Posted on by Pat DeCola

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DOVER, Del. — The “Tricky Triangle” does things a bit differently.

Family owned Pocono Raceway has brought a unique spin to motorsports since its inception in 1971. Just look at the track itself – its three turns and bizarre shape has led to the phrase, “What Turn 4?” and brings fans out in droves to its twice-annual summer races.

With its upcoming race weekend starting Friday, things are about to get even more interesting.

RELATED: Previous 10 winners at Pocono

The track is kicking things off with “Free Can Friday,” in which fans can bring an empty can of Monster Energy to turn in and recycle for entry to Friday’s at-track activity.

“Literally, it’s as simple as go to a local store, buy a can of Monster, drink your can of Monster, bring your empty can of Monster to Pocono Raceway,” Pocono Raceway President and CEO Brandon Igdalsky told NASCAR.com on Sunday at Dover International Speedway. “When you come to our ticket booth, there will be some folks there collecting the cans, putting them in some recycling bins and handing you a ticket on the way in. It’s that simple. It seems too easy.”

It does seem too easy. But it works.

“It’s a great program and Monster has had success at other sports events when they’ve tried it,” Igdalsky continued, “so we saw it and said ‘hey, let’s give it a try at Pocono and see what happens.’ The response so far from both fans and industry has been great.”

The Long Pond, Pennsylvania, venue has a sterling reputation as being at the forefront of the sustainability movement that goes hand-in-hand with the sanctioning body’s own NASCAR Green initiative.

You’d better believe all aluminum is being recycled and eventually put to good use, with Igdalsky leading the charge and setting the gold green standard for the rest of the sporting world.

“We’re going to continue doing what we’ve been doing,” said Igdalsky. “All of our power is made on site at our solar farm. We’ve ramped up our recycling efforts the last couple of years and we’ve got more recycling bins this year. This year we’ve ramped up our composting.

“Our goal by the end of next season is to be 75 percent waste diversion and we’re well on our way to that, with the ultimate goal that in three-to-five years you won’t see a trash can at Pocono Raceway. Everything coming in will be compostable or recyclable of the stuff that we can control.”

And this isn’t some initiative that looks good on paper but isn’t really enacted. Igdalsky says the fans have come to “really embrace it,” and are filling up multiple recycling bags provided by the track per party throughout the course of the weekend, separating their recyclables from waste on their own.

On top of the sustainability the track is aiming toward, it’s also looking to spice things up in typical Pocono-quirky ways. The independence of the track, which Igdalsky mentioned allows he and his team to “think out of the box and do crazy little things,” will be on full display this weekend in a novel way — for fans watching from home.

Saturday’s Pocono Green 250 XFINITY Series race (coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX) will see a first-of-its-kind, all-driver broadcast, led by booth commentators and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competitors Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Clint Bowyer.

“It’s going to be exciting,” Igdalsky said. “When FOX came to us with the idea, I thought it was a great concept. … It’s going to be a complete disaster, knowing the drivers … but I think it’s going to be a disaster in a fun way. I think it’s going to be the kind of things that fans love to see. It’s going to come off the rails at some point, but in a really fun way.

“And they have the right crew of drivers that they brought on board to do this; the right personalities to butt heads and have fun and be a little silly. You’re going to see their personalities really coming out.”

Harvick, Logano and Bowyer will be joined by Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. as pit road reporters, and Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin host the coverage from the Hollywood Hotel mobile studio.

And for the fans who come out to Pocono Raceway to catch the racing action live and in person?

“I still want all the fans to come out to the track, of course,” Igdalsky said. “DVR it and watch it on Monday, but come out to the track and then you can actually watch what happened with the drivers afterward.”

Posted on by @nascarcasm

To whom it may concern at Dover International Speedway,

Your race track is undoubtedly the crown jewel of Delaware, which a quick Wikipedia lookup tells us actually is a state. However, there’s something that needs to be considered.

Your mascot, Miles The Monster, clearly does not frighten a certain driver. That driver’s name is Jimmie Johnson.

Monsters are supposed to be scary to everyone, not just a select few. If a monster isn’t scaring at least 51 percent of its constituents (a simple majority), then it is failing at its job. And it literally has one job, and that’s scaring people. There are no other job responsibilities for a monster. It doesn’t scare people for seven hours of the workday and then work in the mail room of accounts receivable for one hour.

