Posted on by Brad Norman

Editor’s note: This is the fifth in a series of 14 team previews on NASCAR.com. Next up: Roush Fenway Racing on Feb. 7. A list of team previews already published is at the bottom of this story.

Germain Racing

Manufacturer: Chevrolet

Engine: ECR Engines

Driver: Ty Dillon, No. 13

Crew chief: Matt Borland

2017 standings: Dillon competed in his first full season at the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series level and finished 24th in the standings.

What’s new: Germain Racing enters the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season with sophomore driver Ty Dillon. Dillon will have a new crew chief in Matt Borland, who signed a multiyear agreement in November. Germain Racing also will field (along with the other Chevrolet teams) a new Camaro in the upcoming season.

What to watch: Dillon finished his first full-time season at the sport’s highest level with an average finish of 20.7, but the driver of the No. 13 understands he has to be more consistent if he hopes to notch his first career top 1o or even a celebration in Victory Lane. A new crew chief usually means a new approach, and with the new over-the-wall pit crew rules going into effect in 2018, Borland has a lot to work out with his young driver and his team. However, Dillon is hungry for success and that can go a long way when trying to be aggressive during a race.

Key question(s): It’s no secret that both Ty — and his older brother Austin — have a spotlight on their careers thanks to the their grandfather Richard Childress’ history in the sport. Yet, during NASCAR Media Tour Presented by Charlotte Motor Speedway, Ty Dillon made it clear he wanted to build his own legacy. That starts with making a splash on-track. Can Dillon use the new Camaro body to his advantage as a young driver? Will a new crew chief give him the confidence he needs to stay calm under pressure? How can he avoid the infamous ‘sophomore slump?’

DRIVER 

Ty Dillon, No. 13 Geico Chevrolet: In November, Dillon and his wife Haley welcomed their baby girl and perspective quickly changed for the 25-year-old driver. Using that ‘new dad’ mindset, Dillon spoke in-depth on how he felt he improved toward the end of the 2017 season, especially when pressure began to mount.

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Having early success in both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series caused for an adjustment period during Dillon’s rookie season. A pair of 11th-place finishes in the fall (Talladega, Phoenix) were two of his best performances of the season, and he also led 27 laps at Dover in the spring. Those are small victories that can lead toward momentum in 2018.

Another stat that Dillon can use to his advantage? He averaged nearly six spots better at the end of a race than where he qualified. Being able to advance that position even higher at the beginning can only mean good things for the No. 13 team.

PREVIOUS TEAM PREVIEWS

Feb. 1: Front Row Motorsports
Feb. 2: Richard Petty Motorsports
Feb. 3: Leavine Family Racing
Feb. 5: JTG Daugherty Racing

Posted on by Staff Report

The Can-Am Duels are a pair of qualifying races that will determine the bulk of the field and starting lineup for the 2018 Daytona 500 (Feb. 18, 2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). NASCAR.com offers a look at how the twin qualifying races (Feb. 15, starting at 7 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) work and how they impact the Daytona 500.

Programming info for Can-Am Duels:
When: Feb. 15, starting at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Daytona International Speedway
TV: FS1
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

RELATED: Complete Speedweeks schedule


What is the format?
There are two 60-lap, 150-mile races. The drivers in each Duel are determined based on qualifying speeds from single-lap qualifying runs on Sunday, Feb. 11 (12:15 p.m. ET, FOX).

How do the Duels set the Daytona 500 lineup?
While the Feb. 11 single-car qualifying speeds determine the top two starting spots in the Daytona 500, the Duels determine who will line up in the majority of spots on the starting grid for the “Great American Race.”

Drivers in the first Duel race will line up on the inside row for the Daytona 500 (odd-numbered starting position), based on the order in which they finish the first Duel race. Drivers in the second Duel race will line up on the outside row for the Daytona 500 (even-numbered starting positions), based on the order in which they finish the second Duel race. Remember, all Charter teams are guaranteed spots in the Daytona 500.

How can Open Teams make the Daytona 500?
Two Open Teams will make the field as a result of being the best finishing Open Team in each Duel. Open Teams that have not yet become eligible for a Daytona 500 starting grid position will become eligible for remaining starting grid positions, if any, based on final qualifying results, per the rule book.

How important are the Duels for drivers locked into the front row?
While a Duel win doesn’t put you in the Playoffs, the top 10 drivers in each Duel will earn points heading into the Daytona 500.

