Sonoma to open 50 Acres campground for California fire evacuees

Posted on October 10, 2017October 20, 2017 by Track Release

SONOMA, Calif. (Oct. 10, 2017) – Sonoma Raceway will open its 50 Acres campground to evacuees seeking temporary refuge from the Northern California fires.

The raceway, which is equipped to handle up to 2,000 campers during its major event weekends, will open its largest campground to evacuees in RVs beginning this afternoon. The 50 Acres campground is located directly across from the raceway on Highway 121 and has not been affected by the fires.

Those in need of RV camping at Sonoma Raceway should enter the campground at Gate 6 on Highway 121, a quarter-mile north of Highway 37. The raceway will team up with United Site Services to offer basic RV services, including water/sewage service, to campers during their stay. The campground is dry with no hookups.

For on-site assistance or directions, visit the Sonoma Raceway main office or front gate at 29355 Arnold Dr. in Sonoma. For more information, contact Sonoma Raceway at 800-870-7223 or email [email protected].

Posted on October 10, 2017October 20, 2017 by Nascar

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — His contract with FOX is up at the end of 2018 but Jeff Gordon said he hasn’t considered ending his role as a NASCAR analyst with the television network.

“I never said anything about not coming back,” Gordon said Tuesday when asked about rumors he would not return to the booth.

“I think maybe some people are misunderstanding. I was doing something with Adam Stern (of “SportsBusiness Daily”) talking about my role at Hendrick. I said how much I really enjoyed TV, my contract is up in ’18 and I haven’t had any discussions about what beyond that holds.”

Gordon won four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series titles and 93 races while competing for Hendrick Motorsports. He and team owner Rick Hendrick have a long, close relationship and Gordon remains an integral part of the four-team organization. He was at Martinsville Speedway Tuesday with the No. 24 team and driver Chase Elliott during the opening day of a two-day organizational test for the series.

He retired from full-time competition at the end of 2015, but did return briefly in ’16 to fill in for the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the request of Hendrick.

Gordon works alongside lead announcer Mike Joy and fellow analyst, and three-time series champion, Darrell Waltrip in the booth during the FOX portion of the NASCAR season.

“My offices are at Hendrick Motorsports,” Gordon said. “I’m not just friends with Rick, we’re partners. So I’m always going to be talking about what’s going on at Hendrick.”

Posted on October 10, 2017October 20, 2017 by Nascar

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Jeff Gordon, a four-time series champion and nine-time race winner at Martinsville Speedway, spent time with driver Chase Elliott and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team here Tuesday during the opening day of a two-day organizational test for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams.

Gordon, who retired from full-time competition at the end of 2015, won 93 times in the Hendrick Motorsports entry in addition to his four titles. His final victory came here in ’15 at the tiny .526-mile track and earned him a berth in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“Just watching and hanging out with the guys,” Gordon told NASCAR.com during a lunch break that consisted of chicken tenders and waffle fries.

“(Chase) ran pretty good here at the last race … but it’s a tricky place. Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) and I were talking about them testing up here and he said ‘Hey, if you’re available, we’d love to have you up there.’ ”

Elliott, the son of 1988 series champion Bill Elliott, is one of 12 drivers still in contention for this year’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title. While he has yet to score his first win in the series, Elliott has finished second in three of the four playoff races contested, and is fourth in the standings as the series prepares to head to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend for Sunday’s Alabama 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR).

Gordon, 46, currently serves as a race analyst for FOX during its NASCAR broadcasts; he also continues to work for Hendrick Motorsports. Although he joked that there was “nothing” he could help Elliott or the team with at Martinsville, he did say that watching other cars and the lines different drivers were running could be helpful.

“See if there is something you can learn from that,” Gordon said. “This place, it takes discipline; there is a rhythm and a discipline and I’ve come here for many, many years and every time I came here for a race I had to find it again.”

Elliott, 21, will be making just his fifth career start at Martinsville when the track hosts the First Data 500 on Oct. 29. He finished third here in the spring race.

“It’s definitely helpful for us,” Elliott said during the lunch break. “We don’t have many opportunities to test in general so when you can come test at a track that you struggle at, we typically don’t get to do that.”

