NASCAR Digital Media took a 360-degree camera to Sonoma Raceway for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 and produced some footage that will put you in the middle of the action.
Move your cursor around the screen to get the full panoramic experience for the drop of the green flag, drivers getting into their cars and cars whizzing right by, inches from the wall. Click on the video franchise page, or the links below to check out all the 360 videos:
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will add to its luster as the Racing Capital of the World with the construction of a quarter-mile dirt track inside its famous oval, hosting a United States Auto Club Midget National Championship event during Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard Powered by Florida Georgia Line race week in early September.
Race week for the Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard powered by Florida Georgia Line will feature an even wider variety of thrilling action with the USAC P1 Insurance Midget National Championship competing in a two-night spectacular event, the Driven2SaveLives BC39, on Wednesday, Sept. 5 and Thursday, Sept. 6. The event honors late USAC champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 starter Bryan Clauson and increases awareness of Indiana Donor Network and Driven2SaveLives.
The Driven2SaveLives BC39 will include a unique format ending with a 39-lap feature Sept. 6 in the richest Midget racing event in recent history. The event will feature more than $70,000 in purse and incentives, including a $15,000 winner’s purse – the largest in Midget racing.
Dirt and asphalt racers from around the country have expressed interest in the event, with a large and diverse field – including Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers – expected to compete.
“This is an exciting new chapter of the longtime relationship between USAC and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and reinforces the connection between short-track racing and this facility,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “The Speedway truly is The Greatest Race Course in the World, and adding a dirt track will create even more opportunities for fans to enjoy the magic of IMS. We can’t wait to see some of the best drivers and teams in America compete here during Brickyard race week.”
Construction of The Dirt Track at IMS, located inside Turn 3 of the oval, started last week with the first loads of Indiana clay arriving for grading. Concrete walls and safety fencing will be constructed during the summer, and portable lights will illuminate the track.
Reece O’Connor of Kokomo (Indiana) Speedway is overseeing the track design and layout and supervising the construction. Allegiant International, a multinational advisory and consultancy firm based in Indianapolis, is facilitating the project.
The United States Auto Club and IMS were synonymous for many years after the sanctioning body was formed in 1956 by IMS owner Tony Hulman. USAC was the sanctioning body for the Indianapolis 500 from 1956 through 1997.
“Over the years, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has played such a critical part not only in the formation but also the successful growth of the United States Auto Club,” USAC President/CEO Kevin Miller said. “Our roots originated at IMS, and our passion continues to reside here. To have USAC return to hosting a race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a historic and exciting new chapter for our Midget series. We are beyond thrilled for both our competitors and fans to add this race to our 2018 calendar.”
Ticket prices will range from $35-50 and go on sale in mid-July. Camping also will be available. Visit www.ims.com/bc39 for more information about this event and to learn when tickets become available.
Indiana Donor Network, which oversees and coordinates organ, tissue and eye donation across the state, launched Driven2SaveLives in April 2016 with Verizon IndyCar Series driver Stefan Wilson to promote donation and transplantation awareness around the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500. At the time, the campaign honored Stefan’s late brother, IndyCar race winner Justin Wilson, who died in August 2015 from injuries he sustained in a race crash and saved five lives as an organ donor.
Three-time USAC Midget and two-time USAC Sprint Car national champion Clauson, a versatile and beloved driver, died in August 2016 following a race accident. As a registered donor, he went on to save five lives as an organ donor and continues to heal the lives of countless others as a tissue donor. In January 2017, Indiana Donor Network partnered with Clauson-Marshall Racing and expanded Driven2SaveLives into dirt track racing in honor of Clauson.
NASCAR K&N Series West rookie Trevor Huddleston learned how to race Sonoma Raceway on iRacing — something becoming more and more commonplace in recent years.
“I’ve played it on @iRacing so it’s got to be close to the same right?”
Unfortunately for Huddleston, his No. 22 Ford retired from the race early with electrical issues — technically sort of like when the power goes out at home when you’re turning laps on iRacing, when you think about it.
You know who else started out racing … on a computer? NASCAR Next driver and Sonoma Raceway winner Will Rodgers found somebody who did.
Richard Jobling of the iRacing development team shared some insights on a new damage model coming to the sim in the future — great news for those of us who find ourselves stuffed in barriers and sliding through the grass.
If you’re trying out any of the new dirt racing features on iRacing, keep an eye out for NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Chase Briscoe.
Been awhile since I’ve been on @iRacing, turning some laps at Mosport in the @_RLAPS rig trying to get ready for the upcoming IMSA race along with slinging a little dirt. Say hello if you see me!
The eNASCAR Ignite Series, NASCAR’s iRacing series aimed at finding future stars, launched this week at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Legends Oval.
