Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR announced before the season 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 Watkins Glen (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) have been released. Click the print icon above, or the link below.

ROSTERS: Watkins Glen

RELATED: Overview of 2018 rules updates

Posted on by Staff Report

Chase Elliott powered to the fastest lap in final Monster Energy Series practice Saturday afternoon at Watkins Glen International.

Elliott pushed the Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet to a best lap of 124.520 mph late in the 75-minute session. That lap bumped Denny Hamlin, a Watkins Glen winner in 2016, out of the top spot by .088 seconds. Hamlin settled for the second-fastest speed — 124.365 mph — in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota.

RELATED: Final practice results | 10-lap averages | Weekend schedule

Aric Almirola posted the third-fastest speed at 123.979 mph in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 10 Ford. Rookie William Byron and Michael McDowell completed the top five in the final tune-up session before qualifying for Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Martin Truex Jr., winner of the last two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series road-course events, registered the 10th-fastest lap in the Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Toyota. Erik Jones, the fastest driver in opening practice, wound up 22nd on the speed chart in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota.

Busch Pole Qualifying to set the provisional starting lineup is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET (NBCSN).

Erik Jones, JGR show early speed in first practice

Erik Jones topped the leaderboard in opening Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice Saturday morning at Watkins Glen International, leading a 1-2 sweep by Joe Gibbs Racing.

Jones lapped the 2.45-mile road course with a best speed of 125.165 mph in JGR’s No. 20 Toyota. That lap edged teammate Kyle Busch, a two-time winner of Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Busch clocked a 124.255-mph lap in the No. 18 Toyota as Joe Gibbs Racing placed all four of its cars among the top seven in practice.

RELATED: Practice 1 results | Weekend schedule

Joey Logano, the 2015 Watkins Glen winner, checked in with the third-fastest lap (123.654 mph) in the Team Penske No. 22 Ford, just ahead of fourth-fastest Clint Bowyer. Martin Truex Jr., aiming for his third straight road course win, completed the top five on the speed chart in the Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Toyota.

The 75-minute session went without major incident. The most signicant issue was Ryan Newman’s scrape against the guardrail in the esses, leaving his Richard Childress Racing No. 31 Chevrolet smoking on its way back to the garage. Denny Hamlin also slightly brushed the left side of his Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota against the barrier in the final turn.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Joey Logano can see what Kevin Harvick is doing.

He just can’t duplicate it, and that’s a major source of frustration as Logano and Team Penske try to match the speed of the six-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winner this year.

“We have all the data these days,” Logano said. “We have all the SMT stuff (comparative SportsMEDIA Technology data) to look over. ‘Oh, he’s doing this different as a driver. He’s doing that different.’ His car is allowing him to do that, where I try to do that, and I can’t. My car is not allowing me to do that.

“So it’s a little frustrating sometimes, because you can see it and you’re like, ‘Oh, I just have to do that,’ but you can’t do it. So you know what you’ve got to get to. I guess it gives you a good goal and a good baseline to try to get off of. He’s driving a Ford as well, so we know it’s possible. We just have to get to that point.”

Logano has a victory at Talladega this season and an accompanying berth in the Playoffs, but the No. 22 Ford team hasn’t been able to run with NASCAR’s triumvirate of Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., who collectively have won 16 of the 21 events so far this season.

“We all talk about the big three and how fast they are,” Logano said. “Well, we’re not going to catch them if we don’t try something different. A majority of the time, when you try something, it doesn’t work, but maybe one out of 10 things you try does work, and you’re able to make some gains.

“I think just the mentality and the thought process has changed a little bit on how can we get faster for when we get to the Playoffs, because the speed that we have right now is not enough to win the championship. We have to get better, no doubt.

“The only way I know how to get better is you have to try new things. You have to be willing to change as a driver, as a team with the setups, the way we build cars and the thought process. Things have to change to be able to keep up with the top three cars right now that we constantly talk about, and we constantly see winning.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

There are certainly worse things than being the subject of high expectations and AJ Allmendinger would heartily agree as much. He shows up at the historic Watkins Glen road course this week – any week really – as a trophy favorite for Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

He won the race in 2014 for a berth in the NASCAR Cup Playoffs, and the former IndyCar driver is justifiably a race favorite at any of the Cup series road course venues. This weekend, in particular, Allmendinger is rather motivated as a rare driving error eliminated him from contention at the series’ first road course, Sonoma Raceway, in June.

