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RELATED: Cast your vote now!

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. (Oct. 5, 2017) – The NASCAR Foundation announced on Thursday the four finalists for its seventh annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award Presented by Nationwide, which honors NASCAR fans who are also accomplished volunteers working for children’s causes in their communities throughout the United States.

The award winner will be determined via an online vote now underway and running through Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. ET at NASCAR.com/award. The award will be presented on Nov. 30 during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards at Wynn Las Vegas. The NASCAR Foundation will donate $100,000 to the charity represented by the award winner and $25,000 to each of the other three finalists’ charities. The award honors the memory and the philanthropic legacy of the foundation’s late founder, Betty Jane France, who passed away last August.

This year’s finalists hail from three areas that host NASCAR races (Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Talladega, Alabama). Those finalists include:

• Shannon Goldwater of Scottsdale, Arizona, the founder of Feeding Matters, which furthers advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders.

• Julian Maha of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, the founder of KultureCity, an organization seeking to improve – and save – the lives of children with autism, while also educating society about inclusion of children with autism.

• Tammy Richardson of Las Vegas, representing the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation that provides 25 pediatric programs and services to more than 450 children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

• Chante Gonzalez Vido of Jamul, California, a two-time cancer survivor and head counselor at a camp for young cancer patients that is operated by The Seany Foundation, which strives to bring relief and happiness to children and their families battling cancer.

“Betty Jane France would be especially proud of this year’s finalists,” said NASCAR Foundation Chairman Mike Helton. “All four have considerable accomplishments and would be a deserving winner of the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. We urge NASCAR fans everywhere to vote for these NASCAR fans. Our finalists represent not only their respective charities but also the very best attributes our sport has to offer.”

Since the award’s inception, The NASCAR Foundation has impacted the lives of more than 200,000 children by providing more than $1 million in contributions to charities represented by finalists for the award.

“This year’s finalists have gone above and beyond to improve the lives of those that live in their respective communities,” said Mike Boyd, senior vice president of Marketing for Nationwide. “Nationwide is honored to help raise the level of national awareness for their different charities and look forward to celebrating their accomplishments in Las Vegas later this year.”

To learn more about The NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide and each of the national finalists, please visit: www.NASCAR.com/Award.

Posted on by Staff Report

Charlotte Motor Speedway’s surface is rough and bumpy. Sunday’s Bank of America 500 opens the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Playoffs.

Combine the challenging surface and aggressive post-season driving, and you have a situation where a win is difficult to come by.

In this video, a few former winners at the track — Austin Dillon, Kasey Kahne and Kevin Harvick — tell all about the skill that’s needed to navigate the 1.5-mile track that opens the second round of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

“Charlotte’s a challenge, but it’s one of my favorite challenges we go to,” Dillon said.

 

 

Posted on by Team Release

WELCOME, N.C. (October 5, 2017) – Richard Childress Racing has signed Matt Tifft to a multi-year agreement to join RCR’s NASCAR XFINITY Series driver lineup. Tifft will pilot the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro beginning in 2018 and will compete for the 2018 driver championship. The 21-year-old driver is currently a contender in the XFINITY Series Playoffs in his rookie season.

Tifft, a native of Hinckley, Ohio, has made 70 starts across NASCAR’s top three national touring series dating back to 2013, including 39 in the XFINITY Series. Tifft’s racing background includes dirt late model and super late model racing on dirt tracks in Ohio and Michigan. His asphalt racing experience includes 26 starts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and 25 starts in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. Tifft was awarded Rookie of the Year honors in the ARCA Racing Midwest Tour.

“I am very appreciative and grateful for the opportunity to race for a championship and grow as a driver under one the most successful and historic teams in NASCAR,” said Tifft. “RCR has a long history of developing partnerships through its XFINITY Series program. I am looking forward to being a part of the family and applying what I have learned in my first full-time XFINITY Series season while continuing to grow with the goal of competing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in the future.”

“Matt is a talented race car driver and an even better young man,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR. “I’ve watched him race for the past few years and we were impressed by his ability. We look forward to welcoming Matt to our XFINITY Series program and having him compete for a championship with RCR.”

An announcement regarding sponsorship and crew chief for Tifft and the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro will come at a later date.

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: Complete 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule

CONCORD, N.C. – Mix 18 turns with 2.4 miles of asphalt, add a pair of chicanes and a generous helping of synthetic (yes, synthetic) turf and you’ve got yourself a road course.