Drivers locked into the front row of the Daytona 500 need to avoid any sort of calamity in the Duels to keep their starting spot. With qualifying day so early in Speedweeks and a multitude of practices leading up to the Daytona 500, wrecks resulting in backup cars, engine changes and more are all likely to pop up at some point to affect the green-flag order once on the grid.

How are points awarded?
It’s similar to stages in the 36 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points races. The winner of each Duel will get 10 points, down to the 10th-place driver, who will get one point. Two drivers — each Duel winner — will head into the Daytona 500 with a share of the points lead.

Place in Duels Points awarded
First 10 points
Second Nine points
Third Eight points
Fourth Seven points
Fifth Six points
Sixth Five points
Seventh Four points
Eighth Three points
Ninth Two points
10th One point

What if the Duels are rained out?
If both Duels are canceled due to weather, officials will use qualifying results to determine the four Open teams that would advance.

Should only the second Can-Am Duel be canceled due to weather, the highest finishing Open team from the first Duel would earn a starting berth, with the remaining three positions determined based on qualifying results.

In the event of a complete rainout of the Duels where the event is not rescheduled, the full field will be set according to the NASCAR Rule Book.

MORE: 2018 paint scheme preview

Posted on by Brad Norman

Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of 14 team previews on NASCAR.com. Next up: Germain Racing on Feb. 6. A list of team previews already published is at the bottom of this story.

JTG Daugherty Racing

Manufacturer: Chevrolet

Engine: ECR Engines

Drivers: Chris Buescher, No. 37; AJ Allmendinger, No. 47

Crew chiefs: Trent Owens (Buescher), Tristan Smith (Allmendinger)

2017 standings: Buescher, 25th in final standings; Allmendinger, 27th in final standings

What’s new: Namely a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports, which JTG Daugherty Racing officials confirmed in November 2017. The aim? Improve the team’s simulation abilities and aero development. The No. 37 team also has a charter of its own after leasing one last year; the organization purchased it from Furniture Row Racing in the offseason. That brings added stability to an organization that grew to two teams in 2017 and rotated three crews chiefs on the flagship No. 47 Chevrolet. And of course, the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is a new — and welcome — addition for all teams that run Chevrolets. 

What to watch: If a more consistent operation brings more consistency to results. It’s Year 2 for Buescher with JTG, and he enters the season more comfortable in his ride and with the team’s personnel. For Allmendinger, having Smith return as crew chief brings stability he didn’t have last year. 

Key question(s): Will AJ Allmendinger return to his road-course ace form at Sonoma and Watkins Glen? Those road courses likely represent the team’s best shot at winning and advancing into the playoffs … where another road course, at Charlotte, looms as the Round of 16 elimination race.

MORE: At the shop with JTG Daugherty Racing

DRIVERS

Chris Buescher, No. 37 Kroger ClickList Chevrolet: One year after joining JTG Daugherty Racing on loan from Roush Fenway Racing to help the team launch its second-car operation, Buescher is fully under contract for his sophomore season with the team. Coming off a win during his rookie year in 2016, Buescher didn’t get back to Victory Lane last year, but he quietly made noticeable gains.

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

His average finish jumped five positions to 21.4, and his top-10 finishes doubled to four. Improving those numbers even more is the goal for 2018. “I feel like we’re making really good progress in the offseason,” Buescher said. “We’ve been in a place where we’ve made our alliance with Hendrick on the simulation and some of the aero development is very promising. … At times last season we didn’t have the performance that we wanted, and that’s frustrating. … We feel like we’ve come a long way through 2017 and the offseason.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Kroger Chevrolet: Allmendinger had more crew chiefs than top-five finishes in 2017, starting the season with Randall Burnett, before Ernie Cope replaced him atop the box … before eventually giving way to Tristan Smith. It was difficult to meet performance goals with that turnover (Allmendinger’s top-five finishes dropped from two to one, and his top-10 finishes fell from nine to five), but the team hopes it is now better positioned for 2018. Allmendinger remains one of the series’ best road-course racers.

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Sneaking a win at Sonoma or Watkins Glen brings added meaning this year as the playoffs add a road course in the first round at Charlotte, where Allmendinger could shine. Allmendinger’s prowess at Martinsville is an under-the-radar talent.

He said that he and Buescher have a fantastic relationship that should continue to grow.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better teammate than Chris,” Allmendinger said. “He’s got so much talent. I’ve learned a lot from him. But more importantly, he was just easy to work with. And we are able to bounce ideas off each other and feed info to figure out where we needed to get better. Having a full year under our belt, I think that’s something that’s going to allow us to really make both of these teams work together and be one big team and go out there.”