“You know, the road course races, I really try to be a perfectionist,’’ Allmindinger shared of the missed shift at Sonoma that blew his engine and relegated him to a 38th-place finish – the worst of his Cup career on a road course.

“Like I said, it’s not going to bother me here, but I am who I am,’’ he said. “It’s still in the back of my mind. It still just annoys me. That’s it. I was disappointed for the race team and that I let them down. We didn’t get a good finish. I don’t think we were going to win that race. I don’t think it cost us a Playoff spot there, but I thought we were going to at least have a top three or four finish. It just annoys me.”

RELATED: Sizing up Playoff outsiders at Watkins Glen

Putting that disappointment aside is certainly a little easier whenever Allmendinger, 36, arrives in upstate New York. The rowdy and loyal fans at Watkins Glen obviously adore him – applause and autograph seekers meet him wherever he goes at the venue. Even his pet, a cat named “Mr. Tickles,” is a celebrity – boasting nearly 4,000 followers of his own on Twitter

In return, Allmendinger has usually rewarded his road course “roadies” with lots to cheer about.

He’s completed every lap of all nine Cup races he’s run here – a remarkable statistic at a road course where the bumping and banging is more reminiscent of a stock car short track. He has six top-10 finishes highlighted by that 2014 victory. Four times he’s started from the first two rows on the grid and he answered his win with the pole position in 2015.

Allmendinger has two top-10 finishes in the three races at The Glen since his win, including a ninth place last year.

MORE: Count on ‘Dinger in Fantasy Live or not?

A victory on Sunday would vault Allmendinger into the 2018 Playoffs and cause a major shift in the standings with five races remaining (counting this week) to set the 16-driver Cup Playoff field. Allmendinger is currently ranked 23rd with three top-10 finishes – earning a season best third place at Daytona in July.

“In the end, I can just do my best,” Allmendinger said Friday morning. “I’ve come here and put a lot of pressure on myself. We all know what the ultimate goal is when we show up here. I think over the past couple of years it’s gotten a little bit more difficult. I think the field is spread out more.”

Allmendinger, who drives the No. 47 Chevrolet for JTG-Daugherty Racing, says this season in particular, the Cup drivers have raised their road course game. All three drivers atop the standings – Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. – have won at Watkins Glen previously. And Truex, who won at Sonoma in June, is the defending race winner here.

“This year, we’ve seen the three fastest guys are usually the three fastest guys every weekend,” Allmendinger said. “It doesn’t matter what track we go to, unfortunately. They’re good everywhere. I think there’s more of a difference I can make here as a driver, but I don’t see why it’s not going to be those three again that are going to be the fastest cars. As a whole, in the series, we’ve got to catch up to them.

“So, I just come here and do my best and try to get everything I can out of it. And whatever that holds, I think sometimes people look at it like if we don’t win, it’s a full disappointment of the weekend, but we come here and we run top five all weekend and you get a top-five finish, that’s still tough to do and that’s still a good day.

“So, if there’s a chance to win, we’ll take the chance. And if not, we’ll just get the best that we can and for me, just get everything I can out of the weekend. And if I do that, I can be satisfied with it.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

Still admittedly stinging a bit from an accident at Pocono Raceway last Sunday afternoon, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rookie Bubba Wallace was equal parts grateful and optimistic about rebounding from that scene and making his Cup debut Sunday at Watkins Glen International.

Smiling often and even managing a joke or two, Wallace sounded like his old self. His mindset had already moved forward from last weekend’s wreck to what it will take to score a good finish in Sunday’s GoBowling at the Glen (3 p.m., NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

“It’s a tough one to watch, but man we hit a ton,’’ Wallace said of his single car accident at Pocono, 11 laps from the finish. “And it’s good to be able to come away and walk away from that and just know that I had a lot of people’s support. That was pretty cool as well. I think that was obviously a big highlight for me was just getting out and seeing everybody reaching out and showing their levels of concern.”

MORE: Bubba loses brakes, slams into wall | Why he waited to drop the window net  

Wallace is hopeful that concern from last week turns into positive vibes for this week as the Richard Petty Motorsports driver prepares for his first Cup experience on the historic 2.54-mile road course in upstate New York. To ready himself Wallace is also scheduled to race in Friday afternoon’s NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race – something he seemed really excited to participate in.

“It’ll be fun, it’s going back,’’ said Wallace, who last raced in the K&N Pro Series in 2012. “We’ll see how it shakes out and go beat up on some little kids or get my butt whooped by some little kids. We’ll see.’’

