Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Click n’ Close partners with Petty, NASCAR

Richard Petty Motorsports will field Chevrolet entries in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series beginning in 2018 and form an alliance with Richard Childress Racing, according to a Friday announcement from RPM team officials.

The organization, co-owned by seven-time series champion Richard Petty and Andrew Murstein, will field the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace.

PHOTOS: Petty through the years | Drivers of the No. 43 throughout history

As part of the move to Chevrolet, RPM will align with Richard Childress Racing for engine and chassis support and permanently move its shop to Welcome, North Carolina to be adjacent to the RCR shop. RCR fields multiple cars in both the Monster Energy Series and XFINITY Series. The move will begin immediately and be completed by January.

“We’ve had a tremendous amount of success through our team partnerships over the past several seasons”, said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR in a team release. “To bring a storied organization like Richard Petty Motorsports on-board as an alliance partner is a win for each of our organizations.”

The 2018 season will be the first for teams utilizing the Camaro body style in NASCAR’s top series. From 2013 through 2017, Chevy teams campaigned with the Chevrolet SS body.

 

“This is our next chapter of Petty racing,” said Richard Petty, co-owner, Richard Petty Motorsports in the release. “We need to provide Bubba, Drew (Blickensderfer, crew chief) and the rest of the team with the tools necessary to be successful on the track, and I feel strongly this is the best move for RPM, our partners and everyone involved with our team. Chevrolet has been a consistent winner in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for a long time and we’re proud to be a part of the GM family again. We feel we can immediately win with Chevrolet and our new alliance with RCR.”

RPM will remain an independent race operation, according the release, but the change allows for the team to collaborate with RCR. The move also unites two of the sport’s most iconic teams and cars. RPM’s No. 43 and RCR’s No. 3 will now work together for the first time to push forward both organizations’ goals of winning races and championships.

Wallace is replacing Aric Almirola as driver of the No. 43 for RPM. A former regular in the XFINITY Series, Wallace made four starts for the team in 2017 while Almirola recovered from a back injury.

RELATED: Wallace named to drive No. 43 | Keep up with all the offseason moves

“I’ve had some great memories with Chevrolet and I’m ready to make a lot more,” added Wallace Jr. “The entire RPM team is ready for 2018, and now we have a big piece of the puzzle put in place. We’re all eager to start preparing our No. 43 Camaro for 2018, working and creating new ideas with RCR. This is a new journey and we’re all ready to begin it.”

Almirola was the most recent winner for RPM, scoring a victory in the 2014 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway and qualifying for the playoffs that year.

RPM had fielded Ford entries on a full-time basis since 2010.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: New era ushered in at Hendrick

Every young driver with a cool, new ride needs a slick paint job to go along with it.

Well, that’s exactly what Alex Bowman revealed during an Axalta photo shoot as he showed off a new paint scheme on the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

We can’t wait to see this car on track next year.

Posted on by Team Release

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announced Thursday that Rheem will sponsor Christopher Bell and Ryan Preece in the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2018.

Rheem, a 10-year NASCAR sponsor, will have NASCAR’s 2017 Camping World Truck Series Champion Christopher Bell at the wheel for 23 races in JGR’s No. 20 Toyota Camry and breakthrough sensation Ryan Preece in the No. 18 Toyota Camry for 10 races.

“We are delighted to partner with Joe Gibbs Racing. Joe Gibbs’ life, business accomplishments and his company’s values fit well with Rheem’s culture of innovation, integrity and philanthropy. We are also pleased to join JGR’s partner family comprised of some of the world’s most successful, innovative companies that are also committed to leading and winning. We look forward to working and winning with Coach Gibbs and his team,” said Chris Peel, Rheem President and COO.

The Rheem and Ruud brands will represent the company’s family of quality brands on NASCAR race tracks in 2018 as Rheem kicks off its second decade of racing with two new paint schemes. The new designs are intended to say ‘thanks to NASCAR fans for allowing us to support the sport you love’ as well as promising that ‘Rheem is taking leading and winning to a whole new level.’

“We’re thrilled to partner with Rheem,” said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. “They have built a winning company in their industry with many of the same attributes we hold valuable at our race team. Rheem has a long history in our sport and they understand what it takes to be successful. We think Christopher (Bell) and Ryan (Preece) will represent them well both on and off the track.”

Posted on by George Winkler

It’s beginning to look a lot like … not Christmas, but the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season at Hendrick Motorsports.

The team revealed on Twitter a new look at its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, and let’s just say this for Chase Elliott fans, they’ve got your number!

In addition, new teammates William Byron and Alex Bowman got their picture taken.