PREVIOUS TEAM PREVIEWS

Feb. 1: Front Row Motorsports
Feb. 2: Richard Petty Motorsports

Feb. 3: Leavine Family Racing

Posted on by Zack Albert

RELATED: 2018 NASCAR schedule

Reggie Ruggiero still answers to “Reg,” or sometimes “The Reg” in a nod to his days as a standout on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Even though the nickname is still his calling card, its origins don’t stem from a conventional shortening of Reginald.

“Actually, my real name is John. Nobody knows me by that, but that’s my real name,” Ruggiero says. “When I was young, we’re an Italian family and we grew up in two- or three-family homes and there were four Johns. Little kids, my cousins, and everybody got a nickname. They just took my last name and shortened it. Well it was ‘Ruggie,’ and then when I started racing, everybody called me ‘Reggie’ and that’s stuck. That’s how I ended up with that name. I mean, nobody knows me by John.”

Around Stewart-Haas Racing, his name still carries plenty of clout. After a successful driving career that spanned from 1968 to 2012, Ruggiero, 66, has found a home in the SHR chassis shop, putting his years of car-building experience to great use.

“I’ve been in [racing] since I was 16, so this is a good way to stay in it,” Ruggiero says. “I mean, you meet a lot of different people every day. I have people coming into our chassis shop that I don’t know but they know me. It’s pretty interesting.”

His legendary career, which began on a small quarter-mile at Plainville (Conn.) Stadium, has kept Ruggiero’s name a familiar one on the SHR shop floor. Ruggiero was a force in the Northeast Modified ranks, with feature wins by the dozens and championships at hallowed tracks such as Riverside Park near the Massachusetts-Connecticut border.

After the Whelen Modified Tour was formed in 1985, Ruggiero stacked up 44 wins and was a perennial contender in the championship hunt. Despite his success, he finished as a tough-luck runner-up seven times in the national standings.

“It was pretty hard to swallow, but it’s the way it was,” Ruggiero says. “I always raced to win, not to run for points. Sometimes that gets you in trouble, and things like that happen, but all in all for my career, had a ton of fun with a bunch of people.”

The fun has continued with Stewart-Haas, where Ruggiero has spent the last year and a half focusing on interior sheet metal and other chassis prep. He’s added a Daytona 500 ring from Kurt Busch’s win last year to his list of memories and keepsakes in racing, and he’s hoping for more this season.

Having several other SHR team members hail from the Northeast has helped Ruggiero settle in, but so has working alongside like-minded crew with rich backrounds in racing.

“Everybody knows Reg,” says team co-owner Tony Stewart. “To know his history and know how many races he’s won, he was the guy that, he was a clean racer. There were guys that I met toward the end of Reg’s career is when I really met him, but the guys that I was around that knew him really appreciated him for his style of racing and how good he was.

“And now we get somebody who … it just still amazes me that we have somebody the caliber of Reggie Ruggiero here that’s in our chassis shop, helping build our race cars. That’s something that I think is really cool. It really sums up what SHR is really about — it’s about racers that want to go out and win races and win championships.”

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

RELATED: Sign up for Fantasy Live today | How the new Fantasy Live works

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Following a successful first season of stage racing, NASCAR today announced a new fantasy game inspired by the competition format that has created closer, side-by-side racing and even more dramatic moments throughout races.

Accessible via NASCAR.com and the NASCAR Mobile app, the all-new NASCAR Fantasy Live follows the NASCAR official scoring system, allows players to make in-race driver substitutions and features incentives for correctly predicting stage wins, race wins and more.

Players can register at NASCAR.com/fantasy beginning today and set their driver rosters for the 2018 DAYTONA 500 when the race entry list is announced.

“In NASCAR, every lap matters,” said Tim Clark, managing director, NASCAR Digital Media. “The new NASCAR Fantasy Live game reflects the lap-by-lap intensity of modern NASCAR racing by giving fans the opportunity to strategize and adjust their driver lineups in real-time during races.”

In NASCAR Fantasy Live, players pick five drivers to start prior to each Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race. In addition, a sixth “garage” driver on the roster can be swapped in-race for any active driver before the final stage begins.

Game scoring follows NASCAR official scoring and rewards points based on race results and driver finishing position for all three stages. Only drivers in the “starting” position at the end of each race will earn fantasy points.

Individual drivers can be used a maximum of 10 times during the season. If a driver ends the race in the player’s garage, it will not count against the season limit.

