Posted on by Track Release

The 2018 NASCAR season will be an historic one for Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

LVMS’s spring NASCAR Weekend will run March 2-4, with a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race taking place on Friday, the NASCAR XFINITY Series’ Boyd Gaming 300 following on Saturday and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ Pennzoil 400 anchoring the tripleheader on Sunday. The speedway’s fall weekend will be Sept. 14-16 and consist of a Friday NCWTS race, an XFINITY Series race on Saturday and a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday.

LVMS will kick off the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in September and be the first track in NASCAR history to host two tripleheader weekends in the same year.  In addition, the speedway’s September XFINITY Series race will serve as the cutoff for qualification into the XFINITY playoffs, and the Truck Series race will be the second playoff event for that series.

“We’ve waited a long time to be able to host two major NASCAR event weekends at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and to see the official dates on the schedule is exciting for everyone here at the speedway and in our community,” LVMS President Chris Powell said. “Our spring NASCAR Weekend has been a thrilling experience in Las Vegas for more than two decades, and we’re eager to begin another chapter with our fall tripleheader. To kick off the Monster Energy Cup Series playoffs and be a key factor in the other series’ postseasons will be an incredible way to cap off what promises to be a monumental year for LVMS.”

LVMS was awarded a second NASCAR Weekend and signed Pennzoil as title sponsor of its spring Cup race in March of this year. The speedway first hosted a Truck race in 1996, then followed with an XFINITY event the following year and added a Cup race in 1998.

Next up for LVMS is its fall Truck race on Saturday, Sept. 30, which will be part of the NCWTS Playoffs for the second consecutive year. Fans can purchase annual passes for LVMS’s 2018 events at a deep discount off individual weekend tickets by calling 1-800-644-4444 or logging on to www.LVMS.com.

Posted on by Track Release

RELATED: Playoff makeover highlights 2018 schedule | Official release

The Brickyard 400 will enter a new era of excitement in 2018, as the annual Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will move to Sunday, Sept. 9.

The 400 will serve as the final race of the regular season, determine the regular season champion and set the field for the NASCAR Playoffs, which begin the following weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“The Brickyard 400 has been one of NASCAR’s premier events for 25 years, and we’re thrilled the race is moving to one of the most important dates on the NASCAR calendar,” said J. Douglas Boles, IMS president. “Our fans will love the excitement that comes with crowning a regular season champion at The Racing Capital of the World, and the cooler temperatures of early September will make the race more enjoyable for everyone.

“The IMS team is focused this week on delivering a successful 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500, but we’re eager to continue working with our partners to make the Brickyard 400 a great experience for our fans, competitors and community.”

More details about the 2018 Brickyard weekend schedule, including the Lilly Diabetes 250 NASCAR XFINITY Series race, will be released soon.

The Brickyard 400 has taken place in late July or early August every year since the inaugural race in August 1994. The 2017 Brickyard 400, which includes the Lilly Diabetes NASCAR XFINITY Series race, is scheduled for July 21-23 at IMS. Tickets are available at IMS.com.

For more information about the Brickyard 400 and other IMS events, visit IMS.com.

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: Playoff makeover, Daytona’s return to history highlight schedule

TRACKS RESPOND: Chicagoland | Richmond | Indy | Las Vegas

The 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule includes two key date changes for Daytona International Speedway.

For the first time since 2010, the season-opening Daytona 500 will return to its former weekend date leading into President’s Day in mid-February. The 2018 race, which kicks off the 36-race season for the Monster Energy Series, is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 18.

Also, the Advance Auto Parts Clash, the annual non-points event for Monster Energy Series teams, now will be on Sunday, Feb. 11, the same day as Coors Light Pole Qualifying for the Daytona 500.

The date change for the 500, initially announced by track officials in July of 2016, moves the season’s first points race up one week on the calendar. It has been the first stop for the series since 1982 and has been run as late as Feb. 27 in previous seasons. This year’s 500 was held Feb. 26.

The 2.5-mile superspeedway has hosted NASCAR events since 1959.

“Certainly it’s the traditional spot on President’s Day weekend,” Daytona president Chip Wile told NASCAR.com. “It gives folks an opportunity to have a day on the backside of the Daytona 500 to travel home. That works in our favor.