Wallace said he is genuinely hopeful the extra time on track will translate into a better showing on Sunday. He started 35th and finished 29th at Sonoma Raceway, the other regular season road course, in June. He has three top-10s at road courses in the NASCAR Xfinity Series – all coming at Mid-Ohio and Road America – the best showing was a fifth at Road America in 2015. He had a fourth-place finish at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park road course in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2013.

“I mean you can watch the races and see what kind of moves they made, but trying to pick on-throttle time, braking points, and everything, that’s kind of hard to do,’’ Wallace explained of his decision to run the K&N race at Watkins Glen. “So, I’m just going to go out and figure it all out. I’ve got Will Rodgers as a teammate. He is badass on the road courses, so I’m sure I’ll pick his brain before we get going.

“…I looked at Sonoma and I’m like I’ve got to do something to be better than we were at Sonoma. So I took matter matters into my own hands and I’m thankful for [sponsor] Sunoco stepping up and helping to foot the bill a little bit, but I’m just trying to learn for Sunday.”

After a  historic runner-up in the season-opening Daytona 500, Wallace and his RPM team have needed to regroup and go through the learning curve expected of any rookie. He answered with another top-10 (eighth) at Texas Motor Speedway in April, but has had only three top-20 finishes in the last 10 races.

One of the most candid competitors in the garage, Wallace reiterated that one thing he has learned quickly this year is that you have to adjust expectations throughout the season.

“You definitely change them up as you go,’’ Wallace said. “Coming into this season we didn’t know where we were going to stack up at first, so we said 8th to 12th was our range. And I thought that’s good, especially coming off last year and how we ran.

“And then when we started getting into the races and we weren’t really finding ourselves barely inside the top-20 so it’s like okay, we re-adjust. Once that started becoming unfortunately the norm, it’s like OK, so we’re going to fight for top 20s and those are going to be really good days for us.”

Of course driving for a seven-time champion, 200-race winner and NASCAR’s most famous icon in Petty certainly increases the spotlight and raises the expectations to a certain extent, even for a rookie driver. Wallace is keenly aware of that, but he remains confident this team has all the makings to be competitive.

“We had expectations,’’ Wallace said. “We haven’t really met them at all. I’ve kind of scaled back. I think the ‘King’ is still on that 8th to 12th, and like ‘why aren’t we running 8th to 12th?’  We’re trying.

“But. …it’s a rookie year in Cup. We’re going to go through the struggles but none of us obviously thought we would be so far behind the eight ball. But what’s cool to see is that we show up to the shop each and every week, and show up at the race track every week, and our guys are still digging hard, 100 percent, a 110 percent effort, trying to find something.

“And each weekend it’s like all right, we think we’ve got something really good for this weekend. Hopefully it translates into something. Sometimes it doesn’t, but at least we’re trying things and we’re not just sitting there with our heads in our laps just saying, well, we’ll see how it goes next weekend. We continue to push the efforts to try and get better.”

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

Hendrick Motorsports announced Thursday that Nationwide has agreed to a two-year extension with the organization, a deal which increases its primary sponsorship of Alex Bowman’s No. 88 Chevrolet to 20 races beginning with the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

Joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2014, Nationwide served as a primary sponsor for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 from 2015-2017. The Columbus, Ohio-based insurance and financial services company is in the middle of a 19-race majority sponsorship agreement with Bowman at the helm.

RELATED: Memorable Nationwide paint schemes

“It’s been great to work with Nationwide. It’s been so much fun,” Bowman told NASCAR.com following Thursday’s trip with Earnhardt and Xfinity Series driver Tyler Reddick to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. “Whether we’re doing stuff up at Children’s Hospital, or wherever we’re working together, it’s just been awesome. The program works really well for them and it’s been working really well for both sides.”

“It definitely says a lot about the sport and where we’re at as a team and the confidence that Nationwide has to keep coming back on,” Bowman added.

Bowman’s relationship with Nationwide dates back to before his Monster Energy Series career began. It’s a partnership he has developed into a personal connection over the years.

RELATED: Dale Jr. glove auction supports Nationwide Children’s Hospital

“It’s a very real relationship for me,” Bowman said. “I drove the first ever Nationwide Children’s Hospital car in 2013, back when it was the Nationwide Series (now Xfinity Series). It’s a relationship I’ve had with them for quite a while … Everyone on the Nationwide team is awesome to deal with and it’s a great family to be a part of.”

In conjunction with the continued partnership, Hendrick also has signed Bowman to a one-year contract extension through 2020.

