Posted on by Zack Albert

RELATED: Danica confirms Rodgers romance

Danica Patrick will carry familiar sponsorship for her two-race farewell in 2018, with longtime backer GoDaddy reuniting for her efforts in the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500.

The news was released Thursday morning by GoDaddy. It was first reported earlier Thursday by the Associated Press.

BUY: Danica Double gear

Patrick, 35, was primarily sponsored by the Scottsdale, Arizona-based internet domain registrar for her first six seasons in NASCAR national series competition and her last two in the IndyCar ranks. During that span, Patrick was front and center for GoDaddy in its advertising, including a starring role in a record 13 commercials during the Super Bowl.

PHOTOS: Danica Patrick through the years

“This is definitely the way I want to finish my racing career – at these two iconic races, backed by my iconic, long-time sponsor,” Patrick said in a release provided by GoDaddy. “GoDaddy was there for me when my career was just really starting so it’s exciting to be getting back in the GoDaddy ‘green’ for my final two races. Our brands have always been powerful together, and I think it’s awesome to have them at my side when I go ‘all in’ with my businesses after racing.”

Patrick announced in November that the 2017 season would mark her last full-time campaign in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. In that same emotional news conference, Patrick also announced her intent to compete in both the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 this season.

RELATED: Patrick earns Daytona 500 pole | Patrick to step away from full-time racing

No details were released Thursday regarding potential team pairings for Patrick in those two crown-jewel events, but her regained sponsorship should help attract interest from ownership groups. She has competed six times in the Daytona 500 with a best finish of eighth (twice); she also won the pole position for the 2013 running. Patrick last competed in an IndyCar in 2011.

Patrick competed in NASCAR’s premier series for the last five seasons with Stewart-Haas Racing. Last September, Patrick announced she would part ways with SHR “due to a new sponsorship arrangement in 2018.”

She has since branched into several other careers and projects for her life after racing, including her own line of athletic apparel, a self-penned fitness book and ownership of a California vineyard.

RELATED: Relive Danica’s history making 2013 Daytona 500

Posted on by Team Release

BUY TICKETS: Daytona 500

CERRO GORDO, N.C. — Ricky Benton Racing (RBR) Enterprises announced today that the team will be jumping to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) for the season-opening Daytona 500 in February. David Gilliland has rejoined the team to pilot the No. 92 Black’s Tire and Auto Service/Carquest Auto Parts/Ford Fusion.

RBR has spent the past eight seasons competing in 79 races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) on a part-time basis. Gilliland drove for the team for seven races in 2015. Plans for the RBR’s 2018 NCWTS schedule have not been finalized.

Mike Hester will serve as crew chief in both series. The team will continue its long-running relationship with Roush Yates Engines to provide power plants for their Fords.

“After talking with our partners, we felt the time was right to make a move into the Cup Series,” said team owner Ricky Benton. “Getting David (Gilliland) back on board was also key. Having a veteran driver with his experience and success on restrictor-plate tracks — with whom Hester has familiarity — gives us a leg up as we try to make the race.

“I am thankful for Roush Yates, Carquest, Highland Construction and the entire Black’s Tire family (Benton owns Black’s Tire, which operates four BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors Wholesale Centers, servicing more than 200 BTS partner program dealers, Carolina Retreads and 46 retail/commercial locations in the Carolinas) for going racing with us.”

RELATED: Todd Gilliland driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports

Based in Cerro Gordo, N.C. (pop. 199), RBR is bringing with it a history of success in stock car racing to the Daytona 500. At the 2.5-mile “World Center of Racing,” RBR has two third-place and two sixth-place finishes in six starts in the NCWTS. Prior to joining the truck series, RBR competed extensively in late models and other series, winning the 1998 NASCAR Winston Racing Series Atlantic Seaboard championship as well as the 2002 USAR Hooters ProCup title.

“Ricky is a great guy and a real racer,” said Gilliland. “I really appreciate the faith he has put in me to drive his first MENCS attempt. Having worked with (crew chief) Mike (Hester) before, I know he has done everything needed to give us a competitive car to go out and qualify and race well at Daytona.

“I think we have a chance to go out and surprise some people.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

RELATED: Get to know the Hall of Fame Class of 2018

The genuine excitement and gratitude for earning a place in the NASCAR Hall of Fame was evident last week as Ron Hornaday Jr. spoke to reporters about the upcoming milestone in his life.

 

The always colorful, ever humble four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion was upbeat recalling important moments in his career and telling classic stories about those who helped him make the big time.

