Posted on by Team Release

CONCORD, N.C.  (May 15, 2018) – Leavine Family Racing and Dumont GROUP will debut a special throwback-inspired paint scheme aboard Kasey Kahne’s No. 95 Camaro ZL1 for the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Kahne’s Dumont JETS Camaro ZL1 is sure to bring back memories for his fans who helped vote him into the 2008 All-Star Race thanks to the Fan Vote. Kahne is the only driver who has won the fan vote for the event and then gone on to win the million-dollar payout in the non-points event.

RELATED: All-Star Race: What you need to know | All-time All-Star Race winners | Eligible All-Star Race drivers

“It was so awesome that the fans voted us into the All-Star race back in 2008,” recalls Kahne. “It really was special to get voted into the race, and then to have a great car to be able to drive our way to the front in order to make strategy calls that put us in position to win. Our paint scheme for this weekend looks so similar to that scheme we ran in 2008’s event, that it’s been cool to see it in the shop as the guys have been getting ready for this weekend. I’m looking forward to racing it this weekend, and hopefully the paint scheme can bring us the same result we had 10 years ago.”

Kasey Kahne performs a burnout after winning the 2008 NASCAR All-Star Race.
Kevin C. Cox | Getty Images

Dumont JETS will be featured as a primary sponsor for the first time in NASCAR. The full-service aircraft charter, sales, maintenance and parts organization began its partnership with LFR at the start of the 2018 season. Dumont JETS has associate partner branding for the season aboard the No.95 and will also have a primary paint scheme at Dover in October.

“Dumont JETS is excited to have our first primary paint scheme in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this weekend at the All-Star Race,” said Kevin Wargo, Director of Dumont JETS and Dumont GROUP. “We know that fans will enjoy the throw-back scheme as much as we do! We have enjoyed working with Leavine Family Racing and Kasey Kahne, and are looking forward to continuing the partnership on and off the track.”

This year’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race will be comprised of four stages: Stage 1 ends on Lap 30; Stage 2 ends on Lap 50; Stage 3 on Lap 70; and Stage 4 on Lap 80. NASCAR Overtime will be in effect for all stages of the event, and stages will not end under a caution. Along with a slightly different format for this year, the rules package the cars will run will be different as well. Restrictor plates will be used, which typically are currently only run at superspeedways. A six-inch high spoiler (with two 12-inch “ears”), a 2014-style splitter on the nose of the cars, as well as aero ducts are also part of the package competitors will be running. This new package for the weekend was created to promote more passing on the track, as well as to tighten the competition. NASCAR ran a similar package on the Xfinity Series cars at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2017 and the race saw a record number of lead changes.

MORE: Cast your All-Star Race vote

Kahne has competed in 14 All-Star races so far during his career and has earned one win, two top-five finishes, four top-10 finishes, and one pole award in the non-points event. He’s completed 1,121 of 1,313 (85.3 percent) career laps and has led for a total of 69 laps in All-Star Race competition.

The Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race will take place on Saturday, May 19 at 8:00 pm ET. The race will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1, Sirius XM Channel 90 and MRN Radio.

Posted on by Staff Report

Heading into race weekends, NASCAR.com will feature unique aspects of the upcoming race track and race weekend.

This week: The Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race and Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 race take place at Charlotte Motor Speedway. For race tickets, visit NASCAR.com/tickets.

  • Action-Packed Weekend Awaits

The annual Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race absolutely lives up its billing, featuring the sport’s biggest names competing under bright lights in a race that has had only one repeat winner in the last 20 years. And the reward is a cool million dollars.

It doesn’t get much more dramatic than that.

RELATED: Full schedule | All-Star format explained

Kyle Busch is the defending champion in a line of race winners that’s included Kevin Harvick (2007), Kasey Kahne (2008), Kurt Busch (2010), Jamie McMurray (2014) and a seven-time Monster Energy Series champ who’s won the event four times – Jimmie Johnson, the only repeat winner since 1998 and the only repeat winner in Saturday’s field.

This year’s race format is four stages. Stage 1 ends on Lap 30; Stage 2 ends on Lap 50; Stage 3 on Lap 70; and Stage 4 on Lap 80. NASCAR’s overtime rule will be in effect for all four stages – and stages will not end under yellow. Only green flag laps will count in Stage 4.