And we have it on good authority that after Jimmie Johnson’s 934th victory at Dover this past weekend, Miles now checks under his bed for Jimmie Johnson.

That’s why we’re proposing a replacement statue. One that not only cements Jimmie’s legacy at Dover (BTW, cement is an ingredient of concrete, so that’s a really good verb to use), but also shows his dominance over the once formidable concrete ogre.

So we hereby propose Concrete Jimmie Giving Miles A Brutal Atomic Wedgie. It’s an apt metaphor for what Jimmie does there. With each victory, Miles’ imaginary concrete boxers get further and further wedged up in there. Let us know if this works.

Posted on by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – As Clint Bowyer bounded out of an SUV at Daytona International Speedway to greet a large, waiting media contingent Tuesday, the morning’s rain shower seemed to give way to the Stewart-Haas Racing driver’s perpetually sunny disposition.

Standing alongside Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile, Bowyer talked about the upcoming July 1 Coke Zero 400 (7:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the track – an always competitive and exciting night race that will celebrate the nation’s holiday – and Richard Petty’s 80th birthday — with Medal of Honor recipients and the Southeast’s biggest fireworks show.

Next, the outdoorsman Bowyer, 38, invited the media to join him for some archery in an adjoining garage. And he was definitely on target – with a bow and behind the microphone.

“There’s just something about this place, you feel like you’ve made it,” a smiling Bowyer said of Daytona. “And this race is so easy to sell because it’s so much fun to compete in and to hang out. I’m from Kansas so being here at the beach is special. I’ve always had a ton of fun here.”

And while he’s still working on that first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup win on the Daytona high banks, he did win the 2009 XFINITY Series event from the pole position here. He has 11 top-10s in 23 Daytona Cup races including a streak of four consecutive top-10s in the summer races. His fourth place finish in the 2014 Coke Zero 400 tied a high mark for Bowyer at Daytona.

“I’ve always run good here,” Bowyer allowed. “Some people don’t actually like this racing, but I really do. I have fun out there and I enjoy learning and figuring it out, manipulating things and getting in the right situation.”

He’s certainly found himself in the right situation professionally, being tabbed to take over the No. 14 Ford for the recently retired three-time premier series champion Tony Stewart.

This season, Bowyer’s had only two finishes worse than 15th place – one of those came after being caught up in an accident in the season-opening Daytona 500.

RELATED: See Bowyer’s results for the 2017 season

He finished third at Auto Club Speedway and was in position to win the race and was runner-up at Bristol Motor Speedway in April.

And looking at his career victories, Bowyer seems to heat up as the temperatures rise. Seven of his eight Monster Energy Series wins have come in the summer portion of the schedule or beyond.

“We’ve qualified well, made the third round almost every single time this year,” Bowyer said. “After Charlotte (a 14th-place finish), I was really nervous. After Dover (a 31st-place finish), now we need to dissect some things. Was there something that stood out that we changed while chasing a certain situation? It was a month of barely holding on to the back half of the top 10s not really being a part of the show. I’ve spent a lot of time with (crew chief) Mike (Bugarewicz) dissecting last month of racing.

“I look for Pocono for some of that to turn around. I like the summer months. They’ve always kind of stacked up good for me in the past. It’s kind of that stretch that separates the men from the boys and gives you a good sense of what you’re going to have in the playoffs.”

After answering questions from all the assembled media – and good-naturedly suggesting he’d love to lead Dale Earnhardt Jr. across the Daytona finish line next month – Bowyer surprised a Daytona International Speedway visitor tour in Victory Lane.

The unsuspecting crowd was thrilled. Their dropped jaws quickly replaced with wide grins, even applause as Bowyer posed for photos with all 50 people.

It was 10-year old Carson Pitmon’s first ever visit to NASCAR’s most iconic race track and the Tennessee resident had only response to getting his photo with Bowyer in Victory Lane.

“Whoa.’”

His father Billy Pitmon, 44, was equally as impressed with their good timing.

“It’s just pretty cool and such a random day for this to happen.”

After the photos, the group – most still smiling and snapping cell phone photos — jumped onto the tram and Bowyer took the microphone to give an impromptu tour of the facility.

“This is just awesome,” said 56-year old Jim Sherwood, visiting from Ohio. “And now with Clint, maybe we get to go faster.”

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DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. – The NASCAR Foundation today appointed Nichole Krieger Executive Director.