 

And while the 59-year old Californian may not have ever predicted he would be a NASCAR Hall of Famer one day, he definitely knew the sport’s Truck Series was destined for greatness. And both of their paths have led to similarly significant achievements.

 

“They [NASCAR] had a five-year plan for the trucks and I think the first year, we exceeded that five-year plan of what we thought it was going to do,” said Hornaday, who also exceeded his own expectations, winning 51 races in a four-championship 17-year career competing in the truck series. Three of his four titles came after the age of 40. He won the 2009 championship at the age of 51.

 

Hornaday also won four times in the XFINITY Series and finished a career-best third place in the 2004 championship. He finished top-five in the championship in three of the four full-time seasons he ran in that series. 

 

Hornaday won two NASCAR Southwest Series titles in what was the preamble to his Hall of Fame tenure in NASCAR’s trucks.

 

“I was pretty humbled,” Hornaday said of getting the news last May that he was NASCAR Hall of Fame bound. “I thought it was pretty cool to be the first one [truck champion] in there.

 

“I hope I can represent the truck series since they put my career on the map, what they’ve done for my whole family. Definitely I owe everything to NASCAR and the France family for starting the truck series and the phone call from [the late Dale] Earnhardt of giving me an opportunity to make it big time.’’

MORE: 2018 Hall of Fame inductees through the years

In a certain sense, Hornaday was able to pay it forward as well. Often, NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series drivers have referred to “Hornaday’s Couch” – the furniture they slept on while temporarily staying with the veteran and his wife at their home as the young racers found their path in the sport too.

 

“When I met Jimmie Johnson at a Chevrolet function, he was coming from off-road [racing] and he told me he was moving down, doing this and that,’’ Hornaday recalled of his fellow Californian. “I told him, ‘don’t go rent a place, that’s a waste of money. Save some money, buy your own house then.’

 

“He might have stayed three to six months, maybe a year. It’s something where when you have a big enough place, they’re all hanging out on the couch.’’

 

“And,” he added, “We still have that couch by the way.”

 

The couch, part of “Camp Hornaday,” certainly boasts a pedigree, having hosted a couple young, budding champions. Not only did the seven-time champion Johnson spend time bunking with Hornaday and his wife, Lindy, but so did fellow Californian, 2014 Monster Energy Series champ Kevin Harvick.

 

It all speaks to Hornaday’s laidback, welcoming nature. He is friendly and fun, but behind the wheel of a race car, he made magic – often beating drivers half his age.

 

In preparing for the upcoming Hall of Fame induction, Hornaday conceded it’s still pretty incredible to realize how far his career went, and how successful NASCAR’s trucks — the youngest of the three major series — would be. Hornaday said he never imagined having such a historic role in the series.

 

“I was just glad to be a part of it, get an opportunity to do it,” Hornaday said of the mid-1990s when the series originated and began to flourish.

 

“I was racing for Wayne [Spears] at the time and asked him if he was going to run the whole Truck Series. I told him what I had the opportunity to do and he told me, I should take it. It was probably the best choice I ever made in my career.

 

“When you have two successful businesses out of California — my wife and I did — to get up and move [to North Carolina], it was kind of a gamble. It worked out for us though. Very fortunate for that.

 

“We had to do it, we had to go win, we had to put food on the table.”

 

And he did more than that. Now he will bring home a Hall of Fame ring and abounding, well-deserved recognition for his contributions to the sport. Already highly regarded, Hornaday is one of the most popular selections to the Hall.

 

As he closed out his telephone press conference with the national media last week, Hornaday quickly offered a personal and wonderful summation.

 

“Just a heads up,’’ he said, with a slight laugh. “I can drive a race car. I’m not good at standing in front of my peers with a monkey suit, telling them how good I am.

 

“It’s all about everybody that ever helped me out. Hopefully I can do well and not get tongue-tied.

 

“Thank you guys, for everything, all the years.”

Posted on by Zack Albert

MORE: Drivers, crew chiefs on the move

Kyle Busch Motorsports announced Wednesday that Todd Gilliland will drive the No. 4 Toyota in 19 races this year in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The rest of the driver lineup for the No. 4 team, which carried Christopher Bell to the series championship last year, includes team owner Kyle Busch for two races (Atlanta, Kansas) and Gilliland’s father, David, for the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. The team indicated it would announce a driver for the March 2 race at Las Vegas at a later date. Marcus Richmond will serve as the team’s crew chief.