He said he hoped to “find some consistency in what I’m doing behind the wheel and really some of the things I did here in the spring. …

“Just trying to find that rhythm if it exists and if so find it and try to have our stuff prepared as much as we can for the race when we come back.”

While he is winless in 71 career starts, Elliott does have six runner-up finishes. His fifth came two weeks ago at Dover, when what seemed to be a breakthrough victory slipped from his grasp in the waning laps of the race.

MORE: Elliott dejected after chance at first win slips away

Gordon said he has been impressed with how Elliott bounced back the following week, finishing second at Charlotte.

“Man he rebounded unbelievably like it never even phased him,” Gordon said. “Even as hard as he is on himself I think the pretty cool thing is that he doesn’t allow that to affect him for long. I think that’s really important.

“All the second-place finishes, I mean you hate to finish second but finishing second is still pretty darn good.”

Posted on October 10, 2017October 20, 2017 by Nascar

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Landon Cassill said Tuesday he isn’t sure what his next move will be now that he’s been informed he will not be back with Front Row Motorsports in 2018.

“The most important thing for me and my family is just (to) prepare for the future, figure out where I want to go next and what I want to do,” Cassill told a group of reporters Tuesday during an organizational test at Martinsville Speedway. “My wife and I are going to have a new baby next week; so we’re really excited about that. We have a lot of good things to be excited about in our lives.”

Cassill, 28, said he was informed by FRM General Manager Jerry Freeze on Monday that he would not be retained for the ’18 season.

FRM currently fields two full-time entries in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the No. 34 Ford driven by Cassill and the No. 38 Ford of teammate David Ragan. The organization has two career wins in the series — Ragan won at Talladega in 2013 and Chris Buescher collected the win at Pocono last season.

Cassill said the news, first reported by JeffGluck.com, was “definitely upsetting because I think I did a good job for the team and for my sponsors and I certainly work hard for everyone. But it is the business; it’s how the sport goes.”

A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Cassill has made 253 starts in the MENCS in an eight-year span. In addition to FRM, other teams he has driven for include BK Racing, Phoenix Racing and Circle Sport Racing.

He also has 118 career starts in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and eight starts in the Camping World Truck Series.

His best finish in the MENCS has been fourth at Talladega Superspeedway in 2014. This season, he had a top finish of 16^th in the season-opening Daytona 500. He is 32nd in points as the series prepares to head to Talladega for Sunday’s Alabama 500 (2 p.m. NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR).

“It’s definitely a challenging time in the sport for these teams and drivers and sponsors as well,” Cassill said. “They have to make decisions almost every single year now.

“It’s definitely tough; I’ve been through this before and it seems like my work ethic and my ability to work with these guys, teams has always carried me.”

Cassill said he wasn’t given a particular reason for the driver change, only that “they were planning on radical changes.”

MORE: Key players in ‘Silly Season‘

Posted on October 9, 2017October 20, 2017 by Staff Report

Brad Keselowski will run a throwback paint scheme, but at Talladega, not Darlington — and it’s honoring Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Keselowski announced Monday via his blog that he will run a No. 2 Miller Lite Team Penske Ford that resembles the No. 88 Navy Chevrolet he drove for JR Motorsports in what is now the XFINITY Series from 2008-2009. Keselowski had six wins and 33 top-five finishes in that stretch.

In conjunction with the announcement, Keselowski republished his first blog entry, which was a history of his friendship and personal relationship with Earnhardt. He added, “Dale, there’s not a doubt in my mind that you’ll excel at whatever it is you do next, but it’s not going to be the same out there without you. I’m going to miss racing against you, my friend. I’m going to miss seeing you out there in the 88 on Sundays.”

This weekend’s Alabama 500 (2 p.m. ET Sunday, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will be the last race at the superspeedway for Junior, who has six wins at the track.

Brad Keselowski drives the No. 88 U.S. NAVY Chevrolet, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. drives the No. 5 DELPHI Chevrolet during theAaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2008. Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

Posted on October 9, 2017October 20, 2017 by Track Release

MORE: All of the Earnhardt family victories in the Monster Energy Series at Talladega

With the Alabama 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway just days away, Governor Kay Ivey has declared this Sunday, Oct. 15th as ‘Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day’ in the state of Alabama.