Krieger – who served as Acting Executive Director since February following five years as Senior Director, Development and Marketing – will assume her new role effective immediately and report into NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton.

As Executive Director, Krieger will build on the legacy of the Foundation’s late Founder and Chairwoman Emeritus Betty Jane France, whose mission was to improve the lives of children. Since 2006, The NASCAR Foundation has raised more than $30 million and positively impacted more than one million children.

“Nichole has been an invaluable leader who has led key programs and helped grow the impact of The NASCAR Foundation,” said NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton. “She was instrumental in leading our 10th anniversary celebration last year and has the skills, experience and passion to take us into the future. We are thrilled to announce this well-deserved appointment.”

Since joining The NASCAR Foundation, Krieger has helped grow the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide, the Speediatrics Children’s Fund and led a wide-variety of philanthropic events in communities across the country.

In September 2016, Krieger was instrumental in developing a multiyear partnership with NYU Langone which expanded the Speediatrics program nationally and donated $1 million to the Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone.

Prior to joining The NASCAR Foundation in 2012, Krieger served as Senior Director, Corporate and Direct Marketing at Paralyzed Veterans of America. The Georgia Southern University graduate also currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Halifax Hospital Foundation in Daytona Beach.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s legacy in NASCAR is unlike that of anyone else in the garage. His name, his talent, his personality and his avid fan base with Junior Nation are rare and special in sports.

So, his departure from full-time racing after the 2017 season begs the question: Who will Junior Nation root for after Earnhardt’s gone?

But as Junior points out, there are plenty of drivers to cheer on when he hangs up his fire suit — and he gives us a top-10 list.

“This is a talented list. When you’re talking about these drivers … no one stands apart in talent,” Earnhardt Jr. said on his Dirty Mo Radio podcast on Tuesday afternoon.

So, here you go, Junior Nation: In no particular order of greatness, Earnhardt Jr.’s top picks (with commentary from Junior) to root for:

Ryan Blaney: “If you’re a fan of social media, you follow racing through social media, Ryan Blaney’s going to be your guy. He’s going to give you the most content, he’s going to run good … he’s going to go on the late shows, he’s going to be a guy that says ‘yes’ to all those things. So, if you like seeing your driver here and there doing things and him being interactive, social, that’s your guy.”

Austin Dillon: “He drives the No. 3 car. Bit of a goofball, good, outgoing attitude, outdoorsman, bit of a cowboy. He has a reputation that I think maybe appeals to some of the core NASCAR fans or some of the older NASCAR fans. He obviously drives for a really established old team with a great reputation … if you like the fact of a healthy Richard Childress Racing, he’s going to be part of that.”

Chase Elliott: “He has the last name, he has the talent. Very similar situation (to me) carrying on the legacy. I think his popularity — it’s already pretty big and I think it’s just going to continue to get bigger, especially when he starts clicking off some wins. He’s with HMS and a great team.”

Erik Jones: “Super fast, raw speed — he’s got it. Great talent … He’s wearing this mullet so he kind of knows how to pick on himself and doesn’t take himself too seriously. I think he has a great personality — I would encourage him to show that more. But when I’m around him at the race track, you do see a very, very focused, game-face kind of guy. But there is a side of him that’s kind of the opposite that I think he could probably show the fans more to give them an opportunity to get to know him. But I think there’s going to be great things for Erik Jones in his future.”

Kyle Larson: “He is dominating the series … he’s the modern-day A.J. Foyt, Tony Stewart … Kyle Larson is another incredibly skilled driver. Another guy with a great personality, really funny, family man. Squeaky clean, doesn’t get in trouble, races hard … there’s a little bit of chatter in the media of whether he’s aggressive enough, he’s finishing second a lot and why is he not winning more races … trust me, Kyle Larson has no problem putting the chrome horn to you. That guy there is one I personally would be inclined to consider to pull for.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: “Fun guy, good friend, great personality. He’s a hard racer. When he’s on the race track, he doesn’t race aggressive or silly or over his head, but he’ll run you hard. And now he’s in a pretty good situation where his cars have pretty good speed and now he’s having his best year to date in the series. He’d be a good guy that I think’s going to be around for a while and going to continue to get better.”