The event features all the 2017 and 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race winners, former All-Star race winners who are competing full time and all past Monster Energy Series champions competing full time.

Also, the current format allows the winners of all three stages of the Monster Energy Open race to advance as well. Fans will put another driver into the race courtesy of the hugely popular Fan Vote.

  • Star-Studded Affair

The All-Star race isn’t the only place fans will see all stars at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Country music superstar Cole Swindell will be playing the pre-race concert Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.

For only $20, fans can upgrade their current ticket and receive a “Golden Ticket” to see the CMA Award winner. There are only a limited number of those Golden Tickets available, but they give early access to the reserved area directly in front of the stage.

And you’ll want to keep your eye on the pre-race festivities. Machine Gun Kelly, an award-winning rapper and actor, will give the command to start the engines. Rampage Jackson, a champion mixed martial artist, will lead the field to green as the honorary pace car driver.

  • Come One, Come All

The annual Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race is regarded as a fantastic opportunity for families to enjoy the best NASCAR has to offer. Charlotte Motor Speedway offers several ticket packages appealing to everyone from a date night to a kid-friendly evening at the races.

Of note: All kids 13-and-under can get a ticket for only $10 with a paid adult admission.

And for those interested in taking in Charlotte’s two-week race offering, there is a “10 Days of NASCAR Thunder” ticket called the “May Mega Pass” that grants admission for Friday’s Camping World Truck Series race, Saturday’s Monster Energy Open and then the $1 million Monster Energy All-Star race.

The pass also includes admission to the Coca-Cola 600 pole night on Thursday, May 24th; the NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco 300 race on Saturday, May 26th; and culminates with the Coca-Cola 600 and pre-race concert featuring the Eli Young Band on Sunday, May 27th.

Fans at home can catch the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race on Saturday, May 19 at 6 p.m. on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The nine drivers who comprise the 2018 NASCAR Next class are no strangers to accolades. This year’s group of emerging stars includes the Rookies of the Year in both the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West, as well the ARCA Rookie of the Year, a former USAC Midget Champion and Lucas Oil Off Road Driver of the Year.

Now in its eighth year, NASCAR Next spotlights the best and brightest young stars in racing. Alumni of the program include current Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stars Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, William Byron, Matt DiBenedetto, Chase Elliott, Gray Gaulding, Erik Jones, Corey LaJoie, Kyle Larson, Daniel Suárez, and Darrell Wallace Jr.

“NASCAR Next highlights emerging talent who have shown the talent and intangibles it takes to achieve success at the highest levels or our sport,” said Jill Gregory, NASCAR executive vice president & chief marketing officer. “Alumni of the program are currently making their marks across NASCAR’s three national series and we believe members of this year’s class have potential to do the same.”

RELATED: Get to know the NASCAR Next class

The NASCAR Next selection process includes input from industry executives, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Drivers Council and media members. Drivers must be between the ages of 15-25, aspire to compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and show potential — on and off the track — to reach that goal.

The following drivers have been chosen for the 2018 NASCAR Next class:

Anthony Alfredo (@anthonyfalfredo), NASCAR K&N Pro Series East — Driving full-time this year for MDM Motorsports in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Alfredo is also a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The 19-year-old Ridgefield, Connecticut, native recently competed in various late model divisions across the country, driving for JR Motorsports.

Hailie Deegan (@HailieDeegan), NASCAR K&N Pro Series West — The 16-year-old Temecula, California, native returns to Next for a second year, driving for Bill McAnnaly Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. The daughter of FMX legend and Monster Energy athlete Brian Deegan, Hailie was the 2016 Modified Kart champion in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series and was named the Lucas Oil Off Road Driver of the Year.

Riley Herbst (@rileyherbst), ARCA Racing Series — Returning to Next for a second year, Herbst is running full-time for Joe Gibs Racing in the ARCA Racing Series, where he won Rookie of the Year honors a year ago. The 19-year-old Las Vegas native captured his first big-track win last June at Pocono, along with six top fives and 10 top 10s.

