Posted on by Holly Cain

In the spirit of the “numbers game” that characterizes the Las Vegas area hosting NASCAR’s three national series this weekend, here are some jackpot trends and statistics to consider as NASCAR starts its three-race western swing (#NASCARGoesWest) with the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

 

Jimmie Johnson is the most successful driver at the 1.5-mile speedway with four wins – the last in 2010 – six top-fives and nine top-10 finishes and he also tops the series in driver rating (112), laps led (582), laps running in the top-15 (76.7 percent), fastest laps (445) and quality passes (496) at the track.

 

Johnson (four) and Brad Keselowski (two) are the only two series drivers with multiple Las Vegas wins. And Johnson would sure like to summon that positive precedence as his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team hopes to avoid what would be a career-long winless streak at 26 races.

RELATED: Schedule for Las Vegas | Paint schemes for Las Vegas

Despite the impressive Johnson statistical superiority, current points leader Joey Logano actually boasts the best average finish at Vegas (10.0), however the Team Penske driver has never won at the track. He finished runner-up to his teammate Brad Keselowski in 2016 and was fourth last year.

 

Johnson’s former Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne, who now drives the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet has won more pole positions (three) at Vegas than anyone and also has a track best two runner-up finishes here – most recently in 2013.

 

There are only five former winners in Sunday’s race and last week’s Atlanta winner Kevin Harvick joins Johnson as two of only four drivers to have won at Las Vegas as reigning Cup champions. It’s a feat current champ Martin Truex Jr. sure would like to accomplish. This is the race that essentially launched Truex on his title-winning trajectory in 2017 — one of seven trophies he earned on 1.5-mile tracks en route to the big Monster Energy Cup hoist at the season finale.

Posted on by NASCAR.com

Name: Peggy
Current City: Warwick, Pennsylvania
Member since: 2009

Getting to know Peggy

Why did you join the Official NASCAR Fan Council?
“I’m such a big fan of NASCAR, and if I, along with other fans, can have a voice in the decisions NASCAR makes, I think it’s great!”

How did you first become interested in NASCAR?
“I watched NASCAR when I was younger, but then I became busy raising my three children and working. My youngest son, Brett, at around age 9 or 10 had the race on one Sunday, and I started watching it with him. I asked him who he liked, and he said a young guy named Jeff Gordon. I became hooked for real again after that!”

What makes NASCAR special for you?
“NASCAR is my favorite sport. It’s nice to see how fan-friendly it is, both at the track and online.”

Do you have any favorite NASCAR memories or traditions?

“My son was a Jeff Gordon fan and when he was a teenager, we travelled to several races together, even spending his 16th birthday at the Richmond race! My oldest daughter has a lesser interest, but Jeff has always been her favorite driver, and it turns out that he is also her husband’s favorite driver. I have also gone to races with them, so we have shared some great family times at the races.”

If you could go to any NASCAR race/track, where would you go?
“Probably Bristol, but I would be happy to go anywhere!”

Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?
Driver: “Jeff Gordon will always be my favorite driver. He’s not only a great champion, but a class act. I have stuck with the 24 team and Chase Elliott since Jeff retired, and I have been more than pleasantly surprised with what a great young man Chase is, and there is no question he will be a future star in the sport.”

Track: “I have been to Charlotte, Richmond and Pocono. I can’t say that I have a favorite of those I have been to, although the festivities at Charlotte were awesome!”

Memorabilia: “I have 36 Jeff Gordon cars, one Ricky Hendrick car and one Jimmie Johnson car that I have collected over the years, but my case is full, so I have stopped collecting!”

Where is your dream car?
“I don’t necessarily have a dream car.  Most of my life I have driven Chevrolets. My current car is a 2004 Chevrolet Impala Indy SS Limited Edition, of which there were only 4,008 made, and mine is #3947.”

What would be your dream vacation?
There are a lot of places I want to go, but I would love to take a trip out west to see some of the national parks, especially the Grand Canyon, but any trip is a nice trip as far as I’m concerned!”

From all of us at NASCAR, we thank Peggy for her continued support and look forward to hearing from her in 2018.

Posted on by Sponsored Content

The term “neon” simply makes sense when thinking about Las Vegas — the expansive Strip of hotels and casinos glitters with light at all hours of the night.

But further north at Las Vegas Motor Speedway may be the most popular “neon” attraction in all of Sin City, one that aligns neatly with Jiffy Lube, part of the entitlement sponsor of the March 4 Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race.