Daniel Suarez: “There’s one thing I like about Daniel Suarez being part of the series and being good and talented — NASCAR’s kind of always been an American sport with American drivers. We’ve had a couple guys come in (Juan Pablo) that are international talents. But we haven’t really broken through that barrier and became a global sport … And I think that’s the logical progression for NASCAR. At some point, you want it to become a sport that goes and races in Mexico, Brazil, Canada, even overseas. … So, having drivers that are born outside of America I think increases our ability to be an appealing sport globally. And Daniel is a great guy, I’ve had a lot of interaction with him trying to get to know him and he’s super nice, man. Really cool. He’s a guy that I personally pull for.”

Jimmie Johnson: “A veteran driver, obviously you’re going to be able to get a guy that’s winning races now — and championships. If you’ve become an admirer of what he’s accomplished — tying Cale Yarborough in wins; seven-time champion, tying my dad and Richard Petty. He’s all-American, great personality, family man, not afraid to get his hands dirty — just an all-around cool guy. So he’s an obvious choice for the good guy. And then …”

Kyle Busch: “He wears the black hat. He wins a lot of races, he creates a little controversy here and there. Not liked by everyone, but he does have an avid, core fan base. He does drive the candy car — a lot of young fans like Kyle Busch just because he drives the candy car. And I do like M&Ms myself. Kyle is going to keep it interesting, you’re going to be entertained.”

Martin Truex Jr.: “Martin Truex Jr. is a neat choice because it’s unorthodox; they are a team up in Denver, Colorado. For the longest time, if you weren’t in Charlotte you were an outsider … it was almost impressive that RCR was as good as they were way up in Welcome, North Carolina … No one ever took that team seriously, the Furniture Row team. Now, they’re one of the best teams in the sport, doing it all the way up there in Colorado … Martin Truex Jr. is an outdoorsman, avid hunter – a lot of race fans connect to that – incredible charitable work outside the race car. He is a ‘Jr.’ – came from a family of racers, great story there.”

Leave it to Junior to be unpredictable; he also includes a “dark horse” pick — as well as someone who No. 88 fans might naturally be drawn toward.

“If you want to start with a guy that’s not really established just yet — we’ve named a lot of people that are in pretty good position with teams and so forth,” Earnhardt said. “If you want to pick a guy that I think is just as talented as these guys but you want to work your way up with him — Chris Buescher. I think that Chris did an amazing job in the XFINITY Series — outran our cars with the Roush stuff, which nothing against the Roush cars, but I thought he did an amazing job. I think he really does a good job in the car he’s in now, it’s a brand new team, it’s not one of the more higher-funded operations and I think he gets quite a bit out of that race car … what I’m trying to do here is set you up with a guy that I think’s going to make it and you can go on that ride with him.

“And then there’s one driver that we haven’t mentioned — whoever drives the 88 car next year. You could pull for whoever gets in that car. I can’t wait — I’m excited for them to figure all that out … you can take these 10 drivers or whatever’s behind Door No. 3.”

Or, in this case, No. 88.

Posted on by Zack Albert

RELATED: Wallace ready for his big-league call-up | Full Pocono schedule

Max Siegel ranks as a vested observer of the career arc of one Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr., having given the aspiring driver — then a brace-faced teenager — his first start at the NASCAR touring level. Seven years after their first win together, Siegel is quick to note the ironic twist in Wallace’s next step on the racing ladder.

Siegel was both agent and friend to NFL Hall of Famer Reggie White when the two first pursued their goal of a driver diversity program in conjunction with Joe Gibbs Racing and a host of other partners with pro football backgrounds. White’s death in late 2004 deferred the dream of purchasing a top-level NASCAR team, a process that was so far along that the project’s partners already had a driver picked out. That driver was a 20-year-old prospect from Tampa, Florida, named Aric Almirola.

Flash forward to today: Wallace is scheduled to substitute for Almirola during his rehabilitation from a back injury, starting this weekend at Pocono Raceway. Wallace’s relief stint in the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Ford will mark his first venture into the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, stock-car racing’s top division, and the first for an African-American driver since Bill Lester’s two starts in 2006.

The fast-forward for Siegel is further realization of his goals for identifying young, diverse talent through his Rev Racing organization. Sunday, another alumnus from the team will reach the sport’s pinnacle.

“I think that it’s a fantastic opportunity for him and the sport,” Siegel said by phone Tuesday afternoon. “Having had him drive for me when he was 15, I know that he’s devoted to growing as a young driver and putting in his time. I think to have Richard Petty Motorsports and the 43 as an alignment is both symbolic and it’s also an amazing platform for him to get more exposure.”