NASCAR PEAK ANTIFREEZE iRACING SERIES UPDATE
The stars of the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series head to Sonoma Raceway on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET for the lone road-course race of the season. Bobby Zalenski is the defending race winner, while Ray Alfalla — a highly ranked driver on our Power Rankings — currently leads the standings by 36 points over rookie Keegan Leahy.
iRACING PAINT SCHEMES OF THE WEEK
Sonoma race week means road-course ringers — Boris Said immediately comes to mind, of course. Ken Huff re-created Said’s 2014 paint scheme on iRacing’s version of the Ford Fusion.
Ken Huff’s recreated paint scheme of Boris Said’s 2014 ride.
Last Week, Denny Hamlin described his former Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity Series ride as his favorite paint scheme.
My favorite of all time. My parents said they could find it at a quick glance anywhere on the track. https://t.co/nqnsErF6ht
As you begin to unwind from the topsy-turvy racing at Sonoma Raceway and prep for four days of on-track action at Chicagoland Speedway, here are a couple of things to keep in mind.
• We’re moving to the NBC television portion of the 2018 schedule. Starting this weekend, the NBC family will pick up coverage of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series. Coverage of this weekend’s practice, qualifying and racing action is on NBCSN. You can view the week’s full TV schedule here.
• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, qualifying sessions and practices still will be broadcast on the FOX family for the remainder of the year. The broadcast doesn’t change to NBC for the Truck Series. Friday night’s Truck Series race will be on FS1.
• While we’re here, Monster Energy Series qualifying takes place on Saturday night this week. Monster Energy Series cars will qualify for Sunday’s race on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. ET, following the Xfinity Series race.
Four drivers must navigate three rounds of the NASCAR Playoffs to make it to the finale at Homestead Miami Speedway, but you have a chance to get there with Allegiant’s Together we fly™ NASCAR® Experience sweepstakes.
Two more great prize packages can take you to Champions Week in Las Vegas or the first race weekend of 2019 at Daytona.
Allegiant works for you to get the best deals on travel, multiplying your savings when you book flights, hotel, rental car and activity and attraction tickets together. Together we fly™!
Book you own trips and enter to win one of these three VIP NASCAR-themed vacation.
2018 Season Finale Race Package –Round trip airfare for the grand prize winner and a guest
–A three-night stay at a hotel (Nov. 16-19, 2018)
–Two tickets for the grand prize winner and a guest to attend the NASCAR Xfinity Series™ and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™ events in Homestead, Florida
–VIP pre-race access for the NASCAR Xfinity Series™ and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™ events
–Partner amenities via Allegiant
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion’s Week™ Prize Pack
–Round trip airfare for the grand prize winner and a guest
–Hotel accommodations for a three-night stay in Las Vegas
–Two tickets for the winner and a guest to attend Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion’s Week™ events
–Unparalleled access to NASCAR® drivers and VIP celebratory fan events
–Partner amenities via Allegiant
First race weekend of the 2019 season
–Round trip airfare for the grand prize winner and a guest
— Hotel accommodations for a three-night stay in Daytona, Florida (February 15-18, 2019)
–Two (2) tickets for winner and guest to attend NASCAR Xfinity Series™ and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™ events
–VIP Pre-race Access for NASCAR Xfinity Series™ and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™ events
–Partner amenities via Allegiant
Live from New York, it’s the Glass Case of Emotion!
Yes, the NASCAR Digital-produced podcast is taking its weekly show on the road, with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney and co-hosts Kim Coon and Chuck Bush hitting the Big Apple this afternoon.
The live broadcast is slated to begin at approximately 3:15 p.m. ET from New York City at the Hashtag Sports event, a popular sports media and innovation conference.
Joining those three is special guest Josh Norman, an All-Pro NFL defensive back for the Washington Redskins.
Tune in on NASCAR.com for the live show, which will be broadcast here.
Editor’s note: This story originally ran in June. Autographed copies of Steve Letarte’s book “Leading the Way” are currently available for a limited time. Pick one up as the holidays approach! | Go here to purchase
When Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. came together as crew chief and driver prior to the start of the 2011 season, both were at a crossroads. Earnhardt hadn’t won a race since 2008 while Letarte was coming off a winless season with Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports.
Four years later, as Letarte was leaving the pit box for the NBC Sports broadcast booth, the duo had tallied five wins together — including the 2014 Daytona 500 — and the sport’s longtime Most Popular Driver was a title threat again.
“Our relationship was on a different level,” Letarte told NASCAR.com. “It was more as equals, more as friends, more as buddies, more as coworkers, and that instantly gave it sort of a different feel. When I look back on it, the success that Dale and I had and the relationship that he and I created was just an amazing four years to finish out my career.”