Derek Kraus (@derek9kraus), NASCAR K&N Pro Series West — The reigning NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Rookie of the Year, Kraus claimed his first win and a pole award, along with nine top fives and 10 top 10s in 2017. Driving full-time for Bill McAnnaly Racing, the 16-year-old Stratford, Wisconsin, native has already captured a fourth-place finish at New Smyrna and a win at Kern County this year.

Chase Purdy (@chasepurdy12), ARCA Racing Series — Purdy returns to Next for a second year after capturing NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rookie of the Year honors in 2017. The 18-year-old from Meridian, Mississippi, finished fourth in the standings last year, tallying five top fives and eight top 10s. This year, Purdy is racing full-time in the ARCA Racing Series for MDM Motorsports.

Will Rodgers (@willrodgers65), NASCAR K&N Pro Series — The 23-year-old Maui, Hawaii, native made two NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts in 2017 and won them both. Starting on the pole at the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Sonoma, he finished runner-up to Kevin Harvick. Running all 14 races out west, Rodgers notched nine top fives and 12 top 10’s, finishing fifth overall.

Zane Smith (@zanesmith41), ARCA Racing Series — Back for a second year in Next, Smith, 18, from Huntington Beach, California, has captured his first two career ARCA victories early in 2018 (Nashville and Talladega). Smith finished ninth in the ARCA standings a year ago, posting two poles, seven top fives and 11 top 10s. In his initial foray in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, Smith ran twice in the East, posting top-10 and top-five finishes, and once in the West, scoring another top five.

Tanner Thorson (@Tanner_Thorson) NASCAR Camping World Truck Series — A former USAC Midget Champion, the 22-year-old Thorson brings his dirt racing experience to Next as he prepared to run various Touring Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races throughout the year. The Minden, Nevada, native also ran two ARCA races in 2017, claiming a top-10 finish in just his second series appearance.

Ryan Vargas (@The_Rhino23), NASCAR K&N Pro Series East — Hailing from La Mirada, California, Vargas is competing full-time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East for REV Racing. The 17-year-old finished third overall in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series for California in 2017, racking up two wins, 15 top fives and 23 top 10s. Vargas is also a 2018 NASCAR Drive for Diversity class member.

Since its inception in 2011, 39 of the 51 drivers who have been selected for the program have progressed to compete in one of NASCAR’s three national series, while a quarter have gone on to compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

The last four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year winners are NASCAR Next alumni, as are top contenders for the award this year: William Byron and Darrell Wallace, Jr. The last five Sunoco Rookie of the Year winners in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and four of the last five Sunoco Rookie of the Year winners in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series are also alumni of the NASCAR Next program.

For more information, visit NASCAR.com/Next and make sure to follow the drivers on Twitter and on the track. Join the social conversation by using #NASCARnext.

Posted on by Brad Norman

It’s been quite a year for Hailie Deegan — and it’s only May.

The 16-year-old kick-started the 2018 season announcing a full-time schedule in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West with powerhouse team Bill McAnally Racing. Just a few months later, Kevin Harvick identified her as one of the sport’s brightest up-and-comers after the two competed against each other at Kern County Raceway in March.

On Tuesday, Deegan was named to the 2018 NASCAR Next class, the second consecutive year she has received the honor. But she isn’t taking a second of the whirlwind adventure for granted, especially since she represents a small minority in the racing community.

WATCH: Deegan, others on growing up racing

“It’s honestly crazy because there’s not many girls out there,” Deegan explained to NASCAR.com. “Let’s face it. There are very, very select ones. Especially ones that can do the off-track work and the on-track. It’s just been a balance between not getting caught up in the media … and focusing on me and my racing. Getting the results. I know everything else will come.”

With the enhanced recognition and attention over the last few months, Deegan has started to embrace her role as a budding star in the sport, who also happens to be a female. It’s an anomaly she takes prides in, but has yet to let define what she wants to be known for among the fans.

Deegan plans on keeping it simple: She wants to be a racer.

MORE: See the other members of 2018 NASCAR Next class

“I am the only girl in the K&N Series,” she said. “There’s the extent where I want to prove to people that I can be just as good as the other guys my age winning. But there’s also the other part, I’m just another racer out here. People don’t even know I’m a girl. My car is white, red and blue. … In the end, the fans see me as another racer until I get out.