PHOTOS: Drivers of the No. 43 through history

Wallace’s debut start in Sunday’s Axalta presents the Pocono 400 (3 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM) marks the culmination of his steady climb into NASCAR’s major leagues, a journey that began in JGR’s development system and with one of the very first spots on Siegel’s roster. Their partnership paid off early, with a landmark win in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in his series debut at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in 2010.

Five more victories with Rev Racing followed before he was plucked for full-time duty by team owner Kyle Busch in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, propelling him onto the sport’s national stage in 2013.

“With that success came my career where it is now,” Wallace said in a Tuesday teleconference. “So definitely without that on- and off-track success we had in those two years, I don’t know if I’d be here today. A lot of that credit goes to those guys over there.”

Plenty of racing — and personal growth — has happened in those seven years since Wallace’s K&N breakthrough, a span Siegel called “light-years ago” in some regards. But comparing the Wallace of yesteryear to the current-day 23-year-old driver he has become has given Siegel a validating slice of reflection.

“I think that we recognized when he was much younger that he had the raw talent and the desire to win and that he was a fierce competitor,” Siegel said. “He got tremendous support from his family and other teams along the way, and I think that what I’ve seen is him growing into and maturing into a seasoned driver and also handling the weight of being the first African-American driver in many, many years to reach this level.”

Elsa Garrison, Getty Images for NASCAR

The efforts of Siegel and his Rev Racing team within the NASCAR Drive for Diversity initiative deserve at least a share of the credit. When the green flag falls on Sunday’s 400-miler at the Tricky Triangle, three Rev Racing graduates will be in the field, with Wallace joining former Siegel drivers Kyle Larson and Daniel Suarez on the starting grid.

“I think we were very deliberate, strategic and thoughtful about how we structured our development program, both in giving the infrastructure, the training and the seat time to the drivers as well as to let them know that they definitely had the potential to make an international series,” Siegel says. “Yet they needed an opportunity to convince and prove their talent.

“But to me, I think it really speaks volumes of the partnership that Rev has with NASCAR and the team that we’ve put together and the organization that supports these drivers. So it’s really great to see three of our alumni driving in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.”

Siegel is doing his part to make sure his team’s current drivers follow Larson, Suarez and Wallace to the top rung, keeping the pipeline of young hotshots flowing with a six-driver contingent in both K&N and Whelen All-American Series competition. Recent accomplishments by his talent crop include Chase Cabre’s selection last month to the current class of the NASCAR Next youth initiative, and 16-year-old Macy Causey’s history-making Late Model win at South Boston Speedway on May 20.

“When we look at Chase, who’s a great talent, and Ruben (Garcia Jr.), who’s been really consistent this year, and then you’ve got Macy, who as an amazing young woman won her first race, I think it’s really, really exciting,” Siegel said. “I think that it bodes well with NASCAR’s focus on developing a more diverse and younger fan base.

“I think it’s exciting that these opportunities over the next few years will continue to present themselves and I think it’s important that we keep the work up that we’re doing and give these drivers an opportunity to compete.”

One of those opportunities starts this weekend. The magnitude isn’t lost on Wallace.

“This is a huge step for NASCAR, the whole sport in general, for bringing diversity to its top-tier level of NASCAR,” Wallace said. “I’m glad to be leading the forefront of that right now. It just shows that we’re trying to bring in a new demographic. We’re trying to bring in a new face, get a younger generation, no matter what color, what age.”

Posted on by Team Release

CONCORD, N.C. — Hendrick Motorsports executive vice president and general manager Doug Duchardt will leave the organization later this summer. He will remain in his role through the end of June.

Duchardt, 53, came to Hendrick Motorsports in January 2005 as vice president of development, a position in which he oversaw race car design, engineering and production. In July 2013, he was elevated to the newly created role of general manager, directing all racing operations for the team.

“Being a member of this family of talented people for more than 12 years has been an unparalleled privilege,” said Duchardt, who previously was director of North American motor sports initiatives for General Motors. “It was a difficult decision to make, but I feel this is the right time in my life to pursue other goals. I’m incredibly thankful to Rick (Hendrick) and all of my teammates for a truly rewarding experience and for the countless relationships that will continue on.”