“We’re always thinking about how we can enhance the experience for our race fans, whether they are here on site or traveling to and from the race track. I think it’s important to think through those things.”

Said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Operations: “A lot went into it, obviously. From Chip’s standpoint on attendance, that’s right: There’s an opportunity for folks to extend that weekend, and all the pieces fit together, just as they did with the opportunity to move the Clash to Sunday and have a day race with qualifying for our biggest race of the year.”

NASCAR officials released the 2018 schedule for the Monster Energy Series on Tuesday, along with schedules for the XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series.

MORE: Key schedule changes | A look at each date | Official release | Reactions

The Clash has been run under the lights at the 2.5-mile track each year (barring weather issues) since 2003. Except for two occasions, the race was contested on a Sunday from its debut in ’79 through 2002, and held on the same day as Daytona 500 qualifying.

Weather forced the race to be moved to a Monday in 1983 and it was moved to a Saturday race for one year (1992).

“We brought back the name last year, now we’re bringing back the tradition, running it on Sunday afternoon,” Wile said. “So it will be a doubleheader — it will set the front row for the Daytona 500 and then we’ll run the Clash immediately following.

“It will be a great afternoon here at the Daytona International Speedway, enjoying the $400 million renovated stadium and seeing some great racing.”

The Clash field consists of pole winners from the previous season, as well as former Clash winners, playoff drivers from the previous season and any former Daytona 500 pole winner who competed full-time the previous year.

“Last year we got to see it on Sunday afternoon because of the weather,” Wile said. “It was just so well received by the industry and the fans we thought what the heck, let’s give it a go.

“I think it differentiates that race, too, because it’s not being raced under the lights where a lot of the activity now during Speedweeks is run under the lights. It gives it a little bit different flavor and a little bit different feel. And it gives our great race fans an opportunity to come out and see the cars battle during the afternoon.”

 

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: 2018 schedule released | Key changes |  Official release

TRACKS RESPOND: Chicagoland | Richmond | Indy | Las Vegas

For the first time since its debut in 2004, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs will include a road course in the 10-race championship-determining format in 2018.

Included as part of Tuesday’s 2018 national series schedule announcement, Charlotte Motor Speedway’s playoff race, scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 30, will include use of the track’s infield road course.

The 2018 playoffs will consist of four races contested on 1.5-mile intermediate tracks (Las Vegas, Kansas, Texas, Homestead-Miami), two 1-mile venues (Dover, Phoenix), two short-track stops (Richmond, Martinsville), and one superspeedway (Talladega) in addition to the Charlotte road course.

MORE: Date changes for 2018 | Reactions

Driver AJ Allmendinger tested on the road course earlier this year.

“Here’s the deal … I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said during the annual Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour in January. “I thought it was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it.

“You can bring something new to the schedule and something new if it was done. I’m all for it. I’m probably biased toward that. It’s kind of like the new (stage) format. Change can be good and it can be a little scary. We have to see how it plays out. But could it be successful? I think it would be a fantastic race and something the fans could truly enjoy.”

Allmendinger, driver of the No. 47 Chevrolet for JTG Daugherty Racing, has one career win in the series and it came at Watkins Glen, which along with Sonoma Raceway make up the only two road-course stops currently on the Monster Energy Series schedule.

Use of the road course will increase the individual lap distance from 1.5 miles to approximately 2.4 miles. That change means the race will consist of fewer than the 334 laps that currently make up the race distance for a 500-mile event.

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

RELATED: 2018 schedule | In-depth schedule analysis | Key changes | Reactions

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 23, 2017) – NASCAR today announced sweeping changes to the lineup of tracks that make up the playoffs as part of its 2018 national series schedules.

Next season, the final regular season race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will be contested at iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the Round of 16 kicks off at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR has added a second short track to the playoff slate, as the historic ¾-mile Richmond International Raceway hosts the second playoff race for the first time, and Charlotte Motor Speedway serves as the first cutoff race, with an intriguing twist — and turn. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will race on the road course oval at Charlotte, marking the first time the playoffs will see a road-course layout among its 10 races.