A look at the book cover for ‘Leading the Way.’ (Photo courtesy of Reine Digital)
In his new book “Leading the Way,” (as told to Nate Ryan of NBC Sports and available for purchase today) Letarte offers readers and fans alike a unique inside look into how he helped rebuild confidence for Earnhardt — who wrote the foreward for the book — and the No. 88 team, and how the relationship with Junior still impacts Letarte to this day.
“When Dale and I were put together, we were both at a point in our careers where we questioned privately ourselves where our careers were going,” Letarte said. “It was such a turnaround from there to 2014.
“While I looked forward to the opportunity to take my new job (at NBC), I was going to miss what I was doing greatly. After being out of it for six months or so, I kind of wanted to go back and relive it. To tell the stories to the fans, the behind-the-scenes stories and then also to the business leaders, the managers of the world about how we went about rebuilding his career and my career together.”
The book was a three-year project for Letarte and opens with the crew chief learning of his new assignment following the 2010 season, where team owner Rick Hendrick shifted him from Gordon’s No. 24 team to Earnhardt and the No. 88. Letarte candidly admits he thought he would be unemployed after that season.
Throughout the book, Letarte provides insights into the leadership and team building he utilized in helping get Earnhardt back on track to Victory Lane. In the two seasons before their pairing, Earnhardt had finished outside the top 20 in points. The key to the relationship, according to Letarte, was that it started from scratch with no preconceived notions.
“One thing I learned with Jeff (Gordon) — the best advice I never took — was he wanted me to treat him like everyone else on the race team,” Letarte said. “And while that is great advice, I could just never do it. He was my mentor. He gave me the opportunity to crew chief. He’s the whole reason I’m in the sport.
“So when I got Dale as a driver, I was convinced that even if it didn’t work, I won’t look back on it and say that I should have done this or I should have done that. I decided I was going to do it my way. We just started with conversations and building a relationship and then took that relationship to the race track.”
There was lots of emotion for Dale Jr. and Steve Letarte after their 2012 Michigan win. (Jeff Zelevansky | Getty Images)
Early on, there were several near-victories for the pairing, with the most notable being the 2011 Coca-Cola 600 where Earnhardt ran dry on the final lap.
In 2012, each was able to snap his personal winless drought – Earnhardt’s was at 143 races, while Letarte’s was at 115 races – with their collective triumph in June 2012 at Michigan International Speedway. And while the victory was a huge sigh of relief, it also was the moment Letarte realized he wasn’t going to be a crew chief forever.
When Letarte was considering leaving the pit box for a television job with NBC, Earnhardt was one of his sounding boards. Dale Jr. showed his leadership and growth in an emergency team meeting when the news of Letarte’s move leaked out.
“Dale was one of the people that I leaned on to get his opinion,” Letarte said. “I think that proved our relationship. As a race car driver, he didn’t want me to leave. Professionally, he didn’t want me to leave, but personally, he saw how it could be great for me and my family, and I really think that is why we are going to work together again.
“Because our friendship was much more than on the race track.”
The release of the book coincides with the start of NBC’s portion of televising the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series beginning at Chicagoland Speedway this weekend. The recently retired Earnhardt is joining the booth and re-teaming with his former crew chief once again.
And while the book shows the strength of this relationship, the television screen is sure to display it as well.
Sadly, it was the last episode, but it was not without controversy. The word “LANAI” has become a wedge issue. Amy uses it all the time. But Dale is opposed to it. It gets pretty heated. Like, Amy’s allowed to use it because she’s a professional interior decorator, I guess. But can you picture Dale saying “lanai?” The likelihood of that is equal with that of him filling the pool with jewelry and doing a cannonball.
FIRST SEGMENT
• BACKYARD TIME. Can’t wait to see what they put back there. Probably a smaller Old West town. Oh man I hope they got approval from the town council or whatever.
• They have Dale operating heavy machinery now. An excavator. Tearing out an old cistern. A cistern is a structure that was once used for collecting rainwater. Based on the 2018 season, they now have a new name — “race track.”
• Dale broke the excavator. Hydraulic line popped right off. For those who once saw him yank the steering wheel off of his race car, this is not a surprise.
• YES, Dale agrees that “lanai” is a dumb word. HEAR HEAR, DALE. It’s a porch. It will always be a porch. If Dale ever actually says, “Hey imma go grab me a cold one and go hang out on the lanai,” I will eat my own leg.
SECOND SEGMENT
• Amy mentions how because she (at the time of filming) was pregnant, she was unable to climb any ladders. That is PERFECT timing. Not only are you blessed with a lovely new addition to your family, but you also get out of having to do stuff. No lie — I once scheduled a hernia repair for one week before we moved into a new house just so I wouldn’t be able to lift anything over five pounds. Hey, furrow your brow all you want, IT WORKED.