“There’s no face that’s there for a girl right now in NASCAR. I think that everyone’s searching for the new face. I think that I’m one of the next coming. … There’s not many. I think it’s really cool being one of the next coming up.”

Having learned how to handle the spotlight from her father, legendary motocross racer Brian Deegan, the California native is taking her career race-by-race. However, she does have a list of goals saved in her phone that she can quickly read over whenever she needs a reminder of what’s on the horizon.

And Deegan hopes she can cross off one specific accomplishment on the list this season.

“… I want to be the first girl to win a K&N race,” she said. “There’s never been a girl in NASCAR history, even in the K&N series, to win a race. I think if I can start from winning a race there then it’ll start rolling the ball to winning races in the next level and the next level.”

MORE: See the new NASCAR Next class in baby photos

Learning from a veteran Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion like Kevin Harvick is one way to help jump-start a career that will give her plenty of opportunities to park in Victory Lane. Deegan spoke with him after he searched out her father’s phone number following the K&N Pro Series West season opener at Kern County Raceway Park in Harvick’s hometown of Bakersfield, California.

“He was like, ‘Hey, I know you guys are leaving right now and I’m trying to leave, but I just wanted to tell you that Hailie is a really good driver,’ ” she said of the conversation with Harvick. “He’s definitely been noticing me more, which does bring all the eyes and attention. But I’m focused on my driving right now. See, that stuff comes just by driving. Just having those moments happen where those drivers do notice just helps that much more.”

Although she finished three spots behind Harvick, who took fourth, the NASCAR Next pilot had him in her rearview mirror for a brief period of time during the event. An experience she can look back on from time-to-time to remind her why all the time, dedication and hard work is worth it.

“It kind of just helped the ball roll,” she said. “It’s just that point of being in the right place at the right time — and I was.”

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

Nine up-and-coming drivers have been named to the 2018 NASCAR Next class. This year’s group includes five new drivers revealed Tuesday, joining four returning members from the previous year.

Since the inaugural class was unveiled in 2011, 38 of the 51 drivers who have participated in the program have gone on to compete at the NASCAR national series level. More than a quarter of the drivers have competed in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, while 13 NASCAR Next alumni have broken into Victory Lane in a NASCAR national series race.

RELATED: Get to know the NASCAR Next class

The following drivers comprise the 2018 NASCAR Next Class:

Anthony Alfredo (@anthonyfalfredo): Fresh off his win in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East at South Boston Speedway on May 12, Alfredo enters NASCAR Next for the first time. The 18-year-old from Ridgefield, Connecticut, nicknamed “Fast Pasta,” also earned a pair of victories driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the JR Motorsports Late Model effort in 2017.

Hailie Deegan (@HailieDeegan): Deegan, 16, is from Temecula, California, and drives for Bill McAnally Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. Deegan has three top-10 finishes in three starts this year. The daughter of former freestyle motocross rider and Monster Energy athlete Brian Deegan is in her second year with NASCAR Next.

MORE: Deegan lets driving do the talking

Riley Herbst (@rileyherbst): In his second year with the program, the 19-year-old from Las Vegas is running full time for Joe Gibbs Racing in the ARCA Racing Series in 2018. Herbst captured his first ARCA victory at Pocono Raceway in 2017. He also has eight top-five and 12 top-10 finishes in 16 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West starts.

Derek Kraus (@derek9kraus): The 16-year-old Stratford, Wisconsin, native is racing in his second full-time season with Bill McAnally Racing, capturing a win at Kern County Speedway by beating Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race.

Chase Purdy (@chasepurdy12): Purdy, 18, returns to NASCAR Next for a second year, driving for MDM Motorsports in a full 2018 ARCA Racing Series season. The Meridian, Mississippi, native earned five top fives, eight top 10s and four poles on his way to placing fourth in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East points standings in 2017.

Will Rodgers (@willrodgers65): The 23-year-old Solvang, California, native has received praise from Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick for his driving ability early on in his career. Rodgers entered two NASCAR K&N Pro Series East events in 2017 — Watkins Glen and New Jersey Motorsports Park — winning on both occasions. His path to NASCAR has drawn comparisons to that of fellow California native and seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.