TRACKS RESPOND: Chicagoland | Richmond | Indy | Las Vegas

With Charlotte moving to the cutoff of the Round of 16, Dover International Speedway now hosts the first race of the Round of 12 — another playoff first.

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Great American Race, the Daytona 500 returns to its traditional Presidents Day weekend on Sunday, February 18.

Speedweeks kicks off with an action-packed Sunday, February 11 at Daytona International Speedway, with a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season-opening double-header featuring the Clash and Daytona 500 pole qualifying.

“Fan feedback was a major driver in developing these schedules, and we worked very closely with the industry to set the stage for an exciting 2018 season,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “This season has delivered more dramatic moments to fans, and with the adjustments to the 2018 schedules we’re in a great position to build upon that success.”

MORE: Download 2018 schedule

Richmond’s spring race returns to Saturday night, and the spring triple-header at Dover moves to the first week in May.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series joins NASCAR Goes West, the annual three-race trek to the West Coast, making March 2-4 a triple-header weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The fall weekend at Las Vegas serves as the final regular season event for the NASCAR XFINITY Series, with a three-race opening round of Richmond, Charlotte and Dover. The fall Bristol race will finalize the playoff field for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, with Round of 8 races at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Las Vegas and Talladega.

All races will air on either the FOX or NBC family of networks, MRN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

See below for all three NASCAR national series schedules.

 

2018 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES SCHEDULE

Feb. 11: Daytona International Speedway (Clash / Daytona 500 Qualifying)
Feb. 15: Daytona International Speedway (Duel)
Feb. 18: Daytona 500
Feb. 25: Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 4: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 11: Phoenix Raceway
March 18: Auto Club Speedway
March 25: Martinsville Speedway
April 8: Texas Motor Speedway
April 15: Bristol Motor Speedway
April 21: Richmond International Raceway
April 29: Talladega Superspeedway
May 6: Dover International Speedway
May 12: Kansas Speedway
May 19: Charlotte Motor Speedway (Monster Energy All-Star Race)
May 27 : Charlotte Motor Speedway
June 3: Pocono Raceway
June 10: Michigan International Speedway
June 24: Sonoma Raceway
July 1: Chicagoland Speedway
July 7: Daytona International Speedway
July 14: Kentucky Speedway
July 22: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
July 29: Pocono Raceway
Aug. 5: Watkins Glen International
Aug. 12: Michigan International Speedway
Aug. 18: Bristol Motor Speedway
Sept. 2: Darlington Raceway
Sept. 9: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sept. 16: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sept. 22: Richmond International Raceway
Sept. 30: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Oct. 7: Dover International Speedway
Oct. 14: Talladega Superspeedway
Oct. 21: Kansas Speedway
Oct. 28: Martinsville Speedway
Nov. 4: Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 11: Phoenix Raceway
Nov. 18: Homestead-Miami Speedway

 

2018 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES SCHEDULE

Feb. 17: Daytona
Feb. 24: Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 3: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 10: Phoenix Raceway
March 17: Auto Club Speedway
April 7: Texas Motor Speedway
April 14: Bristol Motor Speedway
April 20: Richmond International Raceway
April 28: Talladega Superspeedway
May 5: Dover International Speedway
May 26: Charlotte Motor Speedway
June 2: Pocono Raceway
June 9: Michigan International Speedway
June 17: Iowa Speedway
June 30: Chicagoland Speedway
July 6: Daytona International Speedway
July 13: Kentucky Speedway
July 21: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
July 28: Iowa Speedway
Aug. 4: Watkins Glen International
Aug. 11: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Aug. 17: Bristol Motor Speedway
Aug. 25: Road America
Sept. 1: Darlington Raceway
Sept. 8: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sept. 15: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sept. 21: Richmond International Raceway
Sept. 29: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Oct. 6: Dover International Speedway
Oct. 20: Kansas Speedway
Nov. 3: Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 10: Phoenix Raceway
Nov. 17: Homestead-Miami Speedway

 

