Posted on by Zack Albert

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Trevor Bayne made his first public comments about a reduction in his 2018 racing schedule, saying Friday that both his health and his desire to compete have not waned.

Bayne’s remarks came before opening Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Talladega Superspeedway. The comments also came two days after Matt Kenseth was announced as a part-time driver for the Roush Fenway Racing, splittling time with Bayne in the No. 6 Ford.

“First of all, my health is 100 percent,” said Bayne, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2013 and was medically cleared to race. “I am as fit physically, mentally, spiritually as I have ever been to do my job well. The second part is that my desire is still as it has always been since I was 5 years old, to come to the race track every weekend and contend for wins, championships and be a driver at the top level in the Cup Series. Nothing in that has changed. I’m still going to pursue that because I feel I’ve got the ability to do that, but right now I don’t have much more to add to that.”

RELATED: Drivers of the No. 6 | Kenseth ready to get ‘hands dirty’

Bayne took no questions from media assembled outside the team’s hauler, reiterating that his focus was concentrated on winning Sunday’s GEICO 500 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the 2.66-mile track.

“I want to respect you all’s time and I know you have a ton of questions after everything that’s happened this week,” Bayne said. “But if you guys can just allow me to come into the garage and talk to my team and work through this weekend, I’d love to have that opportunity. I’m coming here to win Talladega as I’d planned to do before any of this. That’s what I’m going to do.”

Bayne, 27, is in his fourth season with team owner Jack Roush. He’ll remain with the team for an unspecified number of races as Kenseth takes over at Kansas Speedway (May 12) and the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 19).

Bayne has one victory in NASCAR’s top division, making a stunning breakthrough in the 2011 Daytona 500 for Wood Brothers Racing. Since then, his performance has been scattered. He earned no other top-five finishes in four part-time seasons for the Wood Brothers, and has gathered just four top-five results in his full-time tenure with Roush Fenway.

RELATED: Kenseth eligible for All-Star race | How Kenseth can climb stats charts

Those struggles have continued this year. Bayne ranks 26th in the Monster Energy Series points with a best finish of 12th place at Texas Motor Speedway.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said he spoke with his longtime Roush Fenway teammate as this week’s news developed, saying he could relate to Bayne’s position.

“I told him just to keep his head down, go out and keep running races to prove to everybody you’ve got what it takes,” said Stenhouse, the defending Talladega race winner. “Don’t really listen to anything, whether it be fans, media or other teams saying anything. Just do your deal. That was the feedback that I gave him.”

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — In a move designed to strengthen a relationship that dates back more than 60 years, NASCAR announced today the acquisition of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA).

Both NASCAR and ARCA, a Midwest-based sanctioning body for stock car auto racing, share a long history: ARCA founder John Marcum raced against Bill France Sr. and worked as a NASCAR official. More recently, the series has provided a valuable platform for talented drivers looking to make it to NASCAR’s national series.

“Our NASCAR family has long had a special connection with our friends at ARCA, and this is a logical step in demonstrating our commitment to the next generation of racers,” said Jim France, NASCAR vice chairman, executive vice president and member of the sport’s founding family. “This continues the legacy our sport was built upon and will deliver the great racing our fans expect.”

RELATED: NASCAR acquires ARCA

France was the driving force behind the merger of GRAND-AM and the American Le Mans Series in 2012, creating the modernized International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) in 2014.

ARCA began racing at Daytona International Speedway in 1964 at the behest of Bill France Sr. It kicked off its 66th season with 20-year-old Natalie Decker becoming the third female in the series to win a pole at Daytona and NASCAR Next alumni Michael Self winning.

The ARCA Racing Series will continue to operate under its current structure through the 2019 season. This year’s schedule of 20 races includes nine events at NASCAR national series venues, and three others at NASCAR Whelen All-American Series tracks — illustrating the bond between the two sanctioning bodies.