“The entire Jiffy Lube network from franchisees to service center techs is excited to be a part of the upcoming Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube and to bring race fans a truly memorable experience,” said Denny Reiner, director of marketing for Jiffy Lube International.  “This race sponsorship is a great opportunity to further tie two leading brands together – Jiffy Lube, the industry’s largest fast lube provider, and Pennzoil, the nation’s premiere motor oil.”

The Monster Energy Series garage area inside the 1.5-mile facility is a gleaming jewel in the desert. Known as the “Neon Garage,” it is one of the most popular attractions on the circuit, especially for those die-hard fans who can’t get enough all-access moments with their favorite teams and drivers.

Fans from across the country — Las Vegas is a destination race, after all — have unbelievable access to drivers and crew members, with unprecedented viewpoints through large glass windows on the overhead walkway. That garage setup and purpose is a template, so to speak, for future enhancements done across the sport.

“The Neon Garage was a big step in increasing the fan experience across the board in NASCAR,” said Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Pennzoil Ford for Team Penske. “It was a really new concept when Las Vegas Motor Speedway introduced it and it was received well. You’re seeing other tracks do the same thing now, Richmond Raceway, ISM Raceway, Daytona has a great garage setup to bring the fans closer. These types of facilities are great for fans and I think as drivers we have to appreciate that because fans drive our sport.”

Four garage buildings constructed in the shape of a diamond gives teams plenty of space to work on their stock cars between practices on race weekend. The 125,000 square-foot space allows crew members to work on cars quickly and conveniently, making necessary tweaks and adjustments to get the car back on track. No one likes sitting around waiting, NASCAR drivers included.

Presenting race partner Jiffy Lube can relate to that desire. With more than 2,000 service centers across North America, Jiffy Lube understands and places a priority on quick service so drivers can get back on the road and to their day quickly.

Jiffy Lube does more than just change oil. Like a finely tuned Monster Energy Series pit crew, they offer a full range of preventive maintenance services – in a Jiffy.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full podcast archive

Wait no more, “Glass Case of Emotion” fans. Season 2 is here.

Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney, along with co-hosts Kim Coon and Chuck Bush, return for the second season of the hugely popular GCOE podcast, hosted by NASCAR Digital and also available on NASCAR’s YouTube channel and iTunes.

The show had more than 1 million downloads in 2017. In true Glass Case fashion, this week’s episode discusses such topics as being on camera with Darrell Wallace Jr. during his Facebook Watch docuseries “Behind the Wall,” his new team and, yes, his haircut.

Here’s the full episode on YouTube:

Posted on by Team Release

WELCOME, N.C.  — This weekend, the famed Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 will carry new colors for one race. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will be the primary sponsor of the team and driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr., boasting the luxury property’s signature shade, a jewel-toned purple. The No. 43 Cosmopolitan Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will race in the Pennzoil 400 this Sunday, March 4 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“The Cosmopolitan is one of the coolest places on the Strip,” said Wallace Jr. “Everything that is a part of the resort is the best of the best of Vegas. I enjoy going to Las Vegas, having fun, eating great food and just being able to relax at an amazing place like The Cosmopolitan. This is a pretty cool sponsorship.”

Wallace Jr. will debut The No. 43 Cosmopolitan Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on Friday, March 2 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway during practice for the race this Sunday, March 4 that will air live on FOX at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR announced penalties on Wednesday for teams in all three of its national series after last weekend’s races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, driven by race-winner Kevin Harvick, received a safety violation for one unsecured lug nut in post-race inspection. Crew chief Rodney Childers was fined $10,000.

The No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet and the No. 52 Means Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driven by John Hunter Nemechek and David Starr, respectively, received safety violations for having one unsecured lug nut in post-race inspection. Crew chiefs Mike Shiplett (No. 42) and Tim Brown (No. 52) were each fined $5,000.

The No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota, driven by Kyle Busch, in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series received a safety violation for an improperly installed wheel. Busch lost his left rear tire on the track after exiting the team’s pit box. Crew chief Marcus Richmond, rear tire changer Coleman Dollarhide and jackman Ernie Pierce each received a three-race suspension in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for the violation.

RELATED: See what happened in the Truck Series race | Scenes from the Atlanta action 

Richmond took to Twitter to take ownership of the mishap.