• Amy’s still calling it a “lanai.” Come on. Let’s stop that.
• ACTUAL EXCHANGE DURING CONCRETE MIXING — DALE: “This ho sucks.” AMY: “Don’t blame it on the ho.” That’s like blaming the car instead of yourself. That’s my new ringtone. Oh my gosh send this clip to the Smithsonian for safe keeping.
• Look at Mason Dale go! As in, he’s actually doing concrete work. Not a Mason as he knows where the National Treasure is kept.
• They’re framing the pool now. But they tore out the cistern to do this. I mean just pour water into the cistern. You’d save so much money. But NO, we can’t do no cement pond. We gotta have a pool because we use words like “LANAI” now.
THIRD SEGMENT
• MORE SHIPLAP. The shiplappiest show ever.
• HA, one guy asks Dale why he isn’t wearing hearing protection while cutting bricks with a miter saw. Dale informs him that he’s a race car driver. ROASTED, GUY.
• Every time Dale operates a dangerous power tool without cutting off a finger, we scream “DALE YEAH!” in this household.
• DAMMIT, Dale said “lanai” again. Every time that happens a small portion of my soul dies.
• He’s operating a circular saw now on a piece of granite. He’s creating a sink out of it, but I think he’s just taunting all the race teams that can’t use a circular saw anymore.
FOURTH SEGMENT
• YES, Dale reaffirms his opposition to the word “lanai.” STAY STRONG. RESIST. IT’S A DAMN PORCH.
• MAN, this outdoor area that is not a “lanai” is lovely.
• HAAAAA they’re looking at the pool. Dale says “Part of me wants to just dive in there and let that hit me in the head.” YEAH we’ve heard that story. Not unless you wanna wear a doo-rag on TV while calling a race, bro.
• They have a bunch of people over to see the finished product, which is amazing. I’m assuming my invite got lost in the mail. Maybe blew off the mail truck heading up U.S. 1 or something.
• Well it’s all done. Dale and Amy work well together and they have a fine house. I’m now checking Airbnb to see what they’re charging. Sounds like they enjoyed it, but they’re never, ever going to renovate another house ever again. I find this somewhat relatable except through their travails I’ve decided I’m never going to renovate a house in the first place. Maybe the DIY Network will let me have a show in which I don’t renovate a house.
Sonoma Raceway was an uphill battle for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers and teams — in more ways than one.
And navigating a car throughout the garage gives a whole new meaning to the term as crews literally have to push their race cars up a hill on the trek back to their stalls.
Following a grueling, hot day in Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 on the physically demanding 1.99-mile California road course, the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports crew of William Byron faced some difficulty while pushing their car back behind the wall to load it in the hauler — that is, the momentum they got by getting a running start stalled when the vehicle in front of them pulled up.
That’s when Denny Hamlin stepped in.
Noticing the need for assistance after another car stopped in front of them, halting their momentum up the hill, Hamlin — every bit an old-school racer — walked over and started pushing.
Cole Pearn took his third trip to Victory Lane this season Sunday at Sonoma Raceway, orchestrating perhaps the most inventive pit call strategy we’ve seen this season to lead Martin Truex Jr. to his third career road-course victory.
Lumberjack accident? Errant hockey stick during a game of summer roller hockey? Fender-bender in the Tim Horton’s drive-thru? Something even more Canadian rock star-ish?
Nay.
“I wish I was fighting a bear or a cougar or something cool, but my wife has been on me about building this treehouse for our kids,” Pearn said post-race. “Anyways, I wanted nothing to do with it, but we were fortunate with the West Coast race we were able to fly out Friday morning, so I actually like had somewhat of a day off on Thursday and I decided to get involved.
“They kind of had it screwed up a bit from what they had done before, and we kind of took it all down and reset, and we were resetting like a four‑by‑four corner post, and I thought my wife had it and she didn’t, and I walked away to get a clamp and she yelled my name and I turned right into it and basically got KO’d by it.
“But yeah, it went right down to my skull, bled a lot, and had to get stitched on the inside, then on the outside. Was back in about an hour, and I worked until about 9 Thursday night and I finished the stupid thing, so I’m glad it’s done.”
Well, then. Not exactly the kind of hardcore story we were expecting, but impressive, nonetheless.
Maybe next time go to the resident NASCAR treehouse expert for advice, though?
At the very least, the knock to the noggin might have influenced Pearn’s pit call on Sunday that led the win, at least according to FRR team president Joe Garone.
“He probably wouldn’t have made that call,” Garone joked, “if he wouldn’t have been hit in the head.”