“We are proud of the history and tradition of the ARCA Racing Series and the relationship we’ve built over six decades with NASCAR,” said Ron Drager, ARCA president and grandson of John Marcum. “We look forward to the opportunity to be more fully integrated with NASCAR and help shape the future of our sport.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

TALLADEGA, Ala. — NASCAR announced Friday morning that it has acquired the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Series after a 60-plus year relationship between the sanctioning bodies that started with NASCAR Founder Bill France Sr. and ARCA founder John Marcum.

NASCAR Vice Chairman Jim France joined Marcum’s grandson, ARCA President Ron Drager, at Talladega Superspeedway on Friday morning to formalize the announcement.

“Our NASCAR family has long had a special connection with our friends at ARCA, and this is a logical step in demonstrating our commitment to the next generation of racers,’’ France said.

RELATED: Official NASCAR release

Much of the future between the two series is possible because of their lengthy and successful past relationship. The two founders raced against one another before founding their respective governing bodies.

“Our position in the industry over all these years — 67 years — has been really intertwined with NASCAR,’’ Drager said. “Before there was a NASCAR, before there was an ARCA, there was a relationship between the Marcum and France families. And over all these years and over all this period of time, we at ARCA have been fortunate to carve out a spot in the industry and to be able to be a constructive part of our sport. I think this is really just coming back full circle to where things started out. This provides ARCA with sustainability.

“We’re all looking toward the future and trying to figure out where we need to be and how best to stabilize and come together to make the sport stronger. I think a coming-together is a good way to do it.”

ARCA will continue to operate under its current structure through the 2019 season. Details of the 2020 season and beyond will be forthcoming. But much of what makes this union appealing is the unique market ARCA has long served and making that part of the NASCAR umbrella.

And Jim France, one of the crucial forces behind this new alliance, has proven himself a master of motorsports mergers. He brought together sportscar racing’s GRAND-AM Road Racing and American Le Mans Series in 2012, creating a thriving and “modernized” International Motor Sports Association (IMSA).

“There aren’t many industries, particularly sports franchises or leagues, that support an industry the way the France family and Marcum-Drager family has. And for them to join forces and come back together after all these years, I think that’s a compliment to not just their families, but a big message to motorsports participants, whether a car owner, crew member or participant, or fan,’’ NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton said. “I think it shows that both of those families believe in the future of stock car racing and motorsports.’’

For Drager, the future is about increased opportunity and the ability to feature the best of ARCA’s offering in drivers, venues and competition. It currently has a schedule of 20 races, including nine events at NASCAR national event venues. This February was a historic event at Daytona International Speedway with Natalie Decker, 20, becoming the third woman in ARCA’s long history to win a pole at Daytona. The race was won by a former NASCAR Next driver, Michael Self.

“The relationship is truly seven decades, and so as you wind on down the road and build relationships over an extended period of time, this was always a very natural relationship, something that just eventually made sense to formalize,’’ Drager said. “There was really no timeline on it. I think it’s just something that just very gradually and very naturally happened.’’

Posted on by Sponsored Content

NASCAR is a sport of legends, from Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Blaney and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., right down to you — a legend among fans. To celebrate your dedication and passion for the sport, Ford today invites you to compete in the Ford Hall of Fans for a chance to win* a VIP trip and a new Ford vehicle!

  • Two of NASCAR’s most enthusiastic and engaged fans will receive a VIP trip to the 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony, along with a new Ford vehicle of their choice.
  • The chase to find two ultimate fans has kicked off with enthusiasts sharing their stories at NASCAR.com/Ford in all-out competition to be the first winners. Things heat up in September, when 16 semifinalists narrow the pack. Then the final six are invited to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead in Miami, to compete for top honors,
  • Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Clint Bowyer and other Ford Performance NASCAR drivers will be in on the action sharing their most memorable fan stories and videos, and will be among the judges saluting the two ultimate Ford Hall of Fans.


The course to becoming a legend in the Ford Hall of Fans began last month and continues throughout the regular NASCAR season. Race enthusiasts nominate themselves as the greatest NASCAR fans in the world – sharing their favorite race experiences and drivers, as well as their most compelling photos and videos of NASCAR fandom. Fans everywhere can get in on the action at www.NASCAR.com/Ford.