Specifically, a Charlotte Motor Speedway road course, and one that will be utilized during the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

The frontstretch chicane, located between Turn 4 and the start/finish line, was officially unveiled Thursday as was the synthetic turf placed between the frontstretch and chicane. For safety purposes, a temporary concrete barrier will be installed between the chicane and pit road prior to next year’s race.

In addition to looking nearly perfect, the synthetic grass area is expected to slow down cars that spin off the track and also lessen the amount of debris that is kicked up on the racing surface.

“Cars are going to get on it an awful lot and create a lot of debris in the chicane which we felt like would be a problem with competition,” Marcus Smith, president and CEO of Speedway Motorsports Inc., said. “It’s something that does exist in Formula One and now it will happen in NASCAR, which I think is going to be a great step forward.”

Smith said the idea for the turf came from 2014 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick. Sports Fields Inc., headquartered in Canton, Georgia, handled the installation.

A Goodyear tire test is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 17-18 at CMS on the new road-course layout. Track officials said fans will be allowed to view the Oct. 18 portion of the test.

“We’re incredibly excited from a NASCAR standpoint for the fans,” Steve O’Donnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, said. “We applaud Marcus for the vision for putting this together. … The fans wanted road courses in the playoffs, this does just that. (It has) a lot of exciting elements.”

The turf project features 42,000 square feet of synthetic turf, 300,000 pounds of sand, 1,100 gallons of glue — and required 900 man hours of planning and installation. In addition to the chicane on the frontstretch, a similar “break” is in place on the backstretch and will slow competitors as they head into Turn 3.

The road course race will consist of 130 laps.

Former driver Jeff Burton, now a NASCAR analyst for NBC, said his initial thought when told of the changes to the 1.5-mile track was, “What the hell are you doing?”

Burton is a two-time winner of the Coca-Cola 600 at CMS, and won the fall event here in 2008.

“Then coming over here and actually driving the race track, a lightbulb went off and I thought, ‘This is an exciting track,'” Burton said. “All the misconceptions I had about the track being too narrow, the no-passing zones, you can’t do this, you can’t do that, they slowly started going away once I got here and actually saw the track and drove on the track.

“I look at things as if I’m still a driver but I look at them as a fan, too. I think this will create an extremely exciting race.”

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams compete on two road courses during the regular season – at Sonoma, California, and Watkins Glen, New York. Next year’s event at Charlotte will mark the first time a road course has hosted a playoff race.

“I think there are certainly risks with anything you do,” O’Donnell said. “But then there are calculated risks. For (NASCAR), we’ve got enough data we can look at … we feel comfortable that this course is very suitable to what we want to do.

“You never know what’s going to happen, right? But from a pure road-course layout, we thought it was great. We think the fans are going to be able to see the whole course, which is terrific. Much more upside, we think, than anything else.”

CMS will host two NASCAR Playoffs races this weekend, Saturday’s Drive for the Cure 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series event (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and Sunday’s Bank of America 500 (2 p.m., NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). It is the first elimination race for XFINITY Series teams and the opening race of the Round of 12 for Monster Energy Series teams.

Posted on by DraftKings

Rankings below are based on a mixture of expected output and DraftKings’ NASCAR salaries for that day. The ordering is not based on highest projected fantasy totals, but rather by the value of each driver.

(FPPK = average fantasy points per $1,000 of salary.)

1. Martin Truex, Jr. ($10,900) – Some Fantasy NASCAR players might have been disappointed by Truex’s 69 fantasy points last week. Think about that. Disappointment over 69 points tells you everything you need to know. Truex’s average running position of second was the best at Dover. (6.5 FPPK)

2. Kyle Busch ($10,600) – Truex is more consistent, but Busch seems to be faster. In the last intermediate track race (Chicago), Busch was the car to beat. After a loose wheel and a pit crew penalty, his day was toast. Busch is the fastest, but he is haunted by pit road mistakes. (5.8 FPPK)

3. Kyle Larson ($10,400) – Not to be left out, Larson once again proved he’s right up there with Truex and Busch. He outscored both with 95 points at Dover. Larson has been at his best at the short tracks and the two-mile tracks. At 1.5-mile tracks, he’s a smidge behind Truex and Busch. (5.7 FPPK)

4. Jimmie Johnson ($10,000) – Fantasy NASCAR rewards laps led and fast laps. Typically, Jimmie Johnson doesn’t even register in these statistical categories. There are exceptions, and Charlotte is one of them. Johnson has over 20 fast lap points in each of the last three Charlotte races. (3.8 FPPK)