Ivey, who also will serve as Grand Marshal for the Alabama 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) made the announcement in celebration of six-time Talladega winner Earnhardt Jr. and his legacy at the superspeedway. This Sunday — Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day — will be an emotional one for Earnhardt Jr., who will make his final start at the track he calls a “second home.”

“Nowhere else in the world are there more Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans than in the state of Alabama,” said Ivey, the 54th Governor of Alabama, who will give the command “Drivers, Start Your Engines” to get the Alabama 500 underway. “He has always made it clear of his love for Talladega Superspeedway and the millions of fans that lay claim to him as their favorite NASCAR driver. He has been an impressive, positive role model for so many and we are proud to honor him this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, but also across the entire state.”

Dale Jr. scored his first Talladega Superspeedway Monster Energy Series win in October 2001, igniting a seven-race stretch that is unprecedented in the history of the 2.66-mile venue. Between the fall of 2001 and fall of 2004, Earnhardt Jr. won five out of seven races, including a record four straight. The other two races ended in runner-up finishes. His most recent triumph came in the 2015 GEICO 500.

“We are thrilled that Governor Ivey has proclaimed Sunday, Oct. 15 as ‘Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day’ in the State of Alabama,” said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch. “Dale Jr. has meant so much to Talladega Superspeedway. He’s one of us, and has left a mark on our state for many years to come.”

A victory in the Alabama 500 would move Dale Jr. into sole place on the all-time Talladega MENCS wins list, trailing only his father – Dale Earnhardt Sr. – who had 10 Talladega Superpseedway triumphs.

Posted on October 9, 2017October 20, 2017 by Staff Report

Sonoma Raceway officials issued a statement Monday, saying that the race track has been spared major damage from several wildfires threatening Northern California.

Fires have scorched Cougar Mountain and other grassy areas around the road course’s hillside property. Sonoma Raceway President and General Manager Steve Page said the track’s buildings are safe for now.

“All of us at Sonoma Raceway extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to those who have been touched by the devastating North Bay fires,” Page said in a statement provided by the track. “Our facilities team and a number of local fire companies have been battling grassland fires on Cougar Mountain and elsewhere around our property, and at this point it does not appear any of the raceway’s structures or other facilities are at immediate risk.”

The multi-purpose road course and drag racing facility has hosted the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series each season since 1989. The event has been held in late June since 1998.

Thousands of residents have been evacuated from Napa and Sonoma counties, north of the San Francisco Bay area, since the blazes began Sunday. The wildfires have spread quickly, whipped by strong winds and dry conditions.

Sonoma Raceway staff said that additional updates on the wildfires’ impact would be provided as needed. Page said that he was thankful for the outpouring of support.

“We appreciate all of the good wishes that have flooded in from friends around the state and country,” Page said.

Posted on October 9, 2017October 20, 2017 by Track Release

FORT WORTH, Texas (October 9, 2017) – Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Texas Motor Speedway will forever be synonymous as the NASCAR superstar captured milestone victories in two national series at the world-renowned motorsports facility.

That connection from his first career wins in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and XFINITY Series coming at Texas Motor Speedway will be further strengthened by Monday’s announcement of his induction into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame during November’s AAA Texas 500 NASCAR tripleheader playoff weekend.

Earnhardt Jr. will become the 19th member inducted into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame when he is honored during a special ceremony held in The Grand Ballroom of The Speedway Club on Saturday, Nov. 4, beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET. Other honorees during the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame event include Vice Chairman of NASCAR Mike Helton, Texas Motor Speedway’s winningest NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and Verizon IndyCar Series driver James Hinchcliffe.

The Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame ceremony serves as a major fundraiser for Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas. Tickets are appropriately priced at $88 to reflect Earnhardt Jr.’s iconic No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and admission also includes a barbecue lunch buffet.

Earnhardt Jr. took an immediate liking to Texas Motor Speedway, earning his first career XFINITY Series win on April 4, 1998 at the 1.5-mile speedway. He earned the victory with a thrilling last-lap pass of Joe Nemechek and then held off Elliott Sadler to capture the Coca-Cola 300.