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 7, 2017) — NASCAR and Whelen Engineering, Inc. announced today multi-year extensions to continue its entitlement sponsorship of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series through 2024. Additionally, Whelen will also extend its designation as the “Official Warning Lights of NASCAR.”

“More than a decade of successful partnership has resulted in Whelen Engineering being deeply connected to many levels of our sport,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Euro Series are critical to reaching fans, developing talent and delivering great racing both domestically and abroad.”

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR’s oldest division of racecars, is the premiere asphalt modified circuit in the nation. With a history dating back to Daytona Beach in 1948, the tour features a mix of passionate, veteran drivers with emerging young talent and includes races from New England to South Carolina.

“Whelen Engineering has played a big role in NASCAR for many years and we are ecstatic to continue to support the sport with this extended relationship,” said Phil Kurze, Whelen Engineering vice president of motorsports. “Our ability to build brand and product recognition nationally and internationally due to our partnership helps drive our business and reach new customers.”

The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, the official NASCAR series based in Europe, has global appeal with 21 nations represented. Since becoming a NASCAR touring series in 2012 and obtaining the Whelen entitlement in July 2013, U.S. drivers such as Bobby Labonte, Jeffrey Earnhardt and Ben Kennedy have competed abroad. NASCAR Whelen Euro Series cars are also featured in the annual international Race of Champions.

MORE: Ulysses Delsaux finds home behind the wheel

“The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series is honored to have Whelen Engineering continue its title sponsorship,” said Jerome Galpin, NASCAR Euro Series president. “Whelen has helped NASCAR introduce exciting, door-to-door, American racing to a passionate motorsports fan base in Europe and we look forward to growing the series together in the years to come.”

A 10-year renewal with the NASCAR Hall of Fame as the title sponsor of the “Whelen Hall of Champions” was also announced today. Since opening in 2014, the exhibit has honored nearly 600 national and regional championships from the sport’s current and past series. The Hall also houses the “Everyday Champions” display, which honors first responders from across the country.

“We are thrilled with the multiyear extension of the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s partnership with Whelen Engineering. Through the Whelen Hall of Champions exhibit, we recognize every national and touring series champion in NASCAR history to date,” said Winston Kelley, NASCAR Hall of Fame executive director. “The ceremonial unveiling each year in association with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and NASCAR Touring Series banquet has become a celebrated moment for this partnership.”

Whelen Engineering is a leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and emergency vehicle lighting. In addition to its entitlement, Whelen will continue to showcase their products across NASCAR tracks and pace cars.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will honor their champions at the NASCAR Home Tracks Champions Awards on Friday, Dec. 8 at North Carolina’s Charlotte Convention Center.

Posted on by Kathy Sheldon

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — William Byron stared back at the hundreds of people who stood and filled the ballroom with cheers and claps.

That standing ovation? It was for him.

And in that moment, the 20-year-old was reminded once more why he had put in that extra hour of practice or got up early one morning to train a little harder. The men and women congratulating him want to see him succeed — and he plans on doing just that.

On Tuesday, the Mecklenburg County Boy Scouts of America honored Byron, who is member of the organization as well as a prestigious Eagle Scout, with the Good Scout Award.

“It allows me to think back on the hard work that it took to get to this point, and that it’s all paying off,” Byron told NASCAR.com. “All the things that my mentors and coaches taught me to hold important are paying off, and I have really enjoyed it. I’ve learned how to be a leader and be respectful and hold others accountable as well as myself. … (Boy Scouts) allowed me to have confidence in myself and then go into racing and use my skills on the track.”

The award Byron received recognizes members in the Charlotte community who exemplify what it means to represent and serve the organization at a high level. To receive the accolade at such a young age isn’t lost on Byron, who credits the Boy Scouts of America as a key reason to why he has risen so quickly through the NASCAR ranks.

Having the opportunity to come back to his hometown and share the moment with family and mentors is something the driver won’t forget anytime soon either.

“I have a job and a role that is a little different, and a little more public than some other guys, but it’s just the same,” he said. “It’s the same hard work that it takes for any job. It’s paid off to have these people support me around here in the community of Charlotte. I’ve been able to take my talents and passion and grow that to a broader audience.

“That’s what humbles me is seeing all the kids that are starting out just like I did and dream of racing a car or being a fireman or just being a business man. It’s cool to pursue your passions.”

Byron has been on a champion’s roller coaster without much time to catch his breath over the last few weeks. Time is moving faster and faster for the talented rising star, but that’s just the way he likes it because he isn’t quite done accomplishing what he has set out to do.

