Posted on by Holly Cain

PHOTOS: Danica Patrick through the years | Danica on future, past

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — With tears in her eyes, Danica Patrick emotionally confirmed to media on Friday afternoon she would be stepping away from full-time racing competition following Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“My sister told me I was supposed to get emotional,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes, as her sister and parents watched from the back of the room. “I said I wouldn’t.”

After a long pause, she continued, “But I’m grateful for all the opportunities.”

Dressed in a white blouse and black jeans, the 35-year-old Patrick declared her intentions to transition after a historical six-year full-time career in NASCAR preceded by a headline-making seven-year full-time stint racing in the IndyCar series.

MORE: Danica on racing career: Tony Stewart has been part of it all

Before officially retiring, Patrick will race in the 2018 Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 — two races innately and overwhelmingly crucial to her career path. Although she doesn’t have the deals completely finalized for the two fast farewells she is dubbing the “Danica Double,” Patrick said she hopes to announce something in the coming weeks. She is confident of putting together a deal or deals to give her racing contributions the proper exclamation point.

The 2013 Daytona 500 pole winner and record-setting Indianapolis 500 competitor is the first woman to compete full-time in NASCAR’s highest level.

Interestingly, she has the same number of laps led (64) and top-10 finishes (seven) in both her XFINITY career (61 starts) and her Cup career (189 starts).

In addition to her NASCAR accomplishments Patrick is the only woman to win an IndyCar race (2008 in Japan) and boasts the top finish ever for a woman in the Indy 500 (third place, 2009). She had top-10 finishes in six of her seven Indy 500 starts.

And Patrick is the only woman to lead laps in both the Daytona 500 (seven laps) and Indy 500 (29 laps), an event she last entered in 2011.

She’s currently ranked 27th in the points standings with one top 10 this year (10th at Dover).

MORE: Danica on 2018 plans | Key moments | Key players in NASCAR’s silly season

Speaking to a smaller group of reporters after her initial announcement, Patrick joked about containing her emotions, revealing, “I’m an emotional person, shockingly, I know.

“It’s one thing to say to one person, or out loud to your family, another to deliver to the masses,’’ Patrick said. “It’s not like this is a conclusion I just arrived at. I started thinking about all the situations that could come my way in January. And there was a moment in the middle of the year that I was like, is the team just going to shut me down? Maybe. I had to pretty quickly face the music of, ‘what if this is the end?’ “

Patrick said she was open to doing some TV work, but that there was nothing imminent or specific to that yet. Even beyond the two races closing out her career, she has a busy slate that includes a book tour for her “Pretty Intense: The 90-Day Mind, Body and Food Plan that will absolutely Change Your Life” book.

And she will continue to attend Monster Energy Series races in support of her longtime boyfriend, Roush Fenway Racing driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Stewart-Haas announced last week that Aric Almirola will replace Patrick in the team’s No. 10 Ford.

As for Patrick joining her first formal NASCAR “boss” Dale Earnhardt Jr. and former Cup champion Matt Kenseth in stepping away from full-time work at Sunday’s checkered flag?

“The show goes on as they say,’’ Patrick said smiling, noting the excitement she feels for her final racing chapter.

“I’m really nervous. But I’m really excited.”

WATCH: Look back through Patrick’s career

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: Celebrating Dale Jr.’s final ride | Spend an evening with Junior in Las Vegas

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave his final weekly pre-race press conference Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, touching on a variety of subjects ranging from his health to his competitiveness to his championship pick as he prepares for his final scheduled start in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Earnhardt, driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, will step away from full-time competition in the series following Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). He’ll remain deeply entrenched in the sport as co-team owner of JR Motorsports, which fields multiple entries in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, and through work with NBC, which broadcasts the second half of the NASCAR season.

“In the car, I just want to run all the laps,” Earnhardt said of Sunday’s season-ending, championship-determining race. “I want to finish the race in one piece. … Obviously you want to do as well as you can. But no matter where we finish, to be able to pull down pit road, stop the car and get out. Then see my guys and do all that. It would be a bit of a heartbreaker if we have any kind of issue that would take us out of the event and not be able to finish.”