In Duchardt’s 12 full seasons with Hendrick Motorsports, the organization’s chassis and engines won a record six consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championships and nine of the last 11. He oversaw the successful conversion to the Chevrolet R-07 engine in 2007, the incorporation of electronic fuel injection in 2012 and Hendrick Motorsports’ role as lead development team for the Generation-6 Chevrolet SS race car, which debuted in 2013.

“Doug joined us during a difficult time in our history and helped provide stability and leadership,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “I’ll always be grateful to him for accepting that challenge and for his ongoing dedication and countless contributions. We all wish him the very best in his future endeavors, which will most certainly be successful. He’s a special friend and person.”

Duchardt’s responsibilities will be assigned to multiple team members, including Hendrick Motorsports president Marshall Carlson, chief financial officer Scott Lampe and vice president of competition Ken Howes. The organization does not plan to fill the general manager role.

Posted on by Steve Luvender

The Coca-Cola 600 was a tough act to follow, but Dover had challenges of its own — namely a concrete monster mascot (no, not “Concrete Carl”) whose diet apparently consists of right-front tires from Ford Fusions.

THUMBS UP to Kyle Larson for finishing second again — the fifth time in 13 races this season and the 11th time in his young career. Just think if he’d won in each of those runner-up races this season, he’d already have six race wins.

It nearly happened at Dover for Larson, who likely had the race won if it weren’t for a late-race caution bunching up the field.

In typical Kyle Larson fashion, he’ll get his racing fix throughout the week.

 

A bonus thumbs-up to the newly budding on-track rivalry between Larson and Martin Truex Jr., who swapped the lead and paint numerous times throughout the afternoon Sunday.

THUMBS DOWN to buying something nice but only getting to wear it once.

We’ve all been there. You buy some nice, new clothing for a special event; you look great, it fits perfectly, it’s comfortable, and you want to wear it all the time. You don’t mind spending a little extra because you deserve something nice, darn it! But, as fate has it, something happens. Maybe you lose the clothing. Or pack on weight eating too much Grotto’s Pizza. Or can’t wear it to two consecutive weddings.

Or, you’re Jimmie Johnson, and only get to wear your custom-designed Cale Yarborough 83 Wins helmet once — because you won your 83rd race in your first outing with the helmet.

 

Jimmie Johnson had BEAMdesigns create a special helmet as the seven-time champ chased tying NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough’s 83 victories – the sixth best all-time.

Johnson, of course, ended up winning at Dover, tying Yarborough’s record in his special helmet’s first outing.

No word on whether he’ll continue wearing the helmet honoring his hero, or if he’ll eye a higher spot on the all-time wins list.

It’s still a bummer when you only get to wear something once.

THUMBS UP to Ross Chastain for running well in his Cup debut and for running “the triple.”

It’s quite rare for a driver not aligned with a bigger team to run all three races in a single weekend, but Chastain did it at Dover – complete with his debut in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

He may have ruffled a few feathers along the way — including XFINITY Series regular Brendan Gaughan, who didn’t compete in the Cup Series Sunday — but there’s something to be said about bringing home a top 20, a) in a car that isn’t typically considered a 20th-place car, b) in your Cup Series debut, c) at a track that’s so tough that 12 cars failed to finish due to crash damage Sunday, and d) after completing two prior races at the same track the previous two days. Worthy of a thumbs up.

It was the first top-20 finish for Premium Motorsports outside of Talladega or Daytona …

… and probably the best run for a watermelon-themed car ever.

 

THUMBS DOWN to race Grand Marshal and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay hating on Wawa.

 

It was great to get a visit from the host of the new food-themed show “The F Word,” known for talking to chefs like a heated driver talks to a crew chief. But there’s a slight problem.

I can understand his hate on Dale Jr.’s famous banana-mayonnaise sandwich, but criticism of local favorite mini-market Wawa — a staple for fans on the road during this Dover-Pocono 1-2 punch — is going too far. Wawa is delicious and deserves no shade.

They’ve got the Turkey Gobbler, for goodness’ sake!

Sure, Ramsay’s a well-accomplished chef and he’s known for his outspoken criticism of food that’s not great — but you Don’t. Bash. Wawa. Ever.

(Fun bonus fact: Wawa often appears on NASCAR teams’ cars during races in the Northeast!)

 

THE BIGGEST THUMBS UP OF THE WEEK goes to Brad Keselowski — for no reason in particular — just because he needs something good to happen to him after the last two races.