Nearly two years later to the day Earnhardt Jr. would strike again, winning his first Cup Series race on April 2, 2000 in the DIRECTV 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Earnhardt Jr. proved to be the class of the field, leading 106 of 334 laps to become the first Cup rookie driver to win at Texas Motor Speedway. The celebration that ensued in Victory Lane on that day with he and his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., provided moments that are embedded in NASCAR history.

“This place definitely has always been one of my preferred stops because of the success we’ve had in the XFINITY and Cup Series in our first races here,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “You never forget where you won your first race and neither do your fans. I always look forward to coming here.”

Helton will receive the Bruton Smith Legend Award for his leadership in his role as NASCAR President and shaping the legacy of the sport. Helton was instrumental in expanding NASCAR to new markets, both nationally and internationally. New tracks in Chicago and Kansas City were added to NASCAR’s schedule in 2001. Later, NASCAR’s presence grew with the addition of series in Mexico and Canada in 2007. He also was a key figure in the formation of the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C. Dedicated to strengthening NASCAR’s competition and safety initiatives, it is the first R&D center owned and operated by a sanctioning body of a major motorsports series.

Busch will be honored with the 2016 Racer of the Year award following yet another impressive overall performance at Texas Motor Speedway last season. For the second time in his career, Busch swept both the Cup and XFINITY Series races at Texas in the same weekend after winning April’s Duck Commander 500 and O’Reilly Auto Parts 300. The wins were his 12th and 13th at Texas Motor Speedway among NASCAR’s three national series, the most among any driver.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call Speedway Children’s Charities at (817) 215-8421 or visit www.scctexas.org.

The Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame event, traditionally held during Texas Motor Speedway’s April NASCAR weekend, will now become part of November’s NASCAR playoff tripleheader weekend. The race weekend features the Camping World Truck Series JAG Metals 350 Driving Hurricane Harvey Relief on Friday, Nov. 3; XFINITY Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 on Saturday, Nov. 4; and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 on Sunday, Nov. 5.

For more race information or to purchase tickets, please visitwww.texasmotorspeedway.com or call the speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500.

Posted on October 9, 2017October 20, 2017 by Nascar

At least nine teams representing the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series are expected to take part in a two-day organizational test Tuesday and Wednesday at Martinsville Speedway.

The .526-mile track will host the First Data 500 on Sunday, Oct. 29. It is the opening race in the Round of 8 for this year’s playoffs.

Drivers and teams scheduled to take part in the test are Ryan Blaney (Wood Brothers Racing), Kyle Busch (Joe Gibbs Racing), Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing), Ty Dillon (Germain Racing), Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports), Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing), Brad Keselowski (Team Penske), Kyle Larson (Chip Ganassi Racing) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway Racing).

Blaney, Busch, Elliott, Harvick, Keselowski, Larson and Stenhouse are seeking to advance to the Round of 8 after having advanced out of the opening round earlier this month.

NASCAR allows only one team per organization to participate in organizational tests. Playoff drivers not on the list of those testing at Martinsville are Martin Truex Jr. (Furniture Row Racing), Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin (JGR), Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick) and Jamie McMurray (CGR). Truex’s Charlotte win on Sunday locks him into the Round of 8.

Posted on October 8, 2017October 20, 2017 by Reid Spencer

After running seventh in Sunday’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is in a precarious position heading to the second race in the Round of 12 at Talladega Superspeedway, a track he doesn’t relish.

Johnson had worked his way into the top five before a snafu on pit road dropped him to 16th for a restart on Lap 284 of 337. The driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet had to wait several extra seconds while the lug nuts on the left front tire were tightened after the car had started to leave the pit box.

“We had a similar thing happen (at New Hampshire), and NASCAR informed us that we didn’t need to back up into our pit box to complete the stop, so that’s why Chad (Knaus) stopped me where he did,” Johnson said of the pit stop.

According to a NASCAR spokesperson, although Johnson’s car was not fully inside his own pit box — the Hendrick Motorsports driver had started to pull out of his box, but jammed on the brake when a lug nut was discovered missing — it did not warrant a penalty. The reasoning for that is a safety concern, which takes precedence in this type of situation.

Having to stop, back up and affix the missing lug nut took extra time, which in effect is the penalty, according to a spokesperson.

Johnson is seventh in the series standings and a mere eight points ahead of ninth-place Matt Kenseth facing the uncertainty and potential peril of a restrictor-plate race.