RELATED: Ties that bind with Dale Jr., Rick Hendrick run deep

The 2017 season is Earnhardt’s 18th as a full-time competitor. He’s a two-time champion in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, has 26 career victories in Monster Energy Series competition and is the winner of the series’ most popular driver award for 14 consecutive years.

After sitting out the final half of the 2016 season while recovering from a concussion, Earnhardt announced on April 25 of this year that he would step down from full-time competition at year’s end. Asked if he had reconsidered the decision at any point this year, Earnhardt didn’t hesitate when answering.

“No, I don’t need to reconsider,” the 43-year-old said. “This is great timing for me. It’s time for somebody else to get in that car and get out of it what they can. “And with Alex (Bowman) coming in behind, it’s just a great opportunity for him. It’s his time. And mine, in my heart, has ran its course.

“With everything we’ve been through, with the concussion and trying to come back, the emotion was man, I’m so glad I get to run this last year. It was always this is the last year. And I’m glad I get to run it.”

Bowman made 10 starts for the team while Earnhardt was sidelined in ’16, winning the pole in the fall race at Phoenix. He will take over full-time duties in the car beginning next season.

Neither Earnhardt nor his teammates, seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, Chase Elliott and Kasey Kahne, made it to this year’s Championship 4 round here at Homestead.

RELATED: Dale Jr. reveals who he is pulling for to win the championship

Earnhardt said he will be “Team Martin for this weekend for sure,” indicating his choice of champion is Furniture Row Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. The two were teammates earlier in their career at Dale Earnhardt Inc.

Truex, Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing), Kyle Busch (Joe Gibbs Racing) and Brad Keselowski (Team Penske) will compete for the championship on Sunday.

“He’s the guy,” Earnhardt said of Truex. “Me and Brad are great friends. I love to see Brad do well. But with what Martin, just as a driver, what he has been through it would just be awesome to see him put his name on that trophy.

“I don’t know how you put into words what it would mean for him to win. I don’t know how you describe what that means. It’s bigger than words.”

RELATED: All of Junior’s wins | Career in photos | Top 10 moments

In the day’s opening practice, Earnhardt started out fifth-fastest, but returned to the garage with engine issues.

Friday afternoon there’s qualifying, then two more practice sessions on Saturday.

Sunday, he’ll climb aboard his No. 88 for the final time.

Posted on by Staff Report

MORE: Full practice results | Best 10-lap times | Full Miami schedule

Kyle Busch topped the leaderboard in Friday’s first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Homestead-Miami Speedway at 172.695 mph in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Right behind him was fellow NASCAR Playoffs Championship 4 competitor Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota at 172.529 mph.

Rounding out the top five were playoffs driver Kevin Harvick in the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford at 171.865 mph, Kyle Larson in the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet at 171.217 mph and Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 JGR Toyota at 170.854 mph.

Brad Keselowski, the fourth competitor in the Championship 4, was 21st on the leaderboard at 168.919 mph. The team was working on a brake issue on his No. 2 Team Penske Ford that limited his practice time to just five laps.

PHOTOS: Best from Miami

Dale Earnhardt Jr., ahead of his final planned Monster Energy Series start, had engine issues in his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. His session was cut early, and he was 14th on the speed charts after running just 12 laps as the team worked to replace the engine.

Earnhardt addressed the issue in a video he posted on Twitter.