5. Chase Elliott ($9,400) – At Chicago, Elliott was fast, but his car was found to have unapproved aerodynamic modifications, ruling his finish encumbered. At Dover, he was fast again, but his car passed the pre-race inspection last. At any rate, the No. 24 team has found something, and it cannot be ignored. (4.1 FPPK)

6. Denny Hamlin ($9,200) – Darlington is the only intermediate track race where Hamlin was a part of the optimal daily fantasy NASCAR lineup. He also happened to “push the edge” with his setup in that race. Truex and Busch are so far ahead, however. (4.0 FPPK)

7. Matt Kenseth ($8,600) – Short tracks have been Kenseth’s strong suit this season. His average finish at the intermediate tracks ranks 12th. He only has two top-five finishes at the 1.5-mile tracks this season. One of those top-fives was at Charlotte in May. (3.6 FPPK)

8. Erik Jones ($7,900) – The Rookie of the Year favorite has finished sixth or better in five of the last seven races. He’s finished 12th or better in eight of the last nine races. Jones has run six or more fast laps in each of the last six intermediate track races. That’s not a lot, but he’s faster than most of the field. (4.2 FPPK)

9. Daniel Suarez ($7,500) – This season has been a lot like Carl Edwards’ first year at JGR. Suarez will not lead laps, he will not win, but he runs up front. He’s finished 12th or better in eight of the last 10 races this season. (4.1 FPPK)

10. Aric Almirola ($5,800) – There are a handful of drivers around $6,000 that catch the eye of fantasy NASCAR players. Most don’t pay off, but every week, one of them does. Almirola is routinely qualifying near 20th, which hurts his value. But does it really? It’s easier to hold your spot, then to gain a spot. (4.2 FPPK)|

11. Kevin Harvick ($10,200) – This team improves every week, but it still has a ways to go to catch Truex and Kyle Busch. Harvick defaulted into some laps led points at Chicago when Truex and Kyle Busch made mistakes. This car isn’t the best, but it’s getting closer. (4.1 FPPK)

12. Ryan Newman ($7,100) – Drivers have always said that Newman is the hardest driver to pass in NASCAR. If anyone is still in doubt, ask Chase Elliott. It’s easier for a driver to hold their position than to pass. That’s why Newman is a solid pick each week. He does not lose spots. (4.4 FPPK)

13. Ty Dillon ($6,700) – Before the Chicago intermediate track race in mid-September, Dillon had earned top-20 fantasy points in eight of the 10 intermediate track races (including Michigan and Fontana). Chicago was an extremely green race. A couple of cautions and Dillon may have been fine. (4.5 FPPK)

14. Austin Dillon ($7,700) – Getting eliminated from the playoffs may be the best thing that could have happen to Dillon. He no longer has to race safe. He can take chances. Do not be surprised to see Dillon use pit strategy to earn a top-five. In the last Charlotte race, Dillon schemed his way to a win. (3.6 FPPK)

15. Jamie McMurray ($8,800) – Last week, McMurray qualified poorly, but he had top-five speed in practice. He was a no-brainer pick. That’s not likely to happen again. McMurray has the seventh best average finish this season. (3.5 FPPK)

16. Joey Logano ($9,600) – In 2015, Logano ran away with the day race at Charlotte (134 points). That finish is almost meaningless. That was two rules packages ago. This is a Toyota world. Logano has one top-five at an intermediate track in the last six months. (3.3 FPPK)

17. Kurt Busch ($8,300) – This has been a crazy season. Busch won the Daytona 500, then did nothing for the entire season. He got hot the month before the playoffs, then went ice cold in the playoffs. Another hot streak is around the corner. Kurt has five straight top-10s at Charlotte. (3.1 FPPK)

18. Clint Bowyer ($8,100) – Last week, Bowyer was way too expensive for a borderline top-10 driver. His 16th-place average finish at intermediate tracks is the ninth best in NASCAR. With a top-10 finish and a handful of place differential points, Bowyer could finish with 40-50 fantasy points. (3.5 FPPK)

19. Brad Keselowski ($9,900) – After three playoff races, Keselowski has three top-10s. This is Keselowski’s plan. He can worry about beating the Toyotas at Homestead in November. For now, the plan is to get top-10s, stage points and advance each round. (4.2 FPPK)

20. Ryan Blaney ($9,000) – In the spring, Blaney led laps at Texas and Kansas. He started those races on the front row. If he’s in the catbird seat this week, then he could finish with a top-five fantasy score. At $9,000, Blaney needs to qualify first or close to last. (2.7 fppk)

Posted on by Team Release

WELCOME, N.C. — Kannapolis, North Carolina, native and current playoff contender Daniel Hemric will return to Richard Childress Racing for the 2018 season to again compete for the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship, driving the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro.

