulted in attracting some of the best athletes in the nation to our combine,” said Max Siegel, owner and CEO of Rev Racing.  “We are excited about the partnerships we have developed with the athletic departments and administration at these institutions. We are proud of our accomplishments since the inception of this program and look forward to continued opportunities for growth in the future.”

This year’s competitors include Joshua Patrick, who was part of two HBCU national championship teams as a linebacker at North Carolina State A&T State, and twin brothers Jordan and Justin Boyd, both former track athletes at Alcorn State.

For some on Friday, the combine could mark the beginning of a professional career that leads to competing – and winning – on the sport’s biggest stage.

In February, Derrell Edwards became the first NASCAR Drive for Diversity pit crew member to win the DAYTONA 500 when driver Austin Dillon raced to Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway. Edwards, who played basketball at High Point University, pits as a tire carrier and jackman for Dillon’s No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team.

Three program graduates – Raphael Diaz, Kevin Richardson and Mike Russell – helped Roush Fenway Racing driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway in 2017.

Brehanna Daniels, who previously starred as a point guard for Norfolk State’s women’s basketball program, has pitted as a tire changer in more than 20 NASCAR Xfinity Series™, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™ and ARCA Series races while training with NASCAR Drive for Diversity.

The 2018 NASCAR Drive for Diversity National Pit Crew Combine participants include:

Name Hometown University Primary Sport
Jordan Boyd Southaven, Miss. Alcorn State University Track & Field
Justin Boyd Southaven, Miss. Alcorn State University Football/Track & Field
Evan Clay Franklin, La. Morehouse College Football
Jarren Davis Jacksonville, Fla. Bethune-Cookman University Football
Keiston France Amelia, Va. North Carolina A&T State University Tennis
Hadji Gaylord Norfolk, Va. Norfolk State University Football
Andre Hodge Cliffwood, N.J. Winston-Salem State University Football
Ernest Holden Hampton, Va. Norfolk State University Football
Lafayette Kemp Atlanta, Ga. Kentucky Christian University Football
Jerick Newsome Memphis, Tenn. Alcorn State University Basketball
Joshua Patrick Decatur, Ga. North Carolina A&T State University Football
Monte Robinson Fayetteville, N.C. Virginia University of Lynchburg Football
Tori Spann Wichita, Kan. Alcorn State University Basketball

Following Friday’s event, pit crew combine participants will attend the Alsco 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 26 (1 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN).

NASCAR Drive for Diversity also offers a driver development program, operated by Rev Racing, and fields vehicles for four drivers in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, as well as legend cars for four youth racers. Successful graduates now competing in a national series include Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers Kyle Larson, Daniel Suárez and Darrell Wallace Jr.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ Coca-Cola 600 will be broadcast live from Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 27 at 6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.

Posted on by Staff Report

Rich with history and talent, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is the sport’s most exclusive club and highest honor.

On Wednesday, Jeff Gordon, Jack Roush, Roger Penske, Davey Allison and Alan Kulwicki were selected to the 2019 Class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame as they will join 45 other members in taking the next step of their legendary careers. The 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame ceremony will be held on Friday, February 1, 2019.

 

The 2017 Hall of Fame ceremony was one for the books. Streeter Lecka | Getty Images

NASCAR HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2019 CONTENT

— Jeff Gordon highlights the 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame class | READ MORE

— Five legends named to 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class | READ MORE

— See the 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame class through the years | SEE PHOTOS

— One of the lasting images of Voting Day: Mark Martin shaking hands with Jack Roush | SEE THE IMAGES

— Every Hall of Famer has career highlights; recap the 2019’s class best moments | RECAP THEIR CAREERS

— Jeff Gordon and Ken Griffey Jr. rose to prominence at the same time; a look at two No. 24’s | READ MORE

— Jeff Gordon reacts to his NASCAR Hall of Fame selection | READ MORE

— Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki united in NASCAR glory after tragedies 25 years ago | READ MORE

— Zack Albert has one of the prestigious votes for the 2019 class | SEE ZACK’S BALLOT

— Photos of all of the current NASCAR Hall of Famers | SEE PHOTOS

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REST OF THE BALLOT

• From the 1950 Southern 500 to still racing at age 90, Hershel McGriff exhibited a competitive passion that lasted longer than any driver in NASCAR history. | WATCH MORE

• Harry Hyde was so good, they made a movie about him. His incredible leadership skills translated to immense success. | READ MORE

• With nine NASCAR championships to his name, Mike Stefanik remains one of the greatest to ever drive in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. | WATCH MORE

• Known for blistering speeds and his tall stature, Buddy Baker is the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Buck Baker. | READ MORE

• No one is quite sure how many times Larry Phillips won, but a crew chief estimated he won 1,000 times; maybe 2,000. That’s a lot of Victory Lane celebrations. | WATCH MORE

• Ray Fox not only served in the U.S. Army during World War II, his strong mechanical work on engines led several drivers, such as Junior Johnson, to big wins. | READ MORE

• Waddell Wilson was as a dual threat in the garage as he built engines and guided cars to some of the biggest wins in NASCAR history. | WATCH MORE

• Known as NASCAR’s Ironman for more than a decade, Ricky Rudd held the premier series record for consecutive starts (788) until 2015. | READ MORE

• Bobby Labonte raced any car he could before he got his first break as a full-time premier series driver at 28 years old in 1993. | READ MORE

• Red Farmer‘s immeasurable accolades throughout his career can be summed up: He continues to race even after eclipsing 80 years of age. | WATCH MORE

• Known as a master motivator, Joe Gibbs’ 150-plus premier series owner wins and four premier series titles rank among the sport’s most elite company. | READ MORE

• Between Dale Earnhardt and Ricky Rudd, Kirk Shelmerdine‘s ascent into becoming one of the most successful crew chiefs was a thing of beauty. | WATCH MORE

• For Massachusetts native Ralph Moody, it all started with a Model T Ford he built in 1935 and raced on nights and weekends. | READ MORE

• John Holman was considered the mastermind salesman and business manager of the famed Holman-Moody ownership duo. | WATCH MORE

• A man of many nicknames, Harry Gant backed it up with 18 premier series wins while also registering 21 wins in the Xfinity Series. | READ MORE