 

Posted on by Staff Report

A look at the drivers with the best 10-lap runs in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practices at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

MORE: Practice 1 results 

Pos Car Driver From Lap To Lap Avg Speed
1 42 Kyle Larson 1 10 165.012
2 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 1 10 163.402
3 1 Jamie McMurray 1 10 163.280
4 77 Erik Jones # 1 10 162.293
5 10 Danica Patrick 1 10 162.043
6 5 Kasey Kahne 12 21 160.156
7 24 Chase Elliott 9 18 158.995

MORE: Practice 2 results 

Pos Car Driver From Lap To Lap Avg Speed
1 11 Denny Hamlin 1 10 165.574
2 78 Martin Truex Jr. (P) 1 10 165.186
3 2 Brad Keselowski (P) 1 10 164.907
4 18 Kyle Busch (P) 1 10 164.150
5 42 Kyle Larson 1 10 163.910
6 4 Kevin Harvick (P) 1 10 163.888
7 19 Daniel Suarez # 1 10 163.503
8 1 Jamie McMurray 1 10 163.312
9 5 Kasey Kahne 1 10 163.072
10 21 Ryan Blaney 1 10 163.068
11 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 1 10 162.638
12 20 Matt Kenseth 17 26 162.633
13 27 Paul Menard 1 10 162.630
14 48 Jimmie Johnson 18 27 162.577
15 77 Erik Jones # 1 10 162.105
16 32 Matt DiBenedetto 1 10 162.100
17 95 Michael McDowell 1 10 161.625
18 24 Chase Elliott 1 10 161.573
19 13 T. Dillon / D. Hemric 1 10 161.546
20 3 Austin Dillon 1 10 161.528
21 14 Clint Bowyer 9 18 161.304
22 41 Kurt Busch 13 22 160.855
23 31 Ryan Newman 23 32 159.742
24 37 Chris Buescher 22 31 153.170

MORE: Final practice results

Pos Car Driver From Lap To Lap Avg Speed
1 18 Kyle Busch (P) 1 10 164.681
2 78 Martin Truex Jr. (P) 1 10 164.460
3 11 Denny Hamlin 1 10 164.455
4 4 Kevin Harvick (P) 1 10 163.652
5 42 Kyle Larson 13 22 163.620
6 2 Brad Keselowski (P) 1 10 163.513
7 20 Matt Kenseth 1 10 163.419
8 14 Clint Bowyer 1 10 163.360
9 77 Erik Jones # 1 10 163.230
10 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 1 10 163.195
11 41 Kurt Busch 1 10 162.753
12 1 Jamie McMurray 1 10 162.347
13 21 Ryan Blaney 1 10 162.345
14 31 Ryan Newman 1 10 162.318
15 24 Chase Elliott 1 10 161.878
16 13 Ty Dillon # 1 10 161.401
17 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 22 31 161.277
18 27 Paul Menard 1 10 161.170
19 3 Austin Dillon 1 10 161.082
20 22 Joey Logano 1 10 161.082
21 95 Michael McDowell 1 10 160.526
22 5 Kasey Kahne 23 32 160.333
23 10 Danica Patrick 23 32 159.827
24 48 Jimmie Johnson 2 11 159.633
25 19 Daniel Suarez # 20 29 159.587
26 34 Landon Cassill 1 10 159.435
27 32 Matt DiBenedetto 1 10 159.415
28 43 Aric Almirola 17 26 158.897
29 38 David Ragan 11 20 158.677
30 37 Chris Buescher 24 33 158.642
31 66 * David Starr(i) 1 10 150.398

 

Car must run 10 consecutive laps on the track to be included in the above chart.
*Required to qualify on time
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series.
(P) Driver is running in the NASCAR Playoffs.

Posted on by Holly Cain

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — A pair of NASCAR spotters had personal items stolen Thursday night in Homestead, Florida, on the eve of Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Chris Lambert, spotter for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup driver Denny Hamlin, and Chris Osborne, spotter for Daniel Suarez, had multiple items stolen out of a rental car while having dinner at a restaurant near the track.

“It’s really unfortunate,” Lambert told Catchfence.com. “We weren’t inside more than an hour when we noticed the car had been broken into. … We’ll just try to make the best of the weekend from here.”

Lambert told Catchfence the only thing remaining inside the car was one of Osborne’s suitcases. Spotter equipment and laptops belonging to both men were gone, as well as personal belongings such as medication and other electronics.