During races, drivers running in the top 10 at the conclusion of Stage 1 and Stage 2 receive points, beginning with 10 points for the stage winner, nine points for second place, eight points for third place, and so on.

Mirroring how Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races are scored, the race-winning driver earns 40 points, the second-place finisher 35 points, the third-place finisher 34 points, and so forth. The final four drivers to finish each race earn one point apiece.

Players can also score bonus points by correctly picking the pole winner (5 points), Stage 1 winner (10 points), Stage 2 winner (10 points), winning manufacturer (10 points) and race-winning driver (30 points).

NASCAR Fantasy Live will run throughout the 26-week Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular season and culminate with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 9, 2018. The overall points leader after the final race will be crowned 2018 champion and win $10,000.

The NASCAR Fantasy Live enhancements are aimed at providing players more opportunities to engage with the game during races, while honoring the nuances of NASCAR’s stage-based format.

“As our sport continues to evolve, it only made sense for our fantasy game to follow suit,” said Clark. “The new NASCAR Fantasy Live will engage fans more deeply than ever before, and we’re excited about that.”

For more information on NASCAR Fantasy Live, including rules and eligibility requirements, please visit NASCAR.com/fantasy.

The 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off with the 60th annual DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2:30 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast live on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90), with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.

Posted on by RJ Kraft

NASCAR Fantasy Live is back with some enhancements for the 2018 season. Players can sign up right now to be ready to go with the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season for the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18. Pro tip: One bonus pick must be set by Feb. 11 for qualifying (more on that below!)

Accessing the game to set your roster can be done by logging into your account and going to the Fantasy page (NASCAR.com/Fantasy). You also can access the game by opening the NASCAR Mobile App, logging into your account and clicking the Fantasy icon on the bottom of the app.

Here is a primer to get you up to speed on the revamped game for 2018.

RELATED: Sign up for NASCAR Fantasy Live today! | Game is all new for 2018

How is the new Fantasy Live game different from last year?
First, there’s no more salary cap — you’ll select any driver in the field, but can only use each driver 10 times during the season. Second, we’ve added the ability to change your roster during the race. Finally, we’ve simplified the points — fantasy points are the same as the points that drivers gain during the race.

What is the roster composition?
The roster will consist of five starting drivers as well as a garage driver in reserve (more below on that). Driver and garage selections lock five minutes before the race start time and do not carry over week-to-week, meaning you need to set your roster for each race.

A view of the roster page on a mobile device. (NASCAR Digital Media)

How does the garage driver work?
Players can substitute their one garage driver for any starting driver up until the start of the Final Stage. Once the Final Stage starts, there are no more switches allowed.

So which drivers end up scoring points?
The drivers ending the race in your main roster will comprise the drivers that make up your total score. These are also the drivers who will be counted as being used for that particular race. A driver that ends the race in the garage would not count as being used nor would their results count toward your score.

Are there any limits to how much a driver can be used?
Yes, players can only use a particular driver up to 10 times over the 26 races. A usage meter will be displayed on your roster screen, showing the number of remaining driver uses in green and the pending/already used total in yellow. There is no salary cap in this year’s game.

What is the scoring system?
The scoring will reflect the NASCAR Official Scoring System. For example, if Kyle Larson wins Stage 1 & Stage 2 and wins the race, he will earn players 60 fantasy points for that particular race just as he would earn 60 points for himself in the season standings.

Drivers running in the top 10 at the end of Stage 1 and Stage 2 receive points, starting with 10 points for first, nine for second, etc. The race winner receives 40 points, while second-place receives 35 points, third receives 34 points and all the way down to 1 point for drivers that finish 36th through 40th.

Are there any bonus picks?
Yes, players can make bonus picks for the pole winner, Stage 1 winner, Stage 2 winner, race winner and manufacturer winner. The pole winner bonus pick selection will lock approximately five minutes before the start time of qualifying; Daytona qualifying picks must be set before Feb. 11’s pole qualifying day at 12:15 p.m. ET. All other bonus picks lock five minutes before the race start time. Bonus picks DO NOT count against driver usage.

A view of the roster and bonus selection page on desktop. (NASCAR Digital Media)

What is the value of each bonus pick?
Pole Winner (5 points for correct pick)
Stage 1 Winner (10 points for correct pick)
Stage 2 Winner (10 points for correct pick)
Race Winner (30 points for correct pick)
Winning Manufacturer (10 points for correct pick)

Will my leagues and teams from last year be available?
Yes, any team or league that was active at the end of last season will be available once you log in starting Monday.