“It is always a special time when you can re-sign with a team like Richard Childress Racing that has done so much in our sport,” Hemric said. “I’ve learned a lot from Richard both about racing and life in general, many lessons that I will never forget. While we still are contending for the XFINITY Series championship this year, and have unfinished business in the final five races, I’m fortunate that I will again be running for the Series championship in 2018 with RCR and Richard in my corner.”

In his rookie campaign in 2017, Hemric’s performance during the regular season earned him a position in the XFINITY Series Playoffs. Through the first 26 regular season races, Hemric earned five top-five and 12 top-10 finishes, one pole award and two stage wins. He led 70 laps and earned the XFINITY Dash 4 Cash $100,000 bonus at Bristol Motor Speedway.

“Richard made a vow to me that he believes in me, and I believe in the entire RCR organization,” Hemric said. “It is such a humbling feeling to know I have an owner that believes in me and what we can accomplish together. I look forward to representing RCR and all of the organization’s great partners.”

“Daniel is a special driver that we’re thrilled to have back for the 2018 season,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR. “He works hard at being the best race car driver he can possibly be. There aren’t too many other drivers that have a work ethic like he does, which we value here at RCR. Daniel is constantly in the race shop meeting with his crew chief, our engineers, the simulation team and his teammates to understand how to get better. On top of that, Daniel is an excellent ambassador for RCR’s partners. He carries himself well, treats everyone with respect and understands the importance of sponsorship.”

Prior to making his NASCAR debut, Hemric earned multiple championships across various Legend Car and Late Model series. He was crowned the track champion at Concord Speedway, recorded back-to-back Legend Car Pro championships (2008 and 2009), two Summer Shootout Series championships (2009 and 2012), Champion Racing Association JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour championship (2012) and the Southern Super Series championship (2013).

Along with Hemric’s impressive list of championships, he also claimed the victory in the inaugural Legends Million at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2010. Hemric won the largest one-of-a-kind grassroots event in racing history after taking the lead with 11 laps to go in the 100-lap A-Feature.

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LOS ANGELES – The Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series heads to the legendary Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama, for its third event on Friday, Oct. 13. For the first time, fighters will step into the cage after the sun has set on Friday evening, kicking off an exciting weekend for fans that culminates with the fifth race of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs on Sunday.

Ahead of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Alabama 500 on Sunday, Oct. 15, the Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series will feature MMA action on Friday evening beginning at 8:30 p.m. CT at the Monster Energy Fan Zone in the Talladega Infield, immediately following the track’s “Big One on the Blvd” parade and party. Talladega Infield access is required for admission.

Additionally, on Friday, October 13 from 3-4 p.m. CT, fans will have the opportunity to meet former Bellator lightweight champion and Monster Energy athlete “Iron” Michael Chandler, as well as heavyweight fan-favorite Roy “Big Country” Nelson, at the Monster Energy Fan Zone in the Talladega Fan Zone, directly outside admission gates behind the north end of the grandstands.

“The Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series has been a great way for us to share MMA, as well as the Bellator brand, with an entirely new fan base this year,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “With the support of Monster Energy, we’ve already seen the crossover appeal these events offer. I’m excited to head to one of the most iconic tracks in motorsports with Hans Molenkamp, Aaron Quesada, Austin Hodges and the entire Monster Energy team to bring Bellator MMA action to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Talladega.”

Through Bellator MMA, alongside longstanding partner Monster Energy, mixed martial arts will be included as a pre-race activation exclusively for fans in attendance. The lineup on Friday will consist of four MMA bouts featuring some of the best regional up-and-coming talent, with the main event prospects in consideration to be signed to a multi-fight Bellator MMA contract.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Alabama 500 at Talladega takes place Sunday, October 15 at 1 p.m. CT. Tickets to the race are available at ‪NASCAR.com/tickets, TalladegaSuperspeedway.com/tickets or by calling Talladega Superspeedway at 1-855-518-RACE (7223).