Gilliland, 17, will compete for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. A NASCAR rule that prevents drivers younger than 18 from competing on tracks greater than 1.25 miles will force him to miss four races early in the year. He is scheduled to race at .526-mile Martinsville Speedway on March 24, then Dover International Speedway on May 4 before joining the remainder of the schedule at Charlotte Motor Speedway shortly after his 18th birthday on May 15.

“I’m super excited to be continuing my development within the Toyota Racing family and look forward to being behind the wheel of KBM’s No. 4 Tundra this season — especially after my 18th birthday when I can run all of the races,” Gilliland said in a release provided by the team. “I’ll still be at the track for the early races when I don’t get to compete so that I can learn as much as I can from being around the guys on the team and watching my Dad and Kyle before my first 1.5-mile race at Charlotte.”

Todd Gilliland, a member of the NASCAR Next youth initiative, competed in six Truck Series races last year with a best finish of third place in September at New Hampshire. He also won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship last year with six victories in the 14-race season.

David Gilliland, 41, last competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2015 with a seven-race stint for team owner Ricky Benton. He is a veteran of 332 starts in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with three career pole positions.

Busch, the 2015 Monster Energy Series champion, scored three victories in a seven-race Truck Series schedule last season.

The team indicated it would announce sponsorship at a later date.

Posted on by Brad Norman

Editor’s note: More than 100 wrecks have been reported in the Charlotte area, with even some NASCAR drivers having trouble on the roads. Be safe. Stay home.

Winter weather warnings in North Carolina often amount to nothing more than empty shelves in the bread and milk sections at grocery stores, but this time the heart of racing country has some real snowfall.

Ryan Blaney’s here to help.

Keelan Harvick is here to play (and presumably dad Kevin, too).

Darrell Wallace Jr.’s here to ramp up sledding (literally) before he does some “adulting” with a shovel.

Our own @nascarcasm’s here with jokes.

Ryan and Krissie Newman’s rescue ranch animals are here for some hay, and oh hey, snow!

And Ricky Stenhouse brings gratitude to the scene.

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 17, 2018) — Coca-Cola, International Speedway Corporation (ISC) and NASCAR today announced an extension to each of its long-standing partnerships. Coca-Cola, an iconic global brand, will continue its deep-rooted history in the sport by engaging racing fans across NASCAR’s three national series and 12 ISC-operated race tracks.

The first-of-its kind integrated agreement is designed to deliver value to Coca-Cola across both the sanctioning body and ISC properties. Building on a 50-year relationship in the sport, Coca-Cola utilizes an immersive marketing approach to engage fans, customers and employees across virtually every facet of the NASCAR ecosystem. The strategy has resulted in Coca-Cola being one of the most recognized sponsors in the sport (according to the 2017 NASCAR sponsor loyalty survey conducted for SportsBusiness Journal/Daily by Turnkey Sports & Entertainment).

RELATED: Iconic Coca-Cola paint schemes, looks

“We’re elated to announce an extension to this winning formula,” said Stuart Kronauge, SVP of Marketing & Business Unit President of USA Operations, The Coca-Cola Company. “The association with NASCAR, iconic tracks across the country, the Coca-Cola 600 and the Coca-Cola 400, and the drivers of the Coca-Cola Racing Family creates an ideal relationship between the brands, the sport and fans. It allows for a fully integrated experience that connects Coca-Cola with NASCAR fans at every level — locally, nationally, at the track, in store, at home and elsewhere.”

While Coca-Cola has been involved with stock car racing for 50 years, the brand became an Official Partner of NASCAR in 1998. The extended agreement furthers Coca-Cola’s position as the “Official Soft Drink of NASCAR.” Additionally, a signature part of the brand’s marketing strategy is the Coca-Cola Racing Family — a group of top drivers that includes Austin Dillon, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman, Daniel Suarez and Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. The Coca-Cola Racing Family, which has been around for nearly 20 years, makes appearances and is featured in advertising, promotions and packaging.

RECAP: Austin Dillon wins the Coca-Cola 600

“Our continued partnership with Coca-Cola is a product of a long history of successful collaboration,” said Steve Phelps, EVP and chief global sales and marketing officer, NASCAR. “Partnering with a global company like Coca-Cola puts NASCAR in front of a massive scope of consumers while providing our partners direct engagement with the most brand faithful fan base in sports.”

The extended relationship with ISC will continue Coca-Cola’s position as the leading soft drink pour across NASCAR-sanctioned tracks. Through partnerships with ISC and Speedway Motorsports, Inc., Coca-Cola will be refreshing fans at 21 race tracks in 2018.