In five of the past six races, Bowman has finished 11th or better, including a career-best third-place result in the Gander Outdoors 400 at Pocono Raceway last week. Bowman currently holds the final spot for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with five races remaining in the regular season. He is 56 points above the cutoff line.

“It’s awesome to be able to extend the relationship and sync the two deals together,” Bowman said. “It’s been a great couple years driving for Hendrick Motorsports and a great couple months driving the 88 car full time. It gives me a lot of confidence going forward that they believe in me and everybody at HMS believes in me. It’s exciting for me and lets me focus on just going out and doing my job.”

RELATED: Bowman’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital paint scheme

Hendrick Motorsports tabbed Bowman as a substitute driver in the No. 88 while Earnhardt Jr. recovered from a concussion in 2016. Bowman stuck with the company in 2017 working in the simulation department and was promoted to full-time driver of the No. 88 in 2018 following Earnhardt’s retirement.

Bowman gave credit to Earnhardt for molding him into a driver that Nationwide could get behind for years to come.

“For him to help me as much as he has through my career has been huge,” Bowman said. “Every little piece of advice that he gives … before I go and make mistakes on my own has been super helpful. I think that’s been great for the relationship. He’s still a huge partner of theirs, so getting to do some things with him has been really cool.”

In his first full-time season with Hendrick, Bowman earned the Busch Pole Award for the 60th annual Daytona 500. He has eight top-10 finishes after 21 of 36 races.

“We have such a strong partnership with Nationwide,” team owner Rick Hendrick said in a press release. “From doing great things in the community with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to driving significant value back to their business, it’s truly impressive to see how they consistently make the maximum impact with their racing program. We appreciate the incredible relationship with their whole team and look forward to more great things in the coming years.”

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 2, 2018) – Following a national talent search and annual combine event in May, NASCAR® and Rev Racing today announced the latest participants in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program.

Seven former collegiate athletes were selected based on strong, individual performances during a series of crew member assessments and strength and agility drills at the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Combine in Concord, N.C. on May 25.

NASCAR Drive for Diversity provides opportunities for multicultural and female athletes to “go pro” in NASCAR following college careers in football, basketball, track and field, and other sports.

The Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Combine
The annual Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Combine drew scores of athletes to Charlotte, North Carolina, in May. Matt Sullivan | Getty Images

This year’s participants will relocate to North Carolina and train as tire-changers, carriers and jackmen with Rev Racing with hopes of joining more than 50 NASCAR Drive for Diversity alumni working in the sport’s national series.

RELATED: Athletes put to the test in May

“These are top-flight athletes who’ve earned the opportunity to train with the best pit crew development program in the industry,” said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR senior manager, racing operations and event management. “We believe these athletes have what it takes to compete on pit road in our national series like so many of our NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduates.”

Brandon Banks is among the new NASCAR Drive for Diversity pit crew participants. Banks starred as a defensive lineman at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and was part of the Washington Redskins’ active roster in 2017.

A pair of former North Carolina A&T State University student-athletes, Joshua Patrick and Keiston France, were also selected for the pit crew program. Patrick played football for the Aggies, while France was a member of the school’s tennis team.

Keiston France changing a tire
Keiston France was named to this year’s program. Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
Joshua Patrick changing a tire
Joshua Patrick joins teammate Keiston France. | Getty Images

In September, the seven athletes selected to the program will begin 12 months of pit crew training with Rev Racing.

“We look forward to welcoming this year’s class to NASCAR’s most comprehensive pit crew training and development program,” said Max Siegel, CEO of Rev Racing. “Coach Phil Horton and the Rev Racing competition staff continue to attract the top emerging talent in the country and produce some of today’s most successful crew members.”

Since the pit crew program’s inception, more than 90 athletes have participated in NASCAR Drive for Diversity with 25 currently working at the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™ level.

In February, Derrell Edwards became the first NASCAR Drive for Diversity pit crew member to be part of a DAYTONA 500 championship team when driver Austin Dillon raced to Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.

RELATED: Derrell Edwards makes history

Former Norfolk State University women’s basketball player Brehanna Daniels made her debut in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series alongside NASCAR Drive for Diversity tire-changer Breanna O’Leary at Daytona International Speedway in July.

RELATED: O’Leary, Daniels in the spotlight

Daniels, who joined the diversity program in 2016, is believed to be the first female African-American crew member to compete in the sport’s top series.