For the second week in a row, he came out on the wrong end of a crash in the very early going of the race, due to no fault of his own.

First, last week in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte …

… and most recently, on a restart just shy of 70 laps into the race at Dover, when Kurt Busch got out of shape, collecting Keselowski’s Ford.

He’s only completed 94 out of the past 1,000 miles.

Somebody give the man a hug and tell him everything’s going to be OK.

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: Drivers of the No. 43 in NASCAR history

The text messages began pouring in as soon as word got out.

“My phone has been exploding,” Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. said.

Good news travels fast. And for Wallace, Monday’s announcement that he will make his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at Pocono Raceway definitely qualified as good news.

Wallace, 23, will take over the legendary No. 43 fielded by Richard Petty Motorsports while the organization’s primary driver, Aric Almirola, continues to recover from a back injury suffered last month.

“The 43 is the most iconic number in NASCAR,” Wallace told NASCAR.com. “That’s huge. It’s something that represents 200 wins. Richard Petty, the King himself, I’ll be driving for him … there are just a lot of factors going into this weekend that make it that much sweeter. And really that much more bad-ass to be driving for him.”

Wallace will pull double duty at Pocono, competing in the No. 6 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing in the XFINITY Series on Saturday as well as Sunday’s Monster Energy Series race (3 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

A graduate of NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity program and former driver for Rev Racing, Wallace became just the fourth African American to compete full time in one of NASCAR’s three national series when he drove for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2013-14.

He became only the second to score a win in one of the three series when he won at Martinsville Speedway in ’13. By the end of the following season, he had four more victories and an opportunity to join RFR.

NASCAR Hall of Fame member Wendell Scott is the only other African American to record a win. Scott competed as an independent during the 1960s and early ’70s. He earned his only win in 1964 at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida.

Bill Lester made 142 career Truck Series starts from 2000-07, as well as two Cup Series starts (2006) and one XFINITY Series start (1999); Willy T. Ribbs made three Monster Energy Cup Series starts in 1986 and raced fulltime in the Camping World Truck Series in 2001 for Bobby Hamilton Racing.

MORE: Wallace tabbed as replacement | Roush on XFINITY program

Wallace has three starts at Pocono, a three-turn, 2.5-mile track. He posted top-10 results in two Camping World Trucks Series starts and finished 16th in the XFINITY Series race there in 2016 with Roush.

“We’re going to make it a good place (to make my debut),” Wallace said, adding that he’s already spent time in the simulator at the Ford Performance Technical Center to prepare. “It’s one of those places that definitely is circled and highlighted. I definitely need a little more work for myself … it’s the most rhythm track that you go to and I struggle with that. You slip up once and your mind loses a little bit of focus.”

Almirola suffered a fracture of the T5 vertebra when he was involved in a three-car crash at Kansas Speedway last month. He is expected to be sidelined for eight to 12 weeks.

WATCH: Kansas crash sidelines Almirola

Regan Smith, a one-time winner in the Monster Energy Series, filled in for Almirola for three races — both the Monster Energy Open, a last-chance qualifying race for the series’ All-Star Race, and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, as well as last weekend’s race at Dover. He was running inside the top 15 late in the Dover race when a tire issue sent the No. 43 into the wall.

Wallace said he has realistic expectations for his time in the car.

“It’s not like I’m trying to go out there and set the world on fire and win practice … it’s not like the Late Model days, not like ‘OK we’re showing up here and we’re about to whoop everybody’s butt,’ ” he said. “For me it’s do the best I can, figure out how everybody in the Cup Series is working, figure out all the ins and outs of it, go out there and give everybody on the 43 car the finish they deserve.

“If we’re a 15th-place car … it’s my job to go out there and get 14th. My job isn’t to get 19th. Not step on anybody’s toes, just go out there and have a good, solid weekend.”

He’s gotten pointers from fellow drivers in the past, and hopes they’ll be just as forthcoming now that he’s competing in the Monster Energy Series. He’s raced with drivers such as Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott as each advanced through the various NASCAR series, and has competed against several of the Cup regulars on occasion in the XFINITY and Truck Series.

“Definitely lean on (Kevin) Harvick,” Wallace said of the ’14 Monster Energy Cup Series champion. “He’s definitely helped out in the past when times were tough.”