“This renewed relationship highlights how committed Coca-Cola is to engage the most brand loyal fans in sports. Coca-Cola is deeply integrated across our sport, including track pouring rights, race entitlements and relationships with drivers — all adding up to a valued partnership,” said Daryl Wolfe, chief sales and partnership officer, NASCAR and ISC. “The company has been a longtime supporter of NASCAR, and we are thrilled to embark on the next expanded phase of our partnership.”

A loyal supporter of the U.S. Armed Forces, Coca-Cola honors and recognizes service members at race tracks annually, and in 2017, expanded its support as the presenting sponsor of NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola. The six-week platform encapsulates the NASCAR industry’s collective expression of respect and gratitude of past and present members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Coca-Cola also partners with NASCAR on Troops to the Track, hosting service members from all military branches at race tracks during the season.

In 2013, Coca-Cola became the first three-time recipient of the prestigious NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award, emblematic of the brand who best utilizes its sponsorship to engage NASCAR fans.

Posted on by Brad Norman

RELATED: New Chevrolet debuts as drivers participate in test at Texas

The Camaro ZL1, making its debut in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2018, is as much the hot new kid on the block as some of the young drivers moving up to the top series. And it got a lot of play on social media this week.

Chip Ganassi Racing unveiled new looks for Kyle Larson’s No. 42 and Jamie McMurray’s No. 1 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and included this video on the team’s social channels:

Darrell Wallace Jr. and Austin Dillon showed off their cars — and moves — in their #MotorSportChallenge videos, Bubba’s out Tuesday in response to Dillon’s challenge last Friday. Looks like Dillon’s keeping the slide in his repertoire.

And Richard Childress Racing was doing photo shoots with Ryan Newman and some of his cars and sponsors over the past week.

Green, Gold, red, blue, white … doesn’t matter. It’s a good-looking car.

Posted on by Brad Norman

Johnny Sauter has been around the block a few times.

When the veteran truck driver piloted his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in 2003 at 25 years old, former GMS teammate Kaz Grala inched closer to turning lucky number … five. Yes, as in f-i-v-e years old.

MORE: Breaking down Sauter’s 2017 season

But that’s exactly why Sauter considers himself lucky. Not many drivers can say they’ve raced (usually upfront) for 14 years in one of NASCAR’s three premier levels. Throw in a 2016 championship and 17 Truck Series victories? It’s a career most could only dream of … and it’s become reality for the Wisconsin native. Something he doesn’t take lightly, either.

” … You know old cats like me, you don’t know how many lives you’ve got left,” Johnny Sauter said jokingly at the end of last season. “It’s a different world than when I first came along.”

On the day of the 2017 championship race, with Sauter chasing a second consecutive title, GMS announced its longtime driver would be back in the lineup for the following season behind the wheel of the No. 21 Chevrolet Silverado.

“You know GMS, I’m not just blowing smoke here, it’s an awesome organization,” Sauter said at the Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series banquet on Dec. 9, 2017. “We’ve got a lot of cool stuff there. They just continue to make it better. I’m a big Chevy guy so to be able to race a Chevy is important to me.

“I’ve got a great group of guys, Joe (Shear) is obviously my crew chief. I’ve known him since I was a kid. … It’s a good atmosphere. It’s a fun place to be. Obviously we are running well so it’s all good.”

With an extension and strong relationships under his belt with his team, Sauter has high hopes for the 2018 season. He plans on building off a career-best four wins (two in the playoffs) and 455 laps led in 2017.

However, it doesn’t really matter what happens because as long as he has a car to work on, he is going to be racing … no question about it.

“I’m addicted to that stuff,” Sauter said of Late Model racing. “I spend a lot of time in the shop working on my own stuff. I build everything myself and race it.

… At the end of the day, I’m a racer.”

A racer, who isn’t going away anytime soon. Buckle up.

Posted on by Holly Cain

RELATED: Full Hall of Fame coverage | Photos of  2018 inductees

Ken Squier, the man who coined the phrase “The Great American Race” to describe the Daytona 500, will formally join NASCAR’s “Greatest” later this week. The co-founder of Motor Racing Network (MRN) and longtime voice of the sport will become the first broadcaster among the Hall of Fame’s legendary list of inductees.

The 82-year-old Vermont native is a broadcast icon, setting the standard for calling NASCAR race broadcasts. He famously worked NASCAR’s flag-to-flag network television debut, the 1979 Daytona 500 featuring post-race fisticuffs between Bobby and Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough and his smooth voice and polished insight made him a broadcast favorite for decades thereafter in a sport he famously described as “common men doing uncommon things.”