Keselowski, Logano, Harvick, Bowyer and other Ford drivers will be in the thick of it with their own fan stories and videos, following the Ford Hall of Fans contenders throughout the season. The two most engaged, passionate fans announced at Homestead will be inducted into the Ford Hall of Fans when the season wraps, at a special live ceremony with Ford Performance NASCAR drivers in attendance. Celebrating the bond between drivers and fans, the winners will receive a VIP trip to the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Charlotte along with a new Ford vehicle of their choice.

NASCAR fans can follow Ford Performance NASCAR fandom and join the conversation at #FordHallofFans.

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Sponsor: Ford Motor Company. Not sponsored by NASCAR.
Posted on by Staff Report

Have you ever thought about how cool it would be to hear actor Morgan Freeman try his hand at spotting for Jimmie Johnson at Talladega Superspeedway?

Well, neither did we until @nascarcasm created this gem for the world to witness. Ride along with Jimmie Johnson at the 2.66-mile Alabama track as “Shawshank Redemption” actor Freeman plays “spotter” for the seven-time champion.

Morgan Freeman the actor? Legendary.

Morgan Freeman the spotter ? Not so much.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR announced this offseason that it will standardize at-track team rosters across all three national series in 2018, providing a structure for the number of personnel working on each vehicle during the course of a race weekend.

Official team rosters for Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway (2 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) have been unveiled.

Simply click the “print” icon above, next to the headline and social media icons, to get the full list.

RELATED: Overview of 2018 rules updates

Posted on by Team Release

WELCOME, N.C. — Coca-Cola, one of the world’s iconic brands, will be featured as primary sponsor on the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the 2018 Coca-Cola 600. Coca-Cola’s longtime partnership with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) will continue its deep-rooted history over Memorial Day weekend with defending race winner Austin Dillon carrying the Coca-Cola colors. Dillon recorded his first-career Cup Series victory last May at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Coca-Cola 600, one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races.

MORE: Buy tickets now!

The red-and-white, patriotic paint scheme was unveiled Thursday at Fort Bragg military installation in front of U.S. servicemen and women prior to a lunch with several gold-star families.”Coca-Cola has made NASCAR’s Memorial Day weekend a bucket-list experience for race fans,” said Dillon, a member of the Coca-Cola Racing Family. “I’m thrilled to have Coca-Cola as our primary sponsor for the Coca-Cola 600 — one of NASCAR’s flagship racing events. Coca-Cola has played a critical part in my NASCAR career and I look forward to continue representing the brand and defending my title as Coca-Cola 600 champion.”

Coca-Cola’s involvement with NASCAR dates back 50 years and its partnership with RCR began in 1998. Its comprehensive marketing approach has engaged millions of fans, customers and employees and has earned Coca-Cola recognition as being one of the most recognized brands in the sport. Dillon was introduced into the Coca-Cola Racing Family in 2014 when he became a full-time Cup Series driver. Coca-Cola last appeared as a full primary sponsor with RCR 20 years ago in the 1998 NASCAR Thunder Special Motegi in Motegi City, Japan. Dale Earnhardt Sr. drove the No. 3 Coca-Cola Chevrolet to an eighth-place finish in the 300-mile exhibition race.

PHOTOS: Dillon’s visit to Fort Bragg

Coca-Cola’s continued loyal support of the U.S. Armed Forces was on display Thursday at Fort Bragg when several service members helped unveil the No. 3 Chevy. Coca-Cola recognizes service members at the race track through its successful six-week platform, “NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola,” which runs from May to June and aims to recognize uniformed men and women.

“As a founding partner of the USO, The Coca-Cola Company has a longstanding history of supporting the U.S. military, veterans and their families,” said Ben Reiling, Director, Motorsports, Coca-Cola North America. “We are thrilled to continue to support U.S. service members with the NASCAR Salutes program and to continue our partnership with defending Coca-Cola 600 champion Austin Dillon.”