Updated Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series at Talladega Superspeedway Fight Card:
Lightweight Main Event: Omar Johnson (8-1, Birmingham, Ala.) vs. Jonathan Pearce (5-3, Johnson City, Tenn.)
Heavyweight Bout: Frank Tate (4-4, Birmingham, Ala.) vs. Kem Oti (2-1, Decatur, Ala.)
Middleweight Bout: Marcel Stamps (1-0, Birmingham, Ala.) vs. Derek Wilson (Pro Debut, Atlanta, Ga.)
Heavyweight Amateur Bout: Christian Echols (2-0, Cullman, Ala.) vs. Billy Swanson (7-1, Cleveland, Tenn.)

Please visit Bellator.com for details. 

*Event schedule subject to change

Posted on by Staff Report

MORE: Post-New Hampshire penalty report

The National Motorsports Appeals Panel today heard and considered an appeal of an L1-level penalty issued on Sept. 26 to Kevin Manion (crew chief), Kyle Busch (owner) and Todd Gilliland (driver), relative to the No. 51 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The penalty concerns the following section in the 2017 NASCAR Rule Book: Section 20.15.2.2 Rear Brake Cooling Assembly.

The original penalty assessed: Manion was fined $5,000 and suspended from one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Points Event; Kyle Busch Motorsports was assessed with the loss of 10 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner points; Gilliland was assessed with the loss of 10 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver points; and the race finish was encumbered.

Upon hearing the testimony, the decisions of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel are:

1. The Appellants violated the Rules set forth in the Penalty Notice.
2. The Panel affirms and upholds the original Penalties assessed by NASCAR.

The panel consisted of the following three individuals:

– Mr. Dixon Johnston

– Mr. Bill Mullis

– Mr. Buddy Parrott

The Appellants have the right to appeal the decision of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel to the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer in accordance with Section 15 of the NASCAR Rule Book.

Posted on by Staff Report

Fans can get up close with NASCAR drivers again this weekend during Trackside Live at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Saturday’s show at 8:15 p.m. ET includes music from Brad Paisley, which will be streamed on YouTube. You can watch it right here, so bookmark this page.

The stage show from the fan midway at Charlotte Motor Speedway is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on Sunday — and you can catch all the action from the comfort of your own screen if you’re unable to join the fun live. Watch Sunday’s show on NASCAR.com via this link: Trackside Live at Charlotte.

Fans are the focus of the events, with question-and-answer sessions, chances to win great prizes and games with NASCAR drivers.

TICKETS:
Kids 13 and under can get into the Bank of America 500 for just $10. As a salute to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, adult tickets are available as a two-pack for $88. For tickets, camping and upgrades, fans can call the ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or shop online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

RELATED: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s complete history at Charlotte Motor Speedway

For his final full-time season as a driver, NASCAR.com will offer an analytical preview on Dale Earnhardt Jr. ahead of every remaining Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race.

Race: Bank of America 500 

Date: Sunday, Oct. 8, 1 p.m. ET (NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Previous five results at Charlotte: 10th, 14th, 28th, third, 20th

RELATED: All of Earnhardt’s Monster Energy Series wins

Notable: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has never scored a points-paying Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Sunday afternoon at the 1.5-mile D-shaped oval will be Earnhardt’s final opportunity to make it happen. In 34 races, NASCAR’s 14-time Most Popular Driver has earned six top fives and 13 top-10 finishes — which equates to an average finish of 18.8.

Memorable: Although Earnhardt has never won a points race at Charlotte, he is still familiar with Victory Lane at his home track. Earnhardt’s first Monster Energy Series victory came during his rookie season at Texas Motor Speedway in April 2000, which locked him into the All-Star Race at Charlotte. The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native went on to have a special night on May 20, 2000 by winning the event. After making a late-race pit stop, Earnhardt rocketed to the front of the field in his No. 8 Chevrolet, passing Dale Jarrett with two laps remaining to take the checkered flag. His father, seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt, was there to greet him in Victory Lane after the race.

Quotable: “The challenge at Charlotte is not landing too tight in Turns 1 and 2 and being too tight in the center there,” Earnhardt said in a team release. “Something that I think we all fight and we all have to work on there is trying to get your car to roll the middle of the corner, have that front grip and keep the car turning in the middle. You get into the corner so fast in Turn 1 and transitioning into that banking, the car really lands hard and gets tight, so trying to make that transition is a real challenge. Charlotte is our home track and I haven’t won a points race there yet, so that’s certainly something I would like to do. We have been seeing some improvements in our performance and our speed, so I’m looking forward to Charlotte.”