Zane Smith (@zanesmith41): Another California kid in this NASCAR Next class, the 18-year-old is also “California cool” — on and off the race track. Returning for a second year in the Next initiative, Smith has earned two victories in the ARCA Racing Series in 2018 — Nashville and Talladega.

Tanner Thorson (@Tanner_Thorson): This 22-year-old will race anything and everything. The Minden, Nevada, native is a former USAC Midget Champion and currently is running various touring series races throughout the year. Thorson also made his maiden NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Dover earlier this year. This dirt-track racing expert bleeds racing because when he’s not competing in a race, he’s driving to one.

Ryan Vargas (@The_Rhino23): Vargas, 17, is a full-time driver for Rev Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. The La Mirada, California, native has one top-10 finish and ranks fourth in the points standings in 2018.

Each of the nine — whether they’re new or returning class members — share a common goal: Climbing the NASCAR ladder to the national series level. After establishing a solid foundation for the next steps in her NASCAR career in 2017, Deegan says she’s eager to build upon the relationships she developed, while also letting her personality shine.

“Now that I can see a lot of faces in the NASCAR world and meet a lot of new people, it’s helped out with sponsor opportunities and getting noticed,” Deegan told NASCAR.com. “I think I have made a base from last year with sponsor deals and meeting new people, but I think just expanding those relationships and making some new content to show my personality more. I feel like last year was to try to get noticed and get my name around, but now I’m able to show who I am more.”

Rodgers is looking forward to the fruits the program has to offer in order to spring his blossoming racing career to the next level in his first year with NASCAR Next.

“What I hope to gain most is a new presence in the sport,” Rodgers told NASCAR.com. “(Being a part of the program) not only holds clout in itself, but (helps) to hopefully understand the business side of things a little bit better. That will hopefully move my program forward, not only on the race track, but away from the race track. Being part of NASCAR Next will be very influential on what I’m doing on that business side.”

MORE: Young photos of 2018 NASCAR Next class

The newest class kicks off the eighth year for the industry initiative, as NASCAR Next alumni Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Matt DiBenedetto, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Daniel Suárez and Darrell Wallace Jr. all find themselves competing full time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

The past four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookies of the Year are also NASCAR Next alumni — Larson (2014), Brett Moffitt (2015), Elliott (2016) and Jones (2017). Former NASCAR Next drivers Byron and Wallace also are in the hunt for 2018 Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in the Monster Energy Series.

The NASCAR Next program was created with the goal of establishing credibility and marketplace awareness, focusing on sculpting potential future stars of the sport. The drivers taking part in the initiative have proven they are capable of success on the race track, and this program gives them the opportunity to stand out among the competition when striving to gain attention of the industry, sponsors, media and fans.

Members will be able to receive invaluable benefits in their association with NASCAR Next, including media training, driver brand development, photo/video/content assets, incorporation into fan-facing events, stakeholder relationships and driver interaction.

The NASCAR Next selection process includes input from industry executives, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Drivers Council and media members. Drivers must be between the ages of 15-25, aspire to compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and show potential — on and off the track — to realize that goal.

For more information, visit www.NASCAR.com/next and make sure to follow the drivers on Twitter and on the track. Join the social conversation by using #NASCARNext.

Posted on by Steve Luvender

Last week, NASCAR announced the launch of a youth esports league for iRacing aimed at participants aged 13-16, kicking off next month.

This is a pretty big deal. With real-life stars using iRacing as a springboard for their racing careers, this series could provide a whole new outlet for teens who might not get the opportunity to showcase their racing prowess otherwise.

If you’re a teen, you can get in on the action by visiting NASCAR.com/iRacing.

RELATED: Why join iRacing?

Speaking of the transition from virtual racing to real racing, Xfinity Series driver Spencer Boyd continues to log laps on the sim.

 

NASCAR PEAK ANTIFREEZE iRACING SERIES UPDATE

Fuel mileage — it’s a reality in sim racing, too. The NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series raced last Tuesday night at Kansas Speedway for the sixth race of the 18-race season.