Last May, Dillon raced his way to victory during the Coca-Cola 600, recording his first-career Monster Energy Series victory and putting the legendary No. 3 car in Victory Lane for the first time in 17 years. Dillon is a two-time NASCAR champion and won the 2018 Daytona 500 earlier this season.

Posted on by Zack Albert

The third of four races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Dash 4 Cash program has had its intensity level bumped up a peg. It’s all because for the first year, Talladega Superspeedway is included in the lucrative bonus initiative.

“Yeah, who thought of that?” Elliott Sadler said last weekend, expressing some mock indignation after collecting the $100,000 prize at Richmond Raceway.

RELATED: Full rundown of Dash 4 Cash program | Talladega schedule | Dash 4 Cash field

Sadler and the rest of the four-driver field will brace for restrictor-plate rules and the increased potential for crashes in Saturday’s Sparks Energy 300 (3 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). He’ll compete against Richmond winner Christopher Bell, plus top finishers Matt Tifft and Austin Cindric for this weekend’s six-figure payday.

Sadler has experience on his side for Saturday’s event as a two-time winner at the 2.66-mile Alabama track. But he hinted that the action may replicate — or even surpass — the season opener at Daytona, which went five overtimes before his JR Motorsports teammate Tyler Reddick edged him at the finish by a record .0004 seconds.

“I think with the $100,000 on the line that guys are going to be more aggressive — like we need that at Talladega — but guys are going to be more aggressive and probably take more chances, and we are, too,” Sadler said. “I think you’re going to have to be very aggressive to try to win the $100,000 there, so I think you guys are going to see a wild race. Daytona was a crazy race, probably the wildest restrictor-plate race I have ever raced in because of the rules package that we had and nobody wanted to give up the lead, nobody took a break, and I think we’re going to see a lot of the same stuff at Talladega.

“Now you throw $100,000 on top of it, it’s like Xfinity knew what they were doing to make Talladega a Dash 4 Cash race. It should be a good show for the fans.”

This weekend’s Dash 4 Cash field features an intriguing mix of some of the series’ top teams, with JR Motorsports (Sadler), Joe Gibbs Racing (Bell), Richard Childress Racing (Tifft) and Team Penske (Cindric) all represented. All four organizations have shown strength this year, but Talladega typically provides a wild-card as far as contenders are concerned.

“The thing about Talladega is that we’re not going to know who’s going to win the Dash 4 Cash until the last few inches coming to the line because we see it time and time again there,” Bell said. “You’re going to be four- or five-wide coming to the finish line so you’re not going to be able to put a lot of stock into who’s leading the money or who’s leading the Dash 4 Cash. Even when you take the white flag, the guy who’s leading is more than likely not going to be the guy who wins it.

“That’s just the thing about Talladega is with the pack racing, it’s always jumbled around and it’s going to be a crap shoot.”

No Monster Energy Series regulars will be included in Saturday’s 40-car field. The top four finishers that earn Xfinity Series points will be eligible for the $100,000 check in the following weekend’s Dash 4 Cash finale, scheduled May 5 at Dover International Speedway.

Posted on by RJ Kraft

Numbers mean plenty when it comes to building out your Fantasy Live teams each week. NASCAR.com will examine the stats outlook for each track in advance to help give you an edge as you set your lineups ahead of the race weekend.

Don’t forget to check back on NASCAR.com for additional insight from fantasy expert RJ Kraft, and watch Fantasy Fastlane with Jessica Ruffin and NBC Sports’ Steve Letarte for even more advice.