First Hometown University Primary Sport
Brandon Banks High Point, N.C. University of North Carolina at Charlotte Football
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
Ernest Holden Hampton, Va. Norfolk State University Football
Jerick Newsome Memphis, Tenn. Alcorn State University Basketball
Joshua Patrick Decatur, Ga. North Carolina A&T State University Football
Posted on by NASCAR.com

Name: JJ
​Current City: Chesterfield, Virginia
Member since: 2011

Getting to KNOW JJ

​Q. How did you first become interested in NASCAR?
“My father introduced meet NASCAR back in 1992 when he had me sit down and watch a race with him. I have been hooked to the sport ever since. Now I have both of my kids interested in watching on a weekly basis as well. My entire family looks forward to go to both Cup and Xfinity races at Richmond Raceway every year as well as our local short tracks over the summer time!”

Q. What makes NASCAR special for you?
“I enjoy the speed, sounds and overall competition that each race brings. Having both of my sons watching it with me makes it even more enjoyable.”

Q. Do you have any favorite NASCAR memory?
“My favorite NASCAR memory would have to be going to my first race back in 1994. My father took me to a race at Richmond race way back then it was called Richmond International Raceway and it was the most exciting event I’ve ever been to. I remember early in the race there was a wreck in the turn one right in front of us and it peeled the side of Harry Gant’s car off. Also my favorite driver Rusty Wallace almost won the race. It was the first time my father and I spent the entire day together and it was a great bonding experience for both of us.”

Q: Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?
Drivers: “Kyle Busch and Erik Jones because I feel like these two would not only be the most entertaining to hang around because of their personalities but I feel like they would be very open to my kids and they would make them feel welcome and they could be themselves around them.”

Sponsor: “My favorite NASCAR sponsor would have to be M&M’s because Kyle Busch has been one of my favorite driver since he entered the Xfinity series. So my favorite snack on any race weekend would be any candy that Mars M&M’s makes.”

Favorite Place to Watch a Race: “My favorite section to watch a race when my family goes to Richmond Raceway will have to be the Commonwealth Tower. And this section you can see the entire race track and the view is amazing.”

​Q: Do you have any race day traditions?
“Our family’s race day traditions is to bet on who will win the race. We put the kids 1:64 scale diecast cars in a bag and for each car you pull out you bet a dollar. It brings even more excitement to the race when my kids and I are watching it. Not only do they cheer on their favorite drivers, but they also cheer on whoever they pull out of the bag that day.”

​FROM ALL OF US AT NASCAR, WE THANK JJ FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM HIM IN 2018!

Posted on by

Team owner Joe Gibbs said Wednesday on SiriusXM’s “The Morning Drive” that Christopher Bell is “scheduled” to race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series next year. But if it were up to Bell, who has won three consecutive Xfinity Series races in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, he’d move up to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series — if there was a spot.

MORE: Bell leads Xfinity standings | No. 20 goes for fourth straight win

“Going into next season, I am set for another year of Xfinity, and there are no holes in the Cup side, so that’s what makes it difficult,” he said on a NASCAR teleconference Wednesday. “But as far as what I need, honestly I don’t feel like I need another year of Xfinity.

“I think the best way for me to win at the Cup level is to get there and start trying at it.”

Gibbs stressed the importance of keeping Bell in the Toyota/Joe Gibbs Racing family, saying “he’s a future star.” With all four JGR Cup spots filled, though — the No. 77 Furniture Row Racing Toyota (an associate team of Joe Gibbs Racing) not active right now, and Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 78 Toyota appearing unavailable — finding a spot for the 23-year-old driver is difficult.

Bell does “have every intention of staying with Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing” when he moves up to the next level, he said. His entire NASCAR career, which began with Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series in 2015 and has seen 12 Xfinity/Truck wins since then, has been with the manufacturer.

“Toyota was the one that really ‑‑ they’re the reason why I’m here,” he said. “I would love to stay with them, and hopefully it works out in the future.”

Bell also called driving for Gibbs a “dream come true” and was honored to hear Gibbs speak highly of his talent.

“The biggest thing is I’ve learned throughout my years, and especially in NASCAR, is you are only as good as the race car that you sit in,” he said. “Right now I’m at the best organization that I can be at, so I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else, honestly.

“Even if the Cup deal doesn’t work out for next year, which it looks like it’s not going to, I’m still going to be sitting in a really fast race car at a level in motorsports where I never really dreamed I’d be at. So I’m going to be thrilled either way.

“But I definitely ‑‑ like I said, I’m 23 years old. I feel like I’m at my prime, and I don’t want to waste another year if the opportunity comes to make the jump.”