“It’s been a whirlwind of a month,” he said. “Everything from Phoenix, to winning, to going to Homestead with a shot to win a championship and then winning it there was really cool. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. …This year has been a dream come true. Next year is just an incredible opportunity to drive the No. 24.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

RELATED: Kahne’s 2017 season in review | Kahne’s wins | Kahne through the years

Kasey Kahne spent much of his final trip to Las Vegas as a Hendrick Motorsports driver duly celebrating his time with the championship team and eagerly anticipating a big change in his career: A move to the single-car Leavine Family Racing operation for the 2018 season.

The week was a festive time of good memories and frequent assurances that more good times are coming.

“Truthfully, I was fine if the season kept going a little longer,” Kahne, 37, said with a big smile. “I enjoy a lot of the guys on my team, a lot of the people at (Hendrick) so I was having fun working with those guys.

“You always want better performance, but we had that at times. So it was an all-right ending and a lot of good friends there that will carry on as we start something new.”

Kahne finished out his six-year, six-win tenure in the Hendrick No. 5 Chevrolet with a playoff run that ended in the Round of 16, but gave a glimpse of why this year’s Brickyard 400 winner has been a contender in NASCAR’s highest levels.

The team brought in Darian Grubb to serve as crew chief in the final nine races. While a pair of finishes outside the top 20 in the opening two playoff races put the team in a hole, Kahne did rebound with a pair of top 10s after he was eliminated — ninth place (Charlotte) and eighth place (Talladega) during the playoff stretch.

RELATED: See Kahne’s 2017 season race-by race

It’s all been good preparation for a fresh start next year and Kahne said he’s already been to his new digs to meet his new team and start prepping the car for his LFR debut in the Feb. 18 Daytona 500.

“This week I went over there, once we start getting seats and things I’ll be over more and more involved, making sure everything is how I want it,” Kahne said. “I’m already starting to learn the people, learn the names and start making some relationships.”

In the meantime, Kahne said he will simultaneously be cherishing the downtime and looking forward to preparing for the 2018 season – changes and all.

“I’m going to do Chili Bowl and look forward to the holidays with (son) Tanner, go to the beach and watch him learn the holidays a bit,” Kahne said. “It will be fun.  Then it’s about putting the time in. I hope we’ll do the Vegas [preseason] test, so as long as we get that, it will help a lot. I love racing. That’s about all I think about other than Tanner.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

RELATED: Recap Johnson’s 2017 season | Jimmie through the years

Last year as a newly crowned seven-time champion, Jimmie Johnson spent much of the offseason at his new home in Colorado – skiing, getting his young daughters up on snowboards and generally enjoying the good times and just rewards of having cemented his legendary status in the sport.

This offseason, following a 10th-place finish in the points standings, will feel and look much different Johnson said last week during NASCAR’s Champion’s Week in Las Vegas.

“Last year we knew was pretty unique in being able to spend five full months out there [in Colorado] in a row,’’ Johnson said. “This year we won’t do that, we’ll just go out for holiday seasons and maybe West Coast swings, things like that.

“I’m sad I won’t be there as much but it was a lot easier last year after a championship. With the poor finish we just had, we need to buckle down and get to work.’’

A tough second half of the season relegated the 2016 champion to an early exit from the ’17 playoffs. His last top-10 finish of the year came at Charlotte (seventh) with six races remaining in the schedule and he closed out the season with a highly uncharacteristic stretch of 27th, 39th and 27th–place finishes – ultimately placing the No. 48 team at the bottom of the top 10 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings.

Although he started the season strong, leading the series with three wins by spring, 2017 marked the first time in Johnson’s 16-year full-time career he did not win a race after the start of summer. His 217 laps led marked a career low.

“I feel like the way the last quarter of the season went for us was below our expectations and certainly our fans and probably even the people reporting on the sport,’’ Johnson reflected. “It is unfair to always expect us to win a championship but I think being competitive and leading laps and challenging for wins … that’s a fair expectation and we just didn’t do that at the end of the year.

“That wasn’t easy to deal with. I had a good couple weeks, kinda relaxing after Homestead but then next week will be a work week, time to get back in the shop. I’m ready to get back to work.”

As Johnson spoke with reporters, the disappointment was palpable, but so was the passion to return to the winning ways modern NASCAR has become accustomed to seeing out of this No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team. It’s hard to consider it an “off year” with three wins in that column, but the expectations here are different. So re-grouping, re-energizing and re-evaluating it is.

“Every offseason has different effects,’’ Johnson said. “This one is much more about letting go of stress and tension and relaxing. Last year after winning the championship it was being on top of the world and celebrating and trying to get to Colorado as fast as I could to ski as often as I could. This year is a lot different

“This year I’m kind of licking my wounds in a sense. Trying to think through what we could have done better in ’17. As the month moves on start thinking of ways we could communicate better, put a better product on the track.”

Johnson is convinced that his Hendrick Motorsports team will be putting a better product on track next year.