RELATED: Play Fantasy Live now | How the new Fantasy Live works | Driver stats

Top five average running position (per loop data from 2005 to the present):

Driver Average running position
Chase Elliott 10.122
Kurt Busch 14.168
Jimmie Johnson 14.738
Ryan Blaney 14.971
Joey Logano 15.573

Top five in stage points earned at Talladega in 2017:

Driver Stage points Stage wins
Brad Keselowski 29 2
Ryan Blaney 28 1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 16 0
Jimmie Johnson 15 0
Clint Bowyer/Joey Logano/Martin Truex Jr. 14 0

Top five in points earned at Talladega in 2017:

Driver Race points Race wins
Brad Keselowski 99 1
Denny Hamlin 68 0
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 67 1
Kasey Kahne 65 0
Aric Almirola* 65 0

*Point total does not include the 35-point penalty Almirola and his team were assessed following the spring race for a post-race laser inspection failure. That penalty does not factor into fantasy points.

Most laps led in 2017 races at Talladega:

Driver Laps led
Joey Logano 69
Kyle Busch 52
Denny Hamlin 47
Brad Keselowski 38
Ryan Blaney 27

Average starting position for last 10 winners: 11.1, seven of the past 10 winners have started no worse than 10th.

Active drivers to win pole: Kasey Kahne (1), Chase Elliott (1), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (1), Jimmie Johnson (1), Kevin Harvick (1) and Martin Truex Jr. (1)

Active drivers to win at Talladega: Brad Keselowski (5), Clint Bowyer (2), Jimmie Johnson (2), Joey Logano (2), Jamie McMurray (2), Kevin Harvick (1), Denny Hamlin (1), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (1), David Ragan (1) and Kyle Busch (1)

Most recent pole winner: Dale Earnhardt Jr., fall race in 2017

Last time pole-sitter won here: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., spring race of 2017

Where stage winners started from: Third, sixth, ninth and 11th

Winning manufacturers of last 10 races: Ford-7, Chevrolet-2, Toyota-1

Posted on by Staff Report

Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney got into the throwback spirit on Wednesday, revealing his special Darlington scheme for this year’s race live on NASCAR.com.

His father, Dave Blaney, was on hand for the unveil. To the elder Blaney’s surprise, the throwback look honors him.

Ryan Blaney revealed a sleek yellow-based No. 12 Ford that honors his father’s time with Jasper Motorsports from 2002-03, pulling off the cover to reveal the car with his father’s help.

A rendering of Ryan Blaney's Darlington paint scheme

“He doesn’t even know,” Ryan Blaney told NASCAR.com with a laugh just before the unveil. “I didn’t tell him anything. I actually haven’t even seen it. I can say it is our Darlington scheme, and it’s cool to have my dad here.”

In his two years in the No. 77 from 2002-03, Dave Blaney scored one top-five and nine top-10 finishes. His best finish was third at the spring Darlington race in 2003, when the “Track Too Tough To Tame” had two races on the schedule.

Dave Blaney also scored his first Busch Pole Award in the No. 77 car in February 2003 at Rockingham.

Dave Blaney drives for Jasper Motorsports
Adam Pretty | Getty Images

Ryan Blaney was 8 years old when his father began driving for Jasper Motorsports, and the bright yellow scheme clearly made an impact.

So did the racing itself, as the younger Blaney followed in his father’s footsteps and is in his third season as a full-time driver in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at age 24.

Blaney currently is eighth in the standings in his first year with Team Penske. Blaney also hosts the Glass Case of Emotion on NASCAR digital and social channels, along with Kim Coon and Chuck Bush.

Ryan Blaney is the latest driver to reveal his scheme for the Labor Day Weekend race, which has taken on a throwback theme. Now in its fourth year, Darlington will celebrate “Seven Decades of NASCAR” this season in honor NASCAR’s 70th anniversary.

Ryan Blaney's No. 12 Darlington throwback paint scheme
Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 throwback scheme

“It’s special,” Ryan Blaney added. “I’ve been able to run some really cool pain schemes and we were trying to figure out Darlington. We were trying to play with the Menards colors, and my dad’s Jasper car came up. I thought that would be awesome.”

As for the elder Blaney, he’s known for his reserved demeanor but offered this parting thought:

“It’ll look good in Victory Lane.”

OTHER SCHEMES: Brad Keselowski | Kurt Busch | Matt DiBenedetto