2018 NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES SCHEDULE

Feb. 16: Daytona International Speedway
Feb. 24: Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 2: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 24: Martinsville Speedway
May 4: Dover International Speedway
May 11: Kansas Speedway
May 18: Charlotte Motor Speedway
June 8: Texas Motor Speedway
June 16: Iowa Speedway
June 23: Gateway Motorsports Park
June 29: Chicagoland Speedway
July 12: Kentucky Speedway
July 18: Eldora Speedway
July 28: Pocono Raceway
Aug. 11: Michigan International Speedway
Aug. 15: Bristol Motor Speedway
Aug. 26: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
Sept. 14: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Oct. 13: Talladega Superspeedway
Oct. 27: Martinsville Speedway
Nov. 2: Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 9: Phoenix Raceway
Nov. 16: Homestead-Miami Speedway

Posted on by Holly Cain

RELATED: Key changes to 2018 schedule | Download 2018 schedule | Reactions

The 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule features a can’t-miss new look with variations in dates and longtime venues — particularly in an exciting new playoff portion of the lineup.

Changes to the iconic Daytona 500 date — back on President’s Day weekend, Feb. 18 in 2018 — start a slate of substantial change and high intrigue.

The three-quarter mile Richmond International Raceway short track will host one of the playoff races in the opening round of the postseason, and its spring date — April 21 — returns to a Saturday night feature.

The traditional regular-season finale will now shift from the Richmond short track to the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sept. 9.

Chicagoland Speedway now is the site of NBC Sports’ season debut on July 1 — just prior to the traditional Daytona International Speedway Coke Zero 400 stop a week later, a powerful one-two punch.

In another major playoff shakeup, Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s brand new “second date” of the season will officially kick off NASCAR’s playoffs on Sept. 16. Also significant: Charlotte Motor Speedway’s playoff race will now be run on the venue’s road course instead of its 1.5-mile oval.

MORE: Charlotte’s 2018 playoff race to include road course | Date changes for ’18

That adds not only a road course to the postseason, but one that serves as the elimination event in the opening round on Sept. 30.

“I think a lot of it had to do with what we’ve heard from the fans over a period of time,” Jim Cassidy, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Operations, told NASCAR.com. “As the playoffs have continued to evolve and we’ve incorporated elimination into the playoffs, we’ve heard from our fans that they like to see some different variety in the places that we go during the playoffs.

“Most notably, the road course at Charlotte and the addition of the short track at Richmond are a couple of opportunities that presented themselves during the course of a lot of conversations with a lot of folks in the industry, and we were able to land in a good place.”
TRACKS RESPOND: Chicagoland | Richmond | Indy | Las Vegas

In addition to the 60th anniversary of the Daytona 500 returning to its longtime President’s Day weekend, Daytona Speedweeks has a refreshed look with both Daytona 500 pole qualifying and the always exciting Clash at Daytona preseason race held on the same day (Sunday, Feb. 11).

With the schedule changes, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series opening three-race playoff round is Las Vegas-Richmond-Charlotte. The next round starts at Dover, then heads to Talladega and concludes in Kansas. The Round of 8 again is Martinsville-Texas-Phoenix, with the championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 18.

Cassidy indicated that the release of the 2018 schedules was the result of a spirit of collaboration through many points in the NASCAR industry, an extension of the same sort of cooperation that delivered the stages format and other enhancements to the sport.

“That was refreshing, but it wasn’t new to us because we’d just come off a really successful round of conversations in working together to get good results on stage racing,” Cassidy said. “The key common goal moving into the schedule conversation was, ‘How can we approach 2018 from the same standpoint as we approached the formats,’ and that’s satisfying what we’re hearing from the fans.

“Once you start focusing on that, you go in from day one and it’s fan-centric. It becomes a very natural conversation for a lot of different parties to play a role in.”

The NASCAR XFINITY Series also will conclude at the Miami 1.5-miler after opening playoff rounds in Richmond, Charlotte and Dover. Subsequent races at Kansas, Texas and Phoenix will set up the South Florida finale.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will settle its title with a playoff opener on the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park road course, followed by races at Las Vegas and Talladega to set the Round of 8. Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix will decide the championship four vying for the big trophy at Homestead-Miami.

“There’s a ton of variety,” Cassidy said of the other national series’ playoffs. “I mean, can you imagine setting the field for the playoffs for the trucks at Bristol? And the last couple of years that we’ve raced north of the border, the bottom line is that the trucks put on just a heck of a show just about any place they go, so the lineup is great. … It’ll keep us on the edge of our seats for that entire seven-race stretch of the playoffs, for sure. Same with the XFINITY Series. It’s a great lineup as well.”