Pole-sitter Logan Clampitt was on the verge of winning his first race of 2018, but came up just short on fuel, running dry within the final 10 laps of the race. Canada’s breakout star Keegan Leahy claimed his second victory of the season after taking advantage of Clampitt’s misfortune.

MORE: Full race recap

Ray Alfalla continues to lead in the championship standings, 22 points ahead of Leahy, and 45 points ahead of Ryan Luza, who missed Tuesday’s race. The series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for a 300-miler Tuesday, May 22.

iRACING PAINT SCHEMES OF THE WEEK

The race at Darlington, where NASCAR teams race throwback paint scheme, doesn’t take place until September, but that shouldn’t stop you from racing Matt DiBenedetto’s No. 32 Jeff Burton throwback on iRacing, re-created by Justin Bland.

What happens when you mix a retro NASCAR truck and current-day Camping World Truck Series team GMS Racing’s style? Erik Le has the answer with his fictional creation.

 

DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME

In NASCAR, the Big One is a reality at restrictor plate tracks like Talladega and Daytona. The same is true in iRacing (though the damage bill is substantially less expensive).

Watch some pixels get crunched in a Truck Series race at the virtual Talladega:

 

Posted on by Staff Report

The annual NASCAR Next class, which identifies and celebrates some of the top up-and-coming young stars in the sport, will be unveiled today on NASCAR.com as well as NASCAR’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

At 12:30 p.m. ET, we’ll have the 2018 class live in our studios. Come back then, or visit our Facebook or YouTube page at that time.

WATCH: Bookmark live stream

The newest class kicks off the eighth year for the industry initiative. NASCAR Next alums such as Ryan Blaney, Matt DiBenedetto, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Daniel Suárez and Darrell Wallace Jr. all find themselves competing full time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

The NASCAR Next program was created with the goal of establishing credibility and marketplace awareness, focusing on sculpting potential future stars of the sport. The drivers taking part in the initiative have proven they are capable of success on the race track, and this program gives them the opportunity to stand out among the competition when striving to gain attention of the industry, sponsors, media and fans.

The NASCAR Next selection process includes input from industry executives, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Drivers Council and media members. Drivers must be between the ages of 15-25, aspire to compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and show potential – on and off the track – to realize that goal.

Posted on by Holly Cain

Kevin Harvick’s series-best five wins and nine top-five finishes through 12 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races is a career-best season “opening” for the driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, ironically best known as the ‘The Closer.’

In true form, Harvick’s closing laps victory at Kansas Speedway on Saturday night gave him back-to-back wins (also including Dover the previous week) and a pair of pole positions in the last three races. He has a series-high five victories on the year.

RELATED: Recap all of Harvick’s wins | Harvick catches Truex late for Kansas win

Harvick’s grand total of 19 wins dating back to his 2014 championship season is the most in the series during that span. It betters Kyle Busch’s 18-win tally in that time, as well as Jimmie Johnson’s 17 wins and Joey Logano’s 16 wins.

And again, we’re only 12 races into the 2018 schedule.

“Now it feels like a game,” Harvick, 42, said smiling in Saturday night’s post-race interview at Kansas.

“It really does, because of the fact that you want to see how many races you can win. You want to see how many laps you can lead. We know that we’re riding a momentum wave that is hard to come by, and you need to capitalize on it as many times as you can because it may never come again. I’ve never had it in my career, and I’ve been doing this for 18 years.”

Harvick has won by dominating a race – like his 201 laps led at Dover. He’s won on team strategy and veteran savvy. He’s won on dramatic passes, such as Saturday night at Kansas. And his 820 laps out front this season are easily the most in the series (Kyle Busch is next with 498).

There is precedent to such an impressive start to the year. And it’s quite a stellar path to be driving down.

RELATED: Drivers to win five races in the season’s first 12 events

Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon also won five of the first 12 races in the 1997 Cup season. In fact he won six of the first 13 races and seven of the first 15 en route to a 10-win championship season.

As Harvick is doing, Gordon reeled off consecutive wins. Twice during that season-opening span of excellence he won back-to-back — the Daytona 500 then at Rockingham and again went back-to-back at Bristol and Martinsville. For Harvick, getting on a “roll” has been a real thing. All his victories this season have come in consecutive stretches. He won three straight – at Atlanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix – and has a two-race streak going now.