“I’m optimistic about 2018 and the new Camaro,’’ Johnson said, his face lighting up in enthusiasm. “From an aerodynamic standpoint the Chevrolets have not had an update since we went to this generation of car. For us to finally have an update the car will produce more downforce, be more efficient, definitely more competitive on the downforce tracks.”

When you have won 83 races and seven Cup championships, it’s easy to feel optimistic and confident. Johnson has not only won a race in all 16 full Cup seasons, he has won multiple races every year and has top-five finishes (222) in an amazing 38 percent of all Cup races (579) he’s competed in. 

It’s safe to say Johnson knows how to maintain both good perspective and high motivation.

 “Change is good,’’ Johnson said smiling. “No one is ever really in the same place individually, collectively or as a group. You’re either growing together or growing a part.  Some change is always happening, so I think the change taking place for us is change in the right direction, will bring the company closer together and produce a better product, more competitive cars.”

“Our goal is to be in that (Championship 4) and compete for a championship.”

Posted on by Team Release

CONCORD, N.C. — Trevor Bayne’s AdvoCare Ford Fusion will sport a different look when it hits the track to begin the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) season as the famed Roush Fenway Racing No. 6 will be sporting the primary color of black.

“This new paint scheme is pretty awesome,” said Bayne. “If you look through history a lot of the great drivers have driven black race cars as their primary scheme and I am pretty excited to have one as well going into 2018. I think that this new look by AdvoCare is really great and shows that we mean business every time we head out onto the racetrack. This scheme just makes me even more excited about getting back behind the wheel in 2018.”

This new scheme marks the first time that the Roush Fenway No. 6 will be primarily black in the MENCS since the 2005 season with NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin.

“It is really cool to have the No. 6 Ford black again for Roush Fenway,” added Bayne. “I know that Mark (Martin) ran really well in these colors and hopefully we can replicate that same success next season.”

Bayne, who is coming off of a 2017 campaign that saw a career-high in top-10 finishes, enters his fifth season with AdvoCare as his primary partner and his fourth with the Plano, Texas company in the MENCS.

The 2018 MENCS season kicks off with the 60th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR editors recap the 2017 season for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff drivers and the top five drivers in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

RELATED: Top stories of the year | Season superlatives for 2017

— Dec. 4: No. 16 Ryan Newman: Outlook | Season recap | Career highlights
— Dec. 5: XFINITY Series: Fifth-place recap (Cole Custer) Season recap
— Dec. 5: Truck Series: Fifth-place recap (Ben Rhodes) Season recap
— Dec. 6: No. 15 Kasey Kahne: Outlook | Season recap | Career highlights
— Dec. 7: No. 14 Kurt Busch: Outlook | Season recap | Career highlights 
— Dec. 8: No. 13 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Outlook | Season recap | Career highlights
— Dec. 11: No. 12 Jamie McMurray: Outlook | Season recap | Career highlights
— Dec. 12: XFINITY Series: Fourth-place recap (Daniel Hemric) Season recap
— Dec. 12: Truck Series: Fourth-place recap (Matt Crafton) Season recap
— Dec. 12: Monster Energy Series non-playoff drivers recap Season recap
— Dec. 13: No. 11 Austin Dillon: Outlook | Season recap | Career highlights
— Dec. 14: No. 10 Jimmie Johnson: Outlook | Season recap | Career highlights
— Dec. 15: No. 9 Ryan Blaney: Outlook | Season recap | Career highlights
— Dec. 18: No. 8 Kyle Larson: Outlook | Season recap | Career highlights
— Dec. 19: XFINITY Series: Third-place recap (Justin Allgaier) Season recap
— Dec. 19: Truck Series: Third -place recap (Austin Cindric) Season recap
— Dec. 20: No. 7 Matt Kenseth: Video | Season recap | Career highlights 
— Dec. 21: No. 6 Denny Hamlin: Video | Season recap | Career highlights
— Dec. 22: No. 5 Chase Elliott: Outlook | Season recap | Career highlights 
— Dec. 26: No. 4 Brad Keselowski: Video | Season recap | Career highlights
— Dec. 26: XFINITY Series: Second-place recap (Elliott Sadler) Season recap 
— Dec. 26: Truck Series: Second-place recap (Johnny Sauter) Season recap
— Dec. 27: No. 3 Kevin Harvick: Video | Outlook | Season recap | Career highlights
— Dec. 28: No. 2 Kyle Busch: Outlook | Season recap | Career highlights
— Dec. 29: XFINITY Series: First-place recap (William Byron) Video | Season recap
— Dec. 29: Truck Series: First-place recap (Christopher Bell) Video | Season recap
— Dec. 29: No. 1 Martin Truex Jr. Video | Season recap | Career highlights