Seven-time series champ Jimmie Johnson has offered advice as well. “Every time I fire a text to him he’s always right there to respond,” Wallace said of the Hendrick Motorsports driver. “I hope it’s not like, ‘Alright now you’re in the big leagues we’re not helping you anymore.’

“I’m going to take what the weekend will give. If it’s destined that I’ll finish 35th and that’s all we’ve got, then hey that’s 35th. But if it’s 15th or 20th, that’s a really good day for me. To go out there and run (that) in my first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race, it’s going to take a lot and going to be special to do that.”

Posted on by Pat DeCola

DOVER, Del. — The hardest decision most 8-year-olds have to make on any given day is how to spend recess.

A few years ago Jenna Dumanski faced the choice of whether or not she’d be the one to donate a life-saving bone marrow transplant to her 8-month-old brother, Tommy, who had been diagnosed with a rare hereditary immunodeficiency disease.

Jenna knew what she had to do, and didn’t look back.

“Tommy had CGD (chronic granulomatous disease) and he needed a donor because he was really sick,” she told NASCAR.com Sunday at Dover International Speedway, site of the AAA 400 Drive for Autism Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race. “We got tested and I was a 10 out of 10 match for him so I donated it. (I knew) if I didn’t, he would be really sick and he could possibly die.”

Medlineplus.gov defines CGD as an “inherited disorder in which certain immune system cells do not function properly. This leads to repeated and severe infection.”

The source also says long-term antibiotic treatments may help reduce the infections, but early death can occur from repeated lung infections.

The Dumanskis needed to move swiftly, and decisively in Tommy’s case.

“(The doctors) wanted us to wait a year so his body could go through the chemo(therapy),” Jenna’s mom, Jeannette, explained, “but his mutation was so severe that they said his next infection probably was going to be fatal.

“We gave (Jenna) the option. … We said, ‘You choose. We’re not going to make you do this.’ There’s people in the donor pool who also could’ve (been a match). Two days after that, she came to us and said she wants to be the one to save him.”

Fast forward to 2017, and both Jenna and Tommy are healthy and thriving thanks to Jenna’s selfless act of courage, though the former just went through a bout of meningitis, herself, that unfortunately got in the way of a Daytona 500 trip.

“Right now, knock on wood, but Tommy’s good,” said Jeannette. “He’s an active, 3-year-old boy, thanks to his superhero.”

Jenna’s looking forward to showing Tommy her passion — NASCAR — someday. It’s a relatively new one for her, but one she’s grown obsessed with immediately.

“I watched a race at my friend’s house and he had the Daytona 500 on and after I left I went home and asked my dad if we could watch it,” said Jenna. “I didn’t even realize there was going to be another race because I didn’t know too much about it. I’ve watched every single race since.

“I was leaning towards (Kevin) Harvick to be my favorite driver and then at Phoenix (Raceway) he did really well. He was good and I just really liked him. Now, I’m obsessed with NASCAR. I have NASCAR bed sheets, I have a NASCAR wall, just tons and tons of NASCAR stuff.”

Jenna — who in due time will learn the Stewart-Haas Racing driver is just about always good at Phoenix — and Harvick managed to meet at Dover in 2016, and the Milltown, New Jersey, resident was so excited she “couldn’t even talk.”

The family has been going to races at Dover and Pocono Raceway for a few years now and Jenna — who hopes to be a NASCAR driver herself one day — has made plans for a trip to another race track via one interesting math project.

“She just did this massive report for her math class,” Jeannette said, “Where they could go anywhere in the world, but you had to write out all of your expenses. She could’ve picked Bora Bora or Bermuda, but she wanted to go to Charlotte.”

Specifically, to the Coca-Cola 600.

(Spoiler alert: Austin Dillon wins the math project running of the race, too.)

“I wanted to go to Concord, North Carolina,” said Jenna. “We had to come up with different excursions and how to pay for your trip, so the first day I had us going to the NASCAR race at Charlotte, the second day we would go to the Stewart-Haas Racing headquarters because I really want to go there. Then we went to Hendrick Motorsports, because my dad really likes them and I kind of like that team. The fourth day we went to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the fifth day we went to Lake Norman just to hang out.

“One of my favorite things in the whole world is NASCAR. Being on a NASCAR trip would be amazing.”

Someday Jenna will make it down to Charlotte.

And she’ll have Tommy right alongside her.