“Chris Lambert and Chris Osborne stopped to eat dinner at Longhorn on 8th Street in Homestead on their way to the hotel,” Lambert’s wife Angela posted on Facebook late Thursday night. “Their rental car was broken into. Everything was stolen but 1 bag. Spotting bags, clothes, book bags with our check book, iPads, Chris’s clothes, meds.

“If any fans are down in Miami-Homestead … please send me a message. Chris and Chris are talking to the Cops.”

Posted on by Team Release

STATESVILLE, N.C. – On the day he competes for his second consecutive NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship, GMS Racing officials announced that Johnny Sauter will return to the team for the 2018 season. Following a career-best season, Sauter will once again pilot the No. 21 Chevrolet Silverado.

“I can’t thank the Gallagher family and Mike Beam enough for the opportunity they’ve given me the last two years. To be able to compete at this level, where you know you could win any given weekend, is incredible and I’m excited to be able to continue with the No. 21 team next year.”

Additional information regarding 2018 will be released at a later date.

Posted on by Zack Albert

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Pit crews often have to juggle a wide variety of duties on pit road each week. For Chip Ganassi Racing’s crew, they’ve added even more responsibilities off the track in recent years, all for the good of a greater cause.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s pit crew department was honored for its philanthropic efforts Thursday night, named the recipient of the third annual Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award. The team was on hand for Thursday’s ceremony, held at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

Led by veteran crewmembers Mike Metcalf and Shaun Peet, the group provides pit-road service to Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams helmed by drivers Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray. Thursday, their accomplishments to benefit the community in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area were lauded.

Peet described the honor as “a little bit surreal,” and sheepishly joked that the team had downplayed preparing any sort of speech. For the Ganassi team, he said, the award was recognition for service that’s become second nature to their way of life.

“We’re lucky. We believe that the true essence of giving is giving with no thought of reward,” Peet said. “We didn’t do it for notoriety, we did it for our guys, for their perspective and purpose in things we thought would really resonate with our guys if we did it.

“When we were nominated, it was even a little bit like, ‘I don’t know if we deserve this.’ To oversimplify an Emerson quote, if one life has breathed easier because you’ve lived, that is to have succeeded. Again, we want these guys to succeed at life and that means more than us than anything else they could do.”

Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski — both former series champions with active charitable foundations — were the other nominees. Comcast presented Chip Ganassi Racing with a $60,000 donation to the charity of its choice, while Johnson and Keselowski each received $30,000 for their foundations.

Chip Ganassi Racing crewmembers have joined hands with community leaders in recent years to aid disaster relief missions, clothing drives and meal programs for the needy. Their efforts have benefited Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte, the Charlotte Rescue Mission, plus Camp Care and Barium Springs Home for the Children.

A panel of 10 judges — which included former driver and current analyst Kyle Petty and NASCAR.com reporter Holly Cain — voted for this year’s recipient. XFINITY Series driver Joey Gase (2015) and JR Motorsports crewmember Wade Jackson (2016) are past winners of the award.

“We can’t thank Comcast enough. It embodies who they are as an organization,” said Steve Phelps, NASCAR’s executive vice president and chief global sales and marketing officer. “They give back to communities, their employees volunteer their time and effort, so for them to look at the NASCAR community and do the same thing within our community is huge. I think these three organizations — the Ganassi pit crew, Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski and what they do with their foundations — it’s just emblematic of what the NASCAR community does overall.

“I couldn’t be prouder to work at NASCAR because of the philanthropic and charitable things that the whole industry does. It makes me very proud.”

Posted on by

PHILADELPHIA (Nov. 17, 2017) – At an event to kick off NASCAR Championship Weekend in Miami on Thursday, November 16, Comcast announced the Chip Ganassi Racing Pit Crew Department as the winner of the third annual Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award. Comcast created the award in 2015 to honor NASCAR industry members for their philanthropic efforts, awarding $60,000 to the winner’s selected charity and $30,000 to the respective charities of the two remaining finalists.