The Truck Series also joins the NASCAR Goes West initiative, heading to Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 2) for a tripleheader weekend.

Contributing: Zack Albert

 

Posted on by Staff Report

Following extensive conversations across the industry, NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway have started the process of conditioning the upper groove in Turns 1 and 2 and Turns 3 and 4 in preparation of all races held at the track this weekend, culminating in the Coca-Cola 600 on May 28 (6 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The process includes adding a traction agent to the surface, and using the tire dragon tool to add Goodyear rubber into the groove. The expectation is the additional grip will increase the number of driving lines available to race in the corners. The low groove will remain intact.

“We talked through this opportunity with the track, teams, drivers and Goodyear,” said NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Scott Miller. “There was agreement that this process would enhance the racing we see at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and ultimately would make for an exciting Coca-Cola 600.”

On-track action starts on Thursday at 2 p.m. ET with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice. The XFINITY Series race is scheduled for a 1 p.m. ET start Saturday (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM).

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

RELATED: Full Salutes coverage

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 23, 2017) — For the third consecutive year, windshield headers on all 40 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series cars will be replaced with the names of fallen military service members during Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), NASCAR announced today.

This year’s “600 Miles of Remembrance” tribute honoring those who bravely served our country, launches a six-week platform encapsulating the industry’s collective expression of respect and gratitude — NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola.

“There is no prouder moment for our sport than when the entire NASCAR family rallies to honor and pay tribute to the United States Armed Forces,” said Brent Dewar, NASCAR chief operating officer. “NASCAR Salutes continues to grow thanks to the support of our industry and partners who believe just as strongly in recognizing those who’ve served and continue to serve today.”

Coca-Cola, the “Official Soft Drink of NASCAR,” has long honored and recognized the U.S. Armed Forces throughout the Coca-Cola 600 and Coke Zero 400 race weekends, which take place on Memorial Day Weekend and Independence Day Weekend, respectively.

This year, Coca-Cola’s support will extend throughout the industry-wide effort to honor past and present members of the U.S. Armed Forces, as the presenting sponsor of NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola also partners with NASCAR on Troops to the Track, hosting service members from all military branches at race tracks during the season.

“The Coca-Cola Company has a longstanding history of supporting the U.S. military, veterans and their families. We are honored to continue to support U.S. service members with the NASCAR Salutes program,” said Peggy Loos, vice president, Coca-Cola North America Connections Activation. “Throughout the Coca-Cola 600 race weekend, America’s largest Memorial Day celebration, Coca-Cola will bring people together to pay tribute to our nation’s Armed Forces — past and present — and their families for their extraordinary contributions to our country.”

Many of the service members whose names will be displayed on the race cars Sunday were chosen by the race teams, including some with unique connections to the fallen. U.S. Army sergeant Gregory Allen Belanger, who was killed in Hallia, Iraq in 2003, was a friend of Team Penske employee Darin Russell, engine tuner for Ryan Blaney’s No. 21 Ford Fusion.

Harold Tussey, whose name will be proudly displayed on Paul Menard’s No. 27 Chevrolet SS, lost his life in the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The third-class petty officer’s great nephew, Troy Tussey, is a mechanic with Richard Childress Racing.

Several families of those recognized on the race cars will attend the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The track will host more than 5,000 active military members at Sunday’s race in honor of Memorial Day.

Throughout the NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola platform, fans at each of the six race weekends will have the opportunity to write the name of a service member close to their heart on a small poster, and “Rise to Honor” them during the pace laps preceding each event.

Among the other NASCAR Salutes events and activities are the following:

• Throughout the platform, fans can follow the NASCAR Salutes conversation on social media using #NASCARSalutes. A special NASCAR Salutes filter will be available on Snapchat for fans attending Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races.

• This Sunday, NASCAR drivers will discuss 600 Miles of Remembrance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90) during a special military tribute show airing at 1 p.m. ET. The Dialed In Salute to the Troops special, hosted by Claire B. Lang, will feature interviews with several drivers as well as service members from different branches of the military.