Dollarhide and Pierce both pit for Stewart-Haas Racing in the Monster Energy Series, but their eligibility in that series is not affected. Dollarhide was listed as the rear changer for the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing team of Kurt Busch last week, with Pierce serving as jackman for the No. 14 of Clint Bowyer.

Posted on by Staff Report

PHOTOS: All of Jeff Gordon’s wins

Look out, NCQMA Speedway and surrounding North Carolina area. Leo Gordon is ready to race.

The 7-year-old son of Jeff Gordon is officially certified and ready to race at the North Carolina Quarter Midget Association Speedway.

Father Jeff, he of 93 career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victories, is playing the role of proud papa on Instagram this week.

Leo is officially ready to race!

A post shared by Jeff Gordon (@jeffgordonweb) on

New family photos posted at JeffGordon.com (link in bio). #TeamJG

A post shared by Jeff Gordon (@jeffgordonweb) on

Leo — who looks exactly like his father, by the way — took his first laps in a quarter midget in December before being certified this week. Big sister Ella Sofia, 10, also jumped into a quarter midget when she was 7.

Looks like there are a couple of front-runners to win the 2035 championship.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Junior makes broadcasting debut during Super Bowl

Dale Earnhardt Jr. spent nearly a week in South Korea covering the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics for NBC Sports, giving us an all-access look into the games and country’s culture.

Prior to returning home, Earnhardt and business manager Mike Davis recorded the latest edition of “Dale Jr. Download” on Dirty Mo Radio in their hotel room. Earnhardt and Davis shared their various experiences, one of which included the opportunity to hit the ski slopes for a few hours.

After a few warm-up hills, Earnhardt decided he would tackle a double black diamond slope — the steepest hill offered.

“If someone had said you wanna go down that when we got there … no chance in hell,” Earnhardt said.

But Earnhardt built up the courage tackle the humdinger of a slope. The wild ride only took about 20 seconds and fulfilled the need for speed he has always chased throughout his life.

“It scares the hell out of you going down that double black diamond,” he added. “It’s just straight down. It’s crazy.”

Posted on by Staff Report

It was Kevin Harvick leading a veteran-fueled performance at Atlanta Motor Speedway, showing off the tricks and experience he’s gathered over the years to pace the field Sunday. 

His first win at Atlanta since 2001, Harvick led 181 of 325 laps as he and his experienced co-workers dominated at the 1.54-mile track. Perhaps equally as impressive, though, was his commentary after the race on the veteran-youth movement budding rivalry. 

“For me right now, the sport is what enthuses me,” Harvick said. “(It’s) very intriguing to me because there’s a lot of things that need some help and guidance with so many of the young guys coming up through the ranks, and there’s so much to learn. But we have to teach them about it. Jimmie Johnson and myself have talked about it.  

RELATED: Harvick pays tribute to Earnhardt | Fords find their way to the top early

“Somebody has to explain to them how things work and show them the ropes. And that to me is fun. You want to go beat them on the race track still … but it just feels like everybody has kind of forgotten exactly how much fun this is.”

Kind of heady, right? Harvick, 42, is one of the oldest drivers in the garage. He’s a part of the oldest full-time, multi-car team in Stewart-Haas Racing. But he’s at the point in his career where he’s comfortable with the spotlight cast on the young guns … and his role in helping the sport continue to evolve.

“Look, we need to introduce new people and new stars in our sport,” he said. “I don’t have a message other than our sport is great. I love racing cars, and we have to have great competitors to make the diverse fan base have people to root for, and some people like calm, shy Ryan Blaney that knows a lot about the sport, or Chase Elliott, who’s been around racing and has those deep ties to NASCAR and the southern roots of our sport. Those guys are all important.

“And when everybody realizes how important the young guys are to the old guys, and the tweeners have to do the same. There’s not one person. There’s no two young guys that are going to make it, there’s no two old guys that are going to make it. This is all about everybody.”

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

Martinsville Speedway is reuniting with an old friend — Jesse Jones Southern Style Red Hot Dogs.

After a two-year hiatus, Jesse Jones will once again provide the necessities for a concession stand favorite on the NASCAR circuit — The Famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog.

“Our fans have told us they wanted Jesse Jones back and we have listened,” said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. “The Jesse Jones hot dog is part of what made the Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog famous and we look forward to working with them for many years to come.”

In celebration of the new partnership, the speedway gave everyone an inside look at how the red hots are made.

Anyone hungry? We are, too! Race weekend for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Camping World Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway can’t come soon enough. Thankfully, it’s less than a month away.