Led by coaches Shaun Peet and Mike Metcalf, the Chip Ganassi Racing Pit Crew Department began meeting monthly to identify ways to help and impact local organizations in need. The team has dedicated countless hours to charities around the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, including Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte, Charlotte Rescue Mission, Camp Care and Barium Springs Home for the Children. They have participated in clothing drives, disaster relief cleanup, building clean up and restoration, cooking and serving meals and trail building, among other activities. The department has also led a yearly bicycle drive called the “Race to the North Pole,” which in 2016 donated more than 150 children’s bicycles to the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte.

RELATED: Crew driven by family-like bond

In addition to their work with local charities, the team has also sought out ways to give back to the NASCAR family. After the unexpected passing of No. 42 NASCAR XFINITY Series car chief Ryan Shea in March 2016, the Pit Crew Department not only collected Christmas gifts for his wife and two kids, but also helped with tasks around their home to provide care and support during a difficult time.

The $60,000 donation from Comcast on behalf of the Chip Ganassi Racing Pit Crew Department will be provided to the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte, and will support the organization’s efforts to provide a home for families of children receiving treatment at local Charlotte-area hospitals.

“It is an honor to recognize the Chip Ganassi Racing Pit Crew Department as the 2017 Comcast Community Champion of the Year, as they truly embody the selfless and passionate spirit of giving back that this award represents,” said Matt Lederer, Executive Director of Sports Marketing at Comcast. “Comcast places high value on community service, and we’re humbled by the incredible stories that we’ve been able to highlight in the NASCAR industry through this impactful award.”

The Chip Ganassi Racing Pit Crew Department was chosen by a panel of judges consisting of former NASCAR driver Kyle Petty, NASCAR.com reporter Holly Cain and 2016 Comcast Community Champion Wade Jackson, as well as executives from Comcast and NASCAR. The other finalists, Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski, were each awarded $30,000 toward their respective charities. Each finalist’s story can be viewed by clicking here.

Comcast has a long track record of community service, aiding in the advancement of local organizations, developing strategic programs and partnerships, and mobilizing resources to connect people and help them thrive. To learn more about the Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award, as well as the finalists, please visit: ComcastCommunityChampion.com.

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: Full Miami schedule | TV schedule | XFINITY Playoff standings

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – JR Motorsports has three teams in the Championship 4 battling for the NASCAR XFINITY Series title so it’s not a stretch to say the organization is favored heading into Saturday’s Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Daniel Hemric won’t argue the point but that won’t keep the Richard Childress Racing driver from showing up this weekend.

An underdog?

“Personally I would rather be fighting from behind,” Hemric said during Thursday’s media day here at the Loews Miami Beach. “I’ve been doing it all my life, it seems like. So, to be in that situation is something I’m used to.

“But I know we’ve proven ourselves to get to this point. I feel like the hardest point is to get to this point. To know … the slate is swept clean and everybody is on the same page we have as good a shot as anybody.”

His No. 21 team has run its best down the stretch, it seems, with six top-10 finishes in its last eight starts. Good enough to earn the fourth and final playoff spot.

William Byron, with four wins, and Justin Allgaier, with two, have the wins for the JRM group. Teammate Elliott Sadler has none, but like Hemric, has gotten this far on strong finishes and avoiding enough disastrous results to advance on points.

That doesn’t mean that neither can win, only that they haven’t. Yet.

A rookie, Hemric has moved seamlessly from the Camping World Truck Series where he spent two years into the XFINITY program at RCR.

Earlier this year, he said he felt there was “no reason we shouldn’t be one of the (playoff) cars in Homestead,” and it turns out he was right.

Now he’s trying to prove there’s no reason he shouldn’t be hoisting the championship trophy Saturday evening. Allgaier and Sadler are old hands at battles where everything is on the line. Byron’s a youngster but he’s proven to be a fast learner — and faster driver.

Hemric may be the surprise finalist but he doesn’t plan to attack the weekend from that perspective. He’s here, he said, because he and his team earned that right.