How long will the Fantasy Live season last?
The game will cover the 26 regular-season races — from the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18 to the Brickyard 400 on Sept. 9.

Posted on by Staff Report

Martin Truex Jr.’s incredible hot streak has continued — this time as a fan.

The 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion still is basking in the glow of his eight-win championship season for Furniture Row Racing, and he has another reason to celebrate: His Philadelphia Eagles are champions, too.

The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots, 41-33, in Super Bowl LII. Truex Jr., a New Jersey native and lifelong Eagles fans, got to soak it in from the stands. He was in attendance following his work on NBC’s pre-game show with buddies Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ryan Blaney.

RELATED: Watch Junior’s NBC debut

Oh, and those eight wins in 2017? It matches the Eagles’ margin of victory.

Here’s some more reaction from NASCAR Nation:

Posted on by Staff Report

Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his broadcasting debut during NBC’s pre-game coverage of Super Bowl LII on Sunday.

“I join NBC and I’m at my first Super Bowl, I can’t believe it,” Earnhardt said to fellow NASCAR on NBC broadcaster Rutledge Wood and NBC’s Dan Patrick.

Wood and Earnhardt also partook in ice fishing.

Reigning Monster Energy Series champion Martin Truex Jr. and Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney joined Junior during the latter portion of his coverage for a snow tubing race. Wearing a Patriots beanie, Blaney won the race over Junior and Eagles fan Truex.

Posted on by Staff Report

What channel is NASCAR programming on this week? We answer that and provide all the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET.

MORE: Get the NBC Sports App |  How to find FS1, FS2 | Get FOX Sports GO | How to find NBCSN

Monday, February 5
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Tuesday, February 6
2:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FS1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Wednesday, February 7
2:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FS1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Thursday, February 8
3:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub, (re-air), FS1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Saturday, February 10
10:30 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Practice, FS1 (Canada: TSN2)
12 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FS1
1 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Practice, FS1 (TSN2)
2 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FS1
3 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Practice, FS1 (TSN2)
4 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FS1

Sunday, February 11
5 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Practice (re-air), FS1
6 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Practice (re-air), FS1
12 p.m., Daytona 500 Qualifying, FOX (TSN2)
2 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
3 p.m., Advance Auto Parts Clash, FS1 (TSN2)
8 p.m., Advance Auto Parts Clash (re-air), FS2
11:30 p.m., Daytona 500 Qualifying (re-air), FS1

Posted on by Kathy Sheldon

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Erik Jones isn’t your typical 21-year-old.

For more than 36 weeks a year, he heads to various tracks to try his hand at wheelin’ and dealin’ a race car to first place.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

But he doesn’t get to call in sick. Or go out with non-racing friends on a Friday night. However, he doesn’t complain because he’s doing his job. A job he happens to be pretty good at.

Jones is recognized as one of the future stars in NASCAR. He earned a full-time ride with one of the premier teams in the sport, Joe Gibbs Racing. He is in top-tier equipment with a superb pit crew and shop employees, and his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win is within reach.

And, oh yeah, he was also the Sunoco Rookie of the Year, beating out his new JGR teammate Daniel Suarez for the title in 2017.

As one of the youngest drivers in the Monster Energy Series, fans still have a lot to learn about the kid from Byron, Michigan. During the West Coast Media Tour, he sat down exclusively with NASCAR.com to share 10 facts about himself fans might not know … and some may be surprising.

1. Jones would dominate in a classic rock knowledge trivia contest. His favorite song? “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones.

2. The German Shepard puppy you may have noticed in Jones’ social media? His favorite pal — Oscar (who even has his own Instagram).

3. He moved to North Carolina when he was 16 for racing. 

4. During middle school, Jones tried his hand at basketball, but admittedly wasn’t very good. He often played at point guard or small forward.

5. He loves to grill, and he likes his steak medium. Not medium well or medium rare. Medium.

6. Jones passes on cream or sugar in his coffee. He likes it black.

7. Perks of being a professional athlete? Running into them in Cabo, which is where he met up with fellow driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. during a vacation.

8. The best concert Jones has seen live was Bob Seger in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Rock on.

9. He doesn’t have many nicknames, but the one that has stuck? Bones Jones. One of his crew guys thought of it because it rhymed. (Two-time UFC champ Jon “Bones” Jones may have been an inspiration, too.)

10. If you need a certified scuba diver, make sure you give Jones a call. He says it’s relaxing to explore the ocean. However, make sure you use the buddy system.