• During Saturday’s Hisense 4K TV 300, NASCAR XFINITY Series™ drivers will display red, white and blue XFINITY windshield decals on their race cars.

• Lilly Diabetes, the “Official Diabetes Health Partner of NASCAR®,” unveiled a patriotic paint scheme that Ryan Reed, driver of the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes Ford Mustang, will race in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Memorial Day Weekend.

• This weekend, NASCAR together with Honor and Remember, Inc., will display specially prepared Honor and Remember flags representing those who have died in service to our country from each of the 50 United States throughout the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series garage at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

• Goodyear will once again transform its NASCAR race tires by replacing the “Eagle” sidewall design with “Support Our Troops” messaging on all tires used during Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

• Owners in the Toyota Owners Hub at Charlotte Motor Speedway will have the opportunity to write letters of appreciation for military members serving overseas and can sign their name on a Camry race car hood, featuring a message of gratitude, which will be presented to the USO of North Carolina before the Coca-Cola 600.

• Nationwide, the “Official Auto, Home, Life and Business Insurance of NASCAR®,” recently unveiled Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s patriotic paint scheme for his No. 88 Nationwide Insurance Chevrolet SS in the Coca-Cola 600.

• Mars, the “Official Chocolate of NASCAR®,” created a patriotic red, white and blue M&Ms paint scheme for Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota Camry for the Coca-Cola 600 to coincide with M&M’s Red, White, Blue, “One for you, One for the troops” program with Walmart, which gives consumers the opportunity to thank troops by buying M&M’s domestically, and subsequently having a bag sent overseas to service members. Mars will also support the program with a pre-race Big & Rich concert at the Coca-Cola 600.

• During the DAYTONA Firecracker 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway, Comcast will work with NASCAR and teams to replace its XFINITY branding with active military installations on all NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers’ windshield headers to commemorate Independence Day Weekend.

• During the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™ race at Gateway Motorsports Park, the track and drivers will celebrate Scott Air Force Base’s 100th anniversary.

• Allegiant, the “Official Passenger Airline of NASCAR®,” is offering free travel services to U.S. active or reserve duty and the National Guard members.

• Aspen Dental, the “Official Dentist of NASCAR®,” is hosting its Day of Service, a program that provides a day of free dental care for veterans on Saturday, June 24, at all participating Aspen Dental practices.

• Hope For The Warriors, which provides assistance to combat wounded service members, their families, and families of those killed in action, has partnered with NASCAR Digital Media to raise funds during NASCAR Salutes. The organization will launch videos on NASCAR.com featuring drivers, and bring 24 Gold Star family members to Charlotte Motor Speedway to honor and remember family members whose names will be displayed on four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series cars.

Beginning Friday, fans can visit NASCAR.com/salutes to share their message of honor for the military, view an online gallery of the service members honored, and learn more about NASCAR Salutes activities.

Tickets to NASCAR national series events are available at NASCAR.com/tickets.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Buy Darlington race tickets

Ryan Blaney unveiled his throwback scheme on Monday evening via NASCAR America for Labor Day weekend’s Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Blaney, who drives the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, will pilot another famed No. 21 red-and-white scheme wheeled by Kyle Petty. He is the first driver to reveal a 2017 throwback Darlington paint scheme.

“I’m really pumped the Wood Brothers wanted to do that (scheme),” Blaney said on NASCAR America. “I think it turned out great … I’m pumped to have it on the car, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Petty drove for the historic Wood Brothers Racing team from 1985 – 1988, collecting two wins and 48 top-10s. He piloted the No. 21 Ford for half that period, in 1987 and 1988, when he won that year’s coveted Coca-Cola 600.

This season marks the third year that Darlington will host a throwback-themed Southern 500 event. This year’s event will focus on the 1985-1989 era, considered a time of growth and exposure for the sport.

The 2017 Bojangles’ Southern 500 will take place on Sunday, Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. with coverage on NBCSN and MRN.

Posted on by Staff Report

Pixar’s “Cars 3” is coming soon with NASCAR stars joining the beloved franchise’s cast. See them first here by watching the animated intros for the characters played by Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott and Daniel Suarez.