“You know, we talked about it this week, it’s something that you may never do again in your career, and while you have fast cars and while you have momentum and while you have a group of guys that gives it everything they have and a driver that gives it everything that he can, like you have to, like you have to just fight every week and give it everything you’ve got,” Harvick’s crew chief Rodney Childers said following Kansas.

“I mean, if it’s eight races you win, if it’s ten races you win, if it’s 12 races you win, the reason that we all are here is because of watching people like Jeff Gordon and Ray Evernham win 12 races a year, and that’s what your goal should be no matter what race team you are. Yeah, you’ve got to keep going.”

There is no statistical reason to believe he’ll slow down any time soon. Even when Harvick hasn’t won, he’s still contended for the win.

Harvick has had success at the next points-paying race, the May 27 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, winning twice (2011 and 2013) and starting from pole position there last year. Since his 2013 win at Charlotte, Harvick has eight top-10 finishes in the last nine races at the track, including three runner-up finishes – twice in the 600-miler (2014 and 2016). He finished runner-up in his very first try at the 600 in 2001.

As for this week’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race, Harvick was runner-up in the event in 2014 and 2015.

RELATED: Driver standings | SHR announces Fan Club

It all bodes well for the Stewart-Haas Racing team and Harvick’s success is the cherry on top of a career season for the entire four-car operation. Harvick leads the series in wins but his second-year teammate (at SHR) Clint Bowyer took home a Grandfather Clock trophy for winning at Martinsville this year (his first victory in six years) and is ranked sixth in the standings. Veteran Kurt Busch is ranked fifth and team newcomer Aric Almirola is 11th.

“These moments are not something that happens very often, and now you need to go put every detail into a car like you’re racing for a championship race at Homestead every week because it just has that special feel to it,” Harvick said.

“It’s just a good time to be at SHR. Theyre doing a great job of putting fast race cars on the track, but I think when you look at a night like tonight, it really shows the experience of the team because I feel like this is the kind of cars that we had in 2014 but we had a lot of parts failures. We were all new. We made a lot of mistakes and just didn’t really know how to deal with it like we do now, but yeah, it’s [winning] addicting. Now it’s a game.”

And Harvick is winning.

Posted on by Team Release

Stewart-Haas Racing, the championship-winning NASCAR team co-owned by Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, is bringing back the fan club.

With the digital age creating a brave new world of engagement, old-school interaction has fallen by the wayside. Stewart-Haas Racing aims to reverse this trend by re-establishing the fan club, which was once a hallmark of NASCAR and the personalities involved in America’s most popular form of motorsports.

At no cost, the SHR Fan Club will offer fans numerous chances to win cool gear and, most importantly, access to the inner workings of Stewart-Haas Racing. Meet-and-greets with team personalities at the track and VIP events at its race shop will be available to SHR Fan Club members. To join, simply sign up at www.StewartHaasRacing.com/FanClub.

“Growing up, I can remember drivers having their own fan clubs, and as my career started to take hold, we created the Tony Stewart Fan Club. We’ve all kind of gotten away from that, and now is the time to bring it back,” said Stewart, the three-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion.

“There’s a lot of pride at Stewart-Haas Racing, and that prides comes from this race team being filled with racers. In fact, I’d call us old school, where the attire is more T-shirt and jeans and less suit and tie. And what’s more old school than a fan club? Ours doesn’t cost a thing, and what fans get in return is access. It’s more than a peek behind the curtain. It’s an opportunity to be a part of our race team.”

The first event highlighted on www.StewartHaasRacing.com/FanClub is June 1 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. Following Busch Pole qualifying at the 2.5-mile triangle, every SHR driver will appear at the track’s infield stage for a question-and-answer session with fans, where SHR Fan Club members can enjoy the happenings from a premium seating area at the front of the stage.

More appearances and activities will follow, but the signature event will be a designated SHR Fan Club day at the team’s headquarters in Kannapolis, North Carolina, surrounding the Sept. 28-30 Bank of America 500 race weekend at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. A date, time and other specifics will be announced at a later date.