“I don’t have any pressure on me,” he said. “I’ve kind of, like I said, lived my life just kind of fighting from behind. I’m good being in the situation I’m in. I actually like to think I thrive on it. It’s just cool to be a part of it.

“This is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity to be in this situation, and I’m trying to approach it like that.”

 

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: Full Miami schedule | Best Media Day quotes

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Three champions and, perhaps, a champion in waiting.

Martin Truex Jr. will win a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title. Maybe Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, maybe not. But he’ll win one. Perhaps more. Who knows?

Truex and his competition — former champs Brad Keselowski (2012), Kevin Harvick (’14) and Kyle Busch (’15) — head off into the land of the somewhat unknown Friday at Miami as preparations get underway for Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

It’s the final trip around the track for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this season. A final shot at the championship for four drivers who have survived a 26-race regular season and advanced through three rounds of elimination to wind up here. There’s a satisfaction in that, but not the feeling of accomplishment that winning a title brings.

Thursday, the four were at the Loews Miami Beach, along with the four championship contenders from the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series.

It was the calm before the storm, you might say, although it had its prickly moments.

Busch didn’t hesitate when he offered up “Sometimes you just don’t like a guy,” when asked about the on-track relationship with fellow driver Keselowski.

It wasn’t exactly breaking news and the truth is Busch probably doesn’t like a lot of folks he competes against, but that’s also probably what has made him one of the most successful racers in the series the past several seasons.

He gets paid to win races, not win friends. His bosses at Joe Gibbs Racing don’t complain when he brings home another trophy.

ANALYSIS: Why each driver can win: Keselowski | Harvick | Busch | Truex

Six wins on 1.5-mile tracks this year might land Truex in the favored role, but a late-race push by Harvick at Texas earlier this month to beat the Furniture Row driver opened eyes. None of the four is unbeatable, and previous wins won’t mean a thing when the green flag falls Sunday.

Still, as Busch noted, Truex has raced for championships and won championships (he’s a two-time champ in the XFINITY Series), so give the guy and his No. 78 team its due.

Harvick and his Stewart-Haas Racing teams seem to be peaking. Busch has three playoff wins, same as Truex. Only Keselowski (Team Penske) appears to be in the underdog role, having slipped in the back door a week ago at Phoenix.

Of course, how he got there won’t matter Sunday evening. Only that he’s there.

Nothing was resolved Thursday. Nothing is ever resolved on Media Day. But that’s OK.

There was no conflict apparent among those competing for the Camping World Truck Series title either.

RELATED: Camping World Truck Series Championship 4 field

It’s business as usual for finalists Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter, old hands at this. Crafton’s a two-time champion; Sauter won the title last year. If they’d been any more relaxed on Thursday, they’d have been asleep.

Christopher Bell? He’s been here before, two-for-two after his surprise appearance in the finals a year ago, and moving up to XFINITY next season. Only Austin Cindric is the interloper and maybe he’s too young to be concerned.

This past Sunday, two days after clinching a spot in the Championship Round, Cindric invited his entire team over for dinner. Nervous? Nah. Sometimes you don’t know enough to be nervous.

In the XFINITY Series, it’s three against one. JR Motorsports has 75 percent of the championship field in William Byron, Justin Allgaier and Elliott Sadler. Richard Childress Racing counters with Daniel Hemric.

RELATED: XFINITY Series Championship 4 set

Byron is one year removed from competing in the Truck Series. And one year removed from graduating high school. Next year he’ll be behind the wheel of the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. In the Monster Energy Cup Series. That’s known as an accelerated degree program.

Allgaier and Elliott are veterans, former Monster Energy Cup Series drivers, and nothing that might happen Saturday will catch them off guard. Unless it’s losing. They expect to win.

Hemric, like Byron, raced in the Truck Series in ’16. Today he’s 26 and carrying the hopes of the entire RCR organization and, no doubt, his hometown of Kannapolis, North Carolina.

Twelve drivers, 12 teams, three championships. Media Day can be fun. It can be entertaining.

But they’re all here to race, and beginning Friday they’ll do just that.