Squier will forever be most associated with that historic ’79 Daytona race telecast and selling the NASCAR product to network television. It’s a source of great pride and he is certainly accustomed to the questions about the landmark race and the scuffle in the closing credits.

“They were on each other, both (Donnie Allison and Yarborough) as determined as any race drivers that ever walked the face of the earth,’’ Squier recalled of the tangle.

“They were not going to give it up. There you saw the result.

“It was a very dramatic moment.’’

And as for the overall significance of the broadcast?

“It was a matter of introducing people from Manhattan into the scope of American stock car racing,’’ he said. “In the bread basket of America, that was the name of the tune that turned people on the most at that time.

“Having them, CBS, take an interest in it. … we did a group of races before we ever did the Daytona 500 and they did so well. It was like everything the network did in those days. They spent the time, spent the energy, forethought to really put together what it was about.

“This was a new page.’’

It was new to many Americans and set a high bar for race excitement, but for Squier, calling NASCAR races was essentially old hat. He began race play-by-play for the MRN network he co-founded in 1969 – before getting the call regularly for the television broadcasts.

In addition to his talent behind the microphone, in 1982 Squier is credited for helping to develop the sport’s first “in-car camera” – a hugely popular and unique broadcast feature still used today in later variations.

That camera was an invaluable tool in giving the world a glimpse of the most popular Daytona 500 victory in modern time – Dale Earnhardt’s 1998 triumph.

Squier remembers how emotional the steely Earnhardt was after that win, and how emotional everyone on pit road was for Earnhardt to finally win after 20 tries. The car in Earnhardt’s famous No. 3 Chevrolet picked up the amazing greeting the champion received after pulling onto pit road headed to the Daytona 500 Victory Lane for the first time.

“Just how emotional he could be, he pretty much always hid it, but you couldn’t hide that,’’ Squier recalls of the afternoon.

Squier was also in the television booth for the FOX Sports pre-race show before its full season debut in 2001 when the seven-time champion Earnhardt was killed in the final corner of the final lap of the Daytona 500 – a race ultimately won by Michael Waltrip in a car Earnhardt owned.

Humbled and awed by his historical selection to the sport’s great Hall of greats, Squier still insisted he was most pleased to have witnessed the competition and tell the stories of all the great men and women behind the steering wheel and behind pit wall.

“I guess what’s most impressive, is the competition,’’ Squier said last week when asked what memory stands out the most of his NASCAR broadcasting career.

“What you have today, that is the fruit of it. It’s pretty good tasting.”

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: New looks for 2018

Chip Ganassi Racing drivers Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray both have picked up additional sponsorship for their respective 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series campaigns. The team announced Tuesday that DC Solar, which has partnered with CGR for three seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, will move up to the Monster Energy Series with both the Nos. 1 and 42 Chevrolets.

The company will be the primary partner on the No. 42 during the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona on Feb. 11.

DC Solar will continue to be seen in the Xfinity Series for several races on the No. 42 Chevrolet with both Larson and McMurray behind the wheel.

“We have enjoyed our partnership with DC Solar and are very excited to welcome (them) to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series,” team owner Chip Ganassi said in a team release. “It has been a fun three years growing our partnership and we look forward to an exciting and successful first year with them on the cars with Kyle and Jamie.”

RELATED: Larson, Credit One Bank expand partnership

DC Solar and Larson previously joined forces in 2016 when Larson drove a DC Solar-sponsored truck to Victory Lane in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway. DC Solar also served as a co-primary partner with Larson and the No. 42 team in last season’s finale at Homestead, which resulted in a third-place finish.

Larson won four races in 2017 and had 15 top-five finishes in 36 points-paying events.

“DC Solar has been a part of motorsports for quite awhile,” Larson said during the announcement. ” … For me to get to run DC Solar on the Truck at Eldora a couple years ago and get the win, after being a close a couple times before that, was special. Hopefully, this year we can bring them many more good runs and good wins.”

McMurray, meanwhile, will compete in the Xfinity Series for the first time since 2013. He has not run multiple races in one season in the series since 2011, when he competed in six races. McMurray is an eight-time winner in the Xfinity Series, with his most recent win coming at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2010 driving for JR Motorsports.

“I’m looking forward to it (returning to Xfinity),” McMurray told reporters following the announcement. “There’s been talk the last couple years about doing some Xfinity races and it just hasn’t worked out. It’s going to this year. … There’s certainly some differences, but I’m looking forward to getting